Hamlet

• Literature
• Secondary Education

The prince had his first soliloquy and wishes suicide was not seen as a sin from God.

The ghost of King Hamlet revealed to his son that King Claudius killed him by pouring poison on his ears.

King Claudius gave a speech to his courtiers explaining his marriage to Gertrude. 

Before we begin the discussion, let us have a review first of what happen to in Act 1

(Drag and drop activity)

- arange chronologically what happen in Act 1

In the beginning of act 2, Ophelia relates to his Father that Hamlet entered her chamber disheveled and confused. 

What’s polonius reason why Hamlet has gone mad?

Polonuis thinks it is because of Hamlet's love for Ophelia. Polonius believes that by telling his daughter, Ophelia, to avoid the prince, fanned the flames of the prince's love for Ophelia. Polonius then tells Ophelia that they must tell it to the king and queen as it might bring more grief to them if they keep it to themselves.

Because Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are familiar with Hamlet’s personality and behavior, the king asked the two to stay and spend some time with Hamlet. And see if they can find out if there’s anything in particular that’s bothering the prince of Denmark. 

So The King and Queen ask the friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to report back to the King and Queen with any information they can gather, so what Rosencratz and Guildenstern will do is to spy on Hamlet.

Then after King’s conversation with Hamlet’s friends, Polonius reads a letter sent from Hamlet to Ophelia, in front of the King and queen. In that letter, Hamlet proclaimed his love for Ophelia. Together, Polonius, Claudius, and Gertrude decide to lay a trap, orchestrating a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia while they are watching from afar.

When Hamlet meets Polonius while walking in the hall. They talk a little, with Hamlet verbally sparring in clever if not chaotic circles around the older man. And this is how their conversation went:

Let’s watch the video first. Tapos mamaya kayo naman.

May I ask two volunteers who will act as Polonuis and as Hamlet.

In this part of the play, Hamlet calls Polonius a fishmonger. Do you know what a fishmonger is? 

Fishmonger-Someone who sells raw fish or seafood.

The question now is Do you think Hamlet had gone mad already? Or he’s still acting?

- Diba Hamlet knows who Polonius is, but why do you think he calls him fishmonger?

-Hamlet is just playing mad and he calls him fishmonger as a subtle insult to him.

Plus, he actually throws lots of insults to Polonius. Especially on the last lines where he mentioned that old men have grey beards; that their faces are wrinkled; and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, Hamlet is not just really referring to what he is reading, because what he said are all insults to Polonius. He just used his feigned madness to his advantage and Hamlet’s wit clearly shows that he has not yet lost his reason and is not truly mad. 

Many events happened in this act.

In the beginning, King Claudius and Polonius instruct Ophelia to stroll the hall while reading a book. Hamlet eventually appears, lost in his thoughts and there, he had the soliloquy “To be or not to be”.

Arguably the most famous six words in all of Shakespeare's works is the phrase To be or not to be where Hamlet is thinking about life and death. It is the greatest question that Hamlet is asking about human existence in general and his own existence in particular.

And that Phrase To be or not To be is an example (What figure of speech?)

---of antithesis, in which life and death, two opposing ideas, are put together in one sentence. 

Now may I ask for two Volunteers who will act as Ophelia and Hamlet?

If no one will volunteer mag-tatawag nalang 

Sino gusto mag act as Hamlet?

Lights, Camera, Action!

Thank You so much!!

Now let's ask a hurado, How was their performance?

Why does Hamlet urge Ophelia, “Get thee to a nunnery”?

-That line certainly insults Ophelia. Hamlet said that to Ophelia because by being a nun, she will no longer produce sinners. 

-But, the word nunnery does not only mean a convent, where the nuns live. During the Elizabethan era, it was a slang term for Brothel. So hindi naman prostitute si Ophelia para sabihan ni Hamlet na pumunta doon. (Mapanakit talaga si Hamlet)

What do you think prompted Hamlet’s “Get thee to a nunnery” outburst? - Syempre hindi naman sya mag a-act ng ganon out of nowhere. MAy pinanghuhugutan din syan.

What do you think really made him mad aside from the fact that his father was killed by his uncle?

(His mother married his uncle too soon, it made Hamlet mad and He projects his disappointment with his mother onto all women in general including Ophelia- who doesn’t even have an idea of the real reason why Hamlet is acting mad, because Hamlet did not tell it to her.)

In Scene 2, Hamlet coaches the actors in the anticipation of a performance that recreates the Claudius murder of King Hamlet.As the play unfolds, it becomes to much for Claudius that causes him to leave the room. 

In scene 3, Claudius had his Soliloquy. 

I need someone who will act as Claudius.  

The I also need a Horado.

Thank you so much!

Horado pasok!

 In his soliloquy, Shakespeare allows us to understand and see the innermost character of Claudius. He is indeed guilty and in his Soliloquy where he admits the crime. He admits that he killed his brother- He also talks about seeking forgiveness but the fact is that he is not really willing to give up his position and his wife.

