Hamlet

1
Hamlet

• Day 2

2

• Standards

• Objectives

• Reading 3.6 Analyze the way in which authors
  through the centuries have used archetypes drawn
  from myth and tradition in literature, film,
  political speeches, and religious writings. 3.7
  Analyze recognized works of world literature from
  a variety of authors a. Contrast the major
  literary forms, techniques, and characteristics
  of the major literary periods. b. Relate literary
  works and authors to the major themes and issues
  of their eras. c. Evaluate the philosophical,
  political, religious, ethical, and social
  influences of the historical period that shaped
  the characters, plots, and settings.
• 2.2 Write responses to literaturea. Demonstrate
  a comprehensive understanding of the significant
  ideas in works or passages. b. Analyze the use of
  imagery, language, universal themes, and unique
  aspects of the text. c. Support important ideas
  and viewpoints through accurate and detailed
  references to the text and to other works. d.
  Demonstrate an understanding of the author's use
  of stylistic devices and an appreciation of the
  effects created. e. Identify and assess the
  impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and
  complexities within the text 2.3 Write reflective
  compositions a. Explore the significance of
  personal experiences, events, conditions, or
  concerns by using rhetorical strategies. b. Draw
  comparisons between specific incidents and
  broader themes that illustrate the writer's
  important beliefs or generalizations about life.
  c. Maintain a balance in describing individual
  incidents and relate those incidents to more
  general and abstract ideas.

• Students will be able to
• identify, define, and utilize the literary terms
  associated with dramatic works.
• identify their opinions and beliefs on themes of
  the text both before and after reading.
• identify and record the writing style of
  Shakespearean text.
• compare and contrast the events, themes, and
  ideas of a text to themselves, the world, and
  other text.
• identify and analyze archetypes in works of
  fiction.

3
Reading Check

• Discuss with a partner what you read and the
  annotations you took. What is similar, what is
  different, do you have the same understanding
  about what you read?
• Have your reading annotations ready to be checked.

4
Act I Vocabulary Notes

• apparition noun a ghost or ghostlike image of a
  person.
• avouch verb affirm or assert.
• dirge noun a lament for the dead, esp. one
  forming part of a funeral rite like a mournful
  song, piece of music, or poem.
• emulate verb match or surpass (a person or
  achievement), typically by imitation.
• mirth noun amusement, esp. as expressed in
  laughter.
• obsequious adjective obedient or attentive to
  an excessive or servile degree.
• portentous adjective done in a pompously or
  overly solemn manner so as to impress
• When you come across these in the reading, add
  the page and sentence to your notes. There will
  be vocabulary questions on the test!

5
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• blank verse most of Shakespeares plays written
  in this form, very close to normal speech rhythms
  and patterns, often Shakespeare will deviate from
  this form in order to make a point about the
  characters state of mind or to show a change in
  mood.
• Excerpt from Macbeth by William Shakespeare
• Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,Creeps in
  this petty pace from day to day, To the last
  syllable of recorded time And all our
  yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty
  death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a
  walking shadow, a poor player That struts and
  frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard
  no more it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of
  sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

6
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• double entendres phrases or words which have
  double meanings, one of which is usually sexual
  in nature.
• Druggist's Sign We Dispense with Accuracy.
• Has this druggist thrown accuracy by the wayside
  or does the druggist dispense his prescriptions
  with the utmost accuracy?
• Public Service Announcement Our X-ray unit will
  give you an examination for tuberculosis and
  other diseases which you will receive free of
  charge.
• Are you going to receive the exam free of charge
  or the diseases?
• Hamlet tells Ophelia to get thee to a nunnery
• A nunnery could be a convent or a brothel

7
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• imagery language which works to evoke images in
  your mind.
• The last of the examples of imagery poems is an
  excerpt is from Ode to the West Wind by Percy
  Bysshe Shelley. 
• O wild West Wind, thou breath of Autumn's being,
  Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
  Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter
  fleeing, Yellow, and black, and pale, and hectic
  red, Pestilence-stricken multitudes O thou, Who
  chariotest to their dark wintry bed The wingèd
  seeds, where they lie cold and low, Each like a
  corpse within its grave, until Thine azure sister
  of the Spring shall blow Her clarion o'er the
  dreaming earth, and fill (Driving sweet buds like
  flocks to feed in air) With living hues and
  odours plain and hill Wild Spirit, which art
  moving everywhere Destroyer and Preserver hear,
  O hear!

