ISM Language & Literature SL & HL
Unit 4
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Aims of course
-
Explore literary works in detail
Analyse elements such as theme and the ethical stance or moral values of
literary texts
Understand and make appropriate use of literary terms
We will study Hamlet in a typical manner, but the assessment focus will again be
on oral commentaries. For both SL and HL, some passages from Hamlet will
amongst the choices for the IOC.
Hamlet is possibly the most complex of Shakespeare’s plays which has resulted
in more being written about this play than any other text ever published, except
possibly the Bible. Plenty of criticism, both good and bad, can be found in books,
websites, essays, parchment and other receptacles of words. Read and explore
these works as much as possible, but do so with a discerning eye.
The eponymous character is probably the most complex in all literature. This
means that the interpretation you will find in Sparknotes et al will not be the
only valid one. Be careful and think fully upon’t before committing yourself to
one interpretation of mad Hamlet.
There are plenty of film versions as well. We will not have time to watch one in
class, but I recommend watching, in your own time, the recent Kenneth Branagh
version (1996). It’s only four and a half hours long.
Essential to our study will be note taking. Take note. A short commentary will be
assessed as a minor – based on your notes.
Assessments
Minors
Poster of Hamlet
Short Commentary – based on your notes
Mediums
Theme Presentations – in pairs
Oral Commentary
Major
Written Task (on Hamlet or 1984)
Reading the Play
We will be reading part of the play in class. Other parts will be assigned as
homework.
I strongly suggest that you photocopy the whole play and put it in a folder. Make
sure that the text has plenty of white space around it for notes. Make use of
highlighters, different colored pens and a well-structured written process of note
taking. If you have a better way then use it.
You’ll need to take note of the following (at least):
Characters
Hamlet – depressed, manic, Christian, skeptical, existential, witty, mad,
pretending to be mad, fascinated by death, scared of death, philosophical, angry,
sad, in love?, idle, scheming, misogynist, funny, unable to act because he’s
‘thinking too precisely on the event’.
Ophelia – sometime lover of Hamlet. Innocent, virgin?, obedient, polite.
Claudius – King, Hamlet’s uncle. Scheming, clever, guilty, shows some remorse.
Gertrude – Queen, Hamlet’s mother. Most likely innocent. Loves her son and her
husband
Polonius – courtier. Father of Ophelia and Laertes. Boring old windbag, schemer.
Laertes – son of Polonius. Straightforward, not afraid to act. Opposite of Hamlet.
Horatio – loyal friend of Hamlet.
Ghost – revengeful, demanding, real? Product of Hamlet’s imagination? Cause of
action and tragedy
Plot
Themes (a selection)
Madness
Thought versus action
Revenge
Death
Existence
Appearance versus reality
Honesty/trust
Decay and corruption
Symbols/Metaphors/Motifs (a selection)
Prison/containers of different kinds vs infinite space
Brain
Ghost
Heaven/Hell/Purgatory
Dust
Suicide
Spying
At the end of each Act we will pause for some activities.
Useful websites
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamletscenes.html
http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/hamlet/
Add your own here.
Minor Assessment
Hamlet Poster. In pairs
On an A3 piece of paper (or two) draw an intriguing picture of the Prince of
Denmark and surround it with images, quotes, explanations, labels and whatever
else you think useful to help understand the ‘most complex character in
literature’.
Assessment will be based on the depth of your understanding of the character.
Some consideration will be given to the appearance of the poster, but only in so
far as it will looketh pleasing t’ the eye on the wall of the classroom.
Minor Assessment
Short Commentary. Please complete on your laptop and submit through dropbox.
You will be given one of the soliloquys of Hamlet at the end of a lesson. You will
be able to annotate it for homework. In the following lesson you will write a
commentary and hand it at the end of the lesson. Even though it is a minor
assessment I will use the IOC rubric to assess it. See blog or wiki for rubrics.
Medium Assessment
In pairs. You will be assigned one of the major themes of the play. In a maximum
of ten minutes you must explicate upon the theme to improve the understanding
of your audience (remember: your audience has read the play and has a general
understanding of the plot, characters etc – don’t go over material that they
already know).
Discuss the theme in depth. Use quotes to prove your points. Come to a complex
conclusion about what Shakespeare demonstrated about the theme through this
play.
See the blog/wiki for the rubric
Oral Commentary - Medium
Twenty minutes before the assessment begins you will be given a passage from
Hamlet. This time should be used for annotations and note-taking.
The assessment consists of a ten minute recorded interview with your teacher. It
is your task to comment on the text to show how it uses language to create
meaning. See the separate file for hints on how to do this in an oral commentary.
The assessment is largely the same as that for a normal commentary. You need
to focus carefully on the language use, themes, characterization, and how this
passage contributes to the whole text.
Read the rubric very carefully to understand exactly what is required.