Act One Closure

Journal  In Act I, Scene v, we saw Old Hamlet charge Prince Hamlet with seeking revenge on his behalf. With that in mind, how common do you believe the act of revenge is in everyday life?  Write about specific incidents, including any in which you were a witness or were involved. (4-6 sentences)  I believe that the act of revenge in today’s world is __________ because _______________________. One example of this is _________________________ ___________________________________________.

Shakespeare and Drama Chart Act III Act IV Act II Act I Act V

Shakespeare and Drama  When Shakespeare wrote his dramas, he followed a straightforward plan that was common in his day: Act One – Outline of the problem Act Two – Characters try to fix their problems Act Three – A character makes a decision (either positive or negative) and that choice dictates the end of the play Act Four – Problems spiral out of control and grow wildly more complex and difficult to overcome Act Five – The character who made a choice in act three now dies as a result of that decision

Act One Examination  With the outline on the previous page in mind, let’s take a closer look at what three things we learn in act one: 1. We learn who the characters are, 2. We learn what problems those characters face, and 3. We learn where the action of the story takes place  Using the first two elements, create a character map that shows how the characters are connected and what their problems are.

Act One Examination Make the bubbles large enough to write your thoughts. OpheliaLaertes Polonius Horatio Hamlet Gertrude Claudius Include connections between the characters, such as… Blood relationship Friendship Other Husband & Wife

My example Ophelia 1. Her brother Laertes is going away to Paris. 2. Her brother wants to control her behavior, and she playfully tries to control his. 3. Her father Polonius has forbidden her from seeing her boyfriend Hamlet. 4. Her boyfriend, Hamlet, is acting as if he is insane.

As a Class  Analyze Hamlet with your partner and show all of the problems that he faces at the end of act one. Hamlet

Problems of Hamlet  Hamlet’s problems: 1. His father has been murdered 2. His father’s murderer is the king and is now married to his mother 3. His mother seems to have moved on quickly following the death of her first husband 4. His father’s ghost has charged him with fulfilling revenge on his behalf 5. His relationship with Ophelia is controlled by her father.

With Your Partner  What are the problems of Queen Gertrude? Note: some may be need to be inferred. Queen Gertrude

Gertrude’s Problems  Queen Gertrude: Is mourning for the loss of her husband Has to cheer her son up Has to keep the kingdom stable Has to figure out how to please her new husband

On Your Own  Now that we have done three questions together, I would like you to finish up with the rest of the main characters we identified.  Remember to explain what their problem(s) is/are and who/how they are connected to the other characters.