Wednesday

 This week students need to read Act 4 and work on the study questions below. Please reach out if you are having problems. 

New Vocabulary

1)    Paradox

2)    Sovereign

3)    Commission

4)    Resolution

5)    Malefaction

6)    Firmament

7)    Tedious

8)    Pestilent

9)    Pious

10) Promontory

Study Questions

Act IV, Scene 1

1. What is Claudius' main fear in the immediate aftermath of Polonius' death?

Act IV, Scene 2

1. What does Hamlet refuse to tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

Act IV, Scene 3

1. What image does Hamlet use to warn Claudius he's only king temporarily?

2. Claudius ends the scene by writing a letter: to whom, and what order does it contain?

Act IV, Scene 4

1. What's the value of the land Fortinbras' army is marching to capture in Poland? What will the invasion itself cost)?

2. Hamlet's soliloquy is self-critical; summarize his main fault.

Act IV, Scene 5

1. Ophelia's songs during her first appearance in this scene deal with love, death and sex. 
Why? What do they tell us about her at the moment? What might they reveal about Her, Hamlet and 

Polonius?

2. Why is Laertes a danger to Claudius' throne? (Actually two or three related reasons.)

3. What does Claudius offer as assurance that he had no part in Polonius' death?

Act IV, Scene 6

1. Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet explaining how he escaped from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

 How did he?

Act IV, Scene 7

1. What reason does Claudius give Laertes for Hamlet's killing of Polonius?

2. What are his two reasons for not charging Hamlet with murder?

3. Claudius reveals that Laertes is famous for his skill with the rapier (a fencing weapon)

and that Hamlet is envious of this fame. What is the purpose for this?

4. How does Claudius plan to exploit this envy to give Laertes a chance for (publicly) guiltless revenge?

5. How does Laertes refine the plan?

6. What announcement does Gertrude make to end Act IV?

Thursday/Friday

 

Finish reading Act III and study questions for Act II and Act III. 

 

Act 3

Scene 1:

1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to Polonius?

2. How does Claudius react when Polonius says, "…with devotion's visage, And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself"?

3. What plan do Polonius, Claudius and Ophelia now put into action?

4. What is the nature of Hamlet's soliloquy, lines 57-91?

5. What is Hamlet's main argument against suicide?

6. Why does Hamlet treat Ophelia as cruelly as he does? What has changed him?

7. What thinly veiled threat to Claudius does Hamlet voice, after he becomes of his hidden presence? (lines 148-150)

8. At the end of this scene, what does the King decide to do with Hamlet?

Scene 2:

9. What qualities in Horatio cause Hamlet to enlist his assistance?

10. What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do?

11. Summarize what happens in the play-within-a-play.

12. Why, in line 233, does Hamlet refer to the play-within-a-play as "The Mouse-trap"?

13. What is the King's reaction to the play?

14. In lines 354-363, to what object does Hamlet compare himself? Why?

15. As Hamlet goes to his mother at the end of this scene, what does he admonish himself to do?

 

Act III Scenes 3 -4 Study Questions

1) What does Claudius plan to do with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Hamlet?

2) What is Polonius going to do while Hamlet speaks with his mother?

3) List three important things about Claudius’ soliloquy.

a)

b)

c

4) Why is it odd that Hamlet sees the king praying?

5) Why doesn’t Hamlet take this opportunity for revenge?

Scene IV

1) Describe Polonius’ advice to Gertrude.

2) What is the significance of the following quote: “How now, a rat? Dead! For a ducat, dead!

3) What is odd about the following quote: A bloody dead; almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.

4) Why might Gertrude say, “What have I done, that thou dar’st wag thy tongue in noise so rude against me.”

5) What descriptions does Hamlet use to compare his father and his uncle?

King Hamlet

Claudius

6) What point does Hamlet make by comparing the men?

7) What is disturbing about the following: Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed; stewed in corruption; honeying, and making love over the nasty sty.”

8) What stops Hamlet’s ranting and raving at Gertrude? What does this figure tell Hamlet?

9) By the end of the act, Hamlet has made many statements about humanity, in general. Explain a few of his points. Do his opinions reflect his madness.

