2 StudentWorkbooks PDF

HAMLET
A play by Wi
lliam Shakesp
eare
NAME:
STUDENT WORKBOOK
(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 1
“
To be,
or not to be: to be
That is “
the question.
2 (c) Stacey Lloyd 2020
Contents
Contents
Background Information
Shakespeare’s Language
4
5
Thinking About Key Topics 6
Essential Questions 7
Act One 8
Act Two 13
Act Three 16
Act Four 22
Act Five 27
Who is Responsible for the Tragedy? 31
Character Development 32
Imagery: Motifs 33
Focus on Key Topics 34
Writing About Themes 35
Notes, Doodles, Ideas 36

THE BARD HIMSELF Will Shakespeare ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND
The Elizabethan Era is so-called
William Shakespeare (often called
because it covers the period
“the bard” meaning poet) was an English of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign of
playwright, poet and actor. His exact birth- England, and it spans from 1558-
date is unknown, but he was baptized on 1603. It is often referred to as
26th April 1564, and he died in 1616 (age ‘the golden age’ in British history
52). He married Anne Hathaway and had 3 as it was a time in which there
children. was a renaissance in culture and
national pride.
Often regarded as the foremost dramatist of his time,
Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets. Indeed,
Shakespeare lives on through his many plays and poems Did you know?
which are taught, read, and performed around the world today. Disney’s The Lion King is believed
However, he also lives on through the thousands of words he to be largely based on the plot of
invented, and we still use daily. Hamlet. If you know the film, see
Take a minute to circle any if you can spot the similarities
SHAKESPEARE INVENTED
Just some of the
WORDS
words below which you actually use.

as you study the play.
champion rant amazement swagger elbow
obscene blushing dwindle addiction admirable But wait,
baseless cheap generous hostile pale-faced
lonely informal embrace auspicious enrapt THERE’S A GHOST?
When Shakespeare wrote his
plays, believing in supernatural
WHY DO WE STILL STUDY SHAKESPEARE? elements and magic was
As a critical, thinking student, see if you can come up with
But why?
completely common and normal.

THREE possible reasons why Shakespeare’s work is still
performed, read, and taught in schools around the world. In fact, if you did not believe in
ghosts, witches, the mystical
1 properties of animals and herbs,

spells, and fairies... you may have
been considered foolish!
Therefore, when you
2 encounter the ghost in Hamlet,

think about how differently
people of the time might have
3
reacted to the events of
the play, compared to a
modern audience.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE BY STUDYING THE PLAY?

Before studying the play, write down at least ONE goal for your own learning:

getting to grips with While the play is written in English, it is an older version and
therefore there may be words which are unfamiliar to you.
SHAKESPEARE’S LANGUAGE
Use the following to help guide
your reading of the play.
Elizabethan Modern Elizabethan Modern

Adieu Goodbye Pray I beg
Anon Soon Privy Informed a note on
Art Are Resolve Plan CONTRACTIONS
Aye Yes Sirrah Boy As in modern English, words in Shakespeare’s
work often appear in a reduced or contracted
Bound Obliged Thither There form, with the omitted (left out) letters
By and by Soon Tidings News indicated with an apostrophe.
Examples:
Conceit Thought Verily Truly ’fore = before e’en = even
Counsel Advice Well Met Hello ta’en = taken ne’er = never
Decree Order Wherefore Why ’cause = because ha’ = have
Discourses Speaks Whereto To which whoe’er = whoever th’ = the
Dispatch Kill Withal With
’midst = amidst o’er = over
NOTE
Doth Does Woe Misery You do not pronounce the missing letters.
This often helps to fit the words into the strict
Fare thee well Farewell Wrought Provided metrical pattern (iambic pentameter).
Foe Enemy
Hark
Hie
Listen
Go
YOU
THOU & THEE YOUR
THINE & THY
Simply put, ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ Simply put, ‘thine’ means
Hither Here
mean YOU. YOURS ‘thy’ means YOUR.
Mark Pay attention
‘Thou’ is used when it is the SUBJECT Think about how you use ‘your’/
Methinks I think of the sentence (the doer of the verb) ’yours’ as possessive adjectives
‘Thee’ is used when it is the OBJECT of (describe possession before a noun)
Nay No and possessive pronouns (used as an
the sentence (the receiver of the verb).
object in a sentence).
Nought Nothing
Oft Often “Thou art a scholar; speak “Let not thy mother lose her
Example
Example
to it, Horatio.” prayers, Hamlet”

Perchance Maybe
“...by heaven I charge thee, “This above all: to thine
Plague Curse speak!” ownself be true”
PRACTICE
“TRANSLATE” EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO ELIZABETHAN ENGLISH.

1) Curse you, boy! Why are you my enemy?
2) Yes, I think I am informed of the news to which you provided.
3) No, nothing can be done, no advice given; no kind thought relieves this misery.

Thinking about This play deals with interesting deeper concepts. Spend
time on your own or with a peer (or even with friends
KEY TOPICS and family), discussing the following statements. Do you

agree or disagree? For each one, explain your thinking.
Agree /
Statement Disagree Explanation
q Strongly
Agree
Revenge is q Agree
One
never justified. q Disagree

q Strongly
Disagree
q Strongly
Agree
It is possible to q Agree
Two
grieve for too q Disagree

long.
q Strongly
Disagree
q Strongly
Agree
Sometimes one
Three
q Agree
has to be cruel q Disagree
to be kind.
q Strongly
Disagree
q Strongly
Agree
One should
Four
q Agree
always defend q Disagree
one’s honor.
q Strongly
Disagree
q Strongly
A person can Agree
only be forgiven q Agree
Five
once they have q Disagree

proven they are
q Strongly
repentant. Disagree
q Strongly
Agree
Religion shapes q Agree

