Unit 5 - Elizabethan Drama : The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, And can say nothing; no, not for a king, Upon whose property and most dear life A damn'd defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? gives me the lie i' the throat, As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this? Which of these lines uses a simile to make a comparison? a. A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, b. And can say nothing; no, not for a king, Upon whose property and most dear life c. A damn'd defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? breaks my pate across? d. Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? gives me the lie i' the throat,
a. A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause,
Which statements describe the rising action of a tragedy's plot? Check all that apply. a. A series of events develop the plot's central conflict. b. Loose ends of the plot are "tied up" to provide closure. c. Suspense builds gradually as the plot progresses. d. Background information is provided and the play's setting is revealed. e. Tension reaches its height in the plot, and a solution to a conflict becomes clear.
a. A series of events develop the plot's central conflict. c. Suspense builds gradually as the plot progresses.
Read the excerpt from Hamlet, Act III, scene iv. Gertrude: Why, how now, Hamlet! Hamlet: What's the matter now? Gertrude: Have you forgot me? Hamlet: No, by the rood, not so: You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife; And,—would it were not so!—you are my mother. Which is a feminist analysis of these lines? a. Hamlet defines Gertrude only by her relationship to men. b. Hamlet uses sharp language to express his emotions. c. Hamlet is upset with his mother because his father is dead. d. Hamlet has forgotten how it feels to have a male role model.
a. Hamlet defines Gertrude only by her relationship to men.
Which fact about Hamlet would be most important to a student analyzing the play through a historical lens? a. It was written during a time when kings and queens had absolute power. b. It was written at a time when people were very interested in philosophy. c. It was written to be performed on a stage outdoors. d. It was written to entertain a large audience consisting of all types of people.
a. It was written during a time when kings and queens had absolute power.
Read the excerpt from Act IV of Hamlet. Danes: [Within.] Let her come in. Laertes: How now! what noise is that? Re-enter OPHELIA. O heat, dry up my brains! tears seven times salt, Burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye! By heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight, Till our scale turn the beam. O rose of May! Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia! O heavens! is 't possible a young maid's wits Should be as mortal as an old man's life? Nature is fine in love, and where 'tis fine It sends some precious instance of itself After the thing it loves. Which statement best describes how this plot event shapes Laertes? a. Laertes's shock at his sister's condition fuels his anger. b. Laertes's disappointment in Ophelia makes him judgmental. c. Laertes's sadness about his sister's state weakens his resolve. d. Laertes's sorrow about Ophelia renders him melancholy.
a. Laertes's shock at his sister's condition fuels his anger.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Polonius: . . . [To OPHELIA.] Read on this book; That show of such an exercise may colour Your loneliness. Which adaptation of this excerpt best indicates a change in time period? a. Look at this computer tablet to highlight that you are all alone. b. If you read this book, it will show Hamlet that you are alone. c. Read this book; that will emphasize that you don't need him. d. To show her that you are indeed alone, read this book.
a. Look at this computer tablet to highlight that you are all alone.
Read the dialogue from Act III of Hamlet. Hamlet: Now, mother, what's the matter? Gertrude: Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended. Hamlet: Mother, you have my father much offended. The structure of these lines shows that a. Queen Gertrude is caught between her new husband and her son. b. Hamlet is observing conflict between his mother and father. c. Queen Gertrude feels Hamlet should disobey King Claudius. d. Hamlet is torn between his love for Claudius and his own father.
a. Queen Gertrude is caught between her new husband and her son.
Read the excerpt from Hamlet, Act I, Scene ii. Claudius: Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thine, And thy best graces spend it at thy will. But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son,— Hamlet: [Aside.] A little more than kin, and less than kind. Claudius: How is it that the clouds still hang on you? Hamlet: Not so, my lord; I am too much i' the sun. What is the most likely reason that Shakespeare chose this point in the play to give Hamlet his first aside? a. Shakespeare is alerting the audience to the conflict between Claudius and Hamlet. b. Shakespeare is making sure the audience knows early on that Hamlet is a tragic hero. c. Shakespeare is contrasting Hamlet with Laertes to create suspense for the audience. d. Shakespeare is hinting to the audience that Claudius will cause an unhappy ending for Hamlet.
a. Shakespeare is alerting the audience to the conflict between Claudius and Hamlet.
