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Hamlet ( an old Danish legend ) ?1. Plot

?a. Hamlet’s father has been poisoned to death by his own brother, Claudius. ?b. The new king, Claudius, has married the Queen, Hamlet’s mother.

Hamlet ( an old Danish legend )

?c. Hamlet wants to avenge his father. ( running after the ghost, killing the king’s minister, fighting with the pirates, fighting with Laertes )

?d. Hamlet kills all the enemies and avenges his father.

Hamlet

Hamlet ( an old Danish legend ) ?2. Characters

? Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude,

? Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes

? Horatio

soliloquy

?Act III, Scene l：

?He expresses his disillusionment with life: “To be, or not to be- that is the question” Define the Following Terms

?soliloquy: is the act of talking to oneself, whether silently or aloud. In drama it denotes the convention by which a character, alone on the stage, utters his or her thoughts aloud. ( monologue )

Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet

?1. His father was murdered by his uncle who has become the king of Denmark. Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet

?2. His mother was married to his uncle right after his father’s death. Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet

?3. The Ghost of his father urged him to seek revenge for his murder; Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet

?4. His former friends Rosencrantz & Gildenstern were dispatched by the king to spy on him; Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet

5. His girl friend Ophelia was sent as a tool to find out whether or not he was really mad (A betrayal of love).

Hesitation

The Duel Between Hamlet and Laertes 3. The Character of Hamlet

Hamlet is made a hero of the Renaissance period and the representative of Humanism. a. Hamlet is a humanist

1) a man who is free from medieval prejudices and superstitions.

3. The Character of Hamlet

2) He has unbounded love for the world rather than for heaven.

3) He cherishes a profound reverence for man and a firm belief in man’s power over destiny.

3. The Character of Hamlet

?b. The humanist love of man makes Hamlet turn to those around him with the same sincere eagerness.

?He loves the good and hates the evil. His democratic tendency is based on his humanist thought.

3. The Character of Hamlet

?c. The key-note of Hamlet’s character is melancholy. His melancholy is not the negative, over-subtle and fruitless kind. It’s rather the result of his penetrating mind.

Questions on the Soliloquy

?Direction: Here are some questions which aim to direct your attention to some of the important points in Hamlet’s troubled thoughts. You should try to answer all the questions in English . Questions

?1. How does Hamlet explain what is ―to be‖ and what is ―not to be‖? Quote his own words, and then try to explain what was meant by the phrases. ?―To be‖ ?Your quote:

?to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. ?to live by enduring the injustices and miseries of the life. Questions

?―Not To be‖ ?Your quote:

?to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them. ?Your understanding:

?to fight against and end ― a sea of troubles ‖ at any cost (including, by taking his own life) Questions

?2. “ ’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wish’d.”---What is this ideal state, according to Hamlet?

?Your answer:

?Hamlet longed to end all his sufferings, and death seemed a perfect solution . Questions

?3. What is death compared to ? What makes one hesitate to end the troubles of life by death ? ?Your answer:

?Death is compared to sleep. The thought of what dreams may come in that sleep of death makes one hesitate to end the troubles of life by death. Questions

?4. ― There’s the respect that makes calamity of so long life ‖---What does the word ― respect ‖ mean here ?

?Your answer: ?consideration Questions

?5. What ― puzzles the will ‖ of death ? ?Your answer:

?The dread of something after death Questions

?6. What influence, according to Hamlet, do thoughts have upon resolution and action ? ?Your answer:

?Too much thinking has weakened the resolution and delayed the action. Questions

?7.(an essay question) What do you learn about Hamlet’s mental conflict and character through this soliloquy? words

?detached, reflective, analytic, moral, his thoughts, philosophical rather than practical, his concerns, the nature of things, his feelings , a deep sorrow over the injustice and vanity, melancholy, procrastination, commit suicide, cannot bear the social injustices and grievances, conscious of his own weakness, think too much Analysis of the soliloquy

? In this soliloquy, Hamlet is detached, reflective, analytic and moral. His thoughts were philosophical rather than practical; his concerns were on the nature of things rather than any specific plans for actions; his feelings were of a deep sorrow over the injustice and vanity, “a sea of troubles” which brought pains into human life. His melancholy and procrastination are also revealed. Here he is pondering on the question of life and death. Analysis of the soliloquy

? He is thinking of committing suicide. But he hesitates for he doubts whether death can give him rest and peace. Besides, he is not sure whether the world of death would be better than this one. He gives the reasons why he wants to commit suicide. Apart from his personal revenge (He hasn’t mentioned it in this soliloquy), he cannot bear the social injustices and grievances. He is conscious of his own weakness of thinking too much which makes him dilatory, allowing many opportunities to slip away. Homework

1. How many periods does Shakespeare’s dramatic career fall into?

2. Give a summary about the English literature in the Renaissance period. 3. How much do you know about English Renaissance?

A. Comedy

?1. comedy : is a fictional work in which the materials are selected and managed primarily to interest and amuse us:

A. Comedy

?the characters and their discomfitures

engage our pleasurable attention rather than our profound concern,

A. Comedy

?we are made to feel confident that no great disaster will occur, and usually the action turns out happily for the chief characters.

B. Plot

?A. Four characters ?B. Two places ?C. Two clues ?D. Two conditions ?E. Court verdict

?F. The change of the verdict

B. Plot

?Main characters

?Shylock __ a money lender, miser, usurer. ?Antonio __ a Christian merchant

?Bassanio __ a young man who is the dear friend of Antonio ?Portia __ a beautiful girl who is the heroine

Shylock Antonio B. Plot

?B. Two places ? Venice ? Belmont B. Plot

?C. Two clues

?1. a pound of flesh from any part of the body ?2. three caskets of silver, gold and lead

B. Plot

?D. Two conditions

?1. Taking no more and no less than one pound of flesh ?2. Spilling no drop of blood B. Plot

?E. Half of Shylock’s wealth belongs to Antonio and the other half comes to the general state. B. Plot

?F. To quit the fine for one half on his goods and give it to his daughter after his death. ?Shylock becomes a Christian. The Merchant of Venice Appreciation

? Act IV Scene I

? Venice. A Court of Justice Venice. A Court of Justice

Analysis of the Characters

Shylock

夏洛克

Analysis of the Characters

?1. Shylock is the most controversial character in the play.

?On the one hand, he has been seen as a misunderstood alien who faces enormous prejudice from the Christians around him. Analysis of the Characters

?On the other hand, he has been regarded as an unmitigated monster with no redeeming features. ?The truth lies in between.

?The consistent hatred for the oppressors and sympathy for the oppressed

Analysis of the Characters

?Portia

Women’s Position __equalitarian attitude

?1. Shakespeare’s respect for the dignity, honesty, wit, courage, determination and resourcefulness of