1. The Analytical Breakdown of Hamlet, Act 1
Notes #2

2. 5 Act Structure Act 1 – Exposition
Act 2 – Complications (Rising Action)
Act 3 – Climax
Act 4 – Reversals (Falling Action)
Act 5 – Catastrophe / Denouement (& Recognition)

3. Act 1 – Exposition The exposition includes…
Main characters, a.k.a. dramatis personae
Establishment of time and place, setting
Explanation or allusions to the antecedent action of the story
Introduction of the germ of conflict and dramatic tensions

4. “This bodes some strange eruption to our state.”
Act 1 Scene 1:
Questions
Darkness
WAR!
Ghost
Mood
Foil
Omens
“This bodes some strange eruption to our state.”
– Horatio,
UNCERTAINTY!

5. Act 1 Scene 2: Contrasting mood Claudius’ rhetoric
Introduction to Hamlet’s melancholy
appearance v. reality
first soliloquy = his true feelings
Hamlet’s friends = new mood
stichomythia = importance of the information
“… Foul deeds will rise
Though all the earth o’erwhelm
them to men’s eyes.” – Hamlet

6. Act 1 Scene 3: Another mood shift: Intimate family conversation
characterization of all  important family dynamics
Social hierarchy
Laertes = partying player
Ophelia = an idealist with no power
Polonius = bumbling fool
Treatment of Women:
attempts to control Ophelia
expectation of the day =obeys her father
“You speak like a green girl…” (101)
“Think yourself a baby…” (105)
“Ay, springes to catch woodcocks” (115)

7. Act 1 Scene 4: Ghost watch v. Claudius’ party Hamlet seeking truth
Foreshadows his own downfall:
Vicious mole… stamp of defect… dram of eale…
Ghost beckons Hamlet  he must follow
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
– Marcellus (90)

8. The Ghost of King Hamlet!

9. Act 1 Scene 5: Suspense of entire Act leading to this scene
Ghost tells all! Do we believe him?
Hamlet’s 2nd soliloquy
Importance of swearing/oaths
Hamlet’s plan to “put and antic disposition on” (172)
“The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,
That ever I was born to set it right.”
-- Hamlet ( )

10. Act 2: Complications
Course of action becomes more complicated and the "tying of knots" occurs
Interests clash, intrigues are spawned, events accelerate in a definite direction
In other words: tension mounts and momentum builds!

11. Shakespeare’s Brilliance!
Hamlet’s Soliloquy:
9 changing moods
Scene 2: 9 Episodes
#1: 1 – 39
#2: 40 – 85
#3: 86 – 168
#4: 167 – 216
#5: 217 – 309
#6: 310 – 358
#7: 359 – 520
#8:
#9:
THE STRUCTURE OF HIS SHIFTING MOODS, PARALLELS PERFECTLY THE STRUCTURE OF THE SHIFTING EPISODES OF ACTION IN THE WHOLE SCENE!

12. With your assigned “episode,” complete the following:
Analysis & ?s
Episode:
With your assigned “episode,” complete the following:
#1: 1 – 39
#2: 40 – 85
#3: 86 – 168
#4: 167 – 216
#5: 217 – 309
#6: 310 – 358
#7: 359 – 520
#8:
#9:
You will something very similar to last class…
Choose the 5-10 most important lines in your episode
Act them out dramatically
Explain (1) the context, (2) explain why this mini-scene is important to the complications of Act 2, but this time… (3) write two guiding questions re: this passage