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    Unit 3 - Shakespeare and Hamlet

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    Trang Hoang
    The document provides an introduction to William Shakespeare's dramatic works during the Renaissance period. It distinguishes three periods of Shakespeare's writing career: the early period focusing on comedies and histories showing optimism, the middle period producing great tragedies and comedies, and the late period writing legendary and lyrical plays along with tragic comedies. Shakespeare wrote in three main genres - comedy, history, and tragedy - with comedies typically ending in marriage, histories commenting on politics, and tragedies involving a flawed hero. Some of Shakespeare's most famous plays are also listed.

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    Unit 3 - Shakespeare and Hamlet

    Uploaded by

    Trang Hoang
    68 views7 pages
    The document provides an introduction to William Shakespeare's dramatic works during the Renaissance period. It distinguishes three periods of Shakespeare's writing career: the early period focusing on comedies and histories showing optimism, the middle period producing great tragedies and comedies, and the late period writing legendary and lyrical plays along with tragic comedies. Shakespeare wrote in three main genres - comedy, history, and tragedy - with comedies typically ending in marriage, histories commenting on politics, and tragedies involving a flawed hero. Some of Shakespeare's most famous plays are also listed.

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    Unit 3 - Shakespeare and Hamlet

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    The document provides an introduction to William Shakespeare's dramatic works during the Renaissance period. It distinguishes three periods of Shakespeare's writing career: the early period focusing on comedies and histories showing optimism, the middle period producing great tragedies and comedies, and the late period writing legendary and lyrical plays along with tragic comedies. Shakespeare wrote in three main genres - comedy, history, and tragedy - with comedies typically ending in marriage, histories commenting on politics, and tragedies involving a flawed hero. Some of Shakespeare's most famous plays are also listed.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    68 views7 pages

    Unit 3 - Shakespeare and Hamlet

    Uploaded by

    Trang Hoang
    The document provides an introduction to William Shakespeare's dramatic works during the Renaissance period. It distinguishes three periods of Shakespeare's writing career: the early period focusing on comedies and histories showing optimism, the middle period producing great tragedies and comedies, and the late period writing legendary and lyrical plays along with tragic comedies. Shakespeare wrote in three main genres - comedy, history, and tragedy - with comedies typically ending in marriage, histories commenting on politics, and tragedies involving a flawed hero. Some of Shakespeare's most famous plays are also listed.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 7

    Unit 3: The Renaissance and

    Shakespearean drama

    William Shakespeare’s dramatic works


    Scholars distinguish three periods in William Shakespeare’s works:
    1. The early period (roughly from 1590 to 1600), during which he wrote mainly gay
    (funny) comedies and dramatic histories. This is the period of optimism (positive
    view on life) of William Shakespeare.
    2. The middle period (roughly from 1600 to 1608), during which he wrote great
    tragedies and comedies.
    3. The late period (roughly from 1609 to 1612), during which he wrote legendary and
    lyrical plays, and tragic (somewhat sad)
    comedies.
    Shakespeare wrote in three main genres:
    •Comedy
    –Often romantic
    –Characters resolve their problems
    –Usually ends with a wedding
    –Tragicomedy—looks like disaster, but ends
    well
    •History
    –Interpreted events from the past
    –Built nationalism
    –Often commented on current politics and leaders
    •Tragedy—different types
    –Noble hero falls due to a flaw
    –Wronged hero falls seeking revenge
    Shakespeare wrote MANY PLAYS! Most
    –Evil ―hero‖ falls while doing evil
    have been made into modern day
    movies and are still performed today.
    Some of his most famous plays include:
    Tragedies
    1. Romeo and Juliet (1594-95)
    2. Hamlet 1600-01
    3. Julius Caesar (1600-01)
    4. Macbeth (1611-1612)

    Histories
    1. King Henry VI 1592
    2. King John 1596-97
    3. King Henry IV 1597-98
    4. Richard II, III
    5. King Henry VIII 1612-1

    Comedies
    1. Midsummer Night's Dream 1595-96
    2. Merchant of Venice 1596-1597
    3. Much Ado About Nothing 1598-1599
    4. Merry Wives of Windsor 1600-01
    (1602)
    5. Twelfth Night 160
    HAMLET: "TO BE OR NOT TO BE"

    Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. His father has died. He has recently been visited by the
    ghost of his father, who told him to avenge his brother, Claudius, who murdered him.
    Claudius has also married his brother’s wife and Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. Hamlet
    pretends to be mad, while he decides what to do. Ophelia, the women he loves, kills herself.
    Basically, everyone dies at the end of this drama.

