In-Class Activity

Soliloquy Analysis
Group Activity

Each group will be assigned one of the following soliloquies (all delivered by Hamlet in the first three acts):

Act I, scene 2 (p. 1594): “O that this too too sullied flesh should melt...”
Act I, scene 5 (1605): “O that you host of heaven!  O earth!...”
Act II, scene 2 (p. 1624): “Ay so, God, bye to you, now I am alone...”
Act III, scene 1 (p. 1627): “To be or not to be, that is the question...”

As a group, answer the following questions, noting your ideas and answers in your journal:

1. Go through the passage line by line and figure out exactly what it’s saying.

2. What unanswerable questions does Hamlet raise in this passage?

3. Identify images and word choices that are particularly powerful, memorable, or effective.  Note, especially, Shakespeare’s use of verbs.

4. Identify Hamlet’s state of mind and what the soliloquy reveals to us about his relationship(s) with those around him.

5. Reflect on the insight this soliloquy gives you into Hamlet, the play, and some of your reading journal questions.

THEN (still as a group), examine Claudius’s soliloquy in Act III, scene 3 but substitute Claudius for Hamlet in each of the above questions.

Friday's Hamlet Discussion

Here's what I recorded from 3rd hour AP Lit on Friday.

First, the 1-pgrs.  I apologize; I think the audio is really bad on this:

Next is our discussion in two parts.  Part I:

Part II:

Hamlet! =)

Yes, we're reading Shakespeare and I'm super excited about it.  You may be worried about approaching Shakespeare from an AP perspective, but I hope you can trust in your increased reading skills since freshmen and sophomore years. =)

A few things to help:

• Use the act summaries I'll give you in class (or access this electronic copy). Read them BEFORE you read each act and they will allow you to understand the plot and characters so you can focus on the language, theme, structure--all the stuff you wouldn't normally notice until a reread.
• This is a one-page document by the Folger Shakespeare Library that might help you keep your characters straight.
• Use my reading journal questions to help you focus on items of importance.  My questions should guide you and give you some focus.
• Obviously you should also note in your reading journal any other details you notice, questions you have, or other strategies you have found to help you in your critical reading.

Reading Journal Questions:

1. Track evidence of Hamlet’s “pretend madness” and evidence that he may actually be mad. 
2. Pay attention to Shakespeare’s use of language.  Where does he use interesting images, plays on words, or surprising juxtapositions of words?  Note examples but then focus on WHY Shakespeare uses them and what their placement and usage contributes to the tone, effect on the audience, and overall meaning of the piece.
3. What do you make of the way Shakespeare uses poetry vs. prose?  What is his purpose?
4. “Who’s there?”  The first line of the play is a question.  Who is there?  Throughout the play, who’s there?  Who’s not there?  Who’s pretending to be there?  Who’s not supposed to be there?
5. Why doesn’t Hamlet kill the king when given the opportunity (Act III, scene iii, line 74)?
6. How does this tragedy compare to the tragedy of Oedipus Rex?  Compare and contrast the two plays, using what you know about Greek and Elizabethan drama as well as a critical reader’s response to each.

Shelfari

So here is the info that I talked about yesterday in class.  I'd like you to set up a Shelfari account:

• Go to Shelfari.com
• You can log in to your Amazon account if you have one OR create an account.
• Then use the search bar to search for Kim Grissom in Groups. You will find Grissom AP English easily.  I'm not sure what it will look like to you but try to join the group.  It may let you or it may say that it's sent a request to me.
• You can also search Kim Grissom under Members--you'll be able to easily tell which one is me.
• Click on the green box under my lack of picture =) to Follow me.
• Then go back to your Home.  From here you can use the search bar to find books you have read, are reading, or want to read and add them to your shelf.
• Write a quick review and give a star rating to the books you have read already for AP Lang or Lit.  It's helpful if you include in your review WHY you liked or didn't like the book since others will often have other opinions.  Once you click Save it will prompt you for a whole bunch of other information which I haven't done and isn't necessary for our purposes here.

Drama Vocabulary

I have made your vocab for this unit into a Google Doc so you can print it or use it as you like. Click on the link to take you there.