Year 12: The suits of woe (Hamlet Act 1 scene 2)

Hamlet Act 1 scenes 1 & 2

Today we will consider especially Act 1 scene 2 in which we are first introduced to Hamlet and his family.

After reading and watching Brannagh's production, answer these questions:

1. What first impression do we get of Claudius?
2. What about the Queen, Gertrude?
3. How would you characterise Hamlet in this scene?
4. What more do we learn about the political situation in Denmark at the opening of the play from this scene?
5. What is the significance of Hamlet's speech in lines 76-86?
6. What do we learn about Hamlet's state of mind from his soliloquy in lines 129-157?
7. What do you deduce about Hamlet's relationship with his uncle and mother ffrom this scene?
8. How does Hamlet receive the news of the appearance of the Ghost?
9. Pick two lines from the scene you think especially significant and explain why they are important.
10. Chose one image from this scene that summarises Hamlet's condition at the opening of the play.

AO4: The meaning and significance of context

What do we mean by the context of a literary work?
Brianstorm together what kinds of things we might be interested in finding out about to explain the context of a literary work's production (e.g. religious beliefs of the time).

Homework

Research the context of Hamlet focusing especially on Elizabethan society and religion.