Respond to the following:
I;1 (If your birthday is in the SPRING) Describe the mood Shakespeare creates in the very first scene. What would be lost or gained if Shakespeare switched scene 2 for scene 1?
I;2 (If your birthday is in the SUMMER) What kind of king is Claudius? Explain.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy: write an explanation of what Hamlet is discussing in this soliloquy. Choose one metaphor in this soliloquy and explain it.
I;3 (If your birthday is in the FALL) List 3 pieces of advice Polonius gives.
Choose one that you believe would most benefit you and tell why.
I;5 (If your birthday is in the WINTER) Translate/interpret the last 3 lines of this scene.
The Ghost commands Hamlet to revenge, but has not said how this is to be done. If Gertrude is to be left to heaven and her conscience, why will this not suffice for Claudius?
Agree/Disagree/Somewhat Agree (EVERYONE copy statement, then indicate stance)
• After King Hamlet’s death, his son Hamlet should have been given the throne of Denmark.
• Claudius is a good king.
• Ophelia appreciates her brother’s and father’s advice.
• The Ghost’s command for revenge can be viewed as justice/just.
• Hamlet looks forward with enthusiasm to his task of revenge.

• I can assess and build upon my understanding of Act I by participating in a quick discussion guided by warm up questions.
• I can take notes on background information for Hamlet, and I can apply this background information to my current unit of learning.

• Early 16 th century into the early 17 th century
• Time of “rebirth” and new ideas
• writing poetry and drama
• composing music
• painting
• experimenting in monarch’s name
• Exploration became vital in this era.
• This was the first time people in
England had excess wealth to spend.
• This was one of the factors that created the theater

The Beginning of the
Renaissance:
The Arrogant King
Henry VIII
• The Renaissance really begins with Henry
VIII.
• Inherits peaceful kingdom
• Second son, very educated (much like
Hamlet)
• First marriage: Katherine of Aragon is arranged, loveless
• Only a daughter, heirless
• Anne Boelyn  Elizabeth I
• Denied divorce
• Creates the church of England
• Centralizes all power under his rule
• Has many wives
• Finally has a son, dies young

•
•
•
•
•
•
•

• Not accepted due to birth, gender
• First real female ruler
• Refuses to marry; leaves no heir
• Returns the country to Protestantism
• Tolerant
• Loved the theater and the arts
• Defeated the Spanish armada, then is accepted and grows to be liked
• Survives several assassination attempts
• Dies in 1603
• Throne goes to her nephew, James
Stewart
• Ends the Tudor Dynasty

• King James takes the throne
• Scottish
• Hamlet spans this transition
• Private
• Still supports the theater, in particular Shakespeare’s company
• Commissions the Bible in English
• Interested in the occult and unknown
• Not as much pomp and circumstance
(or drama)
• Shakespeare dies when he is king

Shakespeare’s World:

• Major trade center
• Population hits 100,000
• Rise of a new middle class of tradesmen, or merchants
• Zero Sanitation
• Disease is high, plague closed down theaters
• High infant and female death rate
• Rise of the theater (on the other side of the themes, technically not
London)

• Women were treated as property
and could own nothing (unless they were widowed)
• Only options for women: Brothel,
Nunnery, marriage
• Husbands could beat wives. No real divorce options for women.
• Laws were in place that determined what a person could wear, where they could live, what they could eat; all based on social standing and class
• Marriages are arranged. The upper class, courtier marriages, had to be approved by the monarch, especially under Elizabeth

Unintended Results of Rejection of
Catholicism
• Henry VIII’s break from the church allowed
several other advancements that were originally outlawed. These include:
• Medicine (new ideas and experiments)
• Astronomy and science
• Mathematics
• Exploration (the newest and coveted thing in Elizabeth’s court was tobacco)
• A consolidation of power and a very powerful monarch
• The printing press
• New exchanges of ideas with other non-
Catholic countries
• First time translations of Greek and Roman texts into English– Mythology was like pop culture
• Still much experimentation with English
• The Puritans

• The theater was for the uneducated masses: the
Groundlings.
• Considered a “low” profession
• No women on stage. Young boys only.
• Buying in to a company would insure financial stability
• Puritans hated the theater and tried to close them
• Open to the elements
• Few set pieces, costumes came from rich patrons
• No “fourth wall:” audience interacted with actors.
• Shakespeare would have played some of the parts.
• Most people could not read. The color of the flag that flew above the theater indicated what type of play was being performed.

More Theater  Before a play could appear on the
Elizabethan stage, it first had to be approved by the Master of the Revels
 Parts were often written for certain
actors. Most likely the part of Hamlet was written for lead actor Richard Burbage, for example.
 Only the property master has complete script.
 Actors have their lines only and lines before entrances and exits
 Rhymed Couplets
 Quartos

• Shakespeare’s theater was not the first, but one of the most famous.
• It was built on in the seedy area outside of London proper.
• An almost exact replica was created in
London in the mid 1980’s. Only additions were safety features and speakers. It is built right next to the original Globe site.
• Shakespeare's plays are intentionally ambiguous in places

Hamlet

Marriage and Women
• Marriages are arranged
• Members of the royal family are
“subject to their birth”
• Virginity is valued above all else in a woman
• A divorced or unmarriable woman is a disgrace to her family and has two options: nunnery or brothel.
• Not permitted to be in the company of men unaccompanied
The King and His Position
• One must have permission from the king to leave his palace.
• Mourning period for a king is 6 months to a year
• Speaking against a king is considered “treason” and can be punished by death.
• King may hire a traveling acting group to entertain at a party (like with a Scop and Beowulf)
• Kings are often sent away to school (from about age 13)

• Children were expected to avenge a parent’s murder.
• Suicide is a mortal sin
• Last rites
• Belief in Astrology and the supernatural
• Women are considered fragile and weak
• Duals or playing are common entertainment in a Renaissance castle
• Honor is of the utmost importance

• Find three examples of Hamlet’s use in our current society. Bring evidence to class on Monday.
• Write 2-3 sentences explaining how Hamlet has inspired each of your three examples.
• Write 1-2 sentences about why you think Hamlet is still a part of our current society.