L1+Gill+Ted

 **UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT FARMINGTON ****COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, HEALTH AND REHABILITATION ****LESSON PLAN **  **Teacher’s Name ****: ** Mr. Gill **Grade Level ****: ** 10
 * Date of Lesson: ** #1 
 * Topic: ** //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> application of history <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Objectives **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Student will understand that **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> genre and history can have a huge effect on literature and purpose, as well as how they are perceived by audiences. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Student will know **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">about William Shakespeare's life and his influence on English drama, along with the makeup of government on historical Denmark. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Student will be able to do ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">apply historical context to deepen understanding of //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Maine Learning Results Alignment **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Maine Learning Results: // <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> English Language Arts - A. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Reading //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">A2 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Literary Texts //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Grades 9-Diploma //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Students read text, within a grade-appropriate span of text complexity and present analyses of fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry using excerpts from the text to defend their assertions. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">a. Analyze the characters' external and internal conflicts. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Rationale: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> This lesson supports the MLR in its demands that students use excerpts from the text to defend assertions about the political state of Denmark.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Assessment **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Formative (Assessment for Learning) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Formative assessment that will be used in the class will include full-class participation in making a sample Venn Diagram on the white board with an example government, the United States Democracy, and its comparison to //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">'s Denmark. Other formative assessment will include asking students to summarize the reading either orally or on paper. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Summative (Assessment of Learning) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> The summative assessment for this lesson is composed of an Inspiration-based or other graphic organizer comparing the government of Denmark with other governments and the possible consequences of unique political elements. The graphic organizer will be evaluated on the number of other governments compared to Elsinore (at least 3) and the number of similarities and differences for each one (at least three for each). It will also be evaluated on whether or not the student makes a connection between the political state of Denmark and the underlying plot. The graphic organizer will be worth 25 points towards the student's final grade.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Integration **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Technology: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> The students will be using Inspiration or another graphic organizer software to compare and contrast government types after using venn diagram printouts. The Inspiration organizers will be saved as images and uploaded to the class wiki.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">History: ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students will use excerpts from [|__a website__] to look at the history of the legend of Hamlet, and also will look at [|__a brief biography__] of William Shakespeare. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Groupings **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Students will be put in groups of three or four, selected by counting off heads, where they will use Round Robin Brainstorming to fill in a [|__Venn Diagram__]. Each group will be suggested a government style (democracy, constitutional monarchy, dictatorship, etc.) or can choose one of their own. The group will then list elements of both //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">'s Denmark and the government they have chosen, using excerpts from the text to support elements of Denmark. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Differentiated Instruction **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Strategies **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Verbal - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students will frequently consult the play when organizing thoughts. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Logical - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Students look at similarities and differences between different government types and fill in the graphic organizers. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Visual **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> - Students use a large graphic organizer and arrange information visually. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Interpersonal **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> - Students need to work together to fill in the diagram - each student is expected to contribute as part of a team. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Intrapersonal - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students can think independently about facts that aren't well known about governments. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Auditory - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students will read aloud sections of the play suggesting the type of government in Denmark. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Kinesthetic - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students will be moving around and writing with wide motions on the parchment paper Venn Diagrams. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Naturalist **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> - Students will look at and think about the geography of Denmark and other places and what effect this has on government and society.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Modifications/Accommodations **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> I will review students' IEP, 504, or ELLIDEP and make appropriate modifications and accommodations.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Absence Rules: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Absent students will meet with me before the next class, if possible, in order to ensure that the assigned reading was well-understood. I will also make sure the students are prepared with the information and handouts required to complete the graphic organizer. Homework will be expected by the next class, and will not be penalized for lateness if the absence was valid (appointment, emergency, illness).

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Extensions **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students at an advanced preparedness level will write reflections on the assigned reading on a specialized blog so I will be able to give them specialized and more directly helpful feedback, helping them grow and avoid boredom.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Materials, Resources and Technology **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students' laptops equipped with Inspiration software Teacher laptop Writing implements <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Venn Diagram Graphic Organizer: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Hamlet History and Shakespeare Biography <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Copies of //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">A few Side-By-Side Modern English copies of //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Source for Lesson Plan and Research **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">History of Hamlet source: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Short Shakespeare Biography: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Maine Standards for Initial Teacher Certification and Rationale **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **//<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">• Standard 3 - Demonstrates a knowledge of the diverse ways in which students learn and develop by providing learning opportunities that support their intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and cultural development. //**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> This lesson demonstrates my competency with the standard by appealing to the eight intelligences in varying degrees and looking at the text from a perspective they haven't considered yet, keeping them focused and excited about the content. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Beach ball students will use the “fake news” story as a different resource then they are used to and look at //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> through a new frame. Puppy students will think about how it feels to live in different governments and what effect that can have on a person emotionally or physically. Clipboard learners will like the sequence of looking at different government styles and organizing them into similarities and differences. Microscope students will be interested in the categorization of governments using the Venn Diagram. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

