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Explore the dysfunctional families, devious connivers, and warring nations in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Follow a young man's journey as he uncovers murder, treason, and a ghost, while dealing with his own internal struggles. Themes of betrayal, mental illness, and the complexities of love make this a timeless classic.
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Things you should know about Hamlet…. • The plot is packed with • dysfunctional families, • devious connivers • warring nations
So, what’s the attraction • A young man returns home from college to find that his dad is dead • His loving mother is now remarried to the man that commandeered the throne • Suspicions of murder and treason • Spies • Some questioning lovers • A ghost, and lets not forget…….
Hamlet • An army that is intent on seizing your land • Let’s just say that Hamlet has issues!
Ingredients of Revenge • A wrong must be righted – total payback! • A villain • A complex plot – (a little confusion keeps the reader on his/her toes) • Murders • A play within a play • Ghost
Ingredients of Revenge • Suffering Heroine - Ophelia • Madness • People going crazy • People acting crazy • How do we know when madness is real or fake???
Themes of Yesteryear and Today • Murder • Betrayal/Deception • Friendship • Destroyed/Lost Love • Revenge • Mental Illness • Dysfunctional family & family pressures
Let’s not forget these themes • Ambition • Sin and Corruption • Isolation and loneliness • Disillusion (what we thought of someone turns out to be completely different) • And everyone can relate to… • P–R–O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N
Background • Shakespeare may have used the story of Hamlet to reflect the concerns of his own time. (Cultural Capitol) • During the Elizabethan Era social order was very important.
Background – continue • Hamlet depicts a conflict over what to do when an orderly state is actually corrupt from the inside and there seems to be no civilized answer on how to right a wrong. • KEEP THIS IN MIND WHILE YOU ARE READING
So how do I read the Bard and not go Nuts???? • Read the Introduction • Look at the footnotes to gain a better understanding • Look up words you don’t know • Keep a list of characters • Write a nightly summary
Rule of Thumb • If you can’t understand a particular passage, it’s probably about sex. • You are reading a play which was intended to be spoken, NOT READ SILENTLY. Remember, 90% of Shakespeare’s audience was illiterate.