Write a 4-page essay (typed, double spaced, MLA format) on Hamlet/Dante.

The goal is to
write a focused, thesis-driven essay that features your close readings of, and citations and
quotations from, the texts. Draw from Notes #5 and 6. This is not a research paper; itis your
formal analysis of the primary source(s). Do not consult other sources. The body of your
essay should be your written, detailed analysis. You should include quotes and may include
a screen capture/image from each movie scene to serve as evidence to support your
argument.
Argue for the similarities between Hamlet/Inferno and Coco, focusing on between 1-3
specific aspects from your Notes assignments.

Below are my notes. You can see summaries online of Hamlet (Act one only) and Dante inferno
( Cantos 1- 4 only) to get the idea of it.

The notes does not have any arguments, the arguments should be in the paper.

Each scene in Inferno, 1-4. Details that relate to your topic #

Topic # 2 Canto 1 - Dante is capturing the moment

when he finds himself in a place
Journey Dante finds himself in a dark that he describes as “the wood of
wood. wilderness, savage, and stubborn
(6).”
- Dante trying to escape but the beast
was blocking his way.
- Dante surrounded by a Leopard,
Lion, and a She-Wolf.
- Lost hope of going up hill.
Topic#3&2 Canto 1 - The figure says to Dante: “No
longer living man, though once I
was (66).”
- Dante begs the figure to save him
Spirit Dante seeing a spirit / ghost from the three beasts.
- The figure “Virgil” tells Dante to
Journey
take another path if he wants to
leave the woods.
- Virgil tells Dante that it is best to
follow him.
Topic #6 Canto 1 - Virgil: “you will hear desperate
cries, and see tormented shades,
some old as Hell itself, and know
what second death is from their
Virgil tells Dante about the place screams (117).”
he will guide him to
Topic Canto 2 - Dante is depending on his memory
#4&2 to guide him.
- Dante: “ O memory that wrote
down what I saw, here your true
Dante is getting ready to complete excellence shall be revealed (9).”
his journey with Virgil. - Dante is underestimating himself
by saying “But why am I to go?
Who allows me to? I am not
Aeneas, I am not Paul, neither I nor
any man would think me worthy
(33).”
- Virgil explains to Dante why he
came to save him and free him
from his fears.
- The three ladies in heaven asked
Virgil to come and save Dante.
Topic #6 Canto 3 - Virgil asks Dante to “let all your
cowardice die on this spot (15).”
The land of Danto and Virgil reach the gate of - Dante is asking about the sounds he
the dead. Hell. is hearing in Hell.
- The sounds are of “sad souls who
lived a life but lived it with no
blame and with no praise (36).”
- Naked souls.
- “They were cursing God, cursing
their own parents, the human race,
the time, the place, the seed of their
beginning, and their day of birth
(105).”
Topic #6 Canto 4 - “Men and women and of infants
(30).”
Land of the Dante and Virgil reach the first circle - Not sinned people, but they did not
dead of Hill, Limbo. know Baptism.
- Virgil is a member of this group.
- Souls were thick as trees.
- Dante naming people he saw
through his journey.
 Each scene in Act One of Hamlet Details that relate to your topic #

Topic #3 1.1 Officers and soldiers on watch
meet at the Elsinore castle.
Ghost
- Page 8 ( 18 – 33 )
- Marcellus talking about a ghost
appeared last night.
- Horatio, Hamlet’s friend, asks the
soldiers if the ghosts appeared
again tonight.

Topic #3 1.1 The ghost appears. - Bernardo says “In the same figure
like the King that’s dead”
- Marcellus wants someone “scholar”
to questions the ghost.
Ghost - The men are asking the ghost to
speak
- The ghosts walk away
- Page 8 ( 41 – 59) - Horatio plans to tell Hamlet about
what they saw.

Topic #1 1.2 King of Denmark enters with - The queen and the King of
the Queen, the council, his son, Denmark are trying to get Hamlet
and Hamlet. to end his mourning on his father.
- King says to Hamlet: “But you
Family
must know your father lost a father,
- Page 10 - 11 that father lost, lost his, and the
survivor bound in filial obligation
for some term.
- The Queen is convincing Hamlet to
 stay in Denmark and he agrees.
- Horatio tell Hamlet that the
wedding of his mother came right
after his father’s funeral.

