Hamlet
Act 1
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Barnardo: Who’s there?
Francisco: Nay, answer me. Stand and
unfold yourself.
Barnardo: Long live the King!
Francisco: Barnardo?
Barnardo: He.
F: You come most carefully upon your
hour.
B: ‘Tis now struck twelve. Get thee to
bed, Francisco.
F: For this relief much thanks. ‘Tis bitter
cold, And I am sick at heart.
B: Have you had quiet guard?
F: Not a mouse stirring.
The First 10 Lines
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fds
Denmark (Elsinore Castle)
Annotation Help
Literary Devices
 Long live the King!
 I am sick at heart.
Questions to guide annotations:
1.
What time is it?
2.
What is the mood established by the setting and
behavior of Bernardo and Francisco?
I.i.1-13
Indirect and Direct
Characterization
 What can you infer about
Horatio?
Literary Devices
 “He [Horatio] may approve our
eyes” (line 31)
 “Let us once again assail your ears”
(line 32)
Important Questions
1.
Why do Marcellus and Barnardo need Horatio there?
2.
What time is it?
3.
What does the ghost look like? (What is he wearing, etc.)
4.
Why does the ghost leave?
5.
What does the ghost symbolize?
I.i.14-54
Marcellus has noticed some changes in the state of Denmark.
 Beside each line, BRIEFLY summarize his observations.
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Example: line 74-75 – nightly watch suddenly enforced
I.ii. 72-81
Horatio gives us background information
that is important to the plot.
Questions:
1.
Why did King Hamlet and King Fortinbras battle?
2.
What deal did they make before they fought?
3.
What is Prince Fortinbras doing?
THEMES:
MORALITY ---- REVENGE ---- ACTION
I.i.82-109
Literary Devices
 Metaphor
 Allusion
 Hyperbole
 Foreshadowing
Question:
1.
Why does Shakespeare allude to Julius Caesar? What point
is he trying to make?
I.i.110-127
Literary Devices
 Anaphora
 Simile
 Metaphor
 Personification
 Allusion
Questions
1.
Why is it important that Horatio acknowledges the ghost’s
presence?
2.
Why does the ghost disappear?
3.
What time is it?
4.
Why does Horatio want to tell Hamlet about the ghost?
I.i.128-177
Good Afternoon!!!
Please get out your
Hamlet book.
You need a block today!
Hamlet – Act I.ii
Scene summary
Analyze Claudius’ ________________________
1.
What evidence of wrongdoing or corruption is evident in Claudius’
opening speech?
2.
What rhetorical or literary devices are persuasive? Why?
3.
What is his plan with Norway?
4.
In what ways is Claudius different from King Hamlet? How would
he have handled Prince Fortinbras?
5.
What does his speech indirectly reveal about his qualities as a
king/husband/brother/etc.
6.
Identify themes
I.ii.1-41
1.
2.
3.
4.
How does Claudius treat Laertes
compared to Hamlet?
How do Gertrude and Claudius
support their request that Hamlet
“get over” the death of his father?
What’s their argument?
How does Hamlet respond?
(connect to a theme/philosophical
belief)
What does his initial response
reveal about his character
compared to Claudius and
Gertrude?
I.ii.42-86
1.
2.
3.
Is there a time limit for grief? What does Claudius
believe?
What parts of Claudius’ speech are manipulative toward
Hamlet?
Why does Claudius want Hamlet to stay in Denmark?
Themes
Literary Devices
I.ii.87-128
Paraphrase
 Connotations – look at words/phrases and read
beneath the surface, find meaning in the literary
devices
 Attitude
 Shifts
 THEME: Mortality – what are Hamlet’s beliefs?
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Hamlet’s
st
1
Soliloquy
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What is his opinion of Gertrude?
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Why can he not commit suicide?
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Why are the allusions important to the
meaning of his speech?
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What does this soliloquy reveal about Hamlet
and how does the audience connect
psychologically?
Soliloquy Continued
Alliteration
 Hyperbole
 Personification
 Foreshadowing
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Doubt
 Corruption
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Horatio, Bernardo, & Hamlet