1. Hamlet Bellwork Questions

2. Act I, Scene I and II
1. Summarize the major events these two scenes (the first part of film)
Hint—these scenes are mostly exposition

3. Act I, Scene I and II continued
2. Explain the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude. Speculate ways in which it could have come about? 3. What is your reaction to Hamlet? Does he have the right to be so upset 4. What is your reaction to Claudius so far?

4. Act I, Scene III, IV
5. Laertes gives advice to his sister about Hamlet. He reminds her about how her reputation is more fragile than his if she is promiscuous. Do you think that this attitude still exists? If so how and why? If not how and why? (Elaboration) 6. What is your reaction to this family and their interactions? (Laertes, Ophelia, Polonious)

5. End of Act I
7. Predict what you think will happen to Hamlet and Ophelia 8. How would it feel to be Ophelia at this point in the play? What is she going through? 9. What would you do if you were Hamlet and suspected your girlfriend to be against you? 10. List the issues bothering Hamlet at this point?

6. Summary Act I, II, III.5
12. SUMMARIZE the play so far using your notes, journals, and memory. LIST 6 important events/sentences.

7. Sililoquoy—7:26 (making of)
O that this too too solid flesh would melt  (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 1 Scene2)
O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I  (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 2 Scene 2)
To be, or not to be  (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 3 Scene 1)
Oh my offence is rank, it smells to heaven  (Spoken by Claudius, Act 3 Scene 3)
Now might I do it pat  (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 3 Scene 3)
How all occasions do inform against me  (Spoken by Hamlet, Act 4 Scene 4)
Definition—An act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, esp. by a character in a play.
7 sililoquoies in the play
Purpose—often for him to work through problems.
Purpose—”am I doing the right thing?” Should I? Shouldn’t I? I can’t do it

8. The Mousetrap
14. Watch two versions of the play within a play. 15. Write down the similarities and differences 16. Which do you like better and why?

9. Closet scene
17. The infamous “closet scene” between Hamlet and Gertrude is very famous for it’s difficult execution. It’s a passionate scene that can easily get dull or over done. What causes Hamlet and Gertrude to get so angry and emotional? 18. Some people believe that Hamlet suffered from the Oedipal complex (Freud)—being attracted or in love with his mother—citing the closet scene. Is that a valid interpretation? Why or why not?

10. Ophelia—
19. What made Ophelia go mad? 20. What could account for the drastic change in modern interpretations of her character? 21. Do you sympathize with Ophelia? 22. What if anything could have prevented her fate?

11. Reasons from the internet
“Hamlet” is mad making her go mad
Hamlet rejected her and feels he never loved her
Dad’s death only
She’s weak and can’t handle any of the stress
Dependent on the men in her life and they left her
Can’t revenge her Dad’s death like Hamlet and Laer.
Possible pregnancy on top of everything else
Many factors at once
Just a freak occurrence and is there to contrast Hamlet

12. Reasons from Scholars
Pregnancy? (out of wedlock awful problem for noble woman like her. Lines by Hamlet earlier in play)
Syphillis (explains her madness and his?)
Death of father.
Can’t revenge father’s death (also helps compare her to Hamlet)
Feels torn between all of the people for whom she’s a pawn—lack of freedom and agency
Combination of everything (huge panic attack)

13. Compare/Contrast Hamlet/Ophelia
Similarities
Differences

14. Friendships
Explain how and why Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrived at Elsinore castle?
Why do they agree to their task?
How are these these two different from Hamlet’s other friend, Horatio?
What did Polonious say about friends when he gave advice to his son in Act I? How is that idea illustrated with these three men?

15. Gertrude
23. Some people say that Gertrude is underwritten and underdeveloped character. For example, Claudius has two siloquouies, Hamlet has 6, Gertrude has 1 very short one (explaining Ophelia’s death).What do you think? What information would you want from her? What speech would you wish she made.

16. Hamlet
24. Do you think that Hamlet is mad or is he faking it? 25. If he is mad, what caused it? If faking it what was his intent in making people believe that he is crazy? What was the benefit for him?

17. 26. Watch this clip from Inside the Actors’ Studio where comedian, Dave Chapelle, explains why he left America for Africa at the height of his success with his own TV show.
Can we make any connections to the play Hamlet? If so what?
How do you personally feel about what the actor expressed?

18. Quotes—translate the following
Frailty thy name is woman,
To be or not to be, that is the question
Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
To thine own self be true,

19. Quotes—translate the following
the apparel oft proclaim the man.
It is madness yet there be method in it,
Tis nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so.
I must be cruel to be kind

20. Quotes—translate the following
We know what we are but not what we may be
The lord gives you one face and you paint yourself another.
Sorrows come not in single spies, but in battalions,
The lady doth protest too much
I trust them like adders, fanged