Hamlet's Soliloquy...ACTIVITY 4...

Alicia Ramirez

Johna Emerick

Judith Botello

...Activity 4...

1. What is a tragedy? What themes and outcomes would you expect to find in a tragedy?

•  A tragedy is something horrible that happens when you least expect it. the theme would be the lesson of the wrong path.

2. What do you know about the language in plays written by Shakespeare?

• Shakespearean language is quite difficult to understand. It seems as if he created his own language. As long as you reread the play line by line you'll be able to comprehend it. 

3. What have you done in the past to help yourself read Shakespeare effectively?

•  We went over it in class during the seminar and each student participated and mentioned how they interpreted the play. Last year we had someone come in class and explain what Shakespeare was trying to say in one of his plays. We also had to rewrite Hamlet a few weeks ago with a partner interpreting each line in our own vocabulary. 

4. The soliloquy here begins with a famous quotation: "To be, or not to be-- that is the question." What do  you think is "the question" Hamlets asking? How do you think he might answer it?

• The question he is asking is whether to be someone or not or maybe if he should do something or not. He's asking himself the same question we all ask ourselves before doing something except he's doing it in a more clever way.