Block, 2/6 - Bloodlet

• P&P

• Discuss J4

• Yes, Hamlet is about a bloodletting of the Kingdom of Denmark. Let's see how it gets there ; ) 

• Pick up where we left off . . .

HW: Do J5 below

J5 - Hamlet: Act 1

1. What dramatic and thematic purposes does Fortinbras, the young prince of Norway, serve? 
2. Contrast the late King Hamlet (the ghost) with Claudius (his brother and present King of Denmark).
3. What is significant (and ironic) about fathers, particularly about most of the fathers in this drama?
4. How does Shakespeare develop the theme that appearances sometimes mask reality (cite two examples)?
5. What is the purpose of Shakespeare's "ghosts"?
6. Discuss the important question concerning the "nature" of the ghost (where it comes from) and how we know. 
7. How was King Hamlet killed? What imagery does the ghost use to describe his death, and why is this (biblically) significant?