Hamlet, by William Shakespeare
Essay Exam
Choose ONE of the following topics to respond to for your
essay response:
A. Characters’ responses to memories of their past shape
and alter their lives and the lives of others.
Write a composition based on Hamlet that
shows what idea(s) William Shakespeare
develops regarding the significance of the
memories of the past.
 Focus your composition on your controlling idea about
the significance of our memory of the past.
Support this main idea with evidence from the play.
Organize your composition so that you ideas are
clearly, effectively, and coherently presented.
OR
B. In literature, writers explore interactions among
characters whose ideas, interests, or values differ.
Write a composition based on Hamlet in which
Shakespeare examines the significance of
characters’ responses to the varied behaviours
and/or beliefs of others. What idea(s) about
responding to individual differences does
Shakespeare develop?
 Focus your composition on your controlling idea about
responses to circumstances beyond familiar experience.
Support this main idea with evidence from the play.
Organize your composition so that you ideas are
clearly, effectively, and coherently presented.
OR
C. Determination often plays a huge role in our approach
to the pursuit of a goal.
Consider how the effect that determination has
on our approach to the pursuit of a goal has been
reflected and developed in Hamlet. Discuss the
idea(s) that the author(s) develops about the
impact of individual choices.
 Focus your composition on your controlling idea about
the effect of determination of the pursuit of a goal.
Support this main idea with evidence from the play.
Organize your composition so that you ideas are
clearly, effectively, and coherently presented.
In your planning and writing, consider the following instructions.

As you develop your ideas, support them with appropriate,
relevant, and meaningful examples from a literary text(s) you
have chosen.

For this particular assignment, you are being required to focus
your discussion on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Carefully consider your controlling idea or how you will create a
strong unifying effect in your response.

Each of your body paragraphs MUST INCLUDE at least one
properly used quotation from the play.