HAMLET QUESTIONNAIRE

HAMLET ASSIGNMENTS

Journal Assignments

1. Do you agree that a small amount of evil is enough to corrupt something good?

2. We all have flaws and weaknesses: Are we doomed to failure because of them?

3. Characterize yourself as a "thinker" or a "doer." In this respect what character in the play are you most like? How would you like to be different, or would you like to be different?

4. To what extent do parents have the right to "spy" or check up on their children? What circumstance might allow or prevent this?

5. Are parents generally blind to their children's faults? Why or why not?

Discussion Questions (Before Reading)

Discussion Questions in Preparation for our reading of Hamlet

1. How does revenge manifest itself?

2. What is the motivation for revenge?

3. What are the effects of revenge?

4. What are the alternatives to revenge?

5. How could you seek revenge on someone in a positive manner?

6. What is the difference between justice and revenge?

7. Is an eye for and eye justice or revenge?

8. Is revenge ever justified?

9. Is war a form of revenge?

Assignment 1: Hamlet- Quotation Identification: IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING QUOTATIONS FROM Hamlet.

1. A little more than kin and less than kind. (I.ii,64)

2. Seems, madam! Nay, it is. I know not "seems." (I.ii,76)

3. How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! (I.ii,133-134)

4. Frailty, thy name is woman! (I.ii,146)

5. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The funeral baked meats/ Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. (I.ii,179-180)

6. Neither a borrower nor a lender be, / For loan oft loses both itself and friend/ And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry./ 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. (I.iii,75-80)

7. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. (I.iv,89)

8. Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. (I.v,24)

9. My uncle!/ Aye, that incestuous, that adulterate beast (I.v,40-41)

10. Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive/ Against thy mother aught. Leave her to Heaven/ And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge. To prick and sting her. (I.v,85-88)

11. The time is out of joint. Oh, cursed spite/ That ever I was born to set it right! (I.v,189-190)

12. What majesty should be, what duty is,/ Why day is day, night night, and time is time,/ Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time./ Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit/ And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,/ I will be brief. (II.ii,87-92)

13. Though this be madness, yet there is method in't. (II.ii,207)

14. Why, then 'tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so./ (II.ii,255-256)

15. What a piece of work is a man!/ How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and/ admirable! In action how like an angel! In apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the/ world! The paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man/ delights not me -- no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so./ (II.ii,315-321)

16. The play's the thing/ Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King. (II.ii,633-634)

17. Madness in great ones must not unwatched go. (III.i,196)

18. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action, with this special observance, that you/ o'erstep not the modesty of nature. (III.ii,19-21)

19. The lady doth protest too much, methinks. (III.ii,240)

20. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound. Didst perceive? (III.ii,297-298)

21. O heart, lose not thy nature, let not ever/ The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom./ Let me be cruel, not unnatural./ I will speak daggers to her, but use none. (III.ii,411-413)

22. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below./ Words without thoughts never to Heaven go. (III.iii,97-98)

23. Oh, shame! Where is thy blush? (III.iv,82)

24. O Hamlet, speak no more./ Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul,/ And there I see such black and grained spots/ As will not leave their tinct. (III.iv,88-91)

25. I must be cruel only to be kind. (III.iv.178)

26. What is a man/ If his chief good and market of his time/ Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. (IV.iv,33-35)

27. Oh, from this time forth,/ My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth. (IV.iv,65-66)

28. Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio (V. i,202-203)

29. Sweets to the sweet. (V.i,266)

30. The cat will mew and dog will have his day. (V.i,315)

31. I am justly killed with mine own treachery. (V.ii,318)

32. The drink, the drink! I am poisoned. (V.ii,321)

33. The King, the King's to blame. (V.ii,331)

Assignment #2: Hamlet Log Assignments

Interpretation: Answer all of the following questions in this section.

1. What is the setting of Hamlet?

2. Where is the climax of the play? Explain your choice.

3. What are the main conflicts in the play, and how are they resolved?

4. Give a summary of the events in the plot.

Critical: Answer five of the questions in this section.

5. Think of a different title for the play. Explain your choice.

6. Explain why Hamlet is a tragedy.

7. Describe the relationship between Hamlet and his mother.

8. What things motivate Hamlet?

9. Choose a passage from Hamlet (at least 10 lines). Analyze the word choice (adjectives, metaphors, etc.) in relationship to the meaning and action of the passage.

10. Characterize William Shakespeare's style of writing. How does it contribute to the value of the play?

11. Compare and contrast Hamlet and Horatio.

12. Compare and contrast Horatio and Laertes.

13. There are several "bad guys" in Hamlet. Who do you think is the worst? Why?

14. Describe Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia.

15. What happened to Ophelia? Why?

16. Could the play Hamlet have been resolved without killing off all of the main characters? If so, how? If not, why not?

17. Are the characters in Hamlet stereotypes? If so, explain why William Shakespeare used stereotypes. If not, explain how the characters merit individuality.