Which statement best explains why Hamlet alludes to Pyrrhus throughout Act II, Scene ii of Hamlet? a. The allusion highlights the idea of avenging a father's murder. b. The allusion proves that Claudius killed Hamlet's father. c. The allusion emphasizes the idea of a mother's betrayal. d. The allusion suggests that Hamlet imagined his father's ghost.
a. The allusion highlights the idea of avenging a father's murder.
Which ideas describe a round character? Check all that apply. a. The character experiences a variety of human emotions. b. The character represents a single idea or concept. c. The character possesses a complex personality. d. The character acts as a predictable personality type. e. The character grows or develops over the course of a play.
a. The character experiences a variety of human emotions. c. The character possesses a complex personality. e. The character grows or develops over the course of a play.
What should audience members ask themselves when they evaluate how an actor interprets a character? Check all that apply. a. Which words does the actor emphasize? b. What makes this a talented actor? c. How old is the actor? d. In what other productions has the actor appeared? e. What gestures and movements does the actor make? f. What emotions does the actor convey?
a. Which words does the actor emphasize? e. What gestures and movements does the actor make? f. What emotions does the actor convey?
Which are structural elements that are unique to dramas? Check all that apply. a. acts b. scenes c. sentences d. stage directions e. rising actions
a. acts b. scenes e. rising actions
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. 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. What does Hamlet mean by "shuffled off this mortal coil"? a. dying b. living c. dreaming d. sleeping
a. dying
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. . . . 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, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. 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. What does this part of the soliloquy reveal about Hamlet? a. He is distraught and unsure. b. He is decisive and confident. c. He is ready to move forward. d. He is about to kill Claudius.
a. he is distraught and unsure.
A student makes an observation about Hamlet. The focus on succession to the throne in Hamlet would have been interesting to an Elizabethan audience because their own queen had no heir. Which lens is the student most likely viewing the text through? a. historical b. feminist c. formalist d. philosophical
a. historical
In a drama, how do audiences learn about a character? Check all that apply. a. through the character's own words b. through what other characters say c. through narration about the character d. through the actions the character takes e. through the way others behave toward the character
a. through the character's own words b. through what other characters say d. through the actions the character takes e. through the way others behave toward the character
In Hamlet, Act I, Scene ii, which dramatic convention does Shakespeare employ most? a. He inserts unexpected humor. b. He introduces a major conflict. c. He hints at a happy ending. d. He resolves the earlier suspense.
b. He introduces a major conflict.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. 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. Based on this section of the soliloquy, which best describes Hamlet's view of death? a. He is confident that things will be better after death. b. He is uncertain about what will happen in the afterlife. c. He believes that death is like taking a very long nap. d. He believes that his soul is lost if he kills himself.
b. He is uncertain about what will happen in the afterlife.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Rosencrantz:The cease of majesty Dies not alone, but, like a gulf doth draw What's near it with it; it is a massy wheel, Fix'd on the summit of the highest mount, To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things Are mortis'd and adjoin'd; which, when it falls, Each small annexment, petty consequence, Attends the boisterous ruin. Never alone Did the king sigh, but with a general groan. Which statement best explains how the excerpt exemplifies Elizabethan drama? a. The lives of saints are celebrated. b. Political power is discussed. c. Rosencrantz tells a Biblical story. d. Rosencrantz recalls the details of his life.
b. Political power is discussed.
Take a look at this image from Jonathan Price's adaptation of Hamlet. Take a look at this image from Sir Laurence Olivier's adaptation of Hamlet. Which best describes how the two adaptations of Hamlet differ? a. Price's Hamlet is carefree and unaffected by the ghost's appearance, while Olivier's Hamlet appears to be deeply sorrowful and pained. b. Price's Hamlet is tortured and at the edge of madness, while Olivier's Hamlet appears to be calm and contemplative. c. Price's Hamlet is thoughtful and at peace, while Olivier's Hamlet appears to be angry and quick to lash out. d. Price's Hamlet is overjoyed and happy to see his dead father, while Olivier's Hamlet appears tormented and irrational.
b. Price's Hamlet is tortured and at the edge of madness, while Olivier's Hamlet appears to be calm and contemplative.