8
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• metaphor a figure of speech in which a word or
  phrase is replaced by another indicating a
  likeness or similarity between them, comparing
  two things without using like or as.
• time is money
• time is a thief
• you are my sunshine
• he has a heart of stone

9
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• prose normal speech rhythm Shakespeare often
  wrote certain characters speaking in either all
  verse or all prose so if a character deviates
  from its normal form beware of a changing state
  of mind- often a slip into insanity.
• I have of late but wherefore I know not lost
  all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercise and
  indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition
  that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a
  sterile promontory. This most excellent canopy
  the air, look you, this brave oerhanging, this
  majestical roof fretted with golden fire why,
  it appears no other thing to me than a foul and
  pestilent congregation of vapours. Hamlet, Act
  2, Scene 2

10
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• pun a play on words that sound alike or that
  have multiple meanings.
• Kings worry about a receding heir line.
• I would like to go to Holland someday. Wooden
  shoe?
• "Not so, my lord, I am too much in the sun"
  (1.2.67). This is Hamlet's response to the King's
  question, "How is it that the clouds still hang
  on you?" He means that the King has called Hamlet
  "son" once too often.

11
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• rhyming couplet two rhyming lines at the end of
  a speech, signaling a character is leaving or the
  scene is ending.
• "Blessed are you whose worthiness gives
  scope,/Being had, to triumph being lacked, to
  hope."
• "So, till the judgement that yourself arise,/You
  live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes.
• "You still shall live, such virtue hath my
  pen,/Where breath most breathes, even in the
  mouths of men."
• "How like Eve's apple doth thy beauty grow,/If
  thy sweet virtue answer not thy show!

12
Approaching Shakespeares Language

• simile a figure of speech comparing two things
  using like or as.
• as dry as a bone
• as easy as shooting fish in a barrel
• they fought like cats and dogs
• stand out like a sore thumb

13
The Players

• Hamlet the prince of Denmark
• Claudius The new king of Denmark, Hamlets uncle
  and now step father
• Gertrude The queen of Denmark, Hamlets mother
  and now wife of Claudius
• Horatio Hamlets friend
• Polonius The lord Chamberlain, serves the king
  of Denmark as an advisor or counsellor
• Ophelia Poloniuss daughter, Hamlets on again-
  off again girlfriend
• Laertes Poloniuss son, foil character for
  Hamlet
• Fortinbras The prince of Norway, son of King
  Fortinbras, who was killed by Hamlets father
• The Ghost A vision of Hamlets dead father, the
  former king of Denmark
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Hamlets former
  schoolmates and friends
• Osric, Voltimand, and Cornelius courtiers,
  people who attend court, can serve as advisors to
  the king or queen, but really just suck up to
  the royalty in hopes of gaining favor
• Francisco, Marcellus, and Barnardo watch guards

14
Character Analysis

• For the main characters keep track of how they
  act, feel, look, and what they say for each act.

Character Act Feel Look Say
Hamlet
Claudius
Gertrude
Polonius
Ophelia
Laertes
15
Reading Notes/Annotations
Scene One
Summary In this scene Comments/reaction I think/feel/wonder/question/understand
Scene Two
Summary Comments/reaction
Scene Three
Summary Comments/reaction
Scene Four
Summary Comments/reaction

• if you have your own copy, annotate your readings
  marking important elements of setting, plot, and
  characters, write your comments, reactions,
  predictions, etc. in the margins.
• if you dont have your own copy, take notes in a
  scene guide style, summarizing the setting, the
  plot (action), and the main characters involved
  in the plot and then writing your comments,
  reactions, predictions, etc.

16
Homework

• Bring copy of Hamlet to next class
• Finish reading and annotating Act I, scene iv-v