Posted: December 14, 2012
Hamlet Test Monday on Acts IV and V
Essay due Tuesday
Mr. Valanne Notes
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Notes
Posted: December 5, 2012
Complete the following questions. Use line references and supporting evidence. These will be collected tomorrow and 3 of the questions will be randomly selected and marked for 5 points each.
Act 4 Scene 7
1. Claudius has obviously convinced Laertes of his innocence. What things of a personal nature do we learn about Gertrude and Claudius? Laertes wants his revenge, but Claudius tells him "You shortly shall hear more." What does Claudius expect to be able to tell Laertes soon?
2. What does Hamlet's letter tell Claudius? Why does Hamlet want to see him"alone"? What seems to be Hamlet's plan?
3. What plan do Claudius and Laertes develop? What happened when Lamord came to Denmark two months ago? How will Claudius and Laertes use Laertes' reputation to get revenge?
4. What would Laertes do to get revenge? How does this compare to Hamlet? How does Claudius respond?
5. How many tricks and poisons does it take (according to Claudius and Laertes) to kill a Hamlet?
6. What happened to Ophelia? Did she kill herself, or is her death accidental?
7. What is Laertes' response to her death? What does Claudius fear will happen?
Posted: December 4, 2012
Act IV Scene V Answer in complete sentences with supporting evidence.
1. What do we learn about the state of Gertrude's soul in her aside? What does this say about how she has responded to Hamlet's accusations and recommendations in 3.4?
2. The court assumes Ophelia's madness is caused by her father's death. Judging from her songs, are they correct? Is that the only thing that has made her mad? What else is on her mind and coming to the surface in her madness?
3. What is Laertes' approach to revenging his father's death? How does it compare to Hamlet's? How much support does he have? Whom does he initially blame?
4. What is being threatened as Laertes enters? How well does Claudius handle this emergency?
5. How does Laertes respond to mad Ophelia? What offer does Claudius make to get his discussion with Laertes back on track?
Posted: December 4, 2012
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a play with many recurring themes and motifs. One of the most interesting aspects is the character of Hamlet; he is a memorable character who demonstrates many universal truths and qualities which continue to relate to our world.
Essay Topic:
Literature is filled with many great teen characters; many of these are studied in school like Romeo and Juliet, Holden Caulfield, and Ponyboy. Based on his depression, his struggles, and his general outlook of life, it can be argued that Hamlet was the world's first emo. Do you agree or disagree?
Points to consider:
· teen angst
· teen depression
· what does emo mean? define it. give examples.
· Hamlet's soliloquies
· emo music song lyrics
· are all teens emo-like?
· have there always been emos? will there always be emos? is 'emo' simply a label for the moody teen world?
This is not a personal essay. Support what you say. Use discussion - talk about and explain your thoughts and ideas. Do NOT simply retell the play!!
You must pass in a handwritten draft. Your essay MUST be typed (font 12, times New Roman, double space). Your essay MUST follow MLA formatting. Essay length:
6 typed pages (not including cover page and work cited page). Value = 100. Spelling and mechanics count for 30%. MLA format counts for 20%
AVOID PLAGIARISM
DUE: December 18th
Posted: November 30, 2012
If you missed your Hamlet test on Thursday, it will be written Monday at 11:45 in my room. Bring your lunch.
Posted: November 30, 2012
ACT IV Questions
4.11. Does Gertrude tell Claudius the truth about what happened between her and Hamlet (4.1.7-12)? Is she following Hamlet's advice at the end of 3.4?
2. How does Claudius respond to the death of Polonius? Does he understand the implications of what happened? What will he do now?
4.21. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern learn from Hamlet?
4.31. Why does Claudius believe he can't simply arrest Hamlet?
2. What is the result of Hamlet's joking about death and worms? Keep the whole "worm" discussion in mind when you get to 5.1, the graveyard scene. This discussion is a prelude to that one.
