Hamlet

The event I attended last week was a play called "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare. The main plots of the play are that Hamlet's father is murdered by his own brother, who then marries his widower. Hamlet learns of his uncle's sin and creates a plot to avenge his father's death. The play was extremely emotional and dramatic. I had never seen a Shakespearean play before this one, and I thought it was going to be very confusing. But, the actors created an atmosphere of clarity with their actions and involving the audience. I thought they did a very good job of using humor to make the play interesting. After the play was over, and I was walking back to my dorm, I began to wonder, why did Loyola choose to invite these actors to perform plays for us students? The plays were free of charge, so the school was not making any money from them. I then realized that Loyola offers events and lectures that include a variety of topics, cultures, messages, and insight. The school wants us to experience things outside of what we are used to or what we are comfortable with, in order for us to learn.
An important aspect of the Jesuit education is the education of the whole person. As students, we receive this education from a teachers and faculty. According to the Kolvenbach speech educators' "mission is tirelessly to seek the truth and to form each student as a whole person of solidarity who will take responsibility for the real world." This quote explains how they put so much effort into making sure that we become well-rounded people so we can make a contribution to our society. Professors at Jesuit schools not only teach us about math, science, literature, etc, but also about justice, community service, and moral values. These features not only make us great students, but great people too.
Here at Loyola, it seems there is a different talk every night about a new topic. Each of these talks are to benefit us students and to continue to teach us outside of the classroom. William Shakespeare was one of the, if not the, greatest writers of his time, and we continue to read his works today. It is important to study his pieces because they include important themes such as love, betrayal, revenge, and hope. Hamlet included all of these themes, so it is no surprise that Loyola would offer to show these plays. The Shakespeare plays are just one example of all the events the school has to offer. The professors and faculty bring in great speakers and shows to extend our learning. Most of the time, we are able to learn and have fun at the same time. I am really glad I chose a Jesuit university and that I am given these opportunities.