HAMLET BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

TragedyA drama or literary work in which the main character is

brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances.

A play, film, television program, or other narrative work that portrays or depicts calamitous events and has an unhappy but meaningful ending.

A disastrous event, especially one involving distressing loss or injury to life: an expedition that ended in tragedy, with all hands lost at sea.

A tragic aspect or element.

Vocabulary Tragedy Catharsis Soliloquy Tragic Hero

Characters Hamlet, Prince of

Denmark Prince Hamlet, the title

character, is the son of the late King, also named Hamlet. He is just back from Wittenberg, where he was a sometime student at the university.

Characters Claudius, King of

Denmark, Hamlet's uncle

Claudius is the current King of Denmark, Hamlet's uncle, who succeeded to the throne upon the death of his brother, the old King Hamlet. He also, in short order, married Gertrude, his brother's widow. He is revealed to be the killer of King Hamlet.

Characters Gertrude, Queen of

Denmark, Hamlet's mother

Gertrude is Hamlet's mother. Widowed by King Hamlet's death, she rather too quickly wedded Claudius. In Shakespeare's England marriage to the brother of one's deceased husband was considered incest by the Church.

Characters Ghost appearing to be

Hamlet's father, the former king

The ghost is, in form, the old King Hamlet, but may be an evil spirit. The old king has died recently, so his spirit, while suffering in Purgatory, could be walking at night, vexed and vengeful.

Characters Polonius, counselor to

the king Polonius is Claudius's

chief advisor and father to Ophelia and Laertes. He is old, and often humourously played as fatuous and long-winded.

Characters

Characters

Characters

Characters

Characters

Characters

Tragedy A serious drama in which a central character, the

protagonist — usually an important, heroic person — meets with disaster either through some personal fault or through unavoidable circumstances. In most cases, the protagonist's downfall conveys a sense of human dignity in the face of great conflict.

In modern times, it achieved excellence with William Shakespeare in such works as Hamlet, and Othello.

· Aristotle argued that the proper effect of tragedy is catharsis — the purging of the emotions.

· In common usage, disasters of many kinds are called tragedies.

Act 1 Quiz: Choose any 5 Who does the ghost look like? What request does Laertes make of

Claudius? What advice does Laertes give Ophelia

about Hamlet? What does the ghost want Hamlet to do

about Claudius? Why is Hamlet being rude to his uncle? What does the ghost want Hamlet to do

about Gertrude?

ACT 2, SCENE 2

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE HIRED BY CLAUDIUS TO SPY ON HAMLET

POLONIUS TELLS KING AND QUEEN THAT HAMLET IS CRAZY BECAUSE OF OPHELIA

BEFORE AND AFTERACT 2, SCENE 2

DISCUSS “SNITCHING” WOULD YOU SNITCH ON YOUR FRIEND? HAS ANYONE EVER SNITCHED ON YOU?

WHO’S GOING TO SNITCH ON HAMLET?

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN POLONIUS AND OPHELIA

VOLTEMAND:

ASKS THE KING IF FORTINBRAS (NORWAY) MAY BE ALLOWED TO COME THROUGH DENMARK IN ORDER TO CONQUER POLAND

CLAUDIUS SAYS OK

POLONIUS, KING, AND QUEEN DISCUSS HAMLET:

HAMLET’S CRAZY BECAUSE HE LOVES OPHELIA

OPHELIA GAVE HAMLET’S LETTERS TO POLONIUS

THE PARENTS READ THE LOVE LETTERS POLONIUS SAYS HE TOLD OPHELIA TO STAY

AWAY POLONIUS SUGGESTS THAT THEY ALL SPY

ON THE KIDS

OPHELIA MAY BE PREGNANT?

“CONCEPTION IS A BLESSING” “YOUR DAUGHTER MAY CONCEIVE” “HOW PREGNANT SOMETIMES HIS

REPLIES ARE!”

