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
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