Act I Scene 5 Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father

Part 3 "Angels and ministers of grace defend us."
*
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=5mJOUKXPWVI&feature=related

*

The wedding of Claudius, Hamlet's Uncle, to Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, occurred very quickly after the funeral of his father. Hamlet and Horatio find this curious.
*

Should Hamlet speak to the ghost - is it the spirit of his father of a demon from hell that will lead him into madness?

*
Act I Scene 4, lines 44-53

Hamlet:
It will not speak. Then will I follow it.
Horatio:
Do not, my lord.
Hamlet:
Why, what should be the fear?
I do not set my life at a pin's fee,
And for my soul, what can it do to that,
Being a thing immortqal as itself?
It waves me forth. I'll follow it.
Horatio:
What if it tempt you toward the flood my lord
Or to dreadful summit of the cliff
That beetles o'er his base into the sea,
And there assume some horrible form
Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason
And draw you into madness? Think of it.


Part 4 The ghost describes his murder
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=h5rbFVTTQdg&feature=related

The official story is that Hamlet's father was "stung" by a snake sleeping in his orhard Hamlet
The ghost claims his brother Claudius poured poison into his ear

***


Comments

Hamlet's meeting with the ghost is full of trepidation. The play represents the protestant belief that some ghosts are manifestations of demons from hell. They are sent by the devil to lead people foolish enough to engage them into madness.

It is important to note that at the time of Shakespeare his theatre was theatened with closure by the reigning protestant authorities who considered it immoral. Shakespeare's insistence on this idea may have been added to appease the authorities.

It nevertheless has considerable value to the play adding to the tension of the encounter between Hamlet and the spirit, but also to the theme of certainty.


Hamlet:
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in our philosophy,


cf

Friar Lawrence:
A greater power than we can contradictHath thwarted our intents. Come, come away.

Romeo and Juliet, Act V Scene 3

The ghost of Old King Hamlet & Ghosts and their Behaviour

The class will ask you to answer the following questions:

1. Why does Bernado ask Horatio to speak to the ghost?
2. How was the ghost dressed?
3. Is the ghost the spirit of the dead King Hamlet? Are you sure? This is important.
4. How did Fortinbras lose his lands to old King Hamlet?
5. What is young Fortinbras planning to do about these lands?
6. What is the reason for all the activity in the shipyards and for their watch?
7. The ghost appears a second time and Horatio blocks its path and challenges it to speak- according to the belief of the day, what could happen to Horatio?
8. What happens as soon as the cock crows?
   What does Marcellus say about the cock, the planets and Christmas? Why do you think he tells this story?
   

Hamlet Act III Sc.1: To be or not to be

To be, or not to be:
that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?
To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd.
To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pith and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.--Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

Questions

1) In reference to Hamlet’s soliloquy briefly state in your own words what he wants to do and why he cannot bring himself to do it?

2) Paraphrase the following quotes in ordinary English

• To be or not to be
• Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
  The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks, That flesh is heir to:
• When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
• The undiscovered country, from whose bourn
  No traveller returns
• Conscience doth make cowards of us all
  

Video versions - on Youtube

Mel Gibson as Hamlet

Laurence Olivier as Hamlet

Derek Jacoby as Hamlet

Group work - in prep

In groups of 2-3 students you will be assigned a section from the play to study. Once you receive it follow the procedure below:

• Read the synopsis of the play


• Read your scene with a commentary


• Put your scene into the context of the entire play


• Break it down into parts


• Decide on a brief synopsis of your scene


• Quote where appropriate


• Note themes: Interpret your scene scientifically, and/or draw out scientific themes. You may use the pointers provided or create your own.


• Watch your scene on DVD in the lab.


• Summarize all this information on overhead transparencies or use Power point


• Prepare a presentation for the class lasting no more than 15 minutes.


• Practise your presentation with your teacher in your next oral


• Deliver your presentation to the class


• Be accurate, clear, creative & dynamic
  

Group 1

Act I scene 1
The Ghost of Old King Hamlet & Ghosts and their Behaviour

Research Pointer: Science and the Paranormal
In this part of your research you will investigate rational explanations for the paranormal. Go to the following chapter of this blog and explore the notions of memes, the work of biologist Richard Dawkins, pyschologist Sue Blackmore and philosopher Daniel Dennet: Cultural Evolution & Memes . Look also into collective hysteria or delusion - did they all really see the ghost? See: Mass Delusions and Hysteria

Group 2
Act I Scene 2
Hamlet’s state of mind in relation to his father’s death and mother’s marriage to his uncle.

Research Pointer: The Cinderella Effect. Examine Hamlet's relationship to Claudius his step father from an evolitionary pyschology perspective. See New York Times article -'Genetic Ties May Be Factor In Violence in Stepfamilies' ; Wikipedia - Cinderella Effect

Group 3
Act I Scene 5
Hamlet encounters the ghost, and learns from it that he was murdered by his brother Claudius.
The ghost commands Hamlet to kill Claudius.

Research Pointer: Certainty and the scientific method. Montaigne - The Essays

Group 4
Act III Scene 2- The play within the play: The mouse trap

Research Pointer: Real and feigned madness. Reading faces. Real and fake smiles. The Mind's Big Bang - gossip and contemlating what others are thinking.

Group 5
Act III Scene 4 Claudius' confession, Hamlet and his mother Gertrude, the death of Polonius and the ghost again.

Real and feigned madness. Hamlet and Oedipus - Hamlet's search for himself. Incest as a social taboo and Sigmund Freud's interpretation of Hamlet.

Group 6
Act IV Scene 1 Gertrude informs Claudius of Hamlet's condition; Act IV Sc. 2-3 Claudius confronts Hamlet Act IV Sc. 5 Ophelia’s madness

Group 7
Act V Scene 1
Hamlet’s return and the burial of Ophelia

Group 8
Act V Scene 2
Hamlet and Laertes fight and conclusion

Research Pointer: Comic and Tragic Modes
In this part you should consider Hamlet's behaviour during the finale. Hamlet has been avoiding taking revenge on his uncle Claudius until he is certain of his guilt. Your task is to interpret Hamlet's playful behaviour during the sword fight with Laertes.

Once you have done this consider the ideas of Joseph Meeker. Meeker is a biologist who turned to the study of literature, and has developed an ethological interpretation of Hamlet's comportment.

There are two readings to consider: The Comic Mode from Ecocriticism and Chapter 4 'Hamlet and the Animals' from Literary Ecology and the Play Ethic both by Joseph Meeker (You will find sunnaries of these two articles and others at The Biology of Comedy Summaries). Please note, this latter article is in my opinion is problematic, so you should think critically about it.

Photos

Donnotar by Die Jugend