Six
views in society. q Disagree

q Strongly
Disagree
q Strongly
It is impossible Agree
to maintain
Seven
q Agree
integrity when q Disagree
working within a
q Strongly
corrupt system. Disagree
Free write your answers to the following essential questions. There
are no right or wrong responses, and you shouldn’t have to do any
research or preparation: these are
Your thoughts
just your own, initial thoughts.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
To what extent can revenge bring Is it better to be a person of deeds and
about fulfillment and satisfaction? action, or words and thought? Why?
HONOR & REVENGE ACTION VS. INACTION

Your own, personal follow-up question about this topic: Your own, personal follow-up question about this topic:
Can we ever truly know another person? How does society’s view of gender
Or are we all constantly presenting false impact the way we are treated?
images of ourselves to the world? Explain.
APPEARANCE VS. REALITY WOMEN & GENDER

Your own, personal follow-up question about this topic: Your own, personal follow-up question about this topic:

ACT ONE | Scene I “...has this thing appeared
again tonight?
“
In one sentence, summarize what
SETTING
happens in this opening scene: The MOOD of List elements of the setting
this scene is: which help create this mood:
[check all that apply]

¨ Peaceful
¨ Tense
¨ Fearful
¨ Melancholic
¨ Ominous
¨ Angry
In this opening scene, the audience is introduced to an eerie character...

(flip back to page 4 to read more about how a ghost would have been received). THE GHOST
Let’s get the facts straight... “Enter Ghost” The stage directions state “Enter
Ghost” - if you’re directing a stage
Who sees this ghost? How many times has production, how would you do this to create the mood?
it been seen before?
lighting
costume
Who do they identify the ghost to be & why?
At first, Horatio is skeptical
props/staging
sound
about the presence of a ghost. ¨ True ¨ False
Provide a quote which evidences your selection above:
“
“
(
( . .
QUOTE
“This bodes Citation for

Who says this? this quote:
KEY
some Act # Scene # Line #
strange In your own words, what is being said:

eruption
to our state.” This is an example of: q allusion q foreshadowing q dramatic irony q metaphor
thinking about EXPOSITION you have about the characters or plot at this stage:
Questions
What background information is

learned about who young Fortinbras 1.
is, and why he wants revenge?
A quotation about young Fortinbras:

2.
What do the men decide to do about the ghost,

as a “next step”?
?
Summarize what happens in this scene, by giving it a title:
Scene II
ACT ONE
How soon after King Hamlet’s death did his Hamlet says, “A little more than kin, and less than kind”.
widow Gertrude marry his brother Claudius? How does Hamlet play with words here, & what is he saying
about his uncle?
If you were Hamlet, how might you feel

about this? (Give a reason)
Find a quote which shows that Hamlet is judged harshly for

the way he is mourning the death of his father.
“O, that this too too solid flesh would melt... Hamlet’s first SOLILOQUY
?
* You may need to look it up!
What is a SOLILOQUY Hamlet’s speaks many soliloquies throughout the play. Pay close
attention, as they reveal much of his mental state and emotions.
3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE Hamlet’s state of mind at this point.
What we
learn about: Words / quotation Imagery Why this is significant / How it relates to the plot
Hamlet’s
state of Of flesh melting
mind
Hamlet’s “How weary, stale, flat,

thoughts and unprofitable / seem
on the
state of to me all the uses of this
the world world”
Hamlet’s
opinion of
his father
Hamlet’s Like Niobe /

attitude galled eyes
towards
his mother
Hamlet’s We have already seen evidence of

attitude Hamlet’s lack of respect & affection for
towards Claudius, and this further explains Hamlet’s
his uncle receptiveness for revenge.

ACT ONE Scene III Scene IV
What happens in Act 1, Scene 3? Check all that apply! Summarize
Laertes packs and leaves for Paris. the events of
this scene:
Polonius advises Ophelia on how to win Hamlet’s affections.
Polonius gives his son advice on how to behave.
Laertes warns Ophelia that Hamlet is mentally unwell. Hamlet’s Reaction
Laertes begs Ophelia to remember to write to him. One
toword describe
how Hamlet reacts to seeing
the ghost of his father:
Laertes cautions his sister against
What is ANTITHESIS? * You may need to look it up!
WHY? a relationship with Hamlet.
your choice:
¨ He doesn’t believe
Hamlet loves her.
A quote to evidence
¨ Hamlet is royalty and

would never marry her.
Quote three examples of antithesis which Hamlet uses
¨ He is actually jealous upon seeing the ghost.
of Hamlet.
¨ She needs to guard
her honor.
The men in Ophelia’s life sure like to tell her what
Key Topic GENDER
to do. How do you see this?
¨ They’re just looking out for her; they’re caring caring..
¨ They are out of line; they’re controlling
controlling.. Shakespeare uses antithesis here to show Hamlet’s:
¨ Other: _______________________________________________________ q certainty q uncertainty q passion q grief
How might a modern audience respond differently
to this, compared to an audience of Shakespeare’s Find direct evidence for the following statement.
time?
Horatio is concerned that pursuing the ghost will
cause Hamlet deep mental distress.
“
“
Oh the advicePolonius’ Advice
Pick three pieces of advice
Polonius gives, and explain them in your own words.
Do you think that this is a
reasonable concern? ¨ Yes ¨ No
Do you
think this
is good
advice?
“Somethingtheis ROTTEN in
state of Denmark
“
yes
no Describe the Provide 3 synonyms
connotations of the for the word
word ROTTEN: ROTTEN:
Do you
think this
is good
advice?
yes
no
Do you
think this
is good
advice?
yes Marcellus means that....
no
Summarize what happens in this scene:
ACT ONE | Scene V
What do you think is the most important line in this scene?
“ “
What the ghost reveals...
Before the ghost will tell Hamlet his secret, How do people think What does the ghost say
what does he demand? King Hamlet died? actually happened?
“
(
Line #
A quote which
shows this:
. Scene #
“ Which famous actor
.
would you pick to
Act #
play the ghost?
(
To which animal does the
ghost compare Claudius? What does the ghost say about What might be inferred from this?
Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude?
¨ Hamlet must also seek
revenge against her.
Do you think
Shakespeare wants the ¨ Hamlet must tell her about
audience to believe the murder.
what the ghost says?
¨ Hamlet must not harm her.
yes no
“...meet it is I set it down, / That one may

smile, and smile, and be a villain”
“Asmeet
I perchance hereafter shall think
/ To put an antic disposition on...
“
This quotation ¨ Action versus Inaction Synonym
most relates to ¨ Honor and Revenge for ANTIC:
¨ Appearance versus Reality
which topic? ¨ Corruption
Here, Hamlet is telling his friends that he might
have to act mad in the future. Why do you
think he might need to do so?
Doodle / word art key
topics for this scene:

symbols, images or
What is a potential problem with this plan?
Does Hamlet tell his friends what the yes no

ghost revealed to him?
After reading Act 1, Scene 5...

