A Dark Play?
Why should I care about Hamlet?
Playing Hamlet is like
going to the Olympics for an actor.
The play tells the story of Prince
Hamlet. But Hamlet's no party-boy prince:
When the action begins, we discover
that:
His dad has been murdered by his
own brother!
And it gets worse:
Claudius, the murderer has married
Hamlet's mom, Gertrude
So, what's a prince to do ...?
1. Hang out with Dad's ghost?
2. Feign madness?
3. Dump girlfriend because he doesn’t trust her?,
4. Accuse Mom of treachery and kill her?
5. Kill Uncle/Stepdad/King Claudius?
1. Hang out with Dad's ghost?
2. Feign madness?
3. Dump girlfriend because he doesn’t trust her?,
4. Accuse Mom of treachery and kill her?
5. Kill Uncle/Stepdad/King Claudius?
Whew! No wonder he drags his feet!
… For us it is like talking to someone we know:
How is Hamlet like us? Give three examples
Atmosphere/Mood
Right from the beginning of Hamlet,
Shakespeare creates a dark atmosphere.
Choose the facts that make us a feel sad, melancholy ... dark
1.The first scene
takes place in the dark, at midnight
2. Elsinore Castle is a dark , gloomy place
3. There are men on watch, “What are they
watching for?
4. A ghost appears at the very beginning
5. There is suspense because we do not know
what he wants
6. Hamlet feels a lot of pressure not to fail
his father
7. Hamlet doesn’t like the guy his mum has remarried
8. Hamlet talks to himself a lot
9. Hamlet is dressed in mourning
10. Hamlet is having a teenage crisis
11. Hamlet believes that he is living in a world
of corruption
12. Hamlet doesn’t know what to do with his life
13. Hamlet has got a crush on a girl and he
believes she’s cheating on him
14. Hamlet thinks he is being deceived by everyone around
him
15. The scene in the gravedigger’s is
morbid.