Read the words of King Claudius in Act IV of Hamlet. Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends; And let them know both what we mean to do, And what's untimely done: so, haply, slander, Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter, As level as the cannon to his blank Transports his poison'd shot, may miss our name, And hit the woundless air. O! come away; How do his words reflect politics in Shakespeare's day? a. Royal leaders were respectful to ordinary people. b. Royal leaders were concerned with their public image. c. Common people were showing opposition to the queen. d. Common people were afraid to speak out against leaders.
b. Royal leaders were concerned with their public image.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In mincing with his sword her husband's limbs, The instant burst of clamour that she made— Unless things mortal move them not at all— Would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven, And passion in the gods. What does the excerpt about Hecuba suggest about her state of mind? a. She is confused by the sight of her murdered husband. b. She is deeply distraught by the sight of her murdered husband. c. She is unaffected by the sight of her murdered husband. d. She is joyful at the sight of her murdered husband.
b. She is deeply distraught by the sight of her murdered husband.
How are Shakespeare's characters examples of Elizabethan drama? Check all that apply. a. They are variations on familiar Biblical figures. b. They grow and change throughout the play. c. They display a wide range of human emotion. d. They represent a single allegorical concept. e. They express their reverence for Christian saints.
b. They grow and change throughout the play. c. They display a wide range of human emotion.
Take a look at these images from Sir Laurence Olivier's adaptation of Hamlet. What effect do these images have on Olivier's adaptation of Hamlet? a. They show that Olivier's Hamlet is very angry and forceful. b. They show that Olivier's Hamlet is very thoughtful and analytical. c. They show that Olivier's Hamlet is very sorrowful and pained. d. They show that Olivier's Hamlet is very funny and comedic.
b. They show that Olivier's Hamlet is very thoughtful and analytical.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Admit no messengers, receive no tokens. Which done, she took the fruits of my advice; And he, repulsed,—a short tale to make,— Fell into a sadness, then into a fast, Which of these lines is a metaphor? a. Admit no messengers, receive no tokens. b. Which done, she took the fruits of my advice; c. And he, repulsed,—a short tale to make,— d. Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,
b. Which done, she took the fruits of my advice;
To analyze tone, the reader should study word choice, which is also called a. context. b. diction. c. inversion. d. nuance.
b. diction.
Read the excerpt from Hamlet, Act I, Scene ii. [Hamlet:] Must I remember? why, she would hang on him, As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on; and yet, within a month, Let me not think on 't: Frailty, thy name is woman! A little month; or ere those shoes were old With which she follow'd my poor father's body, Like Niobe, all tears; why she, even she,— O God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason, Would have mourn'd longer,—married with mine uncle, My father's brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules . . . In this excerpt, Hamlet characterizes his mother as a. eager. b. fickle. c. loyal. d. sickly.
b. fickle.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all his visage wann'd, Tears in his eyes, distraction in 's aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit? and all for nothing! For Hecuba! Shakespeare's allusion to Hecuba suggests that Hamlet a. is irritated by the actor's emotional performance of the speech. b. is impressed by the actor's ability to cry for a fictional character. c. wishes the actor had shown more emotion during the speech. d. feels that the actor does not know who Hecuba really was.
b. is impressed by the actor's ability to cry for a fictional character.
What line from Act III of Hamlet supports the conclusion that Shakespeare is critical of actors? a. for in the very torrent, tempest, and—as I may say—whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance, that may give it smoothness b. it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters c. but let your own discretion be your tutor: suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with this special observance d. And let those that play your clowns speak no more than is set down for them
b. it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters
Repeated references to ears and hearing in Hamlet are an example of a literary a. action. b. motif. c. theme. d. pattern.
