ALL ERWC HAMLET HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

HW# ASSIGNMENTSSUBMITTED

HW1- Act1,Scene1-3- Act1,Scene4–Act2,Scene1

HW2- Act2,Scene2Questions- Act3,Scene1Questions- 2CELELParagraphs

HW3- Act3,Scene2Questions- Act3,Scenes4-5Questions- Packet

HW4- Act5,Scene1questions- “LoveSongofJ.AlfredPrufrock”question

HW5- Act5,Scene2questions- “LadyofShalott”Packet

HOMEWORKSUBMISSION1PART1

ACT1,SCENE11.WhathappenswhenFranciscoandBernardomeetatthebeginningof1.1?Wherearewe,andwhen?Whyisthereconfusionoverwhichoneissupposedtochallengetheotherbyasking"Who'sthere"?WhyisHoratiowithBernardoandMarcellus?Whoishe?2.WhatisHoratio'sinitialresponsetothestoryoftheapparition?Whathappenswhentheghostappearsforthefirsttime(1.1.37.1)?NoticethatHoratioaddressesitas"thou."Thisistheformofaddressusedwithfriendsorinferiors.Shakespeare'saudiencewouldhavebeenmuchmoreattunedtothedifferencethanweare.WhatistheeffectofHoratio'saddressingtheghostas"thou"?3.WhatdoesHoratiofirstassumetheappearanceoftheghostmeans(1.1.68)?WhyaretheresuchintensewarpreparationsinDenmark?(Read1.1.69-106carefullytogettheinternationalbackgroundoftheplay.)WhatdoesHoratiosuggestbyhisdiscussionofJuliusCaesar'sdeath(1.1.106.5-.18)?WhydoeshechoosetheexampleofRome?Whyisthepassagesetoffandinitalics?(Seenote2,line106.)4.Whathappenswhentheghostappearsforthesecondtime(attheSDbefore1.1.108.1)?Whydoesitleavesoabruptly?ThequestionsHoratioasksitrepresent,accordingtothethoughtofthetime,thereasonswhyaghostcouldappear.5.Whatisthepurposeofthetwodiscussionsofthecrowingofthecock,Horatio'spaganone(1.1.130-37)andMarcellus'Christianone(1.1.138-45)?6.Whatdoweknowsofaraboutthenatureoftheghost?Doweknowyetifitisa"good"ghost(i.e.,"really"thespiritofthepersonitappearstobe)ora"damned"ghost(adevilorevilspiritintheshapeofthepersonitappearstobe)?ACT1,SCENE21.WhatisClaudiustellingthecourtinthefirstpartofhisspeech(1.2.1-16)?WhatdoeshesayaboutyoungFortinbrasandhisunclethekingofNorway(ll.17-41)?HowisClaudiusrespondingtothethreat?(Youmayalsowanttokeepinmindthatthename"Claudius"appearsonlyintheopeningstagedirectionfor1.2.Thenameisneverspokenintheplay.Heissimply"theKing.")2.WhatdoesLaerteswantfromtheKing?HowdoesClaudiusrespondtohim?Basedonhisfirst64linesinoffice(1.2.1-64),howwouldyourateClaudiusasaruler?InwhatwaysdoeshealreadydifferfromOldHamletasking?(ConsiderhowOldHamletwouldhaverespondedtoYoungFortinbras.)3.WhatdoClaudiusandGertrudewantHamlettodothathedoesn'twanttodo?Whatwon'ttheylethimdoit?Howdoesherespondtothem?Howdotheyrespondtothewayherespondstothem?(YouprobablyknowthreenamesassociatedwiththeUniversityofWittenberginGermany:MartinLuther,DoctorFaustus,andHamlet.Canyouseeanyconnectionsamongthethree?)4.HowseriouslydoyoutakeClaudius'argumentagainstHamlet's"prolonged"mourning(1.2.87-108)?HowlonghasHamletbeenmourning(1.2.138)?(Thenormalmourningperiodofanobleorgentlewomanforadeadhusbandatthistime[ca.1600]wasayearormore.)5.ReadHamlet'sfirstsoliloquy(1.2.129-59)carefully.Whatisitthatisreallybotheringhimaboutwhathashappenedsincehisfather'sdeath?Howwouldyoudescribethetoneofhisfeelings:detached,impassioned,rational,ironic,orwhat?

