Hamlet
Performance Assessment
Hamlet is arguably Shakespeare’s most talked about play. Some see it as his greatest piece; others have
declared it a failure. Yet, it is one of the most produced plays in the history of the world. From the
Elizabethan stage to today’s modern movie theaters “the plays the thing.”
As a study in characters Hamlet is quite unique. From Hamlet, to Claudius, to Polonius, to Gertrude,
and even Laertes, the characters have interesting and subtle character traits. For example, Claudius is
obviously guilty of killing the late King Hamlet, yet he prays for forgiveness. This contradiction brings
up interesting questions about good versus evil. He also attempts to be a good and loving father to
Hamlet, asking him to stay in Denmark instead of returning to school in Germany and clearly naming
Hamlet as his heir. But still, he is the king, so when Hamlet kills Polonius, and is seen as mad, he must
protect the state. Additionally, the people of Denmark seem quite content with his governance of the
state, so he must not be totally corrupt. So what is the conclusion? Is Claudius good or evil?
Your Assignment: Do an in depth study of one of the characters from the play. Make sure you pick a
character that has multiple-dimensions, one that is round and interesting. Next, do a little brainstorming and come up with a modern well-known character in today’s world that has the same basic
characteristics. An example for Claudius might be Scar from The Lion King (you may not use this as
The Lion King has been analyzed to death, and frankly I am sick of it.) Now, in a Power Point
presentation present the play from that character’s perspective, using your modern day character as the
protagonist.
Name ___________________________________________________________Period ________
Scoring Guide
Total _______/100
Character:
Protagonist offers the same basic character traits:
_____/30
_____/10
Those traits are clearly demonstrated in the Power Point presentation:
_____/10
Protagonist is interesting, novel, and insightful:
_____/10
Plot:
_____/15
Covers the basic plot:
Exposition:
_____/3
Rising Action:
_____/3
Climax
_____/3
Falling Action
_____/3
Denouement:
_____/3
_____/10
POV:
Stays in 3rd person limited from the chosen protagonist’s perspective”
_____/5
Does not offer information the protagonist cannot know:
_____/5
Tone:
_____/10
Has a clear and identifiable tone:
_____/5
Tone fits the presentation:
_____/5
Power Point:
_____/35
Is easy to follow:
_____/5
Offers interesting graphics
_____/10
Has at least 20 frames:
_____/10
Uses sound effects effectively:
_____/ 5
Any writing adheres to standard conventions:
_____/5