NAME: ______________________

DATE: _______________________

SHAKESPEARE ASSIGNMENT
In this assignment, you will read descriptions of the characters from Shakespeares Hamlet.
After you read the descriptions, look at the TGI Fridays menu and pick one item (drink,
entre, appetizer, or dessert) that each character would eat. Then, I would like you to write
one paragraph (5-8 sentences) creating an argument on why that character would chose that
item.
Hamlet - The Prince of Denmark, the title character, and the protagonist. About thirty years
old, Hamlet is the son of Queen Gertrude and the late King Hamlet, and the nephew of the
present king, Claudius. Hamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of hatred for his uncles
scheming and disgust for his mothers sexuality. A reflective and thoughtful young man who
has studied at the University of Wittenberg, Hamlet is often indecisive and hesitant, but at
other times prone to rash and impulsive acts. Hamlet is extremely melancholy and
discontented with the state of affairs in Denmark and in his own family. He repudiates
Ophelia, a woman he once claimed to love, in the harshest terms. His words often indicate his
disgust with and distrust of women in general. At a number of points in the play, he
contemplates his own death and even the option of suicide.

Claudius - The King of Denmark, Hamlets uncle, and the plays antagonist. The villain of the
play, Claudius is a calculating, ambitious politician, driven by his sexual appetites and his lust
for power, but he occasionally shows signs of guilt and human feelinghis love for Gertrude,
for instance, seems sincere. Claudius is ultimately too crafty for his own good. In Act V, scene
ii, rather than allowing Laertes only two methods of killing Hamlet, the sharpened sword and
the poison on the blade, Claudius insists on a third, the poisoned goblet. When Gertrude
inadvertently drinks the poison and dies, Hamlet is at last able to bring himself to kill
Claudius, and the king is felled by his own cowardly machination.
And that he calls for drink, I'll have prepar'd him
A chalice for the nonce; whereon but sipping,
If he by chance escape your venom'd stuck,
Our purpose may hold there. Claudius (Act IV, scene 7)

Gertrude - The Queen of Denmark, Hamlets mother, recently married to Claudius. Gertrude
loves Hamlet deeply, but she is a shallow, weak woman who seeks affection and status more
urgently than moral rectitude or truth. She never exhibits the ability to think critically about
her situation, but seems merely to move instinctively toward seemingly safe choices, as when
she immediately runs to Claudius after her confrontation with Hamlet. She is at her best in
social situations (I.ii and V.ii), when her natural grace and charm seem to indicate a rich,
rounded personality. At times it seems that her grace and charm are her only characteristics,
and her reliance on men appears to be her sole way of capitalizing on her abilities.
More matter with less art. -- Gertrude, act II, scene ii.

Ophelia - Poloniuss daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love.
Ophelia is a sweet and innocent young girl, who obeys her father and her brother, Laertes.
Dependent on men to tell her how to behave, she gives in to Poloniuss schemes to spy on
Hamlet. Even in her lapse into madness and death, she remains maidenly, singing songs about
flowers and finally drowning in the river amid the flower garlands she had gathered.
There's fennel for you, and columbines. There's rue for you,
and here's some for me. We may call it herb of grace o' Sundays.
O, you must wear your rue with a difference! There's a daisy. I
would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when my father
died. They say he made a good end.
[ Sings] For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern - Two slightly bumbling former friends of Hamlet from
Wittenberg, who are summoned by Claudius and Gertrude to discover the cause of Hamlets
strange behavior. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern do whatever Claudius asks of them. They
even try to discover what Hamlet did with Polonius' body for the King. Rosencrantz asks
Hamlet, What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? They are not able to get Hamlet
to give them any of the information they seek. Instead of serving as friends of Hamlet's, they
end up being traitors who agree to take Hamlet to his death.

Hamlet. Why did you laugh then, when I said 'Man delights not me'?
Rosencrantz. To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what lenten
entertainment the players shall receive from you. We coted them
on the way, and hither are they coming to offer you service. (II, 2)

Title

Hamlet and building an argument.

Summary of the Lesson

This is a 15 minute assignment. Students have to read descriptions

of the characters and argue on what kind of food they would like.

Essential Questions

How do you build an argument in Shakespeare?

Objectives

Students will be able to build an argument with three parts.

Students will be able to synthesize texts.
15 minutes

Estimated Time
Materials Required

Handout
Text of Hamlet
TGIF Menu

Procedure

BEFORE: (1 min)
Teacher will explain assignment and criterion for success.
DURING: (14 min)
Students will work independently to write four paragraphs.
AFTER: (5 min)
Teacher will evaluate paragraph and give feedback

Formative Assessment

Teacher will give feedback about arguments and character after

reading students writing.

ARGUMENTS
Claim
What you believe
Reason Why you believe it
Example Supports what you
believe
Pizza is the best food (claim), because
pizza is delicious and healthy (reason). For
example, you can get a healthy vegetable
topping, which is also delicious (example).