10) Explain the differences between the ghost in Act I with the ghost in Act III. Why might these differences reflect Hamlet’s insanity?

 New Vocabulary

1)    Paradox

2)    Sovereign

3)    Commission

4)    Resolution

5)    Malefaction

6)    Firmament

7)    Tedious

8)    Pestilent

9)    Pious

10) Promontory

 

Wednesday

 Today we will continue to look at Act III.

Act 3

Scene 1:

1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to Polonius?

2. How does Claudius react when Polonius says, "…with devotion's visage, And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself"?

3. What plan do Polonius, Claudius and Ophelia now put into action?

4. What is the nature of Hamlet's soliloquy, lines 57-91?

5. What is Hamlet's main argument against suicide?

6. Why does Hamlet treat Ophelia as cruelly as he does? What has changed him?

7. What thinly veiled threat to Claudius does Hamlet voice, after he becomes of his hidden presence? (lines 148-150)

8. At the end of this scene, what does the King decide to do with Hamlet?

Scene 2:

9. What qualities in Horatio cause Hamlet to enlist his assistance?

10. What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do?

11. Summarize what happens in the play-within-a-play.

12. Why, in line 233, does Hamlet refer to the play-within-a-play as "The Mouse-trap"?

13. What is the King's reaction to the play?

14. In lines 354-363, to what object does Hamlet compare himself? Why?

15. As Hamlet goes to his mother at the end of this scene, what does he admonish himself to do?

 

Act III Scenes 3 -4 Study Questions

1) What does Claudius plan to do with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Hamlet?

2) What is Polonius going to do while Hamlet speaks with his mother?

3) List three important things about Claudius’ soliloquy.

a)

b)

c

4) Why is it odd that Hamlet sees the king praying?

5) Why doesn’t Hamlet take this opportunity for revenge?

Scene IV

1) Describe Polonius’ advice to Gertrude.

2) What is the significance of the following quote: “How now, a rat? Dead! For a ducat, dead!

3) What is odd about the following quote: A bloody dead; almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.

4) Why might Gertrude say, “What have I done, that thou dar’st wag thy tongue in noise so rude against me.”

5) What descriptions does Hamlet use to compare his father and his uncle?

King Hamlet

Claudius

6) What point does Hamlet make by comparing the men?

7) What is disturbing about the following: Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed; stewed in corruption; honeying, and making love over the nasty sty.”

8) What stops Hamlet’s ranting and raving at Gertrude? What does this figure tell Hamlet?

9) By the end of the act, Hamlet has made many statements about humanity, in general. Explain a few of his points. Do his opinions reflect his madness.

10) Explain the differences between the ghost in Act I with the ghost in Act III. Why might these differences reflect Hamlet’s insanity?

 New Vocabulary

1)    Paradox

2)    Sovereign

3)    Commission

4)    Resolution

5)    Malefaction

6)    Firmament

7)    Tedious

8)    Pestilent

9)    Pious

10) Promontory

 

 

Tuesday

 Today we will review Act II of Hamlet and move on to Act III.

 HW: Look up new vocabulary

Act 3

Scene 1:

1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to Polonius?

2. How does Claudius react when Polonius says, "…with devotion's visage, And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself"?

3. What plan do Polonius, Claudius and Ophelia now put into action?

4. What is the nature of Hamlet's soliloquy, lines 57-91?

5. What is Hamlet's main argument against suicide?

6. Why does Hamlet treat Ophelia as cruelly as he does? What has changed him?

7. What thinly veiled threat to Claudius does Hamlet voice, after he becomes of his hidden presence? (lines 148-150)

8. At the end of this scene, what does the King decide to do with Hamlet?

Scene 2:

9. What qualities in Horatio cause Hamlet to enlist his assistance?

10. What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do?

11. Summarize what happens in the play-within-a-play.

12. Why, in line 233, does Hamlet refer to the play-within-a-play as "The Mouse-trap"?

13. What is the King's reaction to the play?

14. In lines 354-363, to what object does Hamlet compare himself? Why?

15. As Hamlet goes to his mother at the end of this scene, what does he admonish himself to do?

 

Act III Scenes 3 -4 Study Questions

1) What does Claudius plan to do with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Hamlet?

