Thursday, September 27, 2012

Thursday, September 27 Hamlet Act II questions


Missing possessive homework sheet: Joe, Aaron, Austin, Katherine
Reading schedule: Wednesday, 26 September- finish Act III
Thursday, 27 September Act IV scenes i-iv.
Friday, 28 September finish Act IV
Monday, 1 October finish Act V.

In class: Act II review questions. You will use your text.
Hamlet vocabulary 2--------matching quiz next Tuesday.  Please learn these.
Tuesday October 9  - vocabulary packet number 2 is due. See one of us, if you need help.
At the end of today's blog, you will find plot / character notes. Please read them through.

Hamlet vocabulary 2 As with the previous, the assessment will be your simply defining the word.
1.To glean - to gather; to collect

2. sovereign (adj)- absolute; totally undisputed / n- king or monarch

3. satirical (adj) – sarcastic, biting, mocking

4. promontory- (noun)- a cliff high above water

5. rogue (noun)- a villain, fiend, scoundrel

6. firmament (noun) – the sky

7. pestilent – (adj)- deadly, likely to cause an epidemic

8. paragon –(noun)- perfect example, model, standard

9. quintessence –(noun)- ideal, essence, perfect model

10. to cleave (verb)- to split, also to adhere

11. malefactions (noun)- evil deeds

12. consummation (noun) completion; achievement

13. calamity (noun)- disaster, cause of great distress

14. contumely (noun)- insulting treatment

15. wantonness (noun)- immorality, extravagance

16. dejected –(adj)- depressed, disheartened

17. abominably –(adverb)- detestably; with hatred

18. to buffet (verb)- to hit or strike

19. clemency (noun)- leniency, mercy

20. to beguile (verb)- to deceive, to cheat

21. contagion (noun)- the cause of a disease

22. fetters (noun)- chains or shackles attached to the ankles

23. to compel- to force

24. mandate (noun)- a decree, an order, command

25. to whet- to sharpen

Partners for Thursday and Friday
Partners Acts II and III
                                                                     ACT II                                 ACT III                                                           
Barbarita, Joseph                             Aaron                                Ashli
 Brendze-Brownlie, Aaron              Joseph                           Allison                                  
 Giles, Ashli                                       Allison                                Joe                          
 Haberberger, Allison M                 Ashli                               Aaron
 Highsmith, Ariana                         Katherine                      Tamia
 Johnson, Katherine J                   Ariana                              Austin
 Jones, Tamia                                Austin                                 Ariana
 LaFond, Austin P                          Tamia                               Katherine
 Leggette, Tianna                        Chishell                              Nalia
 Marble, Chrishell                       Tianna                                Miranda
 Morales, Nalia                             Miranda                            Tianna                   
 Murphy, Miranda                       Nalia                                  Chrishell                            
 Nguyen, Kathy                             Tarek                                Chris
 Persad, Tarek D                           Kathy                                 Sierra
 Peterkin, Christopher                 Sierra                                 Kathy
 Robinson, Sierra N                       Chris                                  Tarek
 Schadt, Heidi                                 Nicolas                            w/ Joe and Ashli                     
 Staggert, Nicolas                           Heidi                               Zadejah
 Wilson, Zadejah            w/ Nick and Heidi                        Nick
   
 Hamlet Act II study questions ......These will be covered in class today, using your text.
If you are absent, you are responsible for turning them in for class participation grade.

  1. Why does Polonius wish Renaldo to use “slips [such] as gaming…or drinking, fencing and quarrelling,” in other words a “bait of falsehood?”

        From II.ii.66-73

 2. According to Ophelia, how was Hamlet dressed when he entered her sewing closet?

        From II.i.87-94

 3.What does Polonius think is the reason behind Hamlet’s behavior?

       From II.ii.13-5.

4. What is the relationship between Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? What does the queen wish of them?

      From II.ii.10-19.

 5. Explain the following and how it is ironic in terms of the words being spoken by Polonius.

       “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

 6.What trick does Polonius employ to discover the truth about Hamlet’s madness?

