Hamlet Act 2 Questions

Act Two Scene One:

At the beginning of the scene Polonius speaks to a character named Reynaldo (someone we never see again) and tells him to spy on his son, Laertes, while in France. The purpose of this conversation is to show how Polonius is a rather sneaky father. Then Ophelia comes to her father and reports what happened when Hamlet came to her bedroom.

1. Describe Hamlet’s behavior as Ophelia reports it. How does Polonius respond?

Act Two Scene Two:

The King and Queen have summoned two of Hamlet’s college buds to the castle to spy on him and find out what’s going on with his weird behavior. Polonius then tells the King and Queen that he has figured out why Hamlet is acting so strange - he is madly in love with Ophelia. He decides to talk to him to see how he reacts.

2. Describe Hamlet’s behavior during his encounter with Polonius. And during his encounter with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

3. Paraphrase Hamlet’s “Metaphysical” monologue  (“I have of late…”). Focus on his view of mankind. What does this tell you about Hamlet’s current state of mind? Is this all just part of his antic disposition? Or is this how he really feels?

Rest of Act Two Scene Two Summary:

A traveling band of actors arrive to the castle which brings much joy to Hamlet (he is after all quite the Renaissance man). He asks the lead actor to deliver a speech retelling a tale of the Trojan War. The actor does and his words are so powerful and full of emotion that he brings himself to tears. This has an effect on Hamlet as he sees how much passion the actor has for life. Hamlet then asks the lead actor to put on a play for the castle that will show a death similar to his father’s. He also wants to add a few lines to the play. The actor agrees. Hamlet then delivers another soliloquy conveying his own disdain for himself since he lacks the passion to actually kill Claudius.

Hamlet Act 1 Study Questions

Act One Scene One Question:

   1)       Think about someone asking the question “Who’s there?” In what ways can you interpret the meaning of “being there?”

Act One Scene One Summary: Trick or Treat

Horatio (an educated friend of Hamlet’s), is dragged out to the gates of the castle by two watchmen/ soldiers. They have been trying to convince Horatio that they have seen the ghost of the Old King (Hamlet Sr. who died two months ago). When the ghost appears Horatio, who is a logical and usually calm man, freaks out and is convinced the ghost is a bad sign- possibly foreshadowing something sinister. The prince of Norway, Fortinbras, wants to invade Denmark and take back land that was lost from the previous king, so Horatio guesses the ghost could be warning the nation of Denmark. Horatio decides that the best course of action is to tell prince Hamlet that his dead father’s ghost is roaming around.

Act One Scene Two Questions

   2)     Explain the difference between a monologue and a soliloquy:

   3)     Find two quotes that show Claudius’ fake and political personality in his opening monologue. Explain how each quote supports this assertion:

a.      

b.      

Hamlet’s first Soliloquy:

   4)     What do you notice about Hamlet’s speech in the video in terms of his body language, mood, and tone? How would you characterize him?

   5)     Read through the soliloquy and “ball-park” the text on the right hand margin. What three key topics does Hamlet cover in his first Soliloquy (133-164)?

·          

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Rest of Scene 2 Summary:

After Hamlet gives his soliloquy, Horatio enters the room and tells him that he saw his dead father’s ghost. Not sure whether this is the truth, Hamlet decides he will stand watch at the gates the next night to see if the ghost is real.

Act One Scene Three Questions:

   6)     Read Laertes’s long monologue. What are two reasons he tells Ophelia to be cautious in starting up a relationship with Hamlet?

   7)     Do you believe that Laertes is actually concerned for his sister, or is he just a controlling brother? Why?

   8)     After Laertes tells Ophelia to remember the advice he gave her about Hamlet, she replies to him in lines 92-93 “Tis in my memory locked/ And you yourself shall keep the key of it.” What does this quote say about her relationship with her brother? What does this quote say about Ophelia’s own opinion about herself?

A Brief Summary of Scene 5:

Hamlet is joined by Horatio and Marcellus and is immediately surprised when he sees the ghost of his dead father. In order to see if it is really his ghost, or just an evil demon, Hamlet decides to follow it into the woods to speak to it. Horatio tries to stop him and states the following:

What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord,

Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff

That beetles o’er his base into the sea

And there assume some other horrible form,

Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason

And draw you into madness?

Ignoring Horatio’s concerns, Hamlet follows the ghost and learns from it that it was Claudius who poisoned the dead king. The ghost then tells Hamlet to seek revenge by killing Claudius, but not before giving Hamlet two pieces of advice: Don’t blame your mother, and don’t lose your mind!!!

   9)     What does Hamlet make Horatio and Marcellus promise? What does he warn them about concerning his future behavior (lines 187-200)?

Romantic Era Poetry Assignment

Whether you believe it or not, you all have the spark of the Romantic Poet somewhere in your soul. For this assignment, you will tap into this fire and give it room to burn brightly by writing a mock-Keats or a mock-Wordsworth poem. 

As you have seen, many of the Romantic writers saw beauty and meaning in the simplest of objects. Keats wrote an ode to an expensive household decoration, and Wordsworth wrote a nostalgic poem about a location he had visited in his past. For this poetry assignment you will need to observe and witness one of the following:

·         A location you once spent time at that would bring forth nostalgic feelings.

