Saturday, October 10, 2009

Hamlet questions

Okay, here are the questions. I'd like you to pick five of the seven questions and answer them thoroughly. Naturally, you are entitled to your own opinion in literary analysis, but you need to back up your ideas using specific lines in the text. These don't have to be formal essays, but it should take you a couple of paragraphs to answer most of them. You don't have to respond to anyone else's answers at this time. We'll discuss them in class next week.

Question #1:
Does Hamlet, or did he ever love Ophelia? Did she love him?

Question #2:
What is Polonius really like--clever and conniving or a well-meaning but foolish busy-body?

Question #3:
What was Gertrude's role, if any, in King Hamlet's death? Describe her character.

Question #4:
What is the significance of the gravedigger scene?

Question #5:
Discuss one of the key themes of the play.

Question #6:
What's up with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? What is their role/importance (in relation to the major themes, not just the plot alone)?

Question #7:
Choose one image or symbol that appears in the play and discuss what it represents and how it is used (e.g. worms/rotting, ears/hearing).
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1 comment:

  1. Taylor LeighOctober 19, 2009 at 1:19 AM

    Question #1:
    Does Hamlet, or did he ever love Ophelia? Did she love him?

    The letter written to Ophelia by Hamlet before his crazed state shows his most sincere feelings. The letters show that he was very much in love with her. Ophelia never loved Hamlet. If she did she would have ignored her father's orders and would have seen Hamlet.

    Question #2:
    What is Polonius really like--clever and conniving or a well-meaning but foolish busy-body?

    Polonious is a well-meaning but foolish busy-body. This is seen when he gives his son his blessing to go to France and then later sends his servant Reynaldo to spy on him. Polonious also spies on his daughter's relationship with Hamlet. He is fearful that their relationship will ruin his reputation with the king.

    Question #3:
    What was Gertrude's role, if any, in King Hamlet's death? Describe her character.

    Getrude had no role in King Hamlet's death. She can be described as someone that isn't very strong and always has to have someone to depend on. In my opinion, this is why after her husband's death she immediately married his brother.

    Question #4:
    What is the significance of the gravedigger scene?

    It intensifies the effect of the tragedy and it is the calm before the storm. Also the scene would definitely get a laugh from the common, uneducated worker.

    Question #5:
    Discuss one of the key themes of the play.

    One of the key themes in Hamlet is mortality. Hamlet's thoughts about suicide are legendary and continue to direct discussions of the value of life and the mystery of death. He thinks about death from many different ways. He is drawn to suicide but repelled by it at the same time. In the gravedigger scene he is also fascinated by the physical reality of death.

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