6.WhatisHamlet'sresponsetothenewsfromHoratio,Marcellus,andBernardo?NoticethewayHamletquestionsthem.Howmuchdoweknowabouthowhismindworksatthispointoftheplay?Whatdoeshesuspectasthereasonfortheghost'sappearance(1.2.254-57)?SCENE31.WhatdoesLaerteswarnOpheliaabout?What,apparently,hasbeentherelationshipbetweenHamletandOpheliasincehisreturnfromWittenberg?2.HowseriouslydoyoutakePolonius'precepts(1.3.58-80)?Considerespeciallythelastone(1.3.78-80).3.HowwillingisOpheliatodiscusswithherfatherwhatshehasdiscussedwithLaertes?WhatishisresponsetoHamlet'sinterestinherandherresponsetohim?HowseriouslyshouldshetaketheirwarningsaboutHamlet'slackofseriousnessandhisinabilitytochoosehisownwife?4.WhatdoweknowaboutLaertes,Polonius,andOpheliabytheendof1.3?Whatsortofpeoplearethey?Whatsortoffamilyarethey?Whoismissingfromthisfamily?Howstrong-willedinOphelia?

PARTIISCENE41.Whydothetrumpetsandcannonssound,accordingtoHamlet?WhatdoesHamletthinkofthecustom?2.Read1.4.18.7-.22carefully.WhatisHamletsayinghere?3.HowdoesHamletrespondtotheghost?Ifitisa"damnedghost,"isheassafeashethinksheisin1.4.45-48?Whydon'ttheotherswanthimtogo?Whycan't/don'ttheystophim?WhatdoesMarcellusstillthinkthenatureoftheproblemis(1.4.67?)SCENE51.IsHamletsurprisedwhentheGhostaskshimtorevengehisfather'smurder?Ishesurprisedwhenhelearnswhothemurdereris?2.DofatherandsonhavethesameopinionofClaudius?(Compare1.2.139-40,152-53and1.5.47-52.)Wouldothersinthecourt,notknowingaboutClaudius'crime,seeClaudiusasthismuchbelowhisdeadbrother?3.HowdidClaudiusmurderOldHamlet?4.WhatdoestheGhosttellHamlettodoabouthismother?5.ReadHamlet'ssecondsoliloquycarefully(1.5.92-113).WhatdoesHamletsayhehaslearned?Inotherwords,whatgeneralpieceofwisdomdoeshewanttosavefromthisencounter(1.5.109).Isthisshockinglynewinformationtous?OrisHamletjustbecoming"grownup"?(Whendidyoufirstlearnthatyoucouldn'talwaystrustpeople?)NoticehowquicklyHamletmovesfromthespecific(Claudius)tothegeneral("one").ComparethesamemovementhemakesfromthespecificpersonGertrudeto"frailty,thynameiswoman"(1.2.146).Giventhissoliloquy,howsoonwouldyouexpectHamlettogoforhisrevenge?6.WhathappenswhentheothersfindHamlet.Whatdoesheaskthemtoswear?Whatdoeshismentionofan"anticdisposition"(1.5.173)suggestabouthisfutureplans?HowmightyouexpectHamlettobeactingwhennextweseehim?ACT2,SCENE11.HowmuchtimehaspassedbetweenAct1andAct2?Howdoyouknow?(Keepwatchingforevidence.)2.WhatisPoloniustellingReynaldotodo?WhatdoesthistellupaboutPoloniusandhiswayofthinkingandacting?3.WhyisOpheliasoupsetwhensheentersat2.1.74.1?Whathashappenedtoher?DoesHamlet'sappearance(inhertelling)asamadman(adistractedlover)comeasasurpriseafterwhatwelastheardhimsay?Whywouldheappearinthissortofmadnesstoher?IsthereanypossibilityhereallyisadistractedloverrespondingtoOphelia'sapparentrejectionofhim?Howwellhassheobeyedherfather'sordersin1.3?4.WhatisPolonius'responsetowhatOpheliatellshim?Wherearetheygoing?

HOMEWORKSUBMISSION2PART1

ACT2,SCENE2

1. WhyhaveRosencrantzandGuildensterncometocourt?WhatistheirrelationtoHamlet?WhatusedoesClaudiushaveforthem?DoesthisremindyouofPolonius'useforReynaldo?Arethereanysignificantdifferences?

2. We'venowhadseveraldifferentexplanationsofHamlet'smadness:love(2.1.86,103),hisfather'sdeath(2.2.8),andthatplus"our

o'erhastymarriage"(2.2.57noteGertrude'sawarenessofimpropriety).Arepeoplecontentwiththeseexplanations?Areyou?

3. WhatresultshavecomefromCornelius'andVoltemand'striptoNorway?HasClaudius'useofdiplomacyratherthanwarbeenjustified?WhatwillFortinbrasbedoingnext?CanweexpecttoseehiminDenmarkafterall?Why?