HAMLET’ SUICIDAL THOUGHTS:

“I HAVE LOST ALL MY MIRTH” THE AIR LOOKS FOUL NOTHING IN THE WORLD IS

BEAUTIFUL

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN’S SUGGESTIONS:

GET A GIRLFRIEND WATCH A PLAY

HAMLET’S “MOUSETRAP”

THE PLAN: GET THE ACTORS TO PLAY THE MURDER

ON STAGE WATCH CLAUDIUS AND GERTRUDE’S

REACTIONS, “Struck so to the soul, and presently confess”

“Catch the conscience of the King”

Act 2, Scene 2 · What does Polonius mean when he says, “Though this be madness, yet there is method

in ‘t”? What words of Hamlet’s would make him say this? · Hamlet makes some dirty jokes about Fortune with his friends. What does this say

about his character? · Explain the line, “there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” · Hamlet catches on right away to what his friends are up to. Cite a line that proves it. · Study Hamlet’s “soliloquy” about “What a piece of work is a man” very carefully. What

is he saying about mankind in general and about himself in particular? · How does Hamlet’s mood suddenly change when he hears that the players have

arrived at the castle?

· In what way does Hamlet make fun of Polonius when he comes to introduce the players?

· Shakespeare uses Polonius to make fun of the practice of classifying plays. How? · Look up Judges 2 in the Old Testament. Why is the reference to Jephthah significant? · Hamlet begs the chief player to recite a speech from a play. What is it about? · How does Polonius show himself to be a fool for his reaction to this speech?

Act 2, Scene 2 · Explain Hamlet’s line, “they [the players] are the abstract

and brief chronicle of the time. After your death you were better have a bad epitaph than their ill report while you live.”

· In his famous soliloquy at the end of this act, Hamlet says, “What’s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba that he should weep for her?” What is he cursing here in himself?

· What is the chief failure that Hamlet condemns in himself? Cite two or three lines to support what you say.

· Explain Hamlet’s line, “The spirit that I have seen / May be the Devil, and the Devil hath power / To assume a pleasing shape.” What does he use this line to excuse?

· By the end of this soliloquy, Hamlet has hatched a plan to “catch the king.” What is it?

QUIZ ACT 2: ANSWER ANY 5

1· For what reason has the king sent for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? P. 53

2· What makes the king think that Hamlet will open up to them? P. 53

3· Polonius hatches a plan wherein he and Claudius can spy on Hamlet. How? P. 58

4· What is the double meaning of Hamlet calling Polonius a “fishmonger”? P. 59

5· What is the double meaning of “Conception is a blessing, but not as your daughter may conceive—friend, look to ‘t”? P. 59

6· By the end of this soliloquy, Hamlet has hatched a plan to “catch the king.” What is it? P. 72-73

SOLILOQUY

A CHARACTER SPEAKING HIS/HER THOUGHTS ALOUD ON STAGE (ALONE)

REVIEW HAMLET’S SOLILOQUIES: Translate as a class Soliloquy #1 PAGE 28

I WISH MY BODY WOULD MELT OR THAT GOD DIDN’T PUNISH US FOR SUICIDE EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IS USELESS SCREW IT, FORGET THE WORLD, IT IS AN UNWEEDED GARDEN MY DAD DIED 2 MONTHS AGO AND HE LOVED MY MOM SO

MUCH THAT HE WAS BOTHERED BY THE WINDS TOUCHING HER FACE TOO HARD

MY MOM LOVED HIM SO MUCH, BUT WOMEN ARE WEAK SHE EVEN WORE THE SAME SHOES TO HIS FUNERAL THAT SHE

WORE TO THE WEDDING MOM SEEMED REALLY SAD, BUT SHE MARRIED MY UNCLE! INCEST BETWEEN MY UNCLE AND MOM! HE’S AFRAID OF STANDING TO HIS UNCLE AND MOTHER

