Hamlet – Lesson 2

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Students encounter the character of Hamlet for the first time through the eyes of his uncle and now stepfather, Claudius, who reproaches Hamlet for his continued grief over the death of his father. Through this reading, students acquire a preliminary understanding of the characters of Claudius and Hamlet and begin to determine the emergence of concepts such as gender roles, duty, and mortality.  Excerpt: Hamlet

Vocabulary

  1. filial (adj.) – of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter
  2. impious (adj.) – lacking reverence for God, religious practices, etc.
  3. obsequious (adj.) – dutiful
  4. condolement (n.) – sorrow
  5. vulgar (adj.) – of, pertaining to, or constituting the ordinary people in a society; current, popular, common

Summarize

Reread Act 1.1, lines 1–190 and write an objective summary of the scene. Use this lesson’s vocabulary wherever possible in your written response. Remember to use the Short Response Rubric and Checklist to guide your written response.

Listen

Listen to Act 1.2, lines 90–110 (from “’Tis sweet and commendable in your nature” to “till he that died today / ‘This must be so’”). Pay attention to Claudius’s choice of words.

Read and Answer Questions

A. Read lines 90–93 (from “’Tis sweet and commendable in your nature” to “But you must know your father lost a father”) and answer the following questions:

  1. In lines 90–92, who is Hamlet mourning?

  2. What are the first two adjectives that the King Claudius uses to describe Hamlet’s nature?

  3. Evaluate Claudius’s sincerity about Hamlet’s “sweet and commendable” nature (line 90). What evidence from the text supports your position?

B. Read lines 93–96 (from “But you must know your father lost a father” to “for some term / to do obsequious sorrow”) and answer the following questions:

  1. How does Claudius view the loss of Hamlet’s father?

  2. How does Claudius emphasize his point in lines 93–94?

C. Read lines 96–101 (from “But to persever / In obstinate condolement is a course” to “a mind impatient / An understanding simple and unschooled”) and answer the following questions:

  1. Summarize lines 93–98. What is Claudius saying to Hamlet?

  2. What idea links the phrases “mourning duties” (line 92), “filial obligation” (line 95), and “obsequious sorrow” (line 96)?

  3. What is Claudius suggesting about grief and its relationship to duty?

  4. In lines 96–98, of what fault does Claudius accuse Hamlet?

  5. What does Claudius mean when he calls Hamlet’s grief “unmanly” in line 98?

D. Read lines 102–106 (from “For what we know must be and is as common” to “A fault against the dead, a fault to nature”) and answer the following questions:

  1. In line 102, what does Claudius mean by “what we know must be”?

  2. Where earlier in the speech has Claudius made a similar point?

  3. What does Claudius’s repeated insistence upon death as an everyday occurrence imply about Hamlet’s character?

E. Read lines 107–110 (from “To reason most absurd, whose common theme” to “till he that died today / ‘This must be so’”) and answer the following questions

  1. In line 107, how does Hamlet’s grief appear “to reason,” according to Claudius?

  2. What is the reasonable attitude toward death, according to Claudius?

  3. Paraphrase Claudius’s monologue thus far into a single sentence.

Quick Write (10-15 minute paragraph)

Respond briefly in writing to the following prompt:

  • How do specific word choices in Claudius’s monologue impact the development of Hamlet’s character?

Use this lesson’s vocabulary wherever possible and use the Short Response Rubric and Checklist to guide your written responses. Answer the prompt using evidence from the text.

Independent Work

Reread Act 1.2, lines 90–110 (from “’Tis sweet and commendable in your nature” to “till he that died today / ‘This must be so’”) and respond briefly in writing to the following prompt:

  • To what kinds of standards does Claudius hold Hamlet? Cite at least two pieces of textual evidence to support your claim.

Use this lesson’s vocabulary wherever possible in your written response. Remember to use the Short Response Rubric and Checklist to guide your written response.