4. HoweffectiveisPoloniusasabearerofnews?HowconvincedareClaudiusandGertrudethatPoloniushasfoundtheanswer?Howdothey

plantotestthisanswer?DoesPolonius'plansoundlikehisnormalwayofoperating(2.2.163-68)?

5. Immediatelyfollowingthediscussionoftheplan,Hamletappears.Wouldn'tthisbeagoodtimetotryouttheplan?Dothey?

6. HowdoesHamletbehavewhenheenters?DoesPoloniusthinkheismad?IsthisthewaywewouldexpectHamlettoactafterOphelia'sdescriptionin2.1?WhydoeshecallPoloniusafishmonger?(Itmayhelptoknowthatfishmongers'wives,anddaughters,apparentlybecauseofthefish,wereassumedtobeextremelyfertileandthusabletoconceiveeasilyandthustheconnectionin2.2.185-86.)

7. HowdoesHamletbehaveinitiallywithRosencrantzandGuildenstern(through2.2.216-66)?Isitdifferentfromthewayhejustactedwith

Polonius?HowdoesHamletchangewhenherealizesthatthetwoweresentforbyClaudiusandGertrude?

8. HowseriouslyshouldwetakeHamlet'sviewoftheworldandof"man"(2.2.287-98).HowdoRosencrantzandGuildensternreacttoHamlet'suseof"generic"man(2.2.298-300)?

9. Whyaretheplayerstraveling?Whathasbeengoingoninthecity?(Muchof2.2.317-46referstocontemporaryeventsinLondonaround

1599-1601.)

10. WhatisthesignificanceofHamlet'sreferringtoPoloniusasJephthah(2.2.385).Jephthah'sstoryisinterestinginthiscontextseeJudges11:30-40.

11. WhatisunusualaboutthespeechHamletbeginstorecite(2.2.430-44)andtheFirstPlayercontinues(2.2.448-498).Howisitsstyle

differentfromthatofthesurroundinglinesofHamlet?Whyisitssubjectmatterappropriate?(SeeNote2toline430.)Dolines461-62echoanythingfromorabouttheplayHamlet?Whycan'ttheFirstPlayerfinishthespeech?

12. WhatplaydoesHamletwanttheplayerstoplay?Whatdoeshewanttodototheplay?

13. ReadHamlet'sthirdsoliloquycarefully(2.2.526-82).Howdoesheusetheplayer'sresponsetoshowhowdifferenthisownpositionis?Is

thecomparisonjustifiedbywhatwehaveseenhappenintheplay?Hecomplainsthathehasn'tactedonhisvengeance.Whyhasn'the?Whydoesheneedtheplay?Whatwillhelearnfromit?

PART2

ACT3,Scene1

1. HaveRosencrantzandGuildensternhadanyluckdiscoveringwhatisbotheringHamlet?2. Inhissoliloquy,whatreasondoesHamletgivetoexplainwhypeoplewhoaresufferingdon’tendtheirlives?

3. HowdoesHamletrespondtoOpheliawhenshegoestoreturnsomeofthegiftstohimANDwhydoesshesayshemustreturnthem?

4. AtwhatpointinhisconversationwithOphelia,doesHamletbecomeawarethattheyarebeingwatched?Comparehisbehaviorbefore

andafterthatmoment(recreatethechartbelow)BEFORE AFTER

5. AfterwitnessingthescenebetweenHamletandOphelia,isClaudiusconvincedthatHamlet’ssadness/madnessiscausedbyhis

relationshipwithOphelia?Whyorwhynot?

6. IntermsofPolonius…a. WhatisPolonius’nextplantogettotherootofHamlet’sproblem?

b. Doyoubelievehewillbesuccessful?

HOMEWORKSUBMISSION3PART1

ACT3,Scene21. WhatdoesHamletinstructHoratiotodobeforetheplay?

2. DescribeHamlet'sbehaviorattheplay.Howdoeshespeaktohismother,uncle,Polonius,andOphelia?

3. ExplainwhyHamletcompareshimselftoamusicalpipe.ThinkabouthowRosencrantzandGuildensternaretreatinghim.(lines358-380)

4. ExplainHamletsfeelingsinlines396-407.Howisthissoliloquydifferentfromothers?

5. Whatdoes“acting”suggestaboutthenatureofrealityinthisplay?Whichcharactersactinthisplay?

PART2

Act3,Scene31. WhathasClaudiusdecidedtodowithHamlet?Whowillgowithhim?What"theoretical"messageaboutkingshipdoesRosencrantztellto

Claudius?2. WhereisPoloniusgoing?3. WhatdoesClaudiusadmitinhisattempttopray?Hastheplayactuallyhadaneffectonhim?Whycan'theaskforforgiveness?4. WhathappenswhenHamletenters?Whydoesn'tHamletkillClaudiusthen?WhatisironicaboutHamlet'sdecision?

