Hamlet

Learning Target: I can identify rhetorical and stylistic devices/elements in Hamlet.

Activity 1: Take Hamlet Acts 1-3 Language Quiz

Activity 2: Begin reading 3.2 for Monday

Homework: Read 3.2 and complete a journal entry; 
Monday: short reading quiz  (5 questions) on 3.2 and then we will watch Hamlet.

Learning Target: I can paraphrase key soliloquies in Hamlet and note the stylistic/rhetorical devices Shakespeare employs to give make them so rich in both sound and sense.

"O' What a Rogue!" soliloquy

2.2.576-634

Pigeon Livered and Lacking Gall! What do these crazy words mean?

In pairs, alternate reading (5 to 10 lines at a time) and paraphrasing sections.  Discuss paraphrase of every 5 to 10 lines and then move on to the next five or ten. (ten minutes)

After you complete your paraphrase exercise, do the following:

• Do any of these lines seem like they might inspire or inform your essay?  Mark them in your book so that you may find them again if you decide to include them in an essay.
• With your partner, go through the soliloquy again, and mark literary and stylistic devices (e.g., metaphors/similies, extended metaphors, alliteration, parallelism, juxtaposition, repetition, rhyme, classical allusions, sentence reversal, selection of details/content/imagery, diction,).

While reading, students can note unfamiliar words.  Discuss the meanings, paraphrase troublesome lines:

• Why is the Prince calling himself a rogue and a peasant slave?
• Hamlet compares himself to the player.  What does his comparison reveal about Hamlet's self-perception?
• Throughout Hamlet, much violence is done to the ears. How does Hamlet's "cleave the general ear" relate to other "ear" references?
• Shakespeare uses the word ear twenty-seven times in the play.  Pay attention to these occurrences.  Do any of them resonate with you?
• Hamlet uses a lot of theatrical terminology in his speech.  Find some examples.  Why might Hamlet be thinking in theatrical terms?
• Find lines or phrases that explain why Hamlet thinks himself a coward.  Do you think he is a coward, or is he acting cautiously by looking for external evidence to prove Claudius's guilt?

"To be or not to be"...reading it aloud as an internal debate

Homework: 

Paraphrase "To be or not to be..." speech and annotate for style/rhetorical elements and for essay ideas.

Study for language quiz (40-50 points)..Will assess pp. xiv-xxiii

on Shakespeare's language, wordplay and sentence structure (preface of Hamlet book) as applied to the following passages: 

• 2.2.295-338 ("Were you not sent for" to "man delights not me");
• 2.2.575-640 (O' what a rogue am I!)
• 3.1.64-96 (To be or not to be)

What's Hecuba?  

2.2.445-574 - Talk about Allusions and summarize the scene..Have one student read the passage while three others mime the actions of Pyrrhus, Priam, and Hecuba.

Why might Hamlet be interested in this trio from classical literature?

"O' What a Rogue!" soliloquy

2.2.576-634

Sit in a circle and read the speech, round-robin, each student reading to a semi-colon, period, question mark, or exclamation point.

While reading, students can note unfamiliar words.  Discuss the meanings, paraphrase troublesome lines

• Why is the Prince calling himself a rogue and a peasant slave?
• Hamlet compares himself to the player.  What does his comparison reveal about Hamlet's self-perception?
• Throughout Hamlet, much violence is done to the ears. How does Hamlet's "cleave the general ear" relate to other "ear" references?
• Shakespeare uses the word ear twenty-seven times in the play.  Pay attention to these occurrences.  Do any of them resonate with you?
• Hamlet uses a lot of theatrical terminology in his speech.  Find some examples.  Why might Hamlet be thinking in theatrical terms?
• Find lines or phrases that explain why Hamlet thinks himself a coward.  Do you think he is a coward, or is he acting cautiously by looking for external evidence to prove Claudius's guilt?
• Watch both Tennant and Branagh play this scene.  Discuss.
• Show periods 1 and 2 the ghost scene in Brannagh and, time permitting, each of the Hecuba scenes.
• For Tomorrow: 
• Homework: 
• Paraphrase Act 2, Scene 2 ll 575-640
• Read xiv-xxiii on Shakespeare's language, wordplay and sentence structure (preface of Hamlet book)
• Quiz on Shakespeare's word play in 
  2.2.295-338 ("Were you not sent for" to "man delights not me") and
  
    Act 2, Scene 2 ll 575-640 (O' what a rogue am I!)
• 
  
• 
  
• In-class activities tomorrow: 
• I will also check and initial the last couple of journal entries
• In-class Activity:  A closer look at "To be or not to be..." Reading it aloud as an internal debate.
• Watch and compare Brannagh and Tennant's interpretations

Exploring the Language of Hamlet, mid-play...two days of close reading and activities with important scenes

Learning Target: I can observe, analyze and comprehend some of the more challenging passages in Hamlet.