b. motif.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Guildenstern: Happy in that we are not over happy; On Fortune's cap we are not the very button. Hamlet: Nor the soles of her shoe? Rosencrantz: Neither, my lord. What is being personified in this excerpt? a. delight b. prosperity c. fashion d. footwear
b. prosperity
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Hamlet: Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus; but use all gently: for in the very torrent, tempest, and—as I may say—whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance, that may give it smoothness. O! it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise: I would have such a fellow whipped for o'er-doing Termagant; it out-herods Herod: pray you, avoid it. What Elizabethan idea does Hamlet address in the excerpt? a. the exploration of spiritual concepts b. the representation of human experiences c. the construction of permanent theater houses d. the presentation of political commentary
b. the presentation of political commentary
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Hamlet: Slanders, sir: for the satirical rogue says here that old men have grey beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams: all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for you yourself, sir, should be old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward. Which is a metaphor? a. old men have grey beards, that their faces are wrinkled b. their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum c. all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe d. be old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward
b. their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. . . . who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscover'd country from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Which words does Hamlet use to describe the afterlife? a. a weary life b. undiscover'd country c. puzzles the will d. those ills we have
b. undiscover'd country
What line from Act III of Hamlet supports the conclusion that Claudius fears his own fate? a. And, like a man to double business bound, I stand in pause where I shall first begin, And both neglect. b. What if this cursed hand Were thicker than itself with brother's blood, Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens To wash it white as snow? c. Bow, stubborn knees; and heart with strings of steel Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe. d. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.
c. Bow, stubborn knees; and heart with strings of steel Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Rosencrantz: To visit you, my lord; no other occasion. Hamlet: Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come, deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak. Guildenstern: What should we say, my lord? What is the effect of Hamlet's use of metaphors in this excerpt? a. It establishes that Hamlet is poverty-stricken. b. It establishes that Hamlet dislikes his friends. c. It establishes that Hamlet suffers hardships. d. It establishes that Hamlet has little gratitude.
c. It establishes that Hamlet suffers hardships.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Polonius: Well be with you, gentlemen! Hamlet: Hark you, Guildenstern; and you too; at each ear a hearer: that great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddling-clouts. What is the effect of Hamlet's use of metaphor in this excerpt? a. The metaphor reveals that Hamlet respects Polonius. b. The metaphor shows that Hamlet wants Polonius's help. c. The metaphor portrays Polonius as foolish and weak. d. The metaphor establishes Polonius as angry and mean.
c. The metaphor portrays Polonius as foolish and weak.
Which best describes a change an adaptation would make if Hamlet was set in modern times? a. Hamlet and his family are commoners instead of royals. b. The play's setting is the United States of America. c. The play within the play is changed into a reality TV show. d. Hamlet is a young princess rather than a prince.
c. The play within the play is changed into a reality TV show.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Ophelia: My lord, I have remembrances of yours, That I have longed long to re-deliver; I pray you, now receive them. Read the adaptation of the excerpt. Ophelia: I have some things here that I want to return to you. Please, take them back. What choice did the writer of this adaptation make? a. The writer changed the character's demeanor. b. The writer altered Ophelia's gender. c. The writer made the language more modern. d. The writer relocated the setting of the play.
c. The writer made the language more modern.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! O! vengeance! The figurative language in these lines is an example of a. a metaphor. b. a simile. c. an apostrophe. d. personification.
c. an apostrophe.
Read the excerpt from Hamlet, Act I, Scene ii. Hamlet: O! that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew; Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world. Fie on 't! O fie! 'tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. That it should come to this! By evaluating the dramatic conventions in the excerpt, the reader can conclude that Hamlet will a. face both conflict and tragedy but will keep a sense of humor. b. be involved in conflict but the story will have a happy ending. c. become a tragic hero and the story will have an unhappy ending. d. face tragedy but will pull through and resolve his conflicts.
c. become a tragic hero and the story will have an unhappy ending.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Claudius:Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence in 't? Hamlet:No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i' the world. Claudius:What do you call the play? Hamlet:The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name; his wife, Baptista. You shall see anon; 'tis a knavish piece of work: but what of that? your majesty and we that have free souls, it touches us not: let the galled jade wince, our withers are unwrung. Hamlet's character is complex in the excerpt because a. he is unable to explain the play. b. his actions symbolize cruelty. c. he conceals his true motivation. d. his play provides a spiritual lesson.
c. he conceals his true motivation.