3. Is Hamlet going to England as a prisoner or in the guise of a royal representative?
4. What do Claudius' letters tell England (i.e., the king of England) to do with Hamlet? Why does Claudius expect to be obeyed? (The situation is more or less historical, since England was ruled by a Danish king from 1016-1042. The original Hamlet story seems to date from about this time.)
4.41. Why is Fortinbras' army passing through Denmark? (Remember 2.2.60-80.)
2. What sort of judgment does the Captain make about the place they are fighting for? How does Hamlet describe it?
3. Where is Hamlet going when he meets the Captain?
4. Do a close reading of Hamlet's seventh soliloquy. (Act 4 Scene 4 Lines 32-66)
How all occasions do inform against me,And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,If his chief good and market of his timeBe but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,Looking before and after, gave us notThat capability and god-like reasonTo fust in us unused. Now, whether it beBestial oblivion, or some craven scrupleOf thinking too precisely on the event,A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdomAnd ever three parts coward, I do not knowWhy yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'Sith I have cause and will and strength and meansTo do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:Witness this army of such mass and chargeLed by a delicate and tender prince,Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'dMakes mouths at the invisible event,Exposing what is mortal and unsureTo all that fortune, death and danger dare,Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be greatIs not to stir without great argument,But greatly to find quarrel in a strawWhen honour's at the stake. How stand I then,That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,Excitements of my reason and my blood,And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I seeThe imminent death of twenty thousand men,That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plotWhereon the numbers cannot try the cause,Which is not tomb enough and continentTo hide the slain? O, from this time forth,My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
Posted: November 27, 2012
Music, movie, video game reviews are due Monday.
Posted: November 27, 2012
Reminder that your Hamlet/Caulfield/your character essay is due on December 13th. Get it in early for MLA format check.
Posted: November 27, 2012
There will be a test on Thursday on Hamlet Acts I - III
Posted: November 26, 2012
Due Friday. If you know you will be absent, it is due before Friday.
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Posted: November 21, 2012
Act II questions and soliloquy work due tomorrow.
Posted: November 21, 2012
NOVEMBER 27th - Remembrance Day Assignment Due (40)
NOVEMBER 26th - Editorial Due (30)
NOVEMBER 26th - Editorial Cartoon Due (40)
Posted: November 15, 2012
You are to finish Act I for Monday. I have attached the audio files for scenes 4 and 5. Listen to them and complete the following:
Act I Scene iii
1. According to Laertes, why should Ophelia not believe Hamlet's professions of love?
2. What advice does he give her regarding honour? What is Ophelia's response?
3. Make note of Polonius's advice to Laertes.
4. What does Polonius's advice reveal about his character? What type of father is he?
Act I Scene iv
1. How does Hamlet feel about the drunken revelry?
2. What mixed feelings does Hamlet have after seeing the Ghost?
3. Why doesn’t Horatio want Hamlet to follow the Ghost?
Act I Scene v
A. Comment on the following lines. State who is speaking, what is being said, and identify any poetic/dramatic devices.
1. Lines 10 – 13 2. Lines 29 – 30 3. Lines 36 – 40 4. Lines 42 – 46 5. Lines 59 – 64
6. Lines 80 – 91
B. Hamlet’s 2nd soliloquy is found below. Do a close reading. (Lines 92 -109)
O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else?
And shall I couple hell? O, fie! Hold, hold, my heart;
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee!
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe. Remember thee!
Yea, from the table of my memory
I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,
All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation copied there;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven!
O most pernicious woman!
O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables,--meet it is I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;
At least I'm sure it may be so in Denmark:
THIS WILL BE COLLECTED MONDAY AND MARKED OUT OF 25.
Posted: November 14, 2012
Photo essays due tomorrow
Bring in your three articles (one from CBC, one from BBC, and one from CNN) for class
Posted: November 14, 2012
Finish the questions for Act I Sc i of Hamlet for tomorrow. Question number 4 is especially important.