Hamlet

12/17: I put together a handout of tips for quoting Shakespeare correctly (it's attached below as "Quoting and work cited")

12/9: Please read the end of the play for Friday (bottom of page 137 through at least 143 when Fortinbras enters). Read closely and carefully, so you can follow the action, but also so you can understand motivations, see how Shakespeare differentiates between Hamlet's actions and Laertes' and Claudius',etc.). You'll meet in performance groups on Friday and perform on Monday (criteria attached below "Shakespeare performance criteria").

12/3: I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH PBS VERSION SO HERE IT IS IN CLIPS. Watch this first then this and finally this ( fast forward to 2:35). As you watch, make sure you are following the "plot." Think about the fallout here from Polonious' death and about madness and about yet another son who has to avenge his father. Contrast Laertes" attitude with Hamlet's. Pay attention to the plan Claudius presents to him, etc. We'll talk tomorrow.

12/2: Please work together in the groups I’ve set below on the scene assigned. For today, read through the scene together, paraphrase it together, assign parts and rehearse (reading). One person in each group take on the role of director (this person should take the notes). Make notes about who you are talking to and why, context, blocking, etc. We’ll rehearse tomorrow and perform. Homework: complete the work on Hamlet’s speech (due tomorrow).

Bo, Brian, Pat, Rachel Sam: Act 4 scenes 1 and 2

Jill, Veronica, Matt, Jon V: Act 4 scene 3

Will, Liam, Jon E., Aaron: Act 4 scene 4

Shaynan, Alli, Kieron, Devon, Rebekah: Act 5 scene 1 (through Horatio’s exit).

11/20: The speeches are attached below ("Hamlet 3.3 Claudius+")

11/18: Here's the Branagh version of the nunnery scene and here's the Ethan Hawke version of the same scene. I'd love to know what you think.

11/16: We've arrived at "To Be Or Not To Be." Bring to bear all that we've talked about in class about the speech, about Hamlet's state of mind, about the decision he is arguing with himself about in the speech. Please watch three of these clips (in class, each of you received one clip you must watch). For each, take notes - pay attention to setting, to characterization (how Hamlet carries himself, his emotional state, etc), to delivery (speed, emphasis, pauses and their purposes. THINK about where the turning point in each speech and WHY that matters) and be looking at how it is shot - what the camera does and why and how that underscores the delivery of the speech). After you''ve watched, on the noitecard: write about two of the versions: the one that you liked the best and WHY (support this decision based on how you see Hamlet's character, your understanding of the speech, its importance, its role in helping Hamlet move his thinking forward, etc.) AND write about the one that most challenged your thinking about Hamlet and WHY (each scene on one side of the notecard, fill both sides). Ethan Hawke, Mel Gibson, Kenneth Branagh, David Tenant and Laurence Olivier

11/13: On the front of the notecard, write about. the Tenant scene that you watched. Here’s what I want to know: What new insights did you form about Hamlet’s character, about his relationship to others, about the idea of madness or “acting” mad, etc. and WHY did you form these? I also want to know how watching rather than reading worked. Is this sharpening your skills or are you finding yourself lost? If you were lost, how did you try to help yourself? Fill at least the front of the card. Then, try your hand at paraphrasing Hamlet's soliloquy at the end of 2.2 (attached). Before you start: what is the context here (write it down). Why does the context matter (what's Hamlet's state of mind? What is on his mind, etc.?). Try your hand at paraphrasing. I have chunked the speech by topic - Summarize the chunks first (T.V. info button summary), then try your hand at paraphrasing. LOOK at the language, at te structure, at the focus of the speech and compare to earlier speeches. HOW is Hamlet developing as a character? Put a square around lines that show a change in thinking, in action, in development and note WHY. Finally, for homework: On the back of the notecard: THINK about Hamlet as you see him at this point in the play. How is he different from the Hamlet in the first soliloquy? What evidence of the forces around him (our lists of What’s Rotten…, of The problem with the Ghost, of betrayals, of his father’s pleas, etc. can you see in his 2.2 soliloquy and how do these help you to form an understanding of his character right now?

11/10: Hamlet 2.1-2.2. (see "Hamlet act 2 background"). HOMEWORK: Watch the second half of scene 2 (Tenant version here and here). See "Hamlet act 2 background", attached below, for more information.

11/9: We worked on 1.4 and 1.5: waiting for then hearing from the Ghost.

11/3: In addition to the home page reflection work, please preview 1.3 (that means read it through, thinking about what we've talked about in class, summarizing what you understand and making note of things you do not). Watch this nicely done parody and see how you can use their understanding to help yours.

11/2: Tonight watch the videos of the opening scene (Tenant version and Branagh version - watch until 9:30). In your blue books: take notes from the two different versions. Pay attention to the mood conveyed, to the ways in which the actors are replicating what we talked about in class, to surprises, confusions, etc. On the front of the notecard: summarize the scene for me – tell me what is happening and why it matters (what effect does it have on you as a viewer? What are you anticipating in a play that starts like this? Fill the front of the card. On the back: compare the two videos – what did you like, find interesting, notice, etc. in each? Fill the back of the card.

10/29: Please paraphrase Hamlet's first soliloquy in an effort to get a glimpse at Hamlet's personality. Pay attention to the word choice and the imagery that Hamlet uses and THINK about what that might tell you about him. On the back, write me a paragraph that details how you see him and why, based on your reading of the speech.