Identify something you find Identify something you find
entertaining/interesting::
entertaining/interesting strange/confusing::
strange/confusing

Oh UNNATURAL
1
In act one, there is a lot of talk about nature, and what is and is
not natural. Below, list or mindmap this topic; you should identify at least THREE things which are
described as (or seem to be) unnatural.
ACT ONE
REVIEWING
CHARACTERIZATION
Characterization is the process by which a writer reveals the personality of a character: it is
how they construct the character and present them to the reader or audience. This can be done
in lots of ways: through what the character says, what they do, and how others respond to them.
For each of the following characters, pick a personality trait which you have observed (e.g.
optimistic, aggressive, shy, etc.), and then identify how Shakespeare has constructed this.
HAMLET
CLAUDIUS
Trait: Trait:
How does Shakespeare illustrate this? How does Shakespeare illustrate this?
qHis words qHis actions qResponses qHis words qHis actions qResponses
to him to him
Explain your choice above (with examples) Explain your choice above (with examples)
HORATIO
OPHELIA
Trait: Trait:
How does Shakespeare illustrate this? How does Shakespeare illustrate this?
qHis words qHis actions qResponses qHer words qHer actions qResponses
to him to her
Explain your choice above (with examples) Explain your choice above (with examples)

ACT TWO | Scenes I-II
Summarize what happens in these two scenes: Let’s focus on
Polonius
2.1
¨ shrewd
Find evidence for the following statements: To you, he is:

¨ manipulative
¨ foolish Which actor would you cast for him:
¨ wise
¨ amusing
2.2
¨ annoying
He is a man of action:
“
3 plans for SPYING mentioned in this act:
“
He cares what people think of him:
“ “
Re-read the section of the text in Act 2, Scene 1, when Hamlet likes to mock him:
Ophelia reports Hamlet’s recent bizarre behavior.
Imagine you are a director, writing a note to the actress playing “
Consider emotion, speed, volume, any props, etc.
Ophelia to instruct her how she should enact these lines. “

If Polonius were an
animal, he’d be a:
because...
The majority of the play is written in BLANK

LANGUAGE
VERSE (like poetry) with a set rhythm and

meter (just look at the lines on the page).
However, occasionally, we have characters
“And with a look so piteous in purport

Ophelia speaking in PROSE (more like regular writing,
in paragraphs).
This is notable: the switch into prose is not
As if he had been loosed out of hell an accident! Shakespeare does this for a few
To speak of horrors,--he comes before me.” (2.1.90-93) reasons:
features of
Which do you think 1. To indicate characters of low status

is the most important 2. For informal comedic and domestic scenes
word here?
3. To indicate familiarity, secrecy, or
language
Who / what does this image remind

you of from earlier in the play? conspiracy between characters
Between whom is prose spoken in Act 2?

A quote from earlier which shows the connection:
Why in this case? (Pick from the reasons above)

ACT TWO Scene II “...The play’s the thing
Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.
“
Key Topic APPEARANCE VS. REALITY

APPEARANCE VERSUS REALITY is evident in the events of Act 2:
THE ACTOR’S SPEECH
Identify & explain (or doodle!) an example of how the topic of

Things aren’t always what they seem...
Hamlet asks one of the actors to deliver a speech from
Virgil’s Aeneid (a famous Greek text). In it, Aeneas, on
his way home from war, tells Dido about the murder
of Priam (the King of Troy) during the Trojan War. He
was killed by Pyrrhus, to avenge his father death
(his father was Achilles who was murdered by Paris,
Priam’s son). King Priam’s wife was Hecuba, who -
in this telling of the story - grieved deeply over the
murder of her husband.
This is clearly a q Love q Revenge q Courage

story about: q Grief q Hope q Anger
The audience of the time would have been well aware of
this Greek tale, and so the link to Hamlet’s own situation
would have been clear. For an audience today, what film/
play/story/song would work to serve the same purpose?
What is the idea Hamlet gets from the actor’s performance?
Spend time closely reading and annotating Hamlet’s second

soliloquy at the end of act 2, and then complete the following. Hamlet’s second
STATEMENT TRUE FALSE QUOTATION AS EVIDENCE
SOLILOQUY
Hamlet has a lot of self-
hatred.
Hamlet doesn’t question

his ability to seek revenge
for his father’s murder.
Hamlet plans to
test Claudius’ guilty
conscience through a play.
Hamlet believes that it
is in his nature to take
decisive action.
Hamlet marvels at actors’
ability to fake emotion
and feeling.
Think back to Hamlet’s first soliloquy. From what we learn of Young Fortinbras; in
How have his thoughts or emotions changed? what way are the two men different?
¨ Fortinbras was motivated by jealousy;
Hamlet is motivated by love.
¨ Fortinbras is a man of swift action; Hamlet
stalls in his plans.
¨ Fortinbras is insecure; Hamlet is confident.
2
There is a lot of ambiguity in this play, and things aren’t always quite what that seem. For the
following activity, exercise your critical thinking skills by trying to come up with different (and
perhaps opposing) answers to the questions posed. Wherever possible give reasons and
evidence for your answers, from Act 2.
Is Polonius is a good father?
REVIEWING ACT TWO

On the one hand, yes because... But on the other hand, no because...
Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern good friends to Hamlet?

Do you think that Hamlet actually has gone mad?