18. Explain the role of each: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, Polonius, Osric, and Laertes.

Critical/Personal Response: Answer all of the questions in this section

19. Which minor character is the most important to the play?

20. What was Hamlet's biggest problem?

21. What would you have done if you were Hamlet and found out that your father had been

murdered by your uncle and your mother?

22. Do you think the relationship between the King and Queen is realistic? Explain why or why not.

23. Who is responsible for Ophelia's death?

Personal Response: Answer all of the questions in this section

24. Did you enjoy reading Hamlet? Why or why not?

25. Suppose Hamlet had killed the King instead of Polonius at first. How would the play have changed?

26. Suppose Ophelia had lived. How would that have affected the story?

27. Many writers today leave their endings open for a sequel (in case it becomes a box-office hit). Such is not the case with Hamlet. The end is definitely the end; all the main characters die. Which type of ending do you prefer? Why?

Assignment #3: Creative Assignment

Design a playbill for a production of Hamlet.

•Choose one of the following themes/ motifs to illustrate for the cover of your own Playbill

–Revenge

–The taint of sin

–Isolation

–Indecision

–Betrayal

•Be sure to include the play’s title on your Playbill cover.

•Be creative, here! Use symbols, etc. to convey your theme/ motif rather than a representational depiction

Assignment #4: Character Assignment: Hamlet's Ghost

choose the verb or verbs that they think best express the Ghost’s purpose in confronting his son on the ramparts. Briefly discuss and define each verb. Note the positive and negative connotations of each.

In Act I.5, it is the Ghost’s purpose to:

corrupt	help	save
destroy	induct	seduce
empower	infect	tempt
enslave	inspire	transform
ensnare	invade	use
guide
		…his son.

Shakespeare

7. Why is it ironic when Claudius calls for "light"?

8. What metaphor does Hamlet use when speaking to R & G to explain his sense of betrayal from them?

9. What is Hamlet talking about when he says, "I will speak daggers to her but use none" at the end of the scene? Why won't he use any?

Assignment # 8: Writing Exercise- The introductory paragraph

Draft the introductory paragraph for an essay in which you demonstrate the significance of one of the following themes in Hamlet.

–Revenge
–The taint of sin
–Isolation
–Indecision
–Betrayal

Be sure to include:

Topic sentence
Title & Author
A progression toward a thesis statement
The thesis statement itself--and one in which you do not merely state that one of the above is evident in the play. What is the significance? What is the effect? How has Shakespeare achieved this effect? etc. Remember, your thesis must have significance. If it does not, the essay itself will not have significance.

While you will not at this time be writing the full essay, you will very shortly. This paragraph will be your first step toward a completed, cohesive, effective analytical essay on Hamlet.

Assignment #9- Discussion Questions per Scene

Act I, Scene i

1. How does Shakespeare begin the play with an immediate sense of suspense?

2. What probably important exposition is revealed in this scene?

3. Why has Horatio been asked to join the soldiers in the night watch? What has he decided to do?

4. How does the reader/audience know this ghost is not a hallucination?

Act I, Scene ii

1. What important exposition is revealed at the beginning of this scene?

2. What evidence of wrongdoing or corruption is evident in Claudius’ opening speech?

3. Compare Claudius’ treatment of Laertes with his treatment of Hamlet.

4. Why did Hamlet not become King when his father died?

5. How is Hamlet physically and emotionally conspicuous in the public portion of this scene?

6. What is the signifi cance of Claudius’ denying Hamlet permission to return to Wittenberg?

7. What aspect of Hamlet’s concept of death / desire for death is revealed in Hamlet’s first soliloquy?

8. What aspect of Hamlet’s problem seems to bother him the most?

9. What important metaphor is introduced in Hamlet’s soliloquy that will be developed later in the play?

10. Contrast Claudius’ and Laertes’ reasons for being in Denmark.

Act I, Scene iii

1. Explain the reasons that Laertes and Polonius give Ophelia to convince her not to trust Hamlet’s love.

2. What is comical about Polonius?

Act I, Scenes iv

1. Other than the fact of the ghost itself, why is this Ghost thought to be an evil omen?

2. Marcellus states, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” What does he mean?

Act I, Scene v

1. In what region of the universe does the Ghost reside?

2. What possible theme is introduced by the Ghost’s afterlife?

3. What does the Ghost warn Hamlet about his mother? Why?

4. What does Hamlet mean when he says, “The time is out of joint”?

Act II, Scene i

1. What is ironic about Polonius’ attempt to learn about Laertes’ life in Paris?

2. Why would Polonius immediately jump to the conclusion that Hamlet is mad for Ophelia’s love?

3. Consider how the episode of Hamlet in Ophelia’s closet promises to contribute to the overall calamity of the tragic plot.

Act II, Scene ii

1. Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern willing spies for Claudius and Gertrude?

2. What effect is created by the scenes between Hamlet and Polonius being in prose?

3. What are some of the slang expressions and puns Hamlet uses in his fi rst exchange with Polonius? Why are they signifi cant?