·         An item you personally feel has beauty and profound meaning.

·         A natural or pastoral setting that exhibits elements of the sublime.

After observing this item or setting, write a 14 line poem that captures not just the emotion you are feeling, but also the Romantic Voice of the early 19^th century. This poem must have a rhyme scheme (which you may choose) and it must have ten syllables in each line. It must be typed and turned in on January 23^rd. 

Remember, while the Canterbury Tales poem assignment had a few requirements, I did not ask you to directly mimic Chaucer’s voice and style. For this poem, however, you will be asked to do exactly that: try to mimic the language, voice, and style of either Wordsworth or Keats (or both). You will need to have a strong understanding of their language and poetic style in order to effectively write your own Romantic poem. Poems that you may want to revisit are:

·         It is a Beauteous Evening Calm and Free

·         Lines Composed above Tintern Abbey

·         On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer

·         Ode on a Grecian Urn

British Poetry Quiz: 1600-1800

Well, I first need to thank all of you for singing "Happy Birthday" to me; it truly was an amazing day. It's actually gotten me thinking about all sorts of birthdays, including the birthdays of great countries like England and Scotland, and the new birthdays that are celebrated over the passing of time and the merging of territories. One thing that I am disappointed about is the fact that my birthday always lands around junior prom. Who knew I would need to compete against such a well-known day in Davis. If only Cromwell and his puritans were in charge, they would outlaw dancing; leaving the celebration of my birth as a truly unforgettable day on the calendar. On the downside, the puritans probably would have outlawed any performing of Shakespeare, so that would mean good-bye to British Literature at DHS. Oh well.

Remember to study for your poetry quiz tomorrow, and be on the look-out for some extra credit questions concerning the time period. Take care!

-Mr. Achimore

British Literature Take-Home Midterm

Complete a literature analysis essay on one of the following Pride and Prejudice prompts.

   1)      Satire and Social Status: Social class is an important marker of the characters’ conditions and the quality of their relationships in Pride and Prejudice. Austen seems to reserve her satire and wit for her critical treatment of wealthier characters. Choose one or more of these characters and compare how Austen treats the characters from other social statuses. Explain whether the outcomes of the novel support an overall statement with respect to Austen’s opinion about the wealthy.

   2)     Wedding Bells: Examine the various female characters and the marriages they become a part of (Charlotte, Elizabeth, Jane, or Lydia). Analyze how these characters approach their role in society and their expectation to wed. (For example, you can discuss the ways in which they challenge, or don’t challenge, the strict social roles that have been assigned to them as women expected to wed). What ultimately were Austen’s motives in presenting these female characters in these particular ways? (For example, through these characters, what is Austen trying to say about marriage?)

   3)     Best Friends Forever: In a literary work, more minor characters will often possesses traits that emphasize the distinctive characteristics and qualities of a main character. For example, the ideas or behavior of a minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. In Pride and Prejudice, Bingley serves as a foil to Darcy and Jane serves a foil to Elizabeth (especially when it comes to the two main characters’ of pride and their prejudice against others). Pick one of these pairs and  write an essay in which you analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character brings to light a message of the novel (such as the importance of overcoming one’s own prejudice or pride, or becoming more independent in 19^th century British society). For what purpose is Austen using this particular pair/ foil?

   4)     So Typical: Although literary critics have tended to praise the unique in literary characterizations, many authors have employed the stereotyped character successfully. In a well-written essay, show how the conventional or stereotyped character or characters in Pride and Prejudice (ex: Mrs. Bennet or Mr. Collins)  function to achieve the author’s purpose.

   5)     Man vs. Society: Choose a character from Pride and Prejudice and write an essay in which you a) briefly describe the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists, and b) show how the character is affected by and responds to those standards. Do not merely summarize the plot and make sure to incorporate thematic purpose in the essay.

   6)     Awkward Times: Compare two or three of the proposal scenes that Elizabeth experiences (for example, the successful one with Darcy and the unsuccessful one with Darcy). You can choose to focus on Elizabeth and Darcy’s personalities and demeanors in the first proposal and how they have transformed by the last one. Decide on what purpose you want to incorporate into the essay (For example, what message might Austen be sending about human relations, reciprocity of love, or marital expectations?)

   7)     Free Choice Prompt: If you believe that you can think of a prompt for the novel that can cover the three P’s of an essay’s argument, tell me about it and I might approve it!

Requirements:

·         At least 3 complete pages.

·         MLA Format and Citations.

·         Use formal voice (no “I,” “me,” or “us;” do not refer to the reader either).

·         Final Draft Due Friday 12/19 at 3:00pm to Turnitin.com (Turn in hard copy that day if you want written feedback).

·         Optional read-through of intro paragraph on Monday or Tuesday 12/15 & 12/16

Pride and Prejudice Reading Quiz on 12/5

Remember to finish Volume 2 (Chapter 43) in Pride and Prejudice. There will be a reading quiz for this section. I'm always getting those Bennet sisters mixed up; I'll make sure to straighten out who is who by the time I write the quiz...