1. The Value of Life Please take out a piece of paper and title it “The Value of Life” – you will need it to respond to the following quickwrite and other questions in this unit Adapted from CSU ERWC Material

2. 10-minute Quickwrite: What is the value of life? Is it something that can be measured in dollars and cents? Or is its value intangible, perhaps related to religion, family, or emotion? How do you personally assign value to life? What makes it worth living? * Note: Respond as thoroughly as you can to this prompt. You will continue to add notes and responses to this page, so don’t lose it!

3. Create a Concept Map like this in your notes: Concept: Life Concept: Life Example sentence: Example sentence: Synonyms:Contexts: Synonyms:Contexts: Examples:Non-examples: Examples:Non-examples:

4. Here are some examples to get you started; add as many more examples as you can come up with Concept: Life Concept: Life Example sentence: It is difficult to place a precise value on human life Example sentence: It is difficult to place a precise value on human life Synonyms:Contexts: Synonyms:Contexts: VitalityMedical EnergyEconomic Examples:Non-examples: Examples:Non-examples: LifestyleDeath Life’s WorkInactivity

5. Concept Map -- Life Synonyms: Contexts: Synonyms: Contexts: Living Legal/penal Viability Religious Human being Personal/private Existence Professional/public Presence Autobiography Examples: Non-examples: Examples: Non-examples: Life partner Inanimate objects The good life Afterlife The meaning of life Nothingness Eternal life Non-existence Life sentence Sterility Life story Absence

6. Hamlet Soliloquy – Surveying the Text. Continue adding to your notes: Soliloquy: a convention used by playwrights to allow an audience to hear the thoughts of a character Soliloquy: a convention used by playwrights to allow an audience to hear the thoughts of a character What prior experiences have you had reading plays? What prior experiences have you had reading plays? What do you notice about the text structure? What do you notice about the text structure?

7. Hamlet Soliloquy -- Predictions Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a tragedy that was published in 1604. What is a tragedy? What themes and outcomes do you expect to find in a tragedy? Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a tragedy that was published in 1604. What is a tragedy? What themes and outcomes do you expect to find in a tragedy? What do you know about the language in plays written by Shakespeare? What have you done in the past to help yourself read Shakespeare effectively? What do you know about the language in plays written by Shakespeare? What have you done in the past to help yourself read Shakespeare effectively?

8. Hamlet Soliloquy -- Predictions The soliloquy here begins with a famous quotation: "To be, or not to be--that is the question." The soliloquy here begins with a famous quotation: "To be, or not to be--that is the question." Make a prediction: What do you think "the question" is that Hamlet is asking? How do you think he might answer it? Make a prediction: What do you think "the question" is that Hamlet is asking? How do you think he might answer it? Think about the primary meaning of the verb “be” Think about the primary meaning of the verb “be”

9. Polar Opposites An important rhetorical device Shakespeare uses in Hamlet’s soliloquy is antithesis, or a balance of opposites. Hamlet explores a series of oppositional relationships in his speech, beginning with the question of “to be, or not to be.” An important rhetorical device Shakespeare uses in Hamlet’s soliloquy is antithesis, or a balance of opposites. Hamlet explores a series of oppositional relationships in his speech, beginning with the question of “to be, or not to be.”

10. Polar Opposites Brainstorm antonyms for the terms listed below Brainstorm antonyms for the terms listed below Term Antonym 1. Oppression 2. Action 3. Endurance 4. Mystery 5. Life

11. Polar Opposites Brainstorm antonyms for the terms listed below Brainstorm antonyms for the terms listed below Term Antonym Examples 1. Oppression Freedom, ease, democracy 2. Action Idleness, inactivity, apathy 3. EnduranceWeakness, limitations 4. MysteryCertainty, sureness 5. Life Death, loss, mortality

13. Hamlet Background At this point in the play, Hamlet feels that he is in a crisis. His father died a few months earlier under mysterious circumstances. Hamlet discovers that his father was secretly murdered—by Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. Making things even worse, Claudius then married Hamlet's mother. Hamlet doesn't know what to do about this knowledge. He wonders if he can trust anyone, or if perhaps he's going crazy. At this point in the play, Hamlet feels that he is in a crisis. His father died a few months earlier under mysterious circumstances. Hamlet discovers that his father was secretly murdered—by Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. Making things even worse, Claudius then married Hamlet's mother. Hamlet doesn't know what to do about this knowledge. He wonders if he can trust anyone, or if perhaps he's going crazy.