Have students who were absent yesterday take the quiz.
Hand out essay option # 2; 
FYI...Expect me to push the due-date of the paper back by several days, possibly a week.

Essay Option # 2: What is man/woman?

Shakespeare philosophizes on the nature of man in his play Hamlet. How do you think Shakespeare might address the question: What is a man? You might begin to think about what Shakespeare considers about man/woman by thinking about what men/women desire or what man/woman’s relationship is to ideas…

Then, your task would be to frame your thesis: Shakespeare suggests that man/woman is______________. This should be a fairly complex and multi-layered thesis and you should begin tracing ideas in each act as you read. “Shakespeare suggests that man is” is just an initial idea to get you thinking!

*man’s relation to evil forces

*man’s desire for honor

*man’s questioning nature

*man’s nature

*man’s desire for perfection

*woman’s desire for love

*woman’s desire for connection

*man’s desire for wholeness

*man’s basic impulses

*man’s fears

*ethical dilemmas man must face

*man’s relationship to God

*man’s reaction to injustice

*man’s capacity for love

*man’s relationship with friends, with family

*man’s immortality

*man’s fear of death

*man’s sense desire for virtue

*man’s desire to please God

*man/woman’s desire to please family

*man’s grief

You should make reference to Shakespeare’s language/style in your paper. Don’t let opportunities pass you by to discuss: metaphor, allusion, simile, personification, imagery, structure, etc.

Knowledge of the play: Citations should not be just dropped into your paper but should be explained and discussed, shared and integrated into your sentences. You need to demonstrate your knowledge of the play….you should reference what happens and you should make reference to characters and their feelings/beliefs/behaviors. You should have at least 8 citations in your paper.  Be sure you explain them. 

Activities:

What a piece of work is man? 
Hamlet Attacks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

2.2.295-338 ("Were you not sent for" to "man delights not me")

Notice all of the language tricks which Shakespeare uses.  Metaphors, similes, alliteration, anastrophe (reversals), parallel construction, etc.

Is there a place in this scene, where Hamlet stops playing with  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and talks straight from the heart?  If so, what happens to the language tricks?

What's Hecuba?  

2.2.445-574 - Talk about Allusions and summarize the scene..Have one student read the passage while three others mime the actions of Pyrrhus, Priam, and Hecuba.

Why might Hamlet be interested in this trio from classical literature?

"O' What a Rogue!" soliloquy

2.2.576-634

Sit in a circle and read the speech, round-robin, each student reading to a semi-colon, period, question mark, or exclamation point.

While reading, students can note unfamiliar words.  Discuss the meanings, paraphrase troublesome lines

• Why is the Prince calling himself a rogue and a peasant slave?
• Hamlet compares himself to the player.  What does his comparison reveal about Hamlet's self-perception?
• Throughout Hamlet, much violence is done to the ears. How does Hamlet's "cleave the general ear" relate to other "ear" references?
• Shakespeare uses the word ear twenty-seven times in the play.  Pay attention to these occurrences.  Do any of them resonate with you?
• Hamlet uses a lot of theatrical terminology in his speech.  Find some examples.  Why might Hamlet be thinking in theatrical terms?
• Find lines or phrases that explain why Hamlet thinks himself a coward.  Do you think he is a coward, or is he acting cautiously by looking for external evidence to prove Claudius's guilt?
• Watch both Tennant and Branagh play this scene.  Discuss.
• Show periods 1 and 2 the ghost scene in Brannagh and, time permitting, each of the Hecuba scenes.
• For Tomorrow: 
• Homework: 
• Read xiv-xxiii on Shakespeare's language, wordplay and sentence structure (preface of Hamlet book)
• Do the following journal...I am thinking about writing about essay option #1/#2 because...(share some possible ideas).  This should be one full paragraph (7-9 sentences) of exploration of possible ideas.  Let them fly; don't worry about organization or grammar.  Get ideas on paper.
• 
  
• In-class activities tomorrow: 
• I will also check and initial the last couple of journal entries
• In-class Activity:  A closer look at "To be or not to be..." Reading it aloud as an internal debate.
• Watch and compare Brannagh and Tennant's interpretations

Hamlet

Learning Target: To watch and comprehend Hamlet.