Oh the ambiguity!
Do you feel any sympathy for the women in the play?
Is Hamlet a coward for not enacting his revenge with more haste?

ACT THREE | Scene I
write a NEWSPAPER HEADLINE to summarize the events of this scene: Who really cares?
Rank the following in terms of
who you think genuinely cares
most about Hamlet’s wellbeing:
Before Hamlet enters, there’s a short exchange between Gertrude & Ophelia. Re-read it.
What role do the women play in this society, and in this story? Horatio Ophelia
Gertrude Claudius
Polonius Rosencrantz &

Guildenstern
Key Topic GENDER (1 - person who cares most; 5 - cares least)
INSTRUCTIONS:
HAMLET
...to be or not to be...
rDeath
To be, or not to be, that is the question, #LifeO
1) Circle words you don’t
know, and then look up and
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer annotate their meaning.
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, 2) Write hashtags to
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, summarize what is being
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; said (at least 8). One has
been done for you.
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
3) Identify 3 metaphors
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks (annotate).
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
4) Find and label a point
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; where repetition is used,
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; annotate the effect of this:
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come why is it used?
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, 5) Number the reasons
to be
Hamlet gives for why one

Must give us pause: there's the respect would consider suicide:
That makes calamity of so long life; how many are there?
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, 6) Identify the point where
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, Hamlet puts forth his
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay, reason for fearing death
(put a star next to it).
The insolence of office and the spurns
7) Annotate the emotions
That patient merit of the unworthy takes, Hamlet is expressing
When he himself might his quietus make (especially if they change).
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, 8) Underline 3 of the most
To grunt and sweat under a weary life, important lines (in your
But that the dread of something after death, opinion).
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn 9) Find evidence that Hamlet
thinks known pain is
No traveller returns, puzzles the will better than unknown pain
And makes us rather bear those ills we have (annotate).
Than fly to others that we know not of? *****
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
And thus the native hue of resolution 1) Is Hamlet seriously
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, contemplating his own
suicide? (*Hint: highlight the
And enterprises of great pith and moment pronouns.)
With this regard their currents turn awry,
2) How is Hamlet’s tone and
And lose the name of action.--Soft you now! thought process in this
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons soliloquy, different to that
Be all my sins remember'd. of the previous soliloquies
studied?
“Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.” (3.1.111) Imagine Ophelia created a playlist after this interaction.
Playlist title:
Which 3 modern songs would

Who says this?
Let’s focus on
In your own words, what does it mean?
match her mood?

From this, what can we infer about
Hamlet & Ophelia’s relationship?
Hamlet & Ophelia

HAMLET Do you think
for your choice:

Give a reason
...I did love you once. Hamlet ever did
I loved you not
OPHELIA truly love Ophelia?

Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so. yes
HAMLET
You should not have believed me; for no
virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock
but we shall relish of it: I loved you not. Considering the actions of the men in this play, why are Hamlet’s accusations
OPHELIA against women (and Ophelia in particular) rather unfair?
I was the more deceived.
HAMLET
Get thee to a nunnery...
’Nunnery’ could be a convent for nuns, or, in
Elizabethan slang, a brothel for sex workers.
Pick 2 actors you’d have After Hamlet leaves, Does she blame Hamlet for yes
play them in a film: Ophelia seems: his mistreatment of her? no
H ¨
¨
¨
Angry
Confused
Vengeful
Do you find her to be a
weak character?
yes
no
O
¨ Heartbroken yes
¨ Complacent Do you feel any sympathy
¨ Disconsolate or pity for Ophelia? no
HAMLET
I have heard of your paintings too, well
3 accusations about women Hamlet makes here (in your own words):
Identify
enough; God has given you one face, and

you make yourselves another: you jig, you
amble, and you lisp, and nick-name God's
creatures, and make your wantonness This quotation most relates to which topic?
your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it Which, do you think, is the one
marriage Hamlet is referencing ¨ Action versus inaction
hath made me mad. I say, we will have no here, which shall not live? ¨ Honor and Revenge
more marriages: those that are married ¨ Appearance versus reality
already, all but one, shall live; the rest ¨ Corruption
shall keep as they are. To a nunnery, go. ¨ Religion
“
“Madness in great ones must not unwatch’d go.
thinking about PLOT
Is Claudius convinced that love is the yes

root of Hamlet’s madness? no Explain how relevant this line is in today’s world:
What is Claudius’ new plan for dealing with Hamlet?
What does Polonius suggest?
Making Connections
ACT THREE Scene II What is the purpose of literature?
Draw a mark on each line to indicate you What does Hamlet say
what happens in this scene: view of what the purpose is (right is most). is the purpose of acting?
The play’s the thing.

Summarize
For entertainment
and enjoyment
To connect us to
the lives of others
Help us make
sense of ourselves
To escape from
real life *hint:
The following lines are either from the play within-the-play or

from or those watching it. For each, make comments on what is
referenced, what is meant, or why it is significant.
Oh the betrayal...
Who does Hamlet seem to feel betrayed by?
OPHELIA
‘Tis brief, my lord.
HAMLET
that apply
¨ Claudius ¨ Polonius ¨ Gertrude

As woman’s love.
¨ Laertes ¨ Ophelia ¨ His father
Check all
¨ Rosencrantz ¨ Guildenstern ¨ Horatio

HAMLET
How does Hamlet explain his feelings about ...your majesty and
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, through the we that have free
metaphor of a recorder (musical instrument)? souls, it touches us
not...
PLAYER QUEEN
...None wed the
second but who
kill’d the first.
OPHELIA
The King rises
HAMLET
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” (3.2.228) What, frighted with
false fire!
What is she implying about the player queen? QUEEN GERTRUDE
How fares my lord?
¨ She is too outspoken; doesn’t know her place.
¨ She is being forced into a corner. Does Hamlet’s plan for the play work? Explain why or why not:
Queen Gertrude
¨ She seems insincere, as if trying too hard.

How do you feel about the way Hamlet
treats his mother? Does she deserve his cruel
treatment?
This scene is...