Read the excerpt from the play within a play in Act III of Hamlet. Player Queen: O! confound the rest; Such love must needs be treason in my breast: In second husband let me be accurst; None wed the second but who kill'd the first. Hamlet:[Aside.] Wormwood, wormwood. Player Queen:The instances that second marriage move, Are base respects of thrift, but none of love; A second time I kill my husband dead, When second husband kisses me in bed. This excerpt best supports the claim that Hamlet a. treats women unkindly. b. does not believe in true love. c. is critical of his mother's choices. d. suspects his mother will kill Claudius.
c. is critical of his mother's choices.
Read the excerpt from Act IV of Hamlet. Rosencrantz: Take you me for a sponge, my lord? Hamlet: Ay, sir, that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed: when he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again. This exchange reflects Shakespeare's time because a. sponges were new and popular in Elizabethan society. b. scientists in the 1600s were studying the human body. c. rulers gained power by surrounding themselves with loyal officers. d. common people felt that they were ignored by their royal leaders.
c. rulers gained power by surrounding themselves with loyal officers.
Read the excerpt from Hamlet, Act I, Scene i. Horatio: That can I; At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king, Whose image even but now appear'd to us, Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway, Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride, Dar'd to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet— For so this side of our known world esteem'd him— Did slay this Fortinbras; who, by a seal'd compact, Well ratified by law and heraldry, Did forfeit with his life all those his lands Which he stood seiz'd of, to the conqueror; What is the main purpose of Horatio's speech? a. to describe to the audience the location of the castle and kingdom b. to help the audience better understand Horatio's character c. to inform the audience of the events leading up to this point d. to explain to the audience how the former king died and became a ghost
c. to inform the audience of the events leading up to this point
To understand _____________ in a drama, the reader must weigh a character's words against other information in the text.
characterization
How does an adaptation where the ghost and Hamlet are played by the same actor differ from an adaptation where the ghost and Hamlet are played by two separate actors? a. By having the same actor play both parts, the existence of the ghost is proven and Hamlet's madness is confirmed. b. By having the same actor play both parts, the need for vengeance is emphasized and Hamlet's lack of madness is confirmed. c. By having the same actor play both parts, the two characters are separated and Hamlet's lack of madness is confirmed. d. By having the same actor play both parts, the two characters become one and Hamlet's madness is confirmed.
d. By having the same actor play both parts, the two characters become one and Hamlet's madness is confirmed.
Which statement best describes why Shakespeare's Hamlet is a complex character? a. His behavior represents the emotion of grief. b. He expresses a singular desire for revenge. c. He imparts to the audience a moral lesson about forgiveness. d. His actions and emotions are varied and unpredictable.
d. His actions and emotions are varied and unpredictable.
Which detail in Hamlet best reflects the time the play was written in? a. The king is killed by his brother. b. The queen's son is deeply troubled. c. Denmark is a very powerful nation. d. Monarchy is the form of government.
d. Monarchy is the form of government.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. Why, what an a*s am I! This is most brave That I, the son of a dear father murder'd, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a wh*re, unpack my heart with words, And fall a-cursing, like a very drab, A scullion! Which of these lines uses a simile to make a comparison? Check all that apply. a. Why, what an a*s am I! This is most brave b. That I, the son of a dear father murder'd, c. Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, d. Must, like a wh*re, unpack my heart with words, e. And fall a-cursing, like a very drab,
d. Must, like a wh*re, unpack my heart with words, c. And fall a-cursing, like a very drab,
Take a look at this image from Jonathan Price's adaptation of Hamlet. Take a look at this image from Sir Lawrence Olivier's adaptation of Hamlet. How do the actors' physical appearances affect their adaptations of Hamlet? a. Both actors appear to be well-groomed, which emphasizes the idea that Hamlet has not fallen into madness. b. Both actors appear disheveled, which emphasizes the idea that Hamlet has fallen into madness. c. Price appears well-groomed, which emphasizes the idea that Hamlet is rational, while Olivier is disheveled, which emphasizes the idea that Hamlet is irrational. d. Price appears disheveled, which emphasizes the idea that Hamlet is irrational, while Olivier is well-groomed, which emphasizes the idea that he is rational.
d. Price appears disheveled, which emphasizes the idea that Hamlet is irrational, while Olivier is well-groomed, which emphasizes the idea that he is rational.
