Monday, May 4, 2015
Questions and Comments reviewed
Scene 1 Gertrude tells Claudius Hamlet is crazy and has killed Polonius. Claudius realizes Hamlet was trying to kill him, not Polonius. They ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to go find Hamlet Scene 2: Skip Hamlet won't tell Ros and Guild where Polonius's body is. They don't get his jokes, so Hamlet just says let's go back to the king.
Scene 3: Read Claudius asks Hamlet where Polonius' body is. Hamlet replies "at dinner" and goes off on a little rant about the circle of life. We eat a lot and get fat, just so maggots can eat us. Gross. Then worms eat maggots, fish eat worms, and people eat fish. So there you go. Hamlet says that if they don’t find Polonius’ body, they’ll eventually be able to smell it. King Claudius explains that he can’t punish Hamlet because the people love him. “He’s loved of the distracted multitude, who like not in their judgment but in their eyes.” Claudius officially tells Hamlet he's going to England. Eng of page 83 to top of 84: The king is alone, and he's talking out loud to the King of England. The letter says to kill Hamlet.
Scene 4: Read Fortinbras is here! (Going through Denmark on his way to claim lands from Poland.) Hamlet runs into Fortinbras' captain and asks what's up. Captain tells Hamlet that Fortinbras is after Poland's land, and the land is essentially worthless. Hamlet's soliloquy: Now he beats himself up because he sees Fortinbras going after something worthless in honor of his father, but he (Hamlet) has still not done anything about Claudius, and seeking vengeance for his father's murder.
Scene 5: Read. Ophelia is crazy. Much concern surrounding Ophelia because she is clearly mad. She comes in singing about weird stuff that no one understands. On page 87, it seems as though she's talking about her father's death. On page 88, she's singing about a man coming to a woman's bedroom. It appears the man has sex with the woman ("let in a maid, that out a maid never departed more). Then she rambles on about a promise the man made to marry the woman. But he spurns her saying "I would have if you hadn't come to my bed." OUCH. These ramblings point to speculation that Hamlet and Ophelia DID have sex, and that she's crazy because she realizes her future is lost. Laertes busts in. He's angry about Polonius' death. Claudius insists Polonius' death was not his fault. Then Ophelia comes back in acting crazy and Laertes sees what has happened to her; he is dismayed. Claudius tells Laertes that he'll fill him in on the details of Polonius' death and what the plan is.
Scene 6: SKIP Hamlet sends a letter to Horatio--he's on his way back. Some pirates overtook the ship, and in the negotiations Hamlet weaseled his way back to Denmark. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are still on their way to England.
Scene 7: Read. King explains why he didn't kill Hamlet right away (top of 95). Mommy loves him too much, and so do the people. Also, Claudius, so far, thinks the King of England is going to clean up his mess by killing Hamlet. But he hasn't yet heard that... HAMLET SURVIVES AND IS BACK! Now Claudius is in a panic. He and Laertes talk about what a fabulous swordsman Laertes is. They hatch a plan that Laertes and Hamlet will have a sword fight, and make Hamlet's death look like an accident. ▪ They will remove the protective "button" from the end of the sword. ▪ They will dip the tip of the sword in poison. ▪ Back up plan: Claudius will put poison in a chalice and get Hamlet to drink from it when he's thirsty. They agree on the plan. Gertrude enters. Bad news. Ophelia's dead. She's drowned in a river.
Read through your notes from Hamlet With a partner, write a short summary or definition for the word, character, or literary terms you have been given. Prepare to share!
Iambic pentameter Aside Soliloguy Revenge play Arras Polonius Claudius Gertrude Hamlet Ophelia Laertes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Horatio Act I, Sc. iii Act I, sc. v Act III, sc. i “More matter, less art” (36) “The plays the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King” (50) “Give me some light. Away!” (65).