Hamlet Essay
Write a Five-Paragraph essay on ONE of the following topics.
1) What do Hamlet's soliloquies reveal about his character?
OR
2) Literature often portrays the individual confronting the unknown – either stepping back from
the brink of risk, hesitating, or plunging in. Write an essay based on Hamlet which exams the
consequence of the individual response to risk-taking. Who takes risks and who does not? What
are the consequences? Are there different kinds of risk-taking that result in different rewards?
What idea does the author develop regarding risk-taking?
OR
3) Write an essay based on Hamlet which exams the role of women and the treatment of women.
What do the characters say about women? What do the actions of characters reveal about the
status of women? What is the relationship of women and power? Women and self-agency?
What lesson(s) can the reader discern about the role and treatment of women?
OR
4) Literature often reflects aspects of human isolation. It suggests that individuals may be isolated
by circumstances or may choose to isolate themselves. Write an essay based on Hamlet that
examines human isolation and its effect on individual lives. Who is isolated and why? What is
the cause or effect of isolation upon characters? What idea does the author develop regarding
isolation?
OR
5) Write an essay based on Hamlet which exams insanity or ‘madness.’ What is madness and who
is mad and why? What are the causes and or results of madness? What lesson(s) can the reader
discern about ‘madness’?
OR
6) Shakespearean scholars contend that tragic characters succumb to their own individual tragic
flaws. A tragic flaw is defined a personal fault that brings about a character’s death or downfall.
Choose one of the characters of this play and describe his/her tragic flaw and how it leads to
his/her ruin or demise.
Notes:
Focus on developing a thesis statement, a main idea about the topic, that guides your entire essay.
Organize your essay clearly, using topic and transition sentences throughout that make it clear to
the reader how each section relates to the thesis statement.
Develop each section of your essay by providing supporting details from the play.
In-text citations should be given as follows: (IV, iii, 49-54).
Any plagiarism will be dealt with severely. The essays will be handed in through Turnitin.com.
Essay Graphic Organizer
Introduction
Topic:
Main idea/ Thesis statement:
Sub-topic 1:
Sub-topic 2:
Sub-topic 3:
Body Section 1
Topic/transition sentence that restates thesis and focuses on sub-topic 1:
1st supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
2nd supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
3rd supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
Body Section 2
Topic/transition sentence that restates thesis and focuses on sub-topic 2:
1st supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
2nd supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
3rd supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
Body Section 3
Topic/transition sentence that restates thesis and focuses on sub-topic 3:
1st supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
2nd supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
3rd supporting detail:
Explanation of how the example proves the thesis to be true:
Conclusion
Restate main idea/thesis:
Summarize or restate sub-topics 1, 2, and 3:
Concluding sentence:
Hamlet Essay Rubric
Introduction
Body section 1
Body section 2
Body section 3
Organizes essay
and uses thesis,
topic sentences
and transitions
Conclusion
Citations
Works Cited
Language
Conventions
(punctuation,
spelling, language
use and phrasing)
Good Draft
(length, title page,
name and page
number, double
spaced, proper
font style and size)
Comments:
name:
0 below 50%
little or no
1 50-59%
limited
2
60-69
some
3
70-79
considerable
4
80-100
Excellent,
thorough
Introduces
assignment with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with a high degree
of effectiveness
Supports thesis
with a high degree
of effectiveness
Supports thesis
with a high degree
of effectiveness
Organizes essay
and uses thesis,
topic sentences
and transitions
with a high degree
of effectiveness
Mark
Introduces
assignment with
little or no
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with little or no
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with little or no
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with little or no
effectiveness
Organizes essay
and uses thesis,
topic sentences
and transitions
with little or no
effectiveness
Introduces a
assignment with
limited
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with limited
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with limited
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with limited
effectiveness
Organizes essay
and uses thesis,
topic sentences
and transitions
with limited
effectiveness
Introduces
assignment with
some
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with some
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with some
effectiveness
Supports thesis
with some
effectiveness
Organizes essay
and uses thesis,
topic sentences
and transitions
with some
effectiveness
Introduces
assignment with
considerable
effectiveness
Supports thesis with
considerable
effectiveness
Supports thesis with
considerable
effectiveness
Supports thesis with
considerable
effectiveness
Organizes essay and
uses thesis, topic
sentences and
transitions with
considerable
effectiveness
Concludes
assignment with
little or no
effectiveness
Uses in-text
citations with
little or no
effectiveness
Uses Works Cited
with little or no
effectiveness
Uses conventions
with little or no
effectiveness
Concludes
assignment with
limited
effectiveness
Uses in-text
citations with
limited
effectiveness
Uses Works Cited
with limited
effectiveness
Uses conventions
with limited
effectiveness
Concludes
assignment with
some
effectiveness
Uses in-text
citations with
some
effectiveness
Uses Works
Cited with some
effectiveness
Uses
conventions
with some
effectiveness
Concludes
assignment with
considerable
effectiveness
Uses in-text citations
with considerable
effectiveness
/5
Uses Works Cited
with considerable
effectiveness
Uses conventions
with considerable
effectiveness
Concludes
assignment with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Uses in-text
citations with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Uses Works Cited
with a high degree
of effectiveness
Uses conventions
with a high degree
of effectiveness
Follows good draft
guidelines with
little or no
effectiveness
Follows good draft
guidelines with
limited
effectiveness
Follows good
draft guidelines
with some
effectiveness
Follows good draft
guidelines with
considerable
effectiveness
Follows good draft
guidelines with a
high degree
ofeffectiveness
/5
/100
/5
/20
/20
/20
/5
/5
/5
/10