Give a reason
for your choice:
¨ Serious
¨ Funny
¨ Sad
¨ Gripping
¨ ____________________
“Let me be cruel, not unnatural. I will speak daggers to her but use none.
“
What would be ‘unnatural’? To ‘speak daggers’ means.... What do you think will happen when
Hamlet goes to see his mother?
PREDICT
allusion pun
It is a(n):
metaphor simile
18
ACT THREE | Scenes III-IV
Summarize what happens in these two scenes:
SCENE 3
SCENE 4
King Claudius’ Conflict Why doesn’t Hamlet kill Claudius in scene 3?
¨ He is interrupted in the act.
Throughout the play we gain insight into religious beliefs
A note on RELIGION
¨ He doesn’t want Claudius’ soul to go to heaven.

and practices of 16th Century England. Particularly, ¨ He wants to wait to hear Claudius’ confession.
anxieties around mortality, purity, and the afterlife. In Act Do you think this is a justifiable reason? Or is it an excuse?
3, Scene 3 we see this play out through Claudius’ conflicted
notions on forgiveness and his own sins, as well as through
Hamlet’s response. Indeed, it was believed that in order to
go to heaven when one dies, one has to have a pure soul:
one attains that through confession of one’s sins.
All the questions... There are many references to nature, decay, or disease in
As Claudius contemplates his actions and
potential for forgiveness, he asks many questions. scenes 3 & 4. Find three quotes which employ this imagery.
Identify three (in your own words) below:
“ “ “
Is Claudius actually repentant

for what he has done?
A word to describe
Claudius’ emotional
state here:
yes
? no
“
In what way is Hamlet’s killing of Polonius somewhat
out of character?
“
Natural
be a
“
If Polonius were an animal, he would
Words & phrases Does Hamlet seems repentant for

Hamlet uses to describe Polonius
Imagine you are Claudius’ spiritual advisor or the killing? yes no

therapist: what advice would you give him? This illustrates that he is...
Which of the following describes

your reaction to Polonius’ death?
¨ Shocked ¨ Annoyed
Oh Polonius
¨ Sad ¨ Confused
¨ Unsurprised ¨ Amused
¨ Other:

ACT THREE | Scene IV
“
These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears
“
Imagine the exchange between Hamlet and Gertrude - about the murder & his madness - took place over text, instead of in person. Write it.
Name:
QUEEN GERTRUDE What emotion is
O Hamlet, speak no more: Gertrude expressing
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul; here?
And there I see such black and grained spots
As will not leave their tinct.
How do you ¨ She is merely trying to get Hamlet to stop

berating her.
interpret
¨ She knew about the murder, and is having to
Gertrude’s face up to her own complicity.
response
¨ While she may not have known about
here? the murder, she feels guilty about having
remarried her brother-in-law so quickly.
A Question you would ask Gertrude at this point:
the changein Gertrude’s attitude

towards Hamlet...
At the START of 3.4 By the END of 3.4
Explain
thoughts
& feelings
*You can summarize their exchange; you don’t need to translate it line for line.
Quote as
evidence
Do you find this change to be believable?

Give a reason for your answer.

maddness
ma
3
“I like him not, nor stands it safe with us
To let his range.
“
1) What is your opinion of Hamlet at this point in the play? Has it changed since the start?
REVIEWING ACT THREE

2) Claudius wonders: “May one be pardon’d and retain the offence?” (3.3.59). What do you think?
Can one be forgiven for a crime when one still benefits from it? Explain your opinion.
3) Gertrude seems not to see the ghost: does this change your opinion on whether or not
Hamlet sees it? What is the effect of this?
4) Hamlet accuses his friends of playing with him and using him cruelly: how is this hypocritical?
KEY TOPICS Reflect on the events of the third act of the play, and make notes
on how the following topics are evident in events/character/lines.
WOMEN
APPEARANCE VS. REALITY

HONOR & REVENGE
ACTION & INACTION

ACT FOUR | Scenes I-III
happens in these
Summarize what
three scenes:
Scene I Scene II Scene III

Similes and metaphors are used in these scenes to illustrate something of characters’
IMAGERY
attributes or feelings about each other. Unpack some of these by completing the following:
QUOTE QUOTE QUOTE
CLAUDIUS: We would not understand
what was most fit; / But, like the owner of
a foul disease, / To keep it from divulging,
let it feed / Even on the pith of Life. (4.1. 22-24)
WHO is being compared to WHAT WHO is being compared to WHAT WHO is being compared to WHAT
Hamlet Ore A Sponge

(valuable/precious metal)
This shows us that... This shows us that... This shows us that...
CLAUDIUS: How does Hamlet react after killing Polonius? Do

1) Circle 3 key
words in this you find this surprising or unsettling? Explain fully.
How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!
extract.
Yet must not we put the strong law on him:
2) Underline a
word related He's loved of the distracted multitude,
to the topic of Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
appearance And where tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd,
versus reality.
But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even,
3) What emotion
This sudden sending him away must seem
“
is Claudius
expressing here: Deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown
By desperate appliance are relieved, Hamlet loves
Or not at all.
to play with
words, puns,
This passage illustrates that Claudius: and show
¨ Cares deeply about Hamlet’s safety. off his sharp
¨ Worries about how he is perceived. wit. Find an
¨ Is a strategic politician.
example:
“
¨ Believes in the importance of law and order.
¨ Has a low opinion of the general population.
King Claudius
Thinking about his lines, do you find Hamlet to be:

What motivates Claudius’
actions throughout the play? ¨ Sharp-witted OR ¨ A senseless madman
If he were an animal, he would be a When Hamlet explains “how a king may go a
progress through the guts of a beggar,” what point
because...
do you think he is making?
He plans to have Hamlet killed in