What Biblical Allusion is present in Claudius Soliloquy? -primal eldest curse, Cain, the son of eve and adam murder his brother, Abel, because of jealousy.

Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in Act 3?

-Hamlet thinks that if he kills his uncle while the king is seeking repentance, he will go to what he doesn't want to happen. 

---His soliloquy is a kind of ‘prayer’ or rather confession to us or to the audience about the crime he commited. He wants forgiveness, yet he is enjoying the gains brought to him by his act. The crown, the kingdom and the queen.

---He is very guilty and he doesn't think there's enough rain in heaven to wash the blood off his hands. Similar to Macbeth who sees blood on his hands when he murdered king Duncan.

On the same night where the play-within-a-play happened, Hamlet had a conversation with his mother. Polonius, who was listening and hiding in the tapestry, ended up dead. Hamlet killed him.

anung part na to ng tragic pattern? sige nga kung nakinig talaga kayo sa discussion ni Teacher Jam.

Murder and Alienation (Bakit?)- . 

Now let's lay the tragic pattern in Act 2 and 3

--First is the sense of urgency

Saang part to?

it is when Hamlet hired players to act his own version of Murder of Gonzago to see if his uncle will react guility.

--Next is rationalization when Hamlet contemplates in his To be or not to be soliloquy: what is better, to be alive or dead?

-Lastly, the murder and alienation that happen in the last scene of Act 3 (Alin to?) 

--when Hamlet murdered Polonius. 

Naintindihan na ba?

That’s it. I hope you learned from what we discussed today and you enjoyed our activity. 

But before the we proceed to the main objectives, let me check first if you really read Act 4 and 5. This is a true or false quiz

Ophelia handed out a flower to Hamlet.

1. True
2. False

Queen Gertrude killed Ophelia.

1. True
2. False

Hamlet was killed by the poisoned sword.

1. True
2. False

Gertrude tells the King what she witnessed during her meeting with Hamlet. While telling Claudius all that transpired between her and Hamlet, she compares Hamlet's madness with the power of wind and the sea.

Claudius then says that Hamlet must be sent away. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern find it hard to make Hamlet spill where the body is located but they bring Hamlet to the King and the King interrogates him until Hamlet tells him where the body is.

Now may I ask for two volunteers who will act as Hamlet and Claudius in this third scene from Act 4

Claudius voice here dapat medyo malumanay.

Thank you so much.

May roon bang gusto mag bigay ng comment?

 Do you believe that Claudius really cares for Hamlet as what is shown from the dialogue?

In this scene, Claudius tells Hamlet that he will be sent to England. Hamlet then agrees. 

Do you believe that he really cares for Hamel as what is shown from Claudius' dialogue? That he will just send him to England for his safety?---No

Why?

When Hamlet is immediately dispatched to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Claudius’s plan for Hamlet includes more than banishment, as he has given Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sealed orders for the King of England demanding that Hamlet be put to death. He doesn’t really care for Hamlet, he just did that to legitimize this gain of the throne.

In Scene 5, Ophelia enters. She sings and talks in a disconnected way.

Again sino gusto mag act as Ophelia? How about Queen Gertrude?

Ophelia is singing in this part: Dapat pakanta kanta din yung sinasabi mo.

Thank you.

-----Would you like to give comment?

What can you infer from this scene? About how Ophelia behaves?

—Ophelia is mad already.

Why is Ophelia mad?

What has driven Ophelia’s madness in Act IV Scene V?

-Definitely, the death of his father pushes her to madness. And maybe the thought that Hamlet doesn't love her anymore adds up to it.

-She also sings about The girl in the song gets up early in the morning on Valentine's day and goes to the man's window because folklore said that the first girl seen by a man on the morning of Valentine's day would be his valentine, his true love. 

-(The man who the girl wanted for a valentine takes advantage of her: When he lets her into his room she's a "maid" (a virgin), but when she leaves she is no longer a virgin.)

Do you think the song refers to her and Hamlet's story?

So, it’s not really clear.

After Ophelia's scene, Laertes arrived angrily.

May I ask for 3 volunteers who will act as Laestes, Claudius and Gertrude. (Yung hindi pa nakakapag participate)

To answer this, Let us first define What is a Literary foil.

A foil character has values that differ from those of the protagonist. Usually a foil experiences the same events as the protagonist, but since his values differ, so do his choices and behavior.

Hamlet and Laertes Similarities

Now to understand more how Laertes is foil for Hamlet,

Let us identify first the similarities of the two:

Answer on this mind map activity the similarities of Hamlet and Laertes.

Hamlet and Laertes Similarities

Both of their fathers were killed

Both (young) man

Seek revenge for their father’s death

Both of their father were killed.

           -Hamlet's uncle killed King Hamlet.

           -Hamlet killed Polon

What makes Laertes different from Hamlet?

What makes Hamlet different from Laertes? It can be seen from these lines.

I'll not be juggled with: I

dare damnation. I will be reveng'd

Most thoroughly for my father.

Laertes, who after knowing that his father was murdered, wants to take revenge right away. Hamlet on the other hand plans and contemplates his every action.

