Hamlet
Lesson 11 Hamlet and Ophelia Act III, scene 1

Objectives
1. To study and understand Hamlet's desperate feelings as expressed in the "To be or not to be" soliloquy
2. To experience the heartbreak of renunciation scene in terms of Hamlet's and Ophelia's expression of their feelings and attitudes
Do now: Journal writing
Why do people contemplate or attempt suicide? What's your perspective on this issue? Do you consider it as a crime? Explain.
Procedures:
Part A (lines 1-63) Hamlet's actions reported
1. What report do Rosencrants and Guildenstern make to the king about their interview with Hamlet?
2. How does the King respond to the invitation to see a play performed?
3. What plan has Polonius devised for spying on Hamlet? Why is the King's conscience troubled by this plan? How believable is such a reaction from him? Has he shown any remorse at all in the past?

Part B Hamlet on Hamlet: Introspective Action(To be or not to be soliloquy)
Convert the Soliloquy to an argument: Select two students with contrasting voices and ask them to read the selected "to be or not to be script".
HAMLET

Reader1: To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Reader 2: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Read 1: Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
Reader 2: To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to,
Reader 1: 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd.
Reader 2: To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause:
Reader 1:there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
Reader 2: For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Reader 1:The oppressor's wrong,
Reader2: the proud man's contumely,
Reader 1: The pangs of despised love,
Reader 2: the law's delay,
Reader 1:The insolence of office
Reader2: and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin?
Reader 1: who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
Reader 2: But that the dread of something after death,
Reader 1: The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns,
Reader 2: puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Reader 1: Than fly to others that we know not of?
Reader 1 and 2: Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.--Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

4. Had Hamlet revealed such desperate feelings that he thought of suicide? When? (refer to the1st soliloquy)
5. How has Hamlet reason to be more despondent than he was earlier?
6. Some critics view this speech as a general philosophical discussion. Can you justify this point of view?
7. What view of death does Hamlet have in this speech? How does it compare with his view of life in the same speech?
8. What are some of the things that he says make a long life calamity?
9. How personal does he intend these slings and arrows to be? What would a modern life's ills include?
10. Why does Hamlet reject the idea of suicide at last?
11. How reasonable is his implication that to live is cowardly, to die courageous? What unfinished business may play a part in Hamlet's decision to live?
12. When Ophelia appears, why does Hamlet say," Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered'?
13. Read an interpretation of "To be or not to be " speech, and write a "agree and disagree" journal. Which part of the interpretation you agree and which part of the interpretation you disagree? Support your points.

Homework Assignment:
1.Internet Activity - Stylistic Imitation of "To Be or Not to Be": Read a parody of "To Be or Not To Be" written in the voice of Prince Charles. Students write a modern version of the "To Be or Not To Be" soliloquy using the voice and point of view of a popular literary, television or film character, or a political figure. A model is provided below. In an analysis of their soliloquy, students will advance a judgment that demonstrates a comprehensive grasp of the passage, support key ideas through references to their version, demonstrate awareness of the use of poetic devices, and assess their impact.

2. Do research on the various interpretation of "To be or not to be" soliloquy and write your analysis of this speech.

Part C: Hamlet and Ophelia
10. How much Ophelia feel, knowing that she is performing for an audience and the King? How genuine are the emotions she expresses?
11. What beautiful poetic lines can you find in Ophelia's utterances?
12. What's the double meaning of Hamlet's word honest? In what respects has Ophelia been honest with him?
13. Why does Hamlet tell her to enter a nunnery? Is his self characterization in this speech a valid one? Discuss.
14. Discuss and support the three different interpretation of the "nunnery scene".
a. Hamlet knows from the very beginning of the scene that Polonius and Claudius are watching him
b. Hamlet does not know until later in the scene that he is being watched.
C. Hamlet is unaware that he is being watched throughout the nunnery scene.
15. For each interpretation, what is Hamlet's objective? What specific gestures, inflections, movements, or pause could an actor use to show this objective? How does the objective affect the subtext?
16. What is the "calumny" to which Hamlet refers? Explain Hamlet's strange use of the word monstrous.
17. When Hamlet castigates Ophelia for the falseness and deceitfulness of women, is he thinking of her, of his mother, or of women in general?
18.in her final speech, what picture does Ophelia paint of the Hamlet that once was? How deep was her love for him? How much love still remains?

Part D
Hamlet's Actions: Spied on and Discussed
19. What has the King learned from observing the meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia? What plans has he made for Hamlet? What pretext does he suggest for sending Hamlet to England? What can you guess about his real purpose? How much of the truth of the situation do you think Polonius know?
20. How is Polonius heartless to his daughter in this scene? What further plans has he made for Hamlet?

Summary
1. In this scene, Hamlet's actions are viewed from several angles. Is he acting from a grand plan? Yes? No? Why? Discuss.
2. What changes in attitudes toward Hamlet and his behavior have developed? Why?
3. What are the full implications in Claudius' closing line:"Madness in great ones must not unwatched go"? Does Claudius actually believe that Hamlet is mad? Discuss.
4. How does Claudius display his shrewd intellect in this scene?
5. What reasons must Hamlet have had in his renunciation of Ophelia ? How might he have been trying to protect her?
6. What future events is the audience now anticipating?

Homework Assignment:
Analyze the character of Claudius's. Use direct quotations from the play to support your ideas. Read this reference on Claudius's character, and see if you could add more to the list.