England. In your opinion, this is: ¨ Clever ¨ Cowardly
Summarize what happens in this scene 4, by giving it a title:
ACT FOUR
Soliloqquy
Solilo
Scene IV
Who is Fortinbras? In Hamlet’s soliloquy at the end of scene 4,
QUICK REVIEW
he presents many debatable notions. Spend time

thinking about whether or not you agree with these.
NOTION QUOTATION OPINION
q Strongly
Where is he going, and why? Through our ability for Agree
thought and reason, q Agree
humans are more than q Disagree
q Strongly
mere animals. Disagree
What do we know of q Strongly
his character? It is possible to Agree
overthink issues, which q Agree
causes one to be unable q Disagree
q Strongly
to act. Disagree
“My thoughts be
q Strongly
To be truly great means Agree
one would fight over q Agree
bloody, or be small issues, if honor is
“ q Disagree
nothing worth! at stake.
q Strongly
Disagree
Summarize the events of this scene in a sentence of exactly TWELVE words:
Scene V
OPHELIA
Words/phrases used to describe her: Examine the song Ophelia sings in this scene,
from “Tomorrow is St. Valentine’s Day...”
What is it about?
¨ Vengeful
The mood of
¨ A willful maid who tricks a man.
the song is:

¨ Hopeful
¨ The shameful ways men treat women.
¨ Sorrowful
¨ A grieving widow, left alone. ¨ Pitiful
how others see her

¨ A woman deceived by the man she loves. ¨ Romantic
Ophelia sings this almost as means of explanation after stating:

Let’s pause to talk about
If you were the costume designer, “when they/ask you what it means, say you this...” (4.546-47)
how would you present Ophelia
What might
in this scene?
the “it” be, she

is referring to
here?
flowers which are symbolic. Find
Rosemary
out what they each symbolize:
Does this make Ophelia seem

Ophelia gives out imaginary
more or less mad to you?

Pansies
Give a reason
Think creatively, & not just the most obvious!

Fennel
“O, thisgrief
is the poison of deep
; it springs / All from “ Columbines
Rue
her father’s death
Do you agree yes Daisy
with this
assessment? no Violet

ACT FOUR | Scene V
“
LOSS & GRIEF
Ophelia’s response to her father’s death:
Which one most resembles
EXPLAIN
Hamlet’s response to his
own father’s death?
”
“
Laertes’ response to his father’s death:
Response to
For each of the following emotions, identify a character who displays it, explain why they feel it, & give evidence. ”
Emotions are running high in this scene!
PITY FEAR ANXIETY

REASON WHO
REASON WHO
REASON WHO
QUOTE
QUOTE
QUOTE
“... where the offence is let the great axe fall.”

Who says this?
¨ Ironic ¨ Sarcastic
Cite:
¨ Satirical
2 WORDS TO DESCRIBE
Laertes’ personality.
It is...
(Pick 2)
¨ Hyperbolic ¨ Paradoxical ¨ Metaphoric
When sorrows come, they come not

Describe
the action of this
AN ADVERB
AN ADJECTIVE
A NOUN
single spies / But in battalions.

A VERB
scene in:
This quotation contains which of the following?

personification simile pun allusion
Imagine that King Claudius has TWITTER
RE-WRITE THIS QUOTE AS A MODERN TWEET
Claudius says: “...poor Ophelia / Divided from herself and her fair
(4.5.83-85)
King Claudius
@_____________________________ (write his handle) judgment / Without the which we are pictures, or mere beasts”
This echoes
Hamlet’s thoughts
in the previous
scene. Are you
surprised that
these two men
have similar ideas?
Why or why not?
Scenes
ACT FOUR
Summarize
the events
of these
two scenes: VI-VII
a QUOTATION for each.
Decide on whether or not the following are true, & then find
Pirates are
CLAUDIUS:
q True q False
selflessly Not that I think you did not love your father;
returning But that I know love is begun by time;
Hamlet out of And that I see, in passages of proof,
respect for his Time qualifies the spark and fire of it.
status. There lives within the very flame of love
A kind of wick or snuff that will abate it
Claudius
q True q False
What is Claudius saying here about
If you were to give

allowed
title, it would be:

intensity of love, and time?
Hamlet to go
scene seven a
free because
of his love for
Gertrude.
q True q False
Claudius plays
Do you agree with this idea? ¨ Yes ¨ No
on Laertes’
ego, to bait him In your opinion, action
into planning
Claudius is a man of: inaction
Hamlet’s death.
Give a reason for your choice:
q True q False
Claudius
accuses
Laertes of
faking his
grief.
INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION
q True q False
Ophelia dies In scene 7, how does Shakespeare portray

by ingesting Claudius as being strategic & manipulative?
a poisonous
plant.
What can we learn from these scenes about ideas of

HONOR & REVENGE?
Mind-map your thoughts
Identify something you find

interesting about this interaction:
conversation between
Claudius and Laertes.
Re-read the heated
Identify something you find

confusing about this interaction:
making
CONNECTIONS 25
(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020
4 At the end of
CATHARSIS
Definition:
ACT FOUR
Definition:
Example in the play:
Example in the play:
FOIL
For each of the TERMS on this page, find the
definitions, and identify examples in the play.
dramatic
Devices
Definition: Example in the play:
HAMARTIA
POETIC JUSTICE
Definition: Definition:
Example in the play: Example in the play:
26
(You may need to come back to this one once the play has ended!) DEUS EX MACHINA
(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020
ACT FIVE
Scene I
Describe what happens in Act 5, Scene 1 in three sentences:
The conversation involving the

gravediggers provides comic relief.
What is COMIC RELIEF

?