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet. I have of late,—but wherefore I know not,—lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours. What is the effect of Hamlet's use of metaphors in this excerpt? a. The metaphors prove that Hamlet is angry with his mother. b. The metaphors show that Hamlet is still feeling hopeful. c. The metaphors reveal Hamlet's plan to murder Claudius. d. The metaphors emphasize Hamlet's state of depression.
d. The metaphors emphasize Hamlet's state of depression.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Hamlet: To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? 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, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. 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 In his adaptation of this excerpt, Laurence Olivier uses high cliffs as a background and he holds onto a knife. What effect do these choices have? a. These choices emphasize the possibility that Hamlet has gone mad. b. These choices emphasize the idea that the ghost may be imagined. c. These choices emphasize the fact that Hamlet is seeking revenge against Claudius. d. These choices emphasize the fact that Hamlet is considering taking his own life.
d. These choices emphasize the fact that Hamlet is considering taking his own life.
Read the excerpt from a paper about Hamlet. The relationship between Horatio and Hamlet is crucial to understanding the play. Whereas most people would have abandoned Hamlet, Horatio instead repeatedly aids Hamlet in a variety of ways. Even when Hamlet dies, Horatio makes sure that Hamlet's wishes are carried out and his side of the story is told. What theme does this excerpt most reflect? a. All is fair in love and war. b. Be kind to those in need. c. The truth will set you free. d. True friends don't leave you.
d. True friends don't leave you.
Both historical and feminist criticisms a. look for repeated words and ideas. b. are concerned with language and form. c. seek to understand the role of gender in a text. d. connect literature to the society it was written in.
d. connect literature to the society it was written in.
Read the excerpt from Hamlet, Act I, Scene ii. Claudius: Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thine, And thy best graces spend it at thy will. But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son,— Hamlet: [Aside.] A little more than kin, and less than kind. The aside reveals to the audience Hamlet's a. respect for Laertes. b. affection for Claudius. c. jealousy of Laertes. d. dislike of Claudius.
d. dislike of Claudius.
Hamlet, Act I, Scene i contains suspense because it a. involves a character's death. b. shows the main character's struggles. c. introduces a man of high status. d. has plot twists and unresolved questions.
d. has plot twists and unresolved questions.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Polonius: My lord, he's going to his mother's closet: Behind the arras I'll convey myself To hear the process; I'll warrant she'll tax him home; And, as you said, and wisely was it said, 'Tis meet that some more audience than a mother, Since nature makes them partial, should o'er-hear The speech, of vantage. Fare you well, my liege: I'll call upon you ere you go to bed And tell you what I know. Polonius's character is complex in the excerpt because a. he represents suspicion. b. he is loyal to King Claudius. c. he predicts Hamlet's behavior. d. he practices deception.
d. he practices deception.
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? What does Hamlet mean when he refers to the "pangs of dispriz'd love"? a. courtship b. romance c. passion d. heartache
d. heartache
Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet. Hamlet:Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent; When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed, At gaming, swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in 't; Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damn'd and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays: This physic but prolongs thy sickly days. This excerpt best supports the claim that Hamlet a. plans to kill his mother. b. disapproves of immoral acts. c. questions Claudius's religious beliefs. d. hopes to maximize Claudius's suffering.
d. hopes to maximize Claudius's suffering.
Formalist criticism focuses upon a text's a. culture. b. history. c. events. d. structure.
d. structure.
Read the excerpt from Hamlet, Act I, Scene i. Marcellus: Is it not like the king? Horatio: As thou art to thyself: Such was the very armour he had on When he the ambitious Norway combated; So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle, He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice. 'Tis strange. Marcellus: Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour, With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch. Horatio: In what particular thought to work I know not; But in the gross and scope of my opinion, This bodes some strange eruption to our state. What do Marcellus's and Horatio's characterization of the ghost imply? a. that a large battle is looming b. that someone is tricking them c. that the kingdom is cursed d. that something bad is going on
d. that something bad is going on
When a reader analyzes the way a theme unfolds and gradually becomes more complex, the reader is analyzing the theme's ___________.
development
Feminist criticism focuses on ___________.
power dynamics
The message a text conveys about a topic is called the _____________.
theme