Act 1-2 quiz
Watch Hamlet

HW: Read 3.1 and complete another reading journal

Absences on Friday, January 23, 2015

Period 1: Maddy Rykal

Period 2: Nikola

Period 3: Annie McCarter and Scott

Hamlet

Quiz on Act 1 & 2 on Monday (25 questions - 50 points)...Know the plot, characters and important lines.

Hamlet Act 1 Scenes 1-3

Learning Goal: I can observe and articulate differences between two interpretations of a scene from Hamlet.

Watch Act 1 Scenes1-3 in both the Tennant and Brannagh versions and discuss differences.

Homework: Read Act 1.4-5 and do one journal entry. 

Hamlet - Establishing a Reading Log

Learning Goal:  I can keep a daily reading log in which I respond to and ask questions about the play.  

Activities: 

• Read 1.2
• Review Reading Log Handout and discuss expectations.
• Have students complete reading log entry #1: 1.1-2 (Act 1, scenes 1-2) in class. 

HW: 
Read 1.3 and complete reading log entry #2 


While keeping your daily log,  be absolutely honest about what you are thinking and feeling about the play. Record your reactions and questions about the characters, language, and plot. You don't have to impress anyone or be "right".   Keep in mind that confusion and questioning are signs of authentic thinking and engagement. 

Things you might write about in your log:
Basics:

• Clearly label each entry with the act and scene number
• Write after every reading assignment
• Respond in a variety of ways (e.g., comments and questions) and to a variety of components (e.g., characters' actions or motivations, Shakespeare's language and style, the action in a scene)

For each scene, do minimum of three of the following: 

1. 1. Summarize the action of the scene in your own words
2. 2. Comment in one sentence on what you think is the significance of this scene. What would the play be like without it?  How does it contribute to plot and/or character development?
3. 3. Ask questions about the scene. Has anything in the scene caused you confusion?  Ask one of the characters in the scene a question - or ask me a question.

Quote lines from the scene that you enjoyed and comment on them.  For example: 

1.1 - Horatio says "Most like. It harrows me with fear and wonder." This line really explains to us what all three of the guards are feeling when they see this ghost.  They are all frightened by it, yet they wonder why it came to them and why it isi dressed the way it is.  It really sets the mood for the whole scene because it lets us know that they are anxious.  The first few lines in this scene really shocked me because we didn't know anything about these characters yet they were all so nervous and jumpy.  Plus they were suspicious and cautions of everything.

5. Describe your reactions to a character, action, or idea you confronted in the scene:

6. Talk about the relationships characters have with one another, quoting specific words or phrases to give evidence of your opinion.

7. Pretend you are an actor playing one of the characters in the scene. Get inside the character's mind. Tell how the character feels about herself.

Happiness

Finish "Happy"

Take out Health and Happiness and your responses to questions 8, 10 and 14 from Friday. 

What are three take-aways from this movie? Take-aways could be images, people, moments, ideas, phrase that stuck with you for one reason or another.

Groups of three.

Shake hands or fist-bump and introduce yourself.  Listen to what their name is too, Listen.

Using good conversation practices, discuss your takeaways.   

Whole group sharing...

Health and Happiness: Discuss questions 8, 10 and 14

Your Happiness Plan (very rough draft)...Based on your reflections on happiness this year, what do you think you would like to do to help you feel happier in the present and in the future (e.g. college/adulthood)?
(This is for your own benefit...you will not share it with classmates, although I might have you do a typed but informal 1/2 to 1-page paper for a completion grade and my eyes only - I would return it to you after doing a quick visual check)

What do you know about the connection between the brain and our emotions? Just write down anything that you have heard or learned about this topic.  Perhaps you heard something on the news, or studied this topic in a claas, or have personal experience which provide you some insight on the topic.

How about the body - emotion connection? How does extreme fatigue affect you emotionally?

How does hunger or feeling slightly undernourished affect you emotionally?

Why do you think that she is happier now then she was as a beautiful young woman who was accomplishing so much and seemed to be on top of the world?

What role does sadness or suffering in happiness?

Tomorrow: Begin at the 23 minute mark