What is the controversy that surrounds Ophelia’s death?
One of the gravediggers says: “If this had not been a gentlewoman, she Why do you think it is provided
should have been buried out o'Christian burial.” at this point?
What deeper
point about
society is
being made
here?
Note: Many mistakenly associate a skull with

Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” speech. Yet it is here
when he speaks to the skull of Yorick.
“Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio”
Who was Yorick, and why is Hamlet so Why does Hamlet reference many dead famous people?
affected by finding his skull? What deeper point is he making about death?
¨ A great man of court; seeing his skull makes
Hamlet face the inevitability of death.
¨ A court jester; seeing his skull makes Hamlet
realize that even people full of life become
nothing when dead.
¨ A family friend; he never knew he had died. Do you agree with this point? ¨ Yes ¨ No
Change in how Hamlet speaks of death: How are your culture/community’s views around
Previously he spoke of Now he seems to feel death and the afterlife different/similar?
death as.... more...
making
CONNECTIONS
“I loved Ophelia
What is an
“ Are you surprised yes
?
by Hamlet’s
reaction here? no
EPITHET Give a reason for your choice above:
Identify epithets used in this scene:
#
List 3 hashtags to describe your response to Hamlet’s reaction:
a question you have about the characters or plot at this stage:

ACT FIVE Write A NEWSPAPER HEADLINE ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THIS SCENE:
Scene II
Let’s try to make sense of all the action in this scene!
CHARACTERIZATION
How deeply grieved does Hamlet seem to
Briefly outline the main Annotate the timeline with any be over Ophelia’s death, in this scene?
action of this scene key quotes, or notes you have
(in 10-12 points) about the events. Not at all Extremely
What might you INFER from this?
An adjective to
describe the way
Hamlet treats Osric.
Now consider how he responds to many of the
other characters of lesser rank/class throughout
the play (e.g. Polonius).
What does this indicate about his character?
Oh Hamlet
Hamlet has Rosencrantz & Guildenstern killed.
¨ They deserved it; they were disloyal.
about this?
you feel
How do
¨ They did not deserve it; they were just

carrying out the King’s orders.
¨ Other: ______________________________________________
“I have a bad feeling in my heart.”

TIMELINE
This is an q dramatic irony q allusion

example of: q foreshadowing q suspense
“Not a whit, we defy augury: there’s a special

providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be
now, ‘tis not to come; if it be not to come, it
will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: “
the readiness is all: since no man has aught of
what he leaves, what is’t to leave betimes?
(5.2.216-221)
Who says this?
What is the “it” referenced?
Synonym for ‘augury’:
What main point is being made here:

Examine the apology Hamlet makes to Laertes.
Does he take full responsibility for his actions?
yes
no
last lines & Final Words
Explain your choice above: GERTRUDE Dies Lives
Last words:
Do you think that this is a fitting end? Why or why not?
Who kills whom? Is it entirely
response to the end of the play:

intentional?
A word to describe your

Y/N
(circle)
HORATIO Dies Lives
Claudius Y/N
Last words:
Y/N
Hamlet Y/N Do you think that this is a fitting end? Why or why not?
Pick a color & symbol which represent the action of Act 5,

Scene 2, and then explain the symbolism of your choice
C S
(Bonus! Write keywords in that color!)
OLOR YMBOL
CLAUDIUS
Last words: Dies Lives
I chose this color because... I chose this symbol because...

LAERTES Dies Lives
Last words:
Key Topic Does any character actually achieve

their planned revenge? Explain fully. HAMLET Dies Lives
Last words:
REVENGE (c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 29

5
REVIEWING ACT FIVE KEY QUOTATIONS
LINE(S)
After reading the final act of the play, spend some time
looking for key quotations and explaining them below.
CITATION SPEAKER MEANING / SIGNIFICANCE / QUESTIONS
Hamlet is marveling at the fact that what once

was so full of life, is now so lifeless and hollow.
Hamlet He is grappling with the tangible fact of death,
and is shocked by the reality of it.
“I thought thy bride-bed to

have deck’d, sweet maid,
And not have strew’d thy
grave.”
“But I am very sorry, good

Horatio, / That to Laertes I
forgot myself, / For, by the
image of my cause I see /
The very portraiture of his”
Gertrude disobeys her husband’s command not

to drink the poisoned drink. As with so much
Gertrude of the play, this act can be seen as ambiguous:
Does she do it aware of the poison, to save her
son? Or is she merely tragic collateral damage?
“Why, as a woodcock to
mine own spring, Osric. / I
am justly killed with mine
own treachery.”
“I do prophesy the election

rights / On Fortinbras. He
has my dying voice.”
This speaks to the topic of action versus inaction:

Horatio is making the point that they best
move to make Fortinbras King immediately. He
knows firsthand how delaying action can have
unintended, tragic consequences.
“Take up the bodies: such

a sight as this / Becomes
the field, but here shows
much amiss. / Go, bid the
soldiers shoot.”
?
Who is
responsible for all the TRAGEDY
It could be argued that each of the following hold some responsibility for the many
deaths at the end (even if indirectly). In the boxes below, rank them in terms of their responsibility
(1 being the least; 5 being the most). Then note a reason for how/why they are responsible.
The
Ghost Claudius Laertes Gertrude Hamlet
Now, write a paragraph of literary analysis, answering the question: Who holds most responsibility
for the multiple deaths? *You should discuss at least 2 characters, and embed direct quotations in your answer.

Images of rot, disease, & decay are motifs, which reoccur
NATURE & DECAY MOTIFS
throughout the play. Fill in the following table, analyzing the
image being evoked, and explaining why it is being used.
QUOTATION & SPEAKER WHAT IS THE IMAGE? WHY IS THE IMAGERY USED?
imagery
“O, my offence is rank, it
smells to heaven”
- Claudius (Act 3, Scene 3)
“How weary, stale, flat and

unprofitable, / Seem to me all
the uses of this world! / Fie
on’t! ah fie! ‘tis an unweeded
garden, / That grows to seed;
things rank and gross in nature
/ Possess it merely.”
- Hamlet (Act 1, Scene 2)
“Look you now, what follows:

/ Here is your husband; like
a mildew’d ear, / Blasting his
wholesome brother.”
“Your worm is your only

emperor for diet: we fat all
creatures else to fat us, and
we fat ourselves for maggots”
“Nay, but to live / In the

rank sweat of an enseamed
bed, / Stew’d in corruption,
honeying and making love /
Over the nasty sty.”
“...Should have kept short,

restrain’d and out of haunt /
This mad young man ... But, like
the owner of a foul disease, /
To keep it from divulging, let it
feed / Even on the pith of Life.”
“Something
is ROTTEN
rotten | adjective
1. decayed: affected by rot or decay
2. corrupt: characterized by a lack of
honesty or moral principles
3. nasty: mean and nasty in attitude
Which of the four definitions of ‘rotten’ is being used in
this quotation? Explain your choice.
in the state “ and behaviour toward others