2) What is Polonius going to do while Hamlet speaks with his mother?

3) List three important things about Claudius’ soliloquy.

a)

b)

c

4) Why is it odd that Hamlet sees the king praying?

5) Why doesn’t Hamlet take this opportunity for revenge?

Scene IV

1) Describe Polonius’ advice to Gertrude.

2) What is the significance of the following quote: “How now, a rat? Dead! For a ducat, dead!

3) What is odd about the following quote: A bloody dead; almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.

4) Why might Gertrude say, “What have I done, that thou dar’st wag thy tongue in noise so rude against me.”

5) What descriptions does Hamlet use to compare his father and his uncle?

King Hamlet

Claudius

6) What point does Hamlet make by comparing the men?

7) What is disturbing about the following: Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed; stewed in corruption; honeying, and making love over the nasty sty.”

8) What stops Hamlet’s ranting and raving at Gertrude? What does this figure tell Hamlet?

9) By the end of the act, Hamlet has made many statements about humanity, in general. Explain a few of his points. Do his opinions reflect his madness.

10) Explain the differences between the ghost in Act I with the ghost in Act III. Why might these differences reflect Hamlet’s insanity?

 New Vocabulary

1)    Paradox

2)    Sovereign

3)    Commission

4)    Resolution

5)    Malefaction

6)    Firmament

7)    Tedious

8)    Pestilent

9)    Pious

10) Promontory

 

 

 

Friday

 You have a vocabulary quiz. Then you have time to work on study questions for Act II.

ACT 2 Questions

1)    What is does Polonius tell Reynaldo in the opening of Act II?  How does he plan to trap his son?

2)    What does this say about Polonius?

3)    What particularly in Act II scene 1 has disturbed Ophelia?

4)    Why have Rosencrantez and Guildenstern been sent to Denmark?

5)    What does Hamlet ask the players to recite?  How does the allusion mimic Hamlet’s position?

Identify the following speaker of the following lines and discuss to whom the lines are being delivered, and what do the lines mean?

6)    “No, my lord, but as you did command/ I did repel his letter, and denied his access to me”

7)    “More matter less art”

8)    “That I, the son of a dear father murdered,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words,

9)    “Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth/ And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,/ with windlasses and with assays of bias,/ By directions find directions out.”

10) “For if the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?”

11) List three metaphors (1 direct, 1 implied, 1 extended) from the play.

12) What proof does Polonius have that he believe indicates Hamlet’s love for Ophelia? 

13) Explain the quote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”  How does this relate to Hamlet.

14) What is a fishmonger?

15) Who was Jephthah?

 

Thursday

I will give you 10-15 minutes to study vocabulary and then we will continue with Act 2.

HW: Vocabulary 

Vocabulary # 1
1)    Countenance

2)    Perilous

3)    Sullied

4)    Apparition

5)    Portentous

6)    Calumnious

7)    Prodigal

8)    Discourse

9)    Canon

10) Imminent

ACT 2 Questions

1)    What is does Polonius tell Reynaldo in the opening of Act II?  How does he plan to trap his son?

2)    What does this say about Polonius?

3)    What particularly in Act II scene 1 has disturbed Ophelia?

4)    Why have Rosencrantez and Guildenstern been sent to Denmark?

5)    What does Hamlet ask the players to recite?  How does the allusion mimic Hamlet’s position?

Identify the following speaker of the following lines and discuss to whom the lines are being delivered, and what do the lines mean?

6)    “No, my lord, but as you did command/ I did repel his letter, and denied his access to me”

7)    “More matter less art”

8)    “That I, the son of a dear father murdered,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words,

9)    “Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth/ And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,/ with windlasses and with assays of bias,/ By directions find directions out.”

10) “For if the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?”

11) List three metaphors (1 direct, 1 implied, 1 extended) from the play.

12) What proof does Polonius have that he believe indicates Hamlet’s love for Ophelia? 

13) Explain the quote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”  How does this relate to Hamlet.

14) What is a fishmonger?

15) Who was Jephthah?