REVIEW HAMLET’S SOLILOQUIES: Translate in pairs Soliloquy #2: PAGE 71

I FEEL LIKE HORRIBLE, BUT NEVER SHOW IT WEIRD, THAT ACTOR DOESN’T FEEL LIKE CRAP, BUT HE REALLY ACTS

THAT WAY MY MOM IS NOTHING LIKE HECUBA, WHO GRIEVED FOREVER WHEN

HER HUSBAND DIED GEE, IF THAT ACTOR FELT THE WAY I FEEL, HE’D REALLY MAKE THE

CROWD WATCH AND THEN I COULD SEE IF MY UNCLE IS GUILTY I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO! MY UNCLE IS TORTURING ME EVERYDAY I HAVE NO COURAGE; I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO I KNOW THAT MY UNCLE KILLED MY DAD, BUT I STILL HAVEN’T KILLED

HIM HMM, I HAVE AN IDEA: I’LL DO A PLAY AND WATCH HIS RESPONSE I HAVEN’T KILLED CLAUDIUS YET BECAUSE MY DAD’S GHOST MIGHT

NOT HAVE BEEN HIM; IT COULD HAVE BEEN AN EVIL SPIRIT

ACT 3, SCENE 1

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN TELL ON HAMLET: HE’S ONLY ACTING CRAZY

QUEEN TELLS OPHELIA SHE’S GLAD HAMLET LOVES HER

HAMLET’S MOST FAMOUS SOLILOQUY

REVIEW HAMLET’S SOLILOQUIES

HAMLET’S SOLILOQUY #3

TRANSLATE FOR POINTS 40 MINUTES TAKE NOTES ON BACK SIDE FOR USE

ON QUIZZES ASK QUESTIONS TODAY TO PREPARE

YOU FOR TOMORROW

REVIEW SOLILOQUY QUIZ QUESTIONS FOR SCENES 1 AND

2 READ/WATCH SCENES 3,4 QUIZ QUESTIONS FOR SCENES 3,4 UP TO PAGE

LEE’S TRANSLATION SHOULD I KILL MYSELF OR NOT? ISN’T IT BRAVE TO STAY ALIVE THROUGH ALL THESE

TROUBLES? WHEN YOU DIE IS IT LIKE SLEEPING AND DREAMING? NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH, THAT’S

WHY SUICIDE IS RARE TIME HURTS US, BROKEN HEARTS, ETC. BUT WE ACCEPT IT

NOT BRAVELY, BUT BECAUSE IT’S BETTER THAN THE UNKNOWN

IF YOU KNEW YOU’D GO TO HEAVEN, WHY WOULDN’T YOU DIE NOW?

THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN MAKES EVERYONE A COWARD I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

SKIP PGS. 77-79 (MOVIE)

REMEMBER IN THE MOVIE WHEN HAMLET GRABBED OPHELIA AND SCREAMED AT HER?

The spies…

POLONIUS AND CLAUDIUS SPY ON HAMLET AND OPHELIA

CLAUDIUS DOES NOT AGREE THAT HAMLET LOVES HER

ACT 3, SCENE 2

PAGES 80-93 = THE MOUSETRAP PLAY

POLONIUS ENDS THE SCENE BY TELLING HAMLET TO VISIT HIS MOTHER

ACT 3, SCENE 3

CLAUDIUS GIVES ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN A LETTER TO TAKE TO ENGLAND

THEY ARE TO TAKE HAMLET WITH THEM

CLAUDIUS’ SOLILOQUY ADMITS HIS GUILT

HAMLET STILL HAS NOT ACTED

CLAUDIUS SOLILOQUY P. 96

NOT ENOUGH RAIN IN HEAVEN TO WASH THE BLOOD FROM HIS HANDS

IT DOESN’T MATTER THAT HE’S A RICH KING, GOD SAW IT ALL

HE PRAYS

AGAIN, HAMLET QUESTIONS HIMSELF

PAGE 97: TO KILL OR NOT TO KILL WHY WON’T HE KILL CLAUDIUS? WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS DAD AFTER

DEATH? WHY?

ACT 3, SCENE 4

QUEEN MEETS WITH HER SON HE SCREAMS AT HER AND MAKES HER

FEEL BAD POLONIUS IS KILLED

P. 100

SHE LIED IN HER MARRIAGE VOWS HAMLET MAKES HER COMPARE THEIR

PICTURES HIS FATHER WAS MUCH MORE

HANDSOME THAN CLAUDIUS

P. 101

HAMLET CALLS HIS MOTHER A WHORE

P. 102

KING HAMLET’S GHOST ENTERS REMEMBER WHAT HE MADE HAMLET

PROMISE?