**//<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">• Standard 4 - Plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, curriculum goals, and learning and development theory. //**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> This lesson demonstrates my competency with the standard by looking in-depth at the history of the text and appealing to the students' interest. Students who are not excited by drama may be drawn in by other elements of the lesson. Learning and development theory is paid attention to in the interest of Multiple Intelligences. The content of the play figures prominently into the lesson. Students can use knowledge of how to think about the effect of government on events or emotions. The beginning of the play should be seen through a political lens to draw attention to the long-term elements of the play.

**//<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">• Standard 5 - Understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies and appropriate technology to meet students’ needs. //**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> This lesson demonstrates my understanding for different strategy and use of technology by using the following ideas that serve the multiple intelligences, and also by integrating a Type II technology in my lesson plan as follows: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Verbal - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students will frequently consult the play when organizing thoughts. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Logical - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Students look at similarities and differences between different government types and fill in the graphic organizers. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Visual **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> - Students use a large graphic organizer and arrange information visually. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Interpersonal **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> - Students need to work together to fill in the diagram - each student is expected to contribute as part of a team. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Intrapersonal - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students can think independently about facts that aren't well known about governments. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Auditory - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students will read aloud sections of the play suggesting the type of government in Denmark. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Kinesthetic - **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Students will be moving around and writing with wide motions on the parchment paper Venn Diagrams. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Naturalist **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> - Students will look at and think about the geography of Denmark and other places and what effect this has on government and society. The Type II technology for this lesson is a series of Inspiration organizers that students will upload to a class wiki where they can compare and make comments about things they hadn’t thought of.

**//<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">• Standard 8 - Understands and uses a variety of formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and support the development of the learner. //**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> In this lesson I use a variety of formative and summative assessments to ensure student understanding and monitor progress of students. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Formative (Assessment for Learning) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Formative assessment that will be used in the class will include full-class participation in making a sample Venn Diagram on the white board with an example government, the United States Democracy, and its comparison to //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">'s Denmark. Other formative assessment will include asking students to summarize the reading either orally or on paper. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Summative (Assessment of Learning) **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> The summative assessment for this lesson is composed of an Inspiration-based or other graphic organizer comparing the government of Denmark with other governments and the possible consequences of unique political elements. The graphic organizer will be evaluated on the number of other governments compared to Elsinore (at least 3) and the number of similarities and differences for each one (at least three for each). It will also be evaluated on whether or not the student makes a connection between the political state of Denmark and the underlying plot. The graphic organizer will be worth 25 points towards the student's final grade.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Teaching and Learning Sequence ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> The classroom for this lesson will be arranged in clusters, which suits small group work well yet with little shifting of chairs can be a class-wide discussion shape. Agenda: <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Fake News Story (Hook) (10 minutes) <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Work on graphic organizers (60 minutes) <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Reflection and evaluation (10 minutes) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">The class will start with the handout of the newscast about current events in monarchy, and move into reading and discussion of the Hamlet History and Shakespeare Biography. As a class, we will make a large venn diagram comparing Danish Monarchy to American Democracy. From there, the class will move into groups of 3 or 4, chosen by numbering heads, and make venn diagrams comparing governments further. Students understand that genre and history can have a huge effect on literature and purpose, as well as how they are perceived by audiences. This is important because understanding the medium of writing can make powerful changes to themes and ideas, whether it is the difference between a play and novel or the difference between a persuasive essay, a family letter, a college application, and a diary entry. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Students read text, within a grade-appropriate span of text complexity, and present analyses of drama using excerpts from the text to defend their assertions //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">. Students will be tailored to the following intelligences during this portion. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Where, Why, What, Hook, Tailor: verbal, logical, naturalistic, auditory, visual, interpersonal **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

Students will know about William Shakespeare's life and his influence on English drama, along with the makeup of government in historical Denmark. They will be supplied with large parchment paper Venn Diagrams to compare Denmark's government with that of other nations. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Students will be able to apply historical context to deepen understanding of //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Hamlet //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">. This will be aided by making sure students understand that many of Shakespeare's plays have real-life legends behind them. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Equip, Tailor, verbal, intrapersonal, visual **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

