Writing in LiteratureBurton Center Writing Workshop Series

Tips from

the monkeys who

brought you Hamlet

Always use direct quotations to prove

what you are saying.

Point: Hamlet cannot really be insane.

Proof: “The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This playis the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago isthe duke's name; his wife, Baptista: you shall seeanon.”

Explanation: How could an insane man so cleverly plan a play that exposes a criminal?

REPEAT PROCESS

Use literary terms to your advantage.

Hamlet’s characterization indicates why he cannot be considered insane.

The skull that Hamlet speaks to is a symbolic item foreshadowing the tragic conclusion of the play.

Shoot for original ideas about the

literature.

Everybody talks about whether Hamlet was pretending to be insane.

Why not demonstrate that Hamlet’s insanity is a commentary on national corruption?

There is no “right” answer.

Hamlet’s sanity is still argued amongst literary critics because the text can be read in multiple ways.

There is such a thing as misreading a text. So use caution in interpretation.

Use the basic rules of writing to make sure a good idea is well

presented.

Snowdrops