Hamlet: Prince of Denmark

1. Hamlet: Prince of Denmark

2. Quick Writing and Discussion • Journal #1 • Individuals who sin or do great evil will always be punished according to the nature of their crimes, whether in a court of law or as a result of some karmic retribution. • Your daily writing is an ongoing assignment and a central part of this study of Hamlet.

3. Act I • Overwhelming grief • Ghosts • Dramatic devices-carrying a torch on stage • “we” • Diction/choice of words- wisest sorrow • Order of ideas-Claudius’s progression of handling topics • Subtext- underlying meaning • Antithesis- balancing of two contrasting ideas-juxtaposition

4. Vocabulary- Act I • Apparition-ghost • Canon-church law • Imminent-inevitable • Perilous-dangerous • Portentous-threatening • Prodigal- extravagant, wasteful • Sullied-tarnished • Caluminious-slanderous

5. What’s on for Today? • Can you identify these quotes ? Who said it to whom? • “my inky cloak” – literary term? • “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt”- meaning?

6. Elements of Tragedy • Tragic hero • Hamartia • Hubris

7. Framework of a Tragedy

8. More stuff • The Great Chain of Being

9. Shakespeare’s language • The imagery in the play supports the theme of decay ,destruction, and corruption in Denmark. In groups , take each act and locate as many references to decay, destruction, and corruption as possible. • Determine to what extent these images enhance the meaning of the play. Look at figurative language, literary terminology, literary devices (symbol, metaphor…). • Report to the class. • “Frailty, thy name is woman!”

10. Journal topic for discussion • How common do you believe the act of revenge is in everyday life? Write about specific incidents…were you involved or did you witness any?

11. Major Themes • Revenge • Appearance vs. Reality • Sanity vs. Insanity • Decay and Corruption

12. Group work: • 1. Read the soliloquy aloud- 2 times • 2. Combine the best paraphrases to piece together what Hamlet is saying. • 3. Make the soliloquy physical: use props, drawings, and students posing in a frozen scene. • 4. Select physical objects to hold up while certain words are read. • 5. Purpose: to illustrate, give meaning to the soliloquy. You can be humorous, but keep your focus in mind. • 6. Present for a daily grade.

13. Group Quiz • How does Shakespeare create suspense in scene 2? 5 references • Imagery, symbolism-Find 4 references to disease or decay • The ghost comes in questionable shape-Find 5 references to the idea that he may not be what he seems • Find 5 references to characters not being what they seem • Find 5 to remembering or forgetting things • Five references to Fate or Providence

14. Explain Claudius’s comments to Hamlet regarding his father’s death. Levels of meaning? • Explain Hamlet’s feelings in the soliloquy. • Compare Laertes’ advice to Ophelia with Polonius’s command to her. • Explain Horatio’s fear of the ghost. • What does Hamlet mean when he says he will put on an “antic disposition”?

15. Act II- Introduction • How would you feel if a friend betrayed you? Discuss an occasion when you thought a friend was not honest with you. • Theme: appearance vs. reality-explain in Act II • What kind of relationship did Hamlet have with his friends during a time of crisis?

16. Vocabulary : Act II • Commission-order • Firmament-sky, heaven • Malefaction-evil deed, crime • Pestilent-destructive, deadly • Promontory-land jutting into sea • Sovereign-supreme in power • Tedious-lifeless, dull

17. For quick writing #2 • “This above all-to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” • Explicate-explain, interpret • Who said it? To Whom? Regarding what? How is it significant?

18. Words to Consider : • Double entendre-two meanings-one usually bawdy • Pun-two meanings, no sexual connotations • Metaphors • Similes • Alliterations • Anastrophe- inversion of normal order • Parallel constructions • Classical allusions • Diction • Subtextual meanings

19. Today’s assignment and presentation • Discuss the meanings and give examples of each new term. Help the class to understand the meanings. After your presentation, explain the meanings of Shakespeare’s language. Why did he use these methods?

20. Act II, scene ii- presentationWhat’s on for today? • King and Polonius beginning- 170 • Hamlet attacks Polonius -170-225 to entrance of R&G • Hamlet and R&G-225-390 • Hamlet, Polonius, and Players 390-560 • Hamlet’s soliloquy

21. Act III • Have you ever felt uncertain about how to act or what action to take in response to a situation? How does Hamlet grapple with difficult decisions?

22. Vocabulary • Paradox • Perceive • Pious • Resolution • visage

23. Act III: Nunnery Scene • Consider subtext and objective. • Objective: what the character wants in a particular scene. His goal…

24. Three Interpretations • Hamlet knows from the beginning of the scene that Polonius and Claudius are watching him. • Hamlet does not know until later in the scene that he is being watched: the group decides when, based on the script. • Hamlet never knows that he is being watched.

25. Rehearsal • 20 minutes to prepare • Be able to point to evidence in the text to support acting choices. • Discuss textual clues used to support your interpretation after your performance. • After all performances, discuss which version of the nunnery scene you prefer and why. • Be prepared to write a paper comparing your version of the scene to the Branagh version.