(informal)
of Denmark 4. foul: extremely unpleasant or

unfortunate (informal)
32
CHARACTER
development
Select three characters of interest to you, and
complete the following, thinking about how their
characters are developed over the course of the play.
Character:
At first I thought... But by the end of the play, I thought...
Key events/
lines/actions
which shifted
your thinking:
Character:
Key events/
lines/actions
which shifted
your thinking:
Character:
Key events/
lines/actions
which shifted
your thinking:
TOPICS first Rank the following
topics (from 1 to
8), in terms of their
prominence/importance
to the play (entirely your own
Madness
Gender/Women
Effects of Grief
Religion & Society
Honor & Revenge
Appearance vs. Reality
opinion; 1 - most; 8 - least). Corruption Action vs. Inaction
Now complete the following in the order you selected above.
1 2 Explain a connection between this topic and
your own life, culture, or society.
Mindmap / list / describe how this topic presents in the play.
This tragic play deals with many interesting topics: reoccurring ideas
which inform the deeper themes of the play.
3 What deeper point might Shakespeare be

making about this topic?
4 Write a question which you still have about this topic, as it relates to the play.
5 7 Provide a key quotation related to this topic.

Draw a symbol/image associated
with this topic.
8 If this topic were a color, which would

it be and why?
6 Which characters are central to this topic?
Bonus! Go back to page 7, and re-read your prior thoughts about key topics. Think about how these have changed.
34
analyzing THEMES
Learning to write thoughtful, detailed, specific theme sentences is a key part of studying a literary
? work, and will serve as the basis for analytical essay answers.
The theme of a literary work is the Theme cannot be expressed in a single

THEME
author’s central message about word: that would be a subject or topic.

What is
a topic or subject; it should be Examples of topics might be love, hate,

expressed in a sentence, and be a ambition, prejudice etc. The theme would
general statement about life, human be the answer to the question: what is the
nature, or the human experience. author saying about these topics?
How to write a theme statement:

Identify the TOPIC: This can be in a single word which the literary work deals Ask yourself: what are
tips
1 the conflicts faced by the
with: usually something abstract (love, hate, ambition, power, prejudice etc.). characters? Any inner battles?
Decide what IDEA the author is conveying about the topic: This might take First establish: is the topic (e.g.
2 some thinking, discussing, and researching. Essentially this is where your own prejudice) positive or negative?
thoughts and analysis come in. Then answer the question: why?
Express the theme in a full SENTENCE: Now you draft your theme sentence To start with, complete this
3 by writing out clearly what the essential message is that the author is
conveying: this should be a universal point (not tied to the specific characters
format: “[author] presents the
idea that...[topic]... is... [opinion]...
because...[analysis].
and events of the text).
4 EDIT your theme sentence: You may need to draft, re-draft, and edit your Maybe even ask a friend to read
it. Read it out loud. Try to get rid
sentence to make it as detailed, clear, and accurate as possible. of any unnecessary words.
Now, pick any two topics, and write theme statements for them below, using the tips above.
Topic:
Topic:

Notes & doodles
Notes & doodles

While studying the play, and working through this book, use these pages to make notes (perhaps of
assignments or dates), to document questions you have, or just to doodle and draw your thoughts.
A note on CORRECTLY CITING THE TEXT

always enclose the words of the text in quotation marks THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Ophelia states that Hamlet has “made many » As much as possible, try
to embed the quotation
use a forward slash to indicate line breaks citation = (Act.Scene.Line) into your own sentence.
» Remember to correctly
tenders / Of his affection to [her]” (1.3.14-15), punctuate the quotation.
anything changed in the quotation should be placed in square brackets » Always cite the quotation
in brackets with act,
which establishes their prior relationship. scene and line number.

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HAMLET

(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 3

words below which you actually use.

completely common and normal.

1 properties of animals and herbs,

2 encounter the ghost in Hamlet,

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE BY STUDYING THE PLAY?

4 (c) Stacey Lloyd 2020

Elizabethan Modern Elizabethan Modern

to it, Horatio.” prayers, Hamlet”

“TRANSLATE” EACH OF THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO ELIZABETHAN ENGLISH.

2) Yes, I think I am informed of the news to which you provided.

(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 5

KEY TOPICS and family), discussing the following statements. Do you

never justified. q Disagree

grieve for too q Disagree

once they have q Disagree

Religion shapes q Agree

views in society. q Disagree

HONOR & REVENGE ACTION VS. INACTION

APPEARANCE VS. REALITY WOMEN & GENDER

(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 7

[check all that apply]

In this opening scene, the audience is introduced to an eerie character...

At first, Horatio is skeptical

“This bodes Citation for

some Act # Scene # Line #

strange In your own words, what is being said:

What background information is

A quotation about young Fortinbras:

What do the men decide to do about the ghost,

If you were Hamlet, how might you feel

Find a quote which shows that Hamlet is judged harshly for

3 WORDS TO DESCRIBE Hamlet’s state of mind at this point.

Hamlet’s “How weary, stale, flat,

Hamlet’s Like Niobe /

Hamlet’s We have already seen evidence of

(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 9

¨ Hamlet is royalty and

“...meet it is I set it down, / That one may

topics for this scene:

What is a potential problem with this plan?

Does Hamlet tell his friends what the yes no

After reading Act 1, Scene 5...

(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 11

12 (c) Stacey Lloyd 2020

Find evidence for the following statements: To you, he is:

Ophelia to instruct her how she should enact these lines. “

The majority of the play is written in BLANK

VERSE (like poetry) with a set rhythm and

“And with a look so piteous in purport

Which do you think 1. To indicate characters of low status

Who / what does this image remind

Between whom is prose spoken in Act 2?

Why in this case? (Pick from the reasons above)

(c) Stacey Lloyd 2020 13

Key Topic APPEARANCE VS. REALITY