And that is what makes Laertes a foil character. His main purpose as a foil is to draw attention to and emphasize Hamlet’s strengths and weaknesses in this play.

The theme Action vs Inaction can be seen in the Character of Hamlet and Laertes.

Remember that in the Act 3, where Claudius is seeking forgiveness or praying, Hamlet could have killed him but he delayed his action because of a reason. And that makes him unique from other characters, he thinks a lot and plans his actions. Laertes on the other hand took action instantly, he went home to avenge his father's death right away.

Dear Lord and Father of all, Thank you for today. Thank you for ways in which you provide for us all. For Your protection and love we thank you. Help us to focus our hearts and minds now on what we are about to learn. Inspire us by Your Holy Spirit as we listen and write. Guide us by your eternal light as we discover more about the world around us. We ask all this in the name of Jesus. 

Amen.

Why was Ophelia handing out “flowers” to Laertes, Gertrude and King Claudius?

Pansies and Rosemary

Fennel

Columbine and Rue

In scene 7, we learned that the letter to the King is about the return of Hamlet in Denmark. Laertes and Hamlet then plan for a fencing match between Laestes and Hamlet where Laertes will use a poisoned foil or sword. In this scene also, Gertude reported that Ophelia has drowned.

Is Ophelia foil to Hamlet?

 -The answer is YES

Same with Laertes, Ophelia is also Hamlet’s foil.

      We see Ophelia as a young woman who is obedient to his father and brother. She’s very submissive. And in the scene where she let herself drown, suggests that she never had control of her own life, as she was expected to comply with the expectations of the people that surrounded her. But her act of suicide can also be seen in a way that for the last time in her life, she was able to choose what will happen to her.

What makes Hamlet different from Ophelia is that Hamlet did not kill himself. He contemplates in his soliloquy in Act 3 about life and death but he did not do the act. Whereas Ophelia has the guts to commit suicide. 

Let us now lay the tragic pattern for Act 4

So in act 4, After Hamlet killed Polonius, he was sent to England together with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern— What part of the tragic pattern is that? — It is the Gradual Isolation.

And when Laertes learned that his father was killed, he went home to seek revenge. And that is the mobilization of the enemies.

In the graveyard, the gravediggers were talking about Ophelia's death and why she gets a Christian burial even though she killed herself.

Then in the same scene, a gravedigger handed Hamlet a skull.

Gravedigger. Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter?

Other Gravedigger. I cannot tell.

Gravedigger. Cudgel thy brains no more about it. When you are ask'd this question next, say 'a grave-maker.' The houses he makes lasts till doomsday.

Ham. What man dost thou dig it for?

Gravedigger. For no man, sir.

Ham. What woman then?

Gravedigger. For none neither.

Ham. Who is to be buried in't?

Gravedigger. One that was a woman, sir;

but, rest her soul, she's dead.

Ham. Whose was it?

Gravedigger. Whose do you think it was?

Ham. Nay, I know not.

Gravedigger. This same skull, sir, was Yorick's

skull, the King's jester.

Ham. This?

Gravedigger. E'en that.

Now who wants to act as gravedigger and Hamlet?

Ham. Let me see. [Takes the skull.]

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him,

Horatio. A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent

fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand

tunes. Where be your gibes now? your songs? your

flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table

on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own

grinning?

But soft! but soft! aside! Here comes the King-

Why was the scene in the graveyard (Act V scene i) an iconic event in the play? 

In this scene, Hamlet recalls Yorick’s nature when he was still alive including his childhood experiences with him. All of those are positive yet later Hamlet realizes that no matter how good you are when you are alive, like Alexander the Great, you will still face death.

 

What does the skull of Yorick symbolize?

 For Hamlet, Yorick’s skull symbolizes the inevitable decay of the human body or death which will be experienced by everyone, even him. Here he already recognizes the nature of every human being. 

That we are destined to retun to dust.

Before they begin the match, Hamlet asks for forgiveness for the sin committed by his “mental illness” kuno kay Laertes. ang gustong ipalabas ni Hamlet is that he is not guilty kase ang may kasalanan nun is his mental illness state.

When the duel begins, Hamlet hits laertes. While the battle continues, Claudius drops poison into the cup and is given to Hamlet yet he did not drink from it. And on the second time that Hamlet hits Laertes, Gertrude drinks from the cup (na may poison.)

So Claudius ended up murdering his wife. 

King. Gertrude, do not drink.

Queen. I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me.

Yung boses dito ni Laertes dapat naghihingalo. Kase malapit na sya mamatay. 

Then Gertrude tells Hamlet that she has been poisoned. There, Hamlet realizes that he was betrayed by Claudius and Laertes.

Then Laertes tells the truth to Hamlet and he exclaims that the king is to blame.

Then Gertrude tells Hamlet that she has been poisoned. There, Hamlet realizes that he was betrayed by Claudius and Laertes.

The Laertes beg for forgiveness from Hamlet and Laertes dies.

And the play ends here.