Act3,Scene4

5. HowsuccessfulisthefirstpartoftheinterviewbetweenGertrudeandHamlet?Whatgoeswrong(evenbeforePolonius'death)?Whocontrolstheconversation?WhydoesGertrudecallforhelp?

6. DoesGertrudeknowthatClaudiuskilledHamlet'sfather?(Consider3.4.27-29,38-39,50-51.)

7. WhatdevicedoesHamletusetoforceGertrudetoconsiderwhatshehasdone?

8. HamletseemstobegettingthroughtoHamletwhentheGhostenters.WhydoestheGhostappearatthispoint?HowishisappearancedifferentfromhisappearancesinAct1?Whosawhimthen?Whoseeshimnow?WhatishismessagetoHamlet?

9. AftertheGhostleaves,doesHamletsucceedinwhathecametodo?WhatisGertrude'sstatewhenheleaves?Whatshouldshedo,andwhatshouldshenotdo?

10. WhatdoesHamletthinkofhisupcomingtriptoEngland?Whatdoesheexpecttodo?

HOMEWORKSUBMISSION4PART1

Act5,Scene1

1. Whatarethetwoclownsdoingwhiletheytalk?Whoisthe"she"of5.1.1?Why,accordingtothesecondclown,isshereallybeinggivenaChristianburial?

2. WhathappensinthediscussionbetweenHamletandtheGravedigger?WhatdoesHamletlearnfromhisconfrontationwithYorick'sskull?

3. WhatdoesHamletlearnfromhismeditationonAlexanderandCaesar?Howdoesthemoodheredifferfromthatin4.3.17-38?

4. HowoldisHamlet?(Howdoyouknow?)

5. WhatdowelearnfromGertrude'sfarewelltoOphelia(5.1.227-30)?WouldPoloniushavebeensurprisedifhehadheardthis?

6. WhathappenswhenHamletappearstotheothers?Whatissignificantabouthimcallinghimself"HamlettheDane"(5.1.242seethefootnote)?Whyishesoangry?

Part2

**T.S.EliotPacket&Poem**

HOMEWORKSUBMISSION5PART1

Act5,Scene21.WhatnewsortofattitudetolifedoyouseeintheHamletofthefirst81linesof5.2?2.WhatwouldhavehappenedtohiminEngland?Howdidhefindout?Whatdidhedoaboutit?WhathashappenedtoRosencrantzandGuildenstern?Dotheyknowwhathitthem?(SeeStoppard'splayRosencrantzandGuildensternAreDead.)HowdoesHamletfeelaboutthem?3.WhatsortofpersonisOsric?WhatmessagedoeshehaveforHamlet?Whatseemstobetheproblemwithhishat?Whatisthewager(5.2.122-25)?(Noonehasbeenabletoexplainthisspeechinawayconvincingtoeveryone.)4.WhatisHamlet'sreactiontotheideaofthematch(5.2.148-61)?(TheFoliotexthasanadditionalsentenceattheend:"Letbe.")?HowwelldoesHamletexpecttodo?Whydoeshegoaheadwithit?HowdoesthisreflectthenewattitudewesawinHamletin5.1?5.HamletclearlyapologizestoLaertes(5.2.163-81).HowdoesLaertesrespond?GivenwhatweknowabouttheplansofLaertesandClaudius,howdoyoutakeLaertes'promise(5.2.187-89)?Canwesayhehasanyhonoratall?Hashefollowedhisfather'spreceptin1.3.78-80?6.WhatisLaertesdoingatline202?7.Whatisthe"union"Claudiuspromisestoputinthecupatline210andperhapsdoesnotputintothecupuntilafterline225?WhatproblemiscreatedbyHamlet'sresponseinline227?Whathappensatline232?(Andwhatisthescorebynow?)8.Lookcarefullyatlines245-55,notingwhowoundswhomandwithwhatsword,andwhathappenstoGertrude(includingClaudius'lieatline251).9.WhyisHamletsoconcernedthatHoratiostayalivetotellhisstory?Howmuchdotheotherpeopleatcourtknowatthispoint?10.DoyoubelieveHoratioinhisassumptionthatHamletissavedandnotdamned?Whyorwhynot?11.DoestheHamletFortinbrasdescribes(5.2.339-44)soundliketheHamletwehaveknown?WhatwillhappentothekingdomunderFortinbras?

Part2

**LadyofShalottPacket&Poem**