The play tells the story of Prince Hamlet. But Hamlet's no party-boy prince. When the action begins, we discover that his dad (the King of Denmark) has been murdered by his own brother and Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. Ouch. Talk about sibling rivalry. And it gets worse: not too long after the murder, Claudius married Hamlet's mom, Gertrude. So, what's a prince to do?
If you're Hamlet, not much of anything. He's got a big to-do list (and only five acts to complete it), but he just can't figure out how to get himself moving. Honestly, we understand. It's hard enough to make it through our to-do list, and our biggest item is "Laundry." In comparison, Hamlet's to-do list is epic. For starters, there are the obvious things: hang out with Dad's ghost, feign madness, dump girlfriend, accuse Mom of treachery, plot the convoluted details of your elaborate revenge. Then, of course, there's the big item: kill Uncle/Stepdad/King.
Whew. No wonder he drags his feet.
(Shmoop Introduction)
If you're Hamlet, not much of anything. He's got a big to-do list (and only five acts to complete it), but he just can't figure out how to get himself moving. Honestly, we understand. It's hard enough to make it through our to-do list, and our biggest item is "Laundry." In comparison, Hamlet's to-do list is epic. For starters, there are the obvious things: hang out with Dad's ghost, feign madness, dump girlfriend, accuse Mom of treachery, plot the convoluted details of your elaborate revenge. Then, of course, there's the big item: kill Uncle/Stepdad/King.
Whew. No wonder he drags his feet.
(Shmoop Introduction)
Introduction:
Introduction Package | |
File Size: | 53 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Big Questions for Hamlet:
- How do we define "truth"? What are important truths in life? How do we find out truth?
- How do we define "justice"? Why is justice often hard to achieve? Is justice fair? Infallible? How do we remedy injustice?
- Is it natural to feel anger and hatred sometimes? Why? How do we navigate and deal with those emotions?
- How do people react to tragedy or loss in their lives? What strategies do people use to deal with tragedy and loss?
- How do ambition and power drive us? How do individuals acquire real and perceived power? How does lack of power or imbalance in power affect individuals, groups, and societies?
- What special challenges do doubts and fears bring to an individual? What are ways of overcoming doubts and fears? How can having doubts and fears be an advantage?
Act I:
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Act II:
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Act III:
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Act IV:
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Act V:
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The Debate:
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