4. What is Hamlet’s initial reaction to the appearance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

5. Why are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hesitant to admit that they are in Elsinore because the king and queen sent for them?

6. How does Hamlet’s famous “What a piece of work is a man!” passage depart from typical Renaissance humanism?

7. Why does Shakespeare introduce a troupe of traveling players into the action of the play?

8. What does Hamlet’s expression of concern about the child actors used in the city contribute to the plot or to the development of his character?

9. What is unusual about the player’s monologue about the Fall of Troy?

Act III, Scene i

1. What does Claudius admit to himself (and to the audience) about his crime?

2. List the personal grievances Hamlet expresses in his “To be or not to be soliloquy” and explain what specifi c events in Hamlet’s life they refer to.

3. What metaphor does Hamlet use in his “To be or not to be speech” to express his developing understanding of death? How does he further develop this metaphor?

4. What information does Ophelia provide about Hamlet’s character before the beginning of the play?

5. Explain the ambiguity of the nunnery scene.

6. What is the main thrust of Hamlet’s diatribe against Ophelia?

Act III, Scene ii

1. Why does Shakespeare begin this scene with Hamlet offering acting lessons to the players? How does this advance the plot, develop character, or help to establish theme?

2. Why does Hamlet trust and admire Horatio?

3. What does Hamlet admit to Horatio and the audience just before the company arrives to view the play?

4. How does Hamlet’s speech pattern change when the others enter the room to view the play? Why?

5. Why does Hamlet speak to Ophelia in such vulgar terms?

6. What does Gertrude’s reaction to the play indicate?

7. Explain the metaphor of the recorder.

8. Explain the allusion to Nero in Hamlet’s closing speech.

Act III, Scene iii

1. How has the play-within-the-play changed Hamlet’s situation and infl uenced the action of the play?

2. How does Polonius’ spying on the scene between Hamlet and Gertrude indicate a change in Gertrude’s status.

3. In what paradox of salvation does Claudius feel trapped?

4. Why doesn’t Hamlet kill Claudius when he has the opportunity?

Act III, Scene iv

1. Explain the ambiguity and word play Hamlet and his mother exchange at the beginning of this scene.

2. What is Hamlet’s reaction to the killing of Polonius?

3. What does this scene reveal about Gertrude’s guilt?

4. What aspect of Gertrude and Claudius’ marriage still clearly bothers Hamlet the most?

5. What is the signifi cance of this second appearance of the ghost?

Act IV, Scene i

1. How is this scene ambiguous regarding Gertrude’s “conversion” from the previous scene?

Act IV, Scene ii

1. What is the apparent purpose of this brief scene?

Act IV, Scene iii

1. Why can’t Claudius simply deal with Hamlet swiftly and harshly as allowed by law?

2. How does this scene advance Hamlet’s developing awareness of death?

3. Do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern know the true purpose of their journey to England?

Act IV, Scene iv

1. What is the apparent purpose of this brief scene?

Act IV, Scene v

1. What important information does Claudius reveal?

2. What do they assume is the cause of Ophelia’s apparent madness?

3. Why do you suppose Ophelia’s madness takes on the form it does?

4. Describe Laertes’ response to his father’s death. How is he a foil for Hamlet?

5. How do the fl owers Ophelia distributes relate to the characters and their actions?

Act IV, Scenes vi - vii

1. What news is revealed in Hamlet’s letter to Horatio? What does this show about Hamlet?

2. What will happen to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

3. How does this episode illustrate the role of coincidence in Shakespearean tragedy?

4. Why does Claudius tell Laertes he will not kill Hamlet himself?

5. In Gertrude’s description of Ophelia’s drowning, what suggests that Ophelia committed suicide?

6. In Gertrude’s description of Ophelia’s drowning, what suggests that Ophelia’s death was an accident?

Act V, Scene i

1. What is the signifi cance of the various skulls the gravedigger digs up during this scene? How do they contribute to the evolution of Hamlet’s understanding of death?

2. How does the entrance of Ophelia’s funeral procession continue this evolution?

3. What does Laertes and Hamlet’s fi ght in Ophelia’s grave foreshadow?

4. Why is this scene in prose?

5. How do Hamlet and the gravedigger view the sociological implications of death differently?

Act V, Scene ii

1. What does Horatio learn about the real purpose for the trip to England?

2. What is ironic about Rosencrantz’s and Guildenstern’s approaching deaths?

3. How does Shakespeare establish that Hamlet is indeed a noble gentleman?

4. How does the impending duel with Laertes complete Hamlet’s concept of death that has been developing through the play?

5. Why does Hamlet apologize to Laertes?

6. Explain how each character dies in the end.

7. Why does the play end with such bloodshed and death?

8. What is signifi cant about the fact that Fortinbras delivers the last lines of the play?

–On the stage, actors Shakespeare’s dialogue and express it dramatically in word and in action so that its meaning is graphically enacted.