      From II.ii.176-80.

7.Read Hamlet’s retort to Polonius’ question, “What is the matter, my lord?” Why does Polonius note “though there be madness, yet there is method in it.”

      From II.ii.211-24.

8. Explain this line said by Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.”

     From II.ii.268-70.




Act III. scene i notes:Queen Gertrude and King Claudius inquire of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern how their meeting with Hamlet went. They reply he was "most like a gentleman", didn't ask many questions but answered any they had.

Polonius then puts into play his plan for his daughter Ophelia to speak to Hamlet, whilst he and the king listen in, this being to ascertain if Hamlet's madness is really caused by his love for Ophelia.

Hamlet enters and we have his famous to be or not to be speech. Should he kill himself? What are the arguments for and against suicide?

Hamlet and Ophelia converse. She returns his "perfume-lost" love letters. Hamlet plays word games with her, questioning her honesty and telling her to "get thee to a nunnery" for he is "indifferent honest" and an "arrant knave." As he speaks harshly to Ophelia, but perhaps the words are really meant for his mother. He then says, That those that are married already / all but one, shall live"(III.i.160). On that note, he leaves.
Ophelia's very distraught over this noble mind o'er throwned. But the King realizes that love is not the root of Hamlet's madness."His affections do not tend that way." He determines to send the Prince to England., as "Madness in great ones must not unwatched go." Polonious still thinks Ophelia is the cause, but asks King Claudius to let the Queen privately speak with her son about her grief, before he is sent away.
Act III.ii.Hamlet practices with players / actors and gives them new lines to insert into the play. Shakespeare has him give good advice to being a successful performer. These words hold true today. As well, he tells Horatio of his plans, that he is to "rivit" to the [King's] face." Horatio agrees to watch carefully.
The play: Hamlet makes bawdy allusions with Ophelia, and she notes that he is "merry".
In the play within the play: note that Hamlet tells the King the play is entitled "The Mousetrap." In"The Murder of Gonzago" the former king's death, Hamlet's father's murder, is reenacted. Claudius has a fit and the play is brought to a premature end.
Horatio too has noted the king's behavior and Guildenstern informs him of the king's choler (anger) and that the Queen wishes to speak with him. With both Guildenstern and Polonius, Hamlet plays more word games, augmenting the belief that he is truly mad. The scene ends with the "witching time of night" when Hamlet knows he is capable of action. But to his mother, he must "be cruel, not unnatual"; "speak daggers, but use none."

Act III.iiiThe King tells Rosencrantz and Guidenstern to take Hamlet to England.
Polonius informs the King that Hamlet is with his mother. King Claudius' reflects on his actions. Hamlet observes him "a-praying" and so decides not to kill him, because that would mean the King would be forgiven in God's eyes. Remember his father is in Purgatory; how ironic if his murderer goes to heaven.
Act III.ivPolonius hides behind the arras (curtain), whilst Hamlet converses with his mother. Hamlet kills Polonius. This is an intense scene. What do you think is the nature of the relationship between Hamlet and his mother? He is violent towards her, makes vivid comparisons between his father and her new husband, and overt sexual references. His father's ghost appears- or does it, as only Hamlet sees him- and chides him: "Do not forget. This visitation / Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose"(III.iv.126-7). In the meantime, Gertrude thinks he is crazy and asks him to "sprinkle cool patience". When the ghost leaves, Hamlet explains he "must be cruel to be kind." She should not "go to my uncle's bed"...for "a pair of reechy kisses." The scene concludes with her acquiesing to Hamlet's demands and Hamlet telling her that he is to England with "two school fellows / Whom [he] will trust as adders fanged". (Note that he refers to the "letters sealed" his friends carry. These are a mandate from Claudius to kill the Prince, but Hamlet is aware and relishes the idea "when in one line two crafts directly meet". First though he'll "lug the guts (that's Polonius) into the neighbor room."

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