Tomorrow:  Quiz over Acts II and III

TODAY IN CLASS
Group debriefing and then a whole-class discussion of the main ideas of Claudius' soliloquy and Hamlet's response; these hand-outs were collected.

Then--an enactment of the opening portion of Act 3, Scene 4, depicting the start of Hamlet's conversation with his mother and the killing of Polonius.  Every class did this twice--getting the "stage business" down to make the scene more realistic was important (and pretty entertaining!).

FOR TOMORROW
Read/review the rest of the scene; use the synopsis at the beginning of the scene to help your understanding.

As homework, write a short analysis of three of the following four passages from Scene 4.  Each passage contains an analogy or imagery that helps convey the literal meaning. Here are two quick examples of what you need to do.

Ex. #1:   " . . . you shall not budge./ You go not till I set you up a glass/ Where you may see the inmost part of you."  (Folger 3.4.23-25; McD-L 3.4.19-21)

Hamlet's analogy uses "glass" in the sense of a "mirror," only as a special kind of mirror which would show what is inside a person instead of the mere reflection of the exterior.  He is saying that he is going to force his mother to look inside herself to see what is really on her conscience.

Ex. #2:  "Look here upon this picture and on this, / The counterfeit presentment of two brothers."
(Folger 3.4.63-64; McD-L 3.4.54-55).  [And this is expanded in the following lines.]

Hamlet is actually using literal props here; he indicates two actual portraits, one for each brother.  They may be paintings on the wall, small portraits on a dresser, or even a "miniature" (of his own father) that he wears around the neck.  He points to each picture, as needed, to support his description of the noble character of the dead King vs. the "mildewed ear" of corn or grain that is Claudius.

CHOOSE THREE OF THE FOLLOWING FOR SHORT EXPLANATIONS OF YOUR OWN:

Folger 3.4.100-103 / McDougal Littell 3.4.91-93

Folger 3.4.126-7 / McDougal Littell 3.4.114-115 (What is the nature of the analogy, and what is the Ghost urging Hamlet to do?)

Folger 3.4.161-163 / McDougal Littell 3.4.146-147

Folger 3.4.165-170 / McDougal Littell 3.4.149-155