QUEEN GERTRUDE CAN’T SEE THE GHOSTIS HE REALLY THERE?

P. 104

HAMLET BEGS HER NOT TO SLEEP WITH CLAUDIUS ANYMORE

GERTRUDE: WHAT SHALL I DO? SHE SEEMS AS INDECISIVE AS HER SON

P. 105

HAMLET IS “MAD IN CRAFT” – DOING IT ON PURPOSE

HIS MOM PROMISES NOT TO TELL HAMLET LEAVES, DRAGGING THE

BODY OF POLONIUS BEHIND HIM

ACT 3 QUIZ : CHOOSE ANY 5 (AND ONLY THE 1ST 5 ARE GRADED) 1. WHEN HAMLET SAYS, “TO BE OR NOT TO BE,” TO

WHAT IS HE REFERRING? 2. WHAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING SUICIDE,

ACCORDING TO HAMLET? 3. WHAT IS THE “UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY”? 4. WHY DOES CLAUDIUS JUMP UP AND CALL FOR THE

LIGHT? 5. HAMLET COMES UP BEHIND CLAUDIUS AND

ALMOST KILLS HIM. WHAT STOPS HIM? 6. WHEN HAMLET STABS THROUGH THE CURTAIN,

WHAT DOES HE THINK HE’S DOING? 7. WHY DOES THE GHOST APPEAR AGAIN?

ACT 4, SCENE 1

GERTRUDE TELLS CLAUDIUS HAMLET IS CRAZY

THEY CAN’T GET HAMLET TO SAY WHERE HE PUT POLONUIS’ BODY

ACT 4, SCENE 2

ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ASK WHERE HAMLET HID THE BODY

HE WON’T TELL THEM

ACT 4, SCENE 3

HAMLET WON’T TELL CLAUDIUS HAMLET IS SENT TO ENGLAND WITH

THE LETTERS THE LETTERS SAY THAT HAMLET IS TO

BE EXECUTED

P. 110: HAMLET CHEWS CLAUDIUS

HOW A KING BECOMES A BEGGAR’S POOP

OPHELIA’S DEATH?

SAID TO BE ACCIDENTAL, BUT IT WAS NOT

HER CLOTHES DRAGGED HER DOWN, SUPPOSEDLY

ACT 5

HAMLET RETURNS CONVERSES WITH THE GRAVEDIGGER HAMLET IS VERY INTERESTED IN

DEATH HE TALKS TO YORIC’S SKULL

SOLILOQUY TO YORIC

TELLS SKULL TO TALK TO HIS MOTHER AND CHEER HER UP

YORIC WAS THE CASTLE’S JESTER (A CLOWN)

OPHELIA’S FUNERAL

HAMLET DID NOT KNOW SHE DIED GERTRUDE SAYS SHE WANTED TO

USE FLOWERS AT OPHELIA/HAMLET’S WEDDING, NOT HER FUNERAL

LAERTES FIGHTS HAMLET IN OPHELIA’S GRAVE

HAMLET SAYS HE LOVED HER

LAERTES/CLAUDIUS PLAN

CAN’T KILL HAMLET BECAUSE GERTRUDE LOVES HIM TOO MUCH

THE PUBLIC LOVES HIM TOO MUCH WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO AVENGE

YOUR FATHER? “REVENGE SHOULD HAVE NO BOUNDS”

ACT 4, 4

WEDNESDAY

QUIZ WATCH ACT 4 QUIZ REVIEW

THURSDAY

SHIELD QUIZ ACT 4

FRIDAY

READ/WATCH ACT 5 TEST ON MONDAY

The Final Scene:

Get Hamlet to sword fight ( a play fight; not for real)

Poison the tip of Laertes’ sword Claudius poisons the wine Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine Hamlet is scraped with sword Hamlet kills Laertes Laertes tells on Claudius Hamlet kills Claudius (stabs him and gives

him poison wine) Hamlet dies