14. First Reading As you first read the text, focus on what you see as the "big picture" that Hamlet describes. As you first read the text, focus on what you see as the "big picture" that Hamlet describes. Based on this first reading, would you say that Hamlet is an optimist or a pessimist? What evidence do you have to support your opinion? Based on this first reading, would you say that Hamlet is an optimist or a pessimist? What evidence do you have to support your opinion?

15. Hamlet – Key Vocabulary Check your Vocabulary Chart to make sure definitions match these: 1. fortune – (n): fate; destiny or luck 2. opposition – (n): resistance; hostility 3. oppression – (n): repression; domination 4. mortality – (n): subject to death 5. dread – (v): terror; fear 6. resolution – (n): decision or promise 7. antithesis – (n): exact opposite or contrast 8. pessimism – (n): cynicism or negative outlook 9. optimism – (n): hopefulness or positive outlook

16. Second Reading – with a highlighter Using a highlighter, mark the places in the text where Hamlet describes what it means to be alive. Using a highlighter, mark the places in the text where Hamlet describes what it means to be alive. Example: In lines 2-3, he describes life as "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," so you could highlight that phrase as an example of what Hamlet thinks it means "to be." Example: In lines 2-3, he describes life as "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," so you could highlight that phrase as an example of what Hamlet thinks it means "to be."

17. Share with a Partner Partners: Take a look at the parts of the soliloquy that you highlighted, and compare them with a partner’s markings. Partners: Take a look at the parts of the soliloquy that you highlighted, and compare them with a partner’s markings.

18. Paraphrase Choose 3 of your highlighted samples and paraphrase them. Choose 3 of your highlighted samples and paraphrase them. To continue with the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" example, a paraphrase might sound something like this: "Hamlet compares being alive to having fate shoot arrows at you." To continue with the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" example, a paraphrase might sound something like this: "Hamlet compares being alive to having fate shoot arrows at you." Consider the difference between having Hamlet say that life is like "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and having him just say "life is unpleasant." Consider the difference between having Hamlet say that life is like "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and having him just say "life is unpleasant." What are the effects of Shakespeare's stylistic choices as a writer? What are the effects of Shakespeare's stylistic choices as a writer?

19. Reflect After marking several of these, reflect again on the question asked earlier: From the evidence in the soliloquy, does Hamlet seem optimistic or a pessimistic? After marking several of these, reflect again on the question asked earlier: From the evidence in the soliloquy, does Hamlet seem optimistic or a pessimistic?

20. Reflect He is most definitely pessimistic, isn’t he? He is most definitely pessimistic, isn’t he? In the soliloquy, Hamlet is speaking thoughtfully and agonizingly to himself about the question of whether to commit suicide to end the pain of experience: “To be, or not to be: that is the question” (1). He says that the miseries of life are such that no one would willingly bear them, except that they are afraid of “something after death” (23). Because we do not know what to expect in the afterlife, we would rather “bear those ills we have,” Hamlet says, “than fly to others that we know not of” (26-27). In the soliloquy, Hamlet is speaking thoughtfully and agonizingly to himself about the question of whether to commit suicide to end the pain of experience: “To be, or not to be: that is the question” (1). He says that the miseries of life are such that no one would willingly bear them, except that they are afraid of “something after death” (23). Because we do not know what to expect in the afterlife, we would rather “bear those ills we have,” Hamlet says, “than fly to others that we know not of” (26-27).

21. Show Ethos, Pathos, Logos Powerpoint

22. Rhetorical Appeals How does Hamlet's soliloquy use pathos, or emotional appeals, to create a specific effect on the reader? Where is pathos used in the soliloquy? How does Hamlet's soliloquy use pathos, or emotional appeals, to create a specific effect on the reader? Where is pathos used in the soliloquy?

23. Rhetorical Appeals How does Hamlet's soliloquy use logos, or logic, to create a specific effect on the reader? Where is logos used in the soliloquy? (Identify the line numbers) How does Hamlet's soliloquy use logos, or logic, to create a specific effect on the reader? Where is logos used in the soliloquy? (Identify the line numbers) When Hamlet speaks his soliloquy, he is in crisis. How do his circumstances position Hamlet to speak with authority (ethos) about the value of life? Does Hamlet seem to be speaking about his own life in particular or about the quality of life in general? When Hamlet speaks his soliloquy, he is in crisis. How do his circumstances position Hamlet to speak with authority (ethos) about the value of life? Does Hamlet seem to be speaking about his own life in particular or about the quality of life in general?