Topic #3 1.2 Horatio tells Hamlet that he - Horatio: “My lord, I think I saw
saw his father last night. him yesternight”.
- Horatio explains to Hamlet the way
he saw is father.
- -Hamlet is surprised by what his
- Page 12 friend has told him.
- -Horatio is describing the look of
Hamlet’s father. ( Armed and very
pale)
- -Hamlet decided to join the guard
on their watch to see the ghost that
looks like his father.
Topic # 1 1.3 Laertes and his sister Ophelia - Laertes trying to convince his sister
enter Polonius’s chambers. that Hamlet’s love to her is not real.
- - Laertes: “Then if he says he loves
you, it fits your wisdom so far to
Family believe it. As he in his particular act
- Page 13 – 14 and place may give his saying
deeds, which is no further than the
main voice of Denmark goes withal
(23 – 28).
- Ophelia is defending Hamlet from
what her brother and her father are
saying about his fake love to her.
Topic #3 1.4 Hamlet, Horatio, and - The three men waiting for the ghost
Marcellus at the guard platform. to appear again in a cold weather.
- The ghost appears.
- The ghost beckons at Hamlet.
Ghost
- Hamlet asks the ghost: “Say, why is
this? Wherefore? What should we
do?” (55)
- Hamlet decided to follow his father
spirit.
- Horatio and Marcellus trying to
stop Hamlet from following the
ghost.
- Marcellus: “Something is rotten in
the state of Denmark” (89)
Topic #3 1.5 Hamlet and the ghost at the - Hamlet is asking the ghost where
 battlement of the castle. he is leading him.
- The ghost says that he is Hamlet’s
Ghost father spirit.
- The ghost tells Hamlet to revenge
Page 16 - 17 for his father’s murder.
- -Ghost: “Revenge his soul and most
Topic#7
unnatural murder (22).
young man
- The ghost tells Hamlet that the
on a journey father was murdered by his uncle
seeking Claudius.
revenge - Hamlet asks Horatio and Marcellus
to not tell anyone of that they saw
tonight.

Topic # Each scene in Coco Details that relate to your topic

Topic # 1 & 4 - Opening scene, the - Miguel is saying the story of his
story of the family family and how his great-great
Family, Separation where the musician grandfather left his family.
leaves his family with - His great-great grandmother took
Remembering
his guitar and chase his
care of her daughter and started a
dream.
business that lasted for the next
- Family business of
generation.
making shoes.
- Their story is told every year on
Dis de los Muertos “Day of the
Dead”
- Miguel great grandmother does not
remember his name.

Topic #5 Miguel grandmother does not - No music allowed by Miguel or by

allow music to be played. anyone near their house.
Songs
- Miguel: “I am not like the rest of
my family.”
- Song played by De la Cruz.
“Remember me”
- Miguel grandmother gets mad after
she saw him holding a guitar at the
Plaza.
Topic #1,3,4 The Rivera family keeps all - Grandmother: “We’ve put their
Family the family pictures on the photos on the ofrenda so their
ofrenda in the Day of the spirits can cross over.”
Spirits
Dead. - the ofrenda allows their ancestors
Remembering to visit on the day of the dead or
Día de Muertos.
- This day is all about family.
- Mama Coco remembers Papa
when she heard them mentioning
his name but does not remember
her daughter.

Topic #5 Miguel secretly plays music - Miguel has his guitar and a secret
while watching De la Cruz place where he keeps all De la
Songs
Cruz pictures and figures.
- Miguel finds out that De la Cruz is
his great-great grandfather.
- Miguel: “I don’t want to be in this
family.”

Topic #2,3 ,6 - Miguel becomes a - Miguel tries to take a guitar from

Journey spirit and can see his Ernesto De La Cruz.
ancestors - Miguel is scared after he realized
Spirits
- Miguel travels to the that no one of the livings can see
Land of the dead, Land of the Dead. him or hear him.
security - He hears his family looking for
(Gate/Boarder) him but cannot see him.
- He meets all his ancestors in the
Family reunion land of the living and through his
journey.
- Mama Imelda is stuck at the land
of the dead because her picture in
not on the ofrenda.
- Miguel’s ancestors take him to the
land of the dead.
- All dead are represented as
skeletons.
- The only way he could return to
the land of the living was if he
received blessings from one of his

Topic #5 Miguel gets to the land of
Stories the dead and is startled when
he sees that everything he
had been told as a story is
real. “This isn’t a dream
then, I thought it could have
been one of those made up
things that adults tell
children.”
Topic #7 Miguel trying to find his
great-great grandfather De la
Young man on a
Cruz in the land of the dead.
journey seeking
allies/friends
Family –
Separation.
Topic #2, 5 Journey Miguel at De la Cruz concert.
Songs
family members.
- Miguel believed that the land of
the dead was only a fiction which
the elders told children.
- Miguel was able to identify his
ancestors who died long before he
was born.
- Animals used to guide the spirits.
- Miguel seeking help from one of
the spirits to guide him to De la
Cruz to get his blessings.
- Miguel participates in a talent
show at the land of the Dead.
- Miguel sings at the show.
- Miguel seeking for a musician
blessing.
- Miguel running away from his
ancestors.
- Miguel managed to get to the
party.
- Miguel sings in front of spirits.
- Miguel tells De la Cruz that he is
his great- great grandson.
- Hector wrote all of De la Cruz
songs.
- He identifies who the real musician
is and uncovers Ernesto De La
Cruz secrets.
- De la Cruz poisoned Hector and
stole his songs.
- De la Cruz captures Miguel, so he
does not say about his attempt to
murder Hector.
Topic #1 Miguel finds out that Hector is - Coco is started to forget her father,
his great-great grandfather. he is being faded.
Family - Reunion
- “Remember me” song is played.
- Miguel trying to get his picture
back in the ofrendo to be
remembered.
- Miguel: “Family comes first.”
- Imelda and Hector reunited.
- Miguel gets his blessings to return
to the land of the living and
reunited with his family.
- Coco remembers her father again.