Claudius Presentation Quiz 1. Which of the following is a plausible theory for why Hamlets killing of Claudius is delayed? a.

Hamlet is worried that Claudius knows of his revengeful plot and therefore is scheming against him as well. b. Claudius appeals to Hamlet as a caring uncle who is redeeming for his evil deed in the garden. c. Hamlet finds common ground between him and Claudius; he wants to kill his father and sleep with his mother. d. Hamlet has to plan many other deaths other than Claudius such as Polonius, Ophelia, and Laertes. 2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Claudius? a. Claudius excels in deception and makes a great impostor b. He makes a reasonable king c. He has no qualms about manipulating people, and he is unapologetically selfish d. Claudius lets his conscience influence him. 3. In the My Offense is Rank Soliloquy, what is best established from Claudius speech? a. Claudius is aware of his wrongdoings and is imploring for mercy from the Gods. b. Despite asking for being absolved for his wrongdoings, Claudius wants to reap the benefits of his deeds c. Claudius is confessing his crime and justifying his actions as being necessary for the advancement of Denmark. d. Claudius crime is a biblical allusion to the primal eldest curse refers to curse of Abel, who killed his brother Cain 4. What are the readers initial impressions of Claudius? a. He uses the pretense of grief and mourningcollective sufferingto build national solidarity b. He is presented incapable, nonrealistic ruler who cannot handle state of affairs/military threats in Denmark c. He gives as little attention to Hamlets grief as possible, almost ignoring Hamlets existence d. Claudius lacks the ability to appeal to pathos/emotion despite his cunning and manipulative behavior. 5. Which of the following is NOT true about the imagery of sickness/disease in Claudius speech? a. King identifies Hamlet, not himself as the source of the moral infection. b. King justifies his decision to send Hamlet to England by means of a medical aphorism c. When he ordering the English king to execute Hamlet, the frantic Claudius uses the language of a man suffering from fever d. Claudius sums up the danger presented to himself by Hamlet's unexpected return through the sickness image of a virus.

6. In My Offense is Rank, where do you detect a shift/change in tone in Claudius speech? (Refer to attached soliloquy for assistance.) a. Or pardond being down? Then Ill look up; My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer Can serve my turn? Forgive me my foul murder? b. O limed soul, that, struggling to be free, Art more engaged! Help, angels! Make assay! c. Be soft as sinews of the newborn babe! All may be well. d. What if this cursed hand Were thicker than itself with brothers blood, Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens To wash it white as snow? 7. Claudius relationship with Laertes is best described by which word? a. Fatherly b. Pressuring c. ? d. ? 8. Which of the following is an example of how Claudius manipulates language and diction? a. Uses long-winded and superfluous language with little substance b. Uses colloquial slang and extended metaphors to get his point across c. Heavily relies on aphorisms and maxims d. Alternates between prose for serious political manners while using familiar and graceful language for other matters (e.g. to Laertes in Act V)

9. What is the message behind the following lines? My words fly up, my thoughts remain below a. Prayer or repentance is useless; one must take charge of his/her own destiny b. Claudius can only hope that the Gods listen to his prayers and absolve his sins c. The spirit cannot rise or elevate when it is weighed down by the gravity of something as serious as a murder d. None of the above. 10. What does the Ghost compare Claudius to in Act I? a. serpent b. plague c. rain d. dagger

Short Answer: Explain how poisoning became a distinctive recurring pattern in the play's imagery in relation to Claudius and the other major characters in the play. Do not merely summarize the plot, include specific details/references to the play.