Monday, January 30, 2012

Homework

Reading: Hamlet 1.3, 1.4. Logs for Act 1.3 due Wednesday Feb. 1. Remember, when you draw a picture of a scene you must still comment on the scene itself.

Something to consider: who is this other family? What is their stake in this play?

Have answers to the following: What is the effect of Polonius' "but" constructions? Things like: "Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar."

What do Polonius' words reveal about his beliefs, character, values and wants?

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Logs

Logs for Act 1.1 is due Friday. Homework for Thursday - Read 1.2 AGAIN. Homework for the weekend due MONDAY: Log 1.2, AND

Read aloud Hamlet's soliloquy "O that this too, too sullied flesh" (1.2.133-164) several times and then paraphrase it in your log. NOTE ANY SIGNALS in the language that give clues to Hamlet's innermost thoughts - - for example, choice of words, construction of phrases, sequence of thought. Does he hide behind puns as he does with Claudius? What does the antithesis reveal?

Hamlet Lines 1 - 80

CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS FROM TODAY'S READING OF  HAMLET 1.1.1-80 (NOTE THE CORRECT TEXT DOCUMENTATION). RESPOND TO TWO (2) BEFORE THURSDAY MORNING
1. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? WHAT ARE THEY, AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
2. WHAT INFORMATION DOES SHAKESPEARE PROVIDE ABOUT THE PHYSICAL SETTING?
3. WHAT ATMOSPHERE/MOOD IS CREATED BY THIS SETTING?
4. WHAT DO THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THE SETTING SUGGEST ABOUT THE CHARACTERS' BEHAVIOR?
5. WHAT DOES THE OPENING QUESTION "WHO'S THERE?" IMPLY ABOUT BARNARDO AND THE SITUATION?
6. DOES ANYTHING IN THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN BARNARDO AND FRANCISCO REINFORCE THESE IMPLICATIONS?
7. WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DO WE GAIN ABOUT BARNARDO AND FRANCISCO FROM THEIR CONVERSATION?
8. SHAKESPEARE WROTE INTO THE BODY OF PLAY MANY SIGNALS AND DIRECTIONS. WHAT DO THE COMMANDS AND QUESTIONS IN LINE 1-20 SUGGEST ABOUT STAGING THIS SCENE?
9. WHAT INFERENCES CAN BE DRAWN ABOUT HORATIO'S CHARACTER? ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE GUARDS?