October 4 – Act 1 Scene 1 Agenda  Movie Version of I:I  Reading Questions I:i  Group reading - I:ii  Reading Questions Homework  Journal Act I:ii Take out:  Hamlet  Pen/Pencil  Reading Questions I:i  Journal I:i

Film version – I:i  What happened in the first scene?  How do the visuals help you understand the content of the first scene?  Did you notice anything that you didn’t pick up on in the reading?

I:i Reading Questions  1. As the play opens, Horatio joins Marcellus and Barnardo at their night watch. He has joined them to inquire about the supposed ghost they have seen. In what line(s) does Marcellus inform us of his request (to Horatio) to confirm its existence? Write them below.  2. Barnardo describes the previous night, when the star to the west of the North Star (the pole) had travelled across the night sky to the point where it is currently shining. According to Barnardo, at what time did all of this occur?  Notice that in line 54 Horatio addresses the ghost as "thou." This is the form of address used with friends or inferiors. Shakespeare's audience would have been more attuned to the difference than we are.  3. Horatio initially says that talk of a ghost is just nonsense (line 35). Once it appears, however, he realizes it is true. Explain how (and point out where) Horatio interprets the appearance of the ghost. Summarize his explanation here:

I:i Reading Questions  4. Starting with line 81, Marcellus proceeds to ask a series of questions. First, he asks about why such a “strict” schedule of guards has been imposed. What three questions does Marcellus subsequently raise? This does not include his final question of “Who can explain this to me (line 90)”  5. How does Horatio describe young Fortinbras? In which lines do you find this description? What is young Fortinbras planning?   In lines , Horatio lists some superstitions associated with a ghost's return from the grave. First, he mentions that in the Roman Empire, just before the emperor Julius Caesar was assassinated, corpses rose out of their graves and ran through the streets of Rome speaking gibberish.  6. There are other omens, or signs, of bad things to come. What are the three omens he describes in lines ?

I:i Reading Questions  7. The ghost reappears and Horatio asks: “If you have a voice or can make sounds, speak to me” and “If there’s any good deed I can do that will bring you peace and me honor (grace), speak to me.” What are the two other things Horatio says to (asks of) the ghost?  8. What is the purpose of the two discussions of the crowing of the cock, Horatio’s pagan one (lines ) and Marcellus’ Christian one (lines )? In other words, what is learned from these discussions?  9. For what specific reason do they then decide to find Hamlet and tell him about what just happened?

I:i Reading Questions RESPONSE & REFLECTION:  10. In your own words, describe the tone that is established in this first scene (think about it… HOW does an author/poet establish tone?). Then, answer these questions: How does Shakespeare draw his audience in to the time, place, characters, and/or complications?  Is this scene more or less compelling than what you remember from Romeo & Juliet (servants of the Montagues and Capulets meet / public brawl) and Macbeth (three witches planning to meet Macbeth / King Duncan hears news of a battle)? Why?

Group reading – I:ii  In your group of 4, the person CLOSEST to me is reader A, the person to their right is reader B, then C, then D  Read through the entire scene with your group  Annotate/take notes as you go  Go back and answer the 7 reading questions as a group

Homework:  Complete a journal assignment for Act I, Scene ii for homework  Don’t forget to do 3 entries for each journal assignment