    Characters
    Claudius: Hamlet's father's brother who has married his
    mother.
    Polonius: Ophelia's father.
    Gertrude: Hamlet's mother, wife of her dead husband's
    brother.
    Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. He has been instructed by his Vocabulary Corner:
    dead father's ghost to avenge his death at the hand of his Soliloquy:
    brother. Hamlet seems to be pretending to be mad during Monologue:
    this time while he decides what to do. Everyone thinks this Aside:
    madness is love-sickness. Later in the play we are not sure Theme:
    whether he is pretending to be mad, or really mad. Conflict:
    Character:
    Murder:
    Madness:
    Avenge:
    Hamlet: Act 3, Scene 1
    Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius and Ophelia are in a room in the castle.

    Claudius: Gertrude, my love, Polonius and I have a plan.


    Polonius: As you know, my lady, Hamlet is in love with my daughter. His love has made
    him mad, I think.
    Claudius: We're going to listen, secretly, while Hamlet and Ophelia talk. We
    want to understand what 's wrong with the Prince.
    Gertrude: I hope you can help my son. Ophelia, my dear, if you love him,
    perhaps he will get better.
    Ophelia: I hope so, my lady.
    Gertrude leaves.

    Polonius: Hamlet will be here soon. (He gives Ophelia a book.) Here, my dear,
    read this book. Then Hamlet won't know that you are waiting for him.
    Polonius and Claudius hide. Hamlet enters.

    Hamlet: To be or not to be, that is the question: to go on living, fighting against this sea of
    troubles, or to die and end everything? Why be afraid of death? To die is to sleep, no
    more. Perhaps to dream? Yes, that's the problem: in that sleep of death, what
    dreams will come? (He sees Ophelia.) Oh, beautiful Ophelia!
    Ophelia: My lord, are you well? You gave me some presents-I want to give them back.
    Hamlet: I never gave you anything.
    Ophelia: You know that's not true, my lord. You sent letters, too, with beautiful words
    that made the presents even sweeter. But now you have changed.
    Hamlet: Perhaps I loved you once.
    Ophelia: You did, my lord, you did.
    Hamlet: But perhaps not. No, I never loved you.
    Ophelia: Please don't say that! (She starts crying.)
    Hamlet: Love is nothing, Ophelia. You mustn't marry. If you have children, they'll be stupid,
    like your father.
    Ophelia: What are you saying, my lord? What's the matter?
    Hamlet: (Shouting) You women, with your beautiful faces and
    soft voices! Aren't there any good women left? Ophelia, you
    must never marry, do you understand? All you life! Not me,
    not anyone! (He leaves).
    Ophelia: (Crying) What's happened to him? He was a good, kind
    man, and he loved me. Why has he changed so much?
    Claudius and Polonius come out from their hiding-place.

    Claudius: Is he in love? Is he mad? I'm not sure, Polonius. But


    something is wrong.
    Ophelia: Father, Hamlet said some terrible things...
    Polonius: You don't need to tell us, my dear-we heard everything. Don't cry Ophelia.
    Claudius: I'm worried, Polonius. Hamlet is the Prince-he is an important man. If he goes on
    saying these strange things, it will be dangerous for all of us.
    Polonius: That's true my lord.
    Claudius: If he leaves Denmark for a while, perhaps he will get better. Visiting a different
    country will be good for him. I'm going to send him away, Polonius. I'm going to
    send him to England.
    Polonius. Very well, my lord.
    Student’s Note
    The Renaissance (1485-1660)
    Introduction to Shakespearean Drama
    History: The Monarchs
     The ____________ Period: the reign of Elizabeth I, 1586-1603

     ____________ Period: the reign of James I of England, 1603-1625

    Shakespeare – Periods of writing


     Scholars distinguish ______ periods in William Shakespeare’s works:

     The early period (roughly from 1590 to 1600), during which he wrote mainly
    gay (_________) comedies and dramatic histories. This is the period of ________
    (positive view on life) of William Shakespeare.

     The middle period (roughly from 1600 to 1608), during which he wrote
    _________ _________ tragedies and comedies.

     The late period (roughly from 1609 to 1612), during which he wrote
    ____________ and lyrical plays, and tragic (somewhat sad) comedies.

    Comedy (cross out the wrong words)


     –Often romantic/realistic
     –Characters resolve/suffer their problems
     –Usually ends with a wedding/the death of characters
     –Tragicomedy—looks like disaster/comedy, but ends well
    Histories
     Interpreted events from the future/past
     Built nationalism (a feeling of love for your country/a feeling that you’re
    ashamed of your country)
     Often commented on current _________ and capitalists/leaders
    Tragedy
    (match the hero with the reason he falls)
     Noble hero  seeking revenge
     Wronged hero falls  due to a flaw
     Evil “hero”  while doing evil

    Literary Devices
    (True/False, correct the false information if have)
     Soliloquy: speech made with other characters on stage, which reveals their
    thoughts to the audience
     Monologue: a character speaks directly to another character or to himself or
    herself.
     Aside: a character says something to the audience that the other characters
    are able to hear
     Theme: central idea conveyed by a work of literature (not to be confused
    with subject). A theme is a general perception about life or human nature.
     Conflict: struggle between friendly forces
     External: struggle with outside force
     Internal: struggle within oneself

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