Hamlet: A classic

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Today's class

Giving your opinion 

Literature: Shakespeare's Hamlet! 

Giving your opinion. Select 3.

After much thought, …

After weighing up both sides of the argument, ..

As I see it, ...

For me/ From my point of view, …

I might change my mind later, but …

I reckon/suppose …

I tend to think that …

I’m pretty confident that …

I’ve always thought that …

If you ask me, …

I'm (absolutely) convinced that …

In my humble opinion / IMHO, …

It could be said that …

It seems clear to me that …

It would seem to me that …

My initial reaction is …

Not everyone will/would agree with me, but …

Personally speaking / Speaking for myself, …

The way I see it (is) …

To be (perfectly) frank, …

To the best of my knowledge, …

What I think is …

You could say …

Giving your opinion. Select 3.

It would seem to me that …

My initial reaction is …

Not everyone will/would agree with me, but …

Personally speaking / Speaking for myself, …

The way I see it (is) …

To be (perfectly) frank, …

My view/position on this (issue) (is clear and) is that …

Birth control

We are going to watch a short documentary (where?) about birth control in England. 

Central issues:

- Impact social media

- Whose responsibility? 

Make notes while you watch. You have to give a one minute summary. Then your opinion. 

Birth control

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b6-M9ueIpA&t=137s

Social media

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij_xXZAhJPs

What I noticed

What do you need to learn in order to improve giving your opinion?

Hamlet: a classic

pre-listening

LOOK at the cartoon. 

Have the students look at the cartoon and then answer the following three questions.

Who was

William Shakespeare?

If there is time, before you switch slides you could ask the students if they know anything about Shakespeare. 

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616)

William Shakespeare ( 1564 – 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest dramatist. He is often called England's national poet. 

His extant works consist of some 39 plays 154 sonnets, three long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616)

1. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avond (England) 

2. He was married and had 3 children

3. Began his successful career in London as an actor, writer and part-owner of a playing company

4. There is not much information about Shakespeare's private life. 

Why care about Hamlet?

Three Reasons!

Drie redenen over Hamlet te zorgen

HAMLET: WHO CARES?

..and?

Teacher says: 

We used Hamlet--a short version--to practice reading and listening because it is very important to English and international culture. Why do you think people still care about Hamlet?

Good advice.

#1

Teacher says:

Shakespeare includes some advice in the original play. What do you think of the advice he gives?

Tell the students that the following slides are polls and that they will give their opinion on whether they think the advice is good or not.

Listen to many people.
Talk with only a few people.

👍

👎

🤷‍♀️

Teacher asks:

Do you agree? Disagree? 

Don't borrow money from a friend.

👍

👎

🤷‍♀️

Think before you speak.

👍

👎

🤷‍♀️

Buy good clothes that aren't trendy.

👍

👎

🤷‍♀️

Be yourself.
Don't worry about what other people think.

👍

👎

🤷‍♀️

It's a 

great story.

(and we love great stories)

#2

Teacher says:

Another reason to care about Hamlet is because it is a great story, and who doesn't love a great story?

What series, movies, or
books do you like?

Teacher says:

What stories do you like? Think about movies, books, series, comics.

Why do you like them?

Teacher says:

What are some of the reasons you like those stories? Do they have good characters? Are they funny? Is their lots of action?

Hamlet has all of those!

Teacher says:

Hamlet has interesting characters, humour, emotions, and a good plot including a ghost and a mystery!

Shakespeare is 

an influencer.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-inquiry/a-history-of-the-influencer-from-shakespeare-to-instagram

(Even after 450 years!)

#3

Teacher says:

Even after 450 years, Shakespeare's work -- especially Hamlet-- is still being performed.

Hamlet is one of the most popular plays of all time

#2 meest gefilmde verhaal ter wereld

elke minuut van iedere dag wordt Hamlet opgevoerd

vertaald naar minstens 75 talen, inclusief Klingon

Teacher reads either the slide or the following translation: 

Check out these statistics:

• It has been estimated that every minute of every day, Hamlet is performed
• It is the 2nd most filmed story (1st is Cinderella)
• It has been translated to at least 75 languages, including Klingon

Hamlet is everywhere!

Teacher says:

You can see Hamlet references everywhere in pop-culture: from Donald Duck, to the Lion King; from the Simpsons, to Sesame Street, to Sons of Anarchy.

**on the next slide, play video for 30 seconds through about 2:15**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oti7JIqfun0

What is the main theme of Lion King?

Why care about Hamlet?

#1: Get some good advice

#2: It's a good story

#3: Its influence on culture!

Teacher says:

So: Why do we still care about hamlet?

[read the slide.]

What do you remember?

• Who was Shakespeare?
• Why is Shakespeare / Hamlet still important?
• What are the most important points of Hamlet?

The bulletpoints will appear one at a time so that you can ask the students for verbal answers to each question.

The End