HamletHamlet

Things you should know Things you should know about Hamlet….about Hamlet….

• The plot is packed with The plot is packed with

• dysfunctional families, dysfunctional families,

• devious conniversdevious connivers

• warring nationswarring nations

So, what’s the attractionSo, what’s the attraction• A young man returns home from college A young man returns home from college

to find that his dad is deadto find that his dad is dead

• His loving mother is now remarried to His loving mother is now remarried to the man that commandeered the thronethe man that commandeered the throne

• Suspicions of murder and treasonSuspicions of murder and treason

• SpiesSpies

• Some questioning loversSome questioning lovers

• A ghost, and lets not forget…….A ghost, and lets not forget…….

HamletHamlet

• An army that is intent on seizing your An army that is intent on seizing your landland

• Let’s just say that Hamlet has Let’s just say that Hamlet has issues!issues!

Ingredients of RevengeIngredients of Revenge• A wrong must be righted – total A wrong must be righted – total

payback!payback!

• A villainA villain

• A complex plot – (a little confusion A complex plot – (a little confusion keeps the reader on his/her toes)keeps the reader on his/her toes)

• MurdersMurders

• A play within a playA play within a play

• GhostGhost

Ingredients of RevengeIngredients of Revenge

•Suffering Heroine - OpheliaSuffering Heroine - Ophelia

•MadnessMadness– People going crazyPeople going crazy– People People actingacting crazy crazy– How do we know when How do we know when

madness is real or fake???madness is real or fake???

Themes of Themes of Yesteryear and TodayYesteryear and Today

• MurderMurder

• Betrayal/DeceptionBetrayal/Deception

• FriendshipFriendship

• Destroyed/Lost LoveDestroyed/Lost Love

• RevengeRevenge

• Mental IllnessMental Illness

• Dysfunctional family & family pressuresDysfunctional family & family pressures

Let’s not forget these Let’s not forget these themesthemes• AmbitionAmbition• Sin and CorruptionSin and Corruption• Isolation and lonelinessIsolation and loneliness• Disillusion (what we thought of Disillusion (what we thought of

someone turns out to be completely someone turns out to be completely different)different)

• And everyone can relate to…And everyone can relate to…

•P–R–O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-NP–R–O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N

BackgroundBackground

• Shakespeare may have used the Shakespeare may have used the story of Hamlet to reflect the story of Hamlet to reflect the concerns of his own time. (Cultural concerns of his own time. (Cultural Capitol)Capitol)

• During the Elizabethan Era social During the Elizabethan Era social order was very important. order was very important.

Background – continueBackground – continue

• Hamlet depicts a conflict over what Hamlet depicts a conflict over what to do when an orderly state is to do when an orderly state is actually corrupt from the inside and actually corrupt from the inside and there seems to be no civilized there seems to be no civilized answer on how to right a wrong.answer on how to right a wrong.

• KEEP THIS IN MIND WHILE YOU ARE KEEP THIS IN MIND WHILE YOU ARE READINGREADING

So how do I read the Bard So how do I read the Bard and not go Nuts????and not go Nuts????

1.1. Read the IntroductionRead the Introduction

2.2. Look at the footnotes to gain a Look at the footnotes to gain a better understandingbetter understanding

3.3. Look up words you don’t knowLook up words you don’t know

4.4. Keep a list of charactersKeep a list of characters

5.5. Write a nightly summaryWrite a nightly summary

Rule of ThumbRule of Thumb

• If you can’t understand a particular If you can’t understand a particular passage, it’s probably about sex.passage, it’s probably about sex.

• You are reading a play which was You are reading a play which was intended to be spoken, NOT READ intended to be spoken, NOT READ SILENTLY. Remember, 90% of SILENTLY. Remember, 90% of Shakespeare’s audience was Shakespeare’s audience was illiterate.illiterate.