Despite the groggy-eyed, 80s-attired distractions, we managed to get through most of the film version of Act 1. I stopped the film during key scenes to discuss the following:
How does scene 1 prepare us to meet Hamlet?
What attitudes toward love are revealed in Act 1?
What is the view of passion versus reason? How do you know?
Has Hamlet seduced Ophelia in the same way that Claudius has seduced Gertrude? What say you?
How is Horatio's "mote in the eye" motif revealed for each character? What is Hamlet's mote? Gertrude's? etc
Re-read the ghost's recollection of his poisoning scene 5. Who else has been "poisoned" so far? How? Why are the ghost's sins still blossoming? What does the fact that he is in purgatory suggest about him? We thought he was a great and noble king? Is he a sinner, too?
How does Act 1 set the major themes, attitudes, conflicts and motifs to support the subsequent scenes?
Be sure to be able to answer all of the above questions. Support your answers with evidence from the text.
Homework: Make sure you've completed the homework from last Thurs. Oct. 6. Check the blog.
Tonight: Read and post-it note your novel. Have a theme that you are searching for that can be narrowed down to a thesis for an in-class essay in Nov.
Complete the short multiple-choice (AP Lit style) Hamlet quiz.
Recitations: Please attend the spoken word event in the theatre at lunch this Friday, Oct. 14, with slam poet Can. champ--Dave Morris. If you'd like to attend his workshop in period 4, email me or let me know and I will register you. Get permission from your period 4 teacher.
Please bring a notebook to class so that you can take notes, answer questions, write longer reponses than you can in the text. Thanks.
