Hamlet - Act One Questions

1. What reasons do Laertes and Polonius give for their command to Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet? Are they reasonable? 2. What country is Horatio from? What ma es it difficult to decide? !. What similarities are there in the thoughts contained in each of the solilo"uies in this act? #$n $.ii. after %laudius and the court leave& and in $.v. after the ghost leaves' (. )he first scene could be #and has been' cut *ithout damaging the plot. +or *hat reasons *ould you *ish to include it in a performance? ,. $n *hat *ays is the language spo en by the apparition different to the normal language of the play? -. What signs are *e given of a potential for madness on Hamlet.s part? /. Ho* does %laudius attempt to establish his popularity in the second scene? 0. Ho* can *e tell 1enmar is a %atholic country? +ind )WO references *hich help to suggest this. 2. Ho* did Old Hamlet tac le foreign policy& and ho* does this contrast *ith %laudius? 13. What does Hamlet believe about his father.s death before he meets the apparition?

Hamlet - Act Two Questions

1. $n *hat *ays is the Pyrrhus character similar to Hamlet and %laudius? 2. Ho* might the ans*er to #1' above help to e4plain Hamlet.s desire to be reminded of this speech in particular.? !. Ho* might *e connect the content of Hamlet.s supposedly cra5y remar s to Polonius to *hat the prince is actually feeling? (. 6ame +$78 different characteristics of Polonius that can be proven on the basis of this act. ,. Why might one suspect that Hamlet.s theory that the ghost may be devil is not *hat has actually stopped him from ta ing action? -. What reasons for not acting are suggested by Hamlet himself? /. What different types of madness do *e see in Hamlet during this act? 0. What does each of the main characters feel to be the cause of Hamlet.s madness? 2. Why might *e agree that %laudius is a good ing? 13. Ho* does the Polonius and 9eynaldo scene in $$.i. contribute to the effect of the play as a *hole?

Hamlet - Act Three Questions

1. What do %laudius and Polonius do in scene one& that Hamlet and Horatio do in scene t*o& that Hamlet does in scene three& and Polonius does in scene four?

2.

$n *hat respects is the play scene in $$$.ii a turning point in the play? Ho* is this turn compounded by Hamlet:s actions in the closet scene #$$$.iv'?

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What does the fact that Hamlet:s solilo"uy in the prayer scene #$$$.iii' *as cut from performances of the play for nearly 233 years tell us about ;ha espeare:s li ely intentions in *riting this speech for the prince? )H$; $; )H8 %O998%) ;%868. <O)H )H$; ;OL$LO=>? A61 )H8 P98%81$6@ O68 ;HOW )H8 HAAL8) <8%OA$6@ WO9;8 A61 WO9;8. H8 1O8; 6O) @8) )O 18%$18 )H8 +>)>98 O+ %LA>1$>;: ;O>L B )HA) $; @O1:; 98ALA.

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1oes %laudius: solilo"uy revise or compound your opinion of his character?

,.

Hamlet is thought to have a lot of solilo"uies& though in actual fact& he has fe*er than Aacbeth and around the same number as Othello& *ho are thought to be men of action rather than meditation. Ho* does the placing and subCect of Hamlet:s solilo"uies in this act encourage the idea of a meditative prince?

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$n Act $$.iv.100& Hamlet states D$ essentially am not in madness.E 6ame four lines spo en by Hamlet in this act that may ma e you doubt this.

/.

$s Hamlet at his *orst in scene three or scene four of this act?

0.

Ho* do 9osencrant5 and @uildenstern seem to have become more immoral since their first appearance in $$.ii?

2.

+or *hat reasons do you thin that the @host in $$$.iv is an hallucination& and for *hat reasons do you thin it is real?

13. After $$$.iii& the ne4t time *e see Ophelia she is mad. Ho* are the seeds for this planted in this act?