They will work together in a round robin brainstorm to fill in several diagrams with different modern and historical governments. Students will be grouped randomly and have roles as contributors and recorders. Students will explore issues to in peer response groups to reconsider the basis of political power, whether they think it is money, popularity, brute force, or something else. They will show evidence of learning by making an Inspiration graphic making comparisons between different government types, paying attention to the significance of unique elements to the play. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Explore, Experience, Rethink, Reflect, Tailor: verbal, logical, visual, intrapersonal, interpersonal **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

Students will have checklists suggesting items to discuss during the brainstorm (form of government, source of political power, stability, social hierarchy), and will also fill out self-assessments at the end of class regarding their participation and what they've taken away from this class. Students will receive timely feedback via comments on the wiki for the Inspiration graphics. This lesson sets the stage for the rest of the play, when we begin to focus on the turmoil of the characters themselves more thoroughly. **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Evaluate, Organize, Tailor: intrapersonal, verbal, visual, interpersonal **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">Lesson 1 Content Notes **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

THE HISTORY OF HAMLET

By: Edward Dowden The following essay was originally published in The World's Best Essays from the Earliest Period to the Present Time. Ed. David J. Brewer. St. Louis: Ferd. P. Kaiser, 1900.

Hamlet represents the mid period of the growth of Shakespeare's genius, when comedy and history ceased to be adequate for the expression of his deeper thoughts and sadder feelings about life, and when he was entering upon his great series of tragic writings. In July, 1602, the printer Roberts entered in the Stationers' register, The Revenge of Hamlett, Prince of Denmark, as yt latelie was acted by the Lord Chamerlain his servantes, and in the next year the play was printed. The true relation of this first quarto of Hamlet to the second quarto, published in 1604-- "newly imprinted, and enlarged to almost as much againe as it was" --is a matter of dispute. It is believed by some critics that the quarto of 1603 is merely an imperfect report of the play as we find it in the edition of the year after; but there are some material differences which cannot thus be explained. In the earlier quarto, instead of Polonius and Reynaldo, we find the names Corambis and Montano; the order of certain scenes varies from that of the later quarto; "the madness of Hamlet is much more pronounced, and the Queen's innocence of her husband's murder much more explicitly stated." We are forced to believe either that the earlier quarto contains portions of an old play by some other writer than Shakespeare--an opinion adopted on apparently insufficient grounds by some recent editors--or that it represents imperfectly Shakespeare's first draught of the play, and that the difference between it and the second quarto is due to Shakespeare's revision of his own work. This last opinion seems to be the true one, but the value of any comparison between the two quartos, with a view to understand Shakespeare's manner of rehandling his work, is greatly diminished by the fact that numerous gaps of the imperfect report given in the earlier quarto seem to have been filled in by a stupid stage back. That an old play on the subject of Hamlet existed there can be no doubt; it is referred to in 1589 (perhaps in 1587) by Nash, in his Epistle prefixed to Greene's Menaphon, and again in 1596 by Lodge (Wit's Miserie and the World's Madnesse), where he alludes to "the visard of the Ghost which cried so miserably at the Theator, like an oister wife, Hamlet, revenge." A German play on the subject of Hamlet exists, which is supposed to have been acted by English players in Germany in 1603; the name Corambus appears in it; and it is possible that portions of the old pre-Shakespearean drama are contained in the German Hamlet. The old play may have been one of the bloody tragedies of revenge among which we find Titus Andronicus and the Spanish Tragedy, and it would be characteristic of Shakespeare that he should refine the motives and spirit of the drama, so as to make the duty of vengeance laid upon Hamlet a painful burden which he is hardly able to support.

One additional point must be noted with reference to the date of the play. In Act II, scene ii, line 346, Rosencrantz explains that the tragedians of the city are compelled to travel on account of an "inhibition" which is caused by "the late innovation." What does this mean? Does it allude to the Order in Council of June, 1600, limiting the number of playhouses about London to two, an order not carried out until the duty of enforcing it was urged upon the justices of Middlesex and Surrey, December 31st, 1601? Or shall we understand "the innovation" as referring to the license given January, 1603-1604, to the children of the Queen's Revels, to play at the Blackfriars Theatre--a building belonging to the company of which Shakespeare was a member? The license to the children (of whom Rosencrantz speaks depreciatingly) would act as an inhibition to the company of adult actors whose place they occupied.

Beside the old play of Hamlet, Shakespeare had probably before him the prose Hystorie of Hamlet (though no edition exists earlier than 1608), translated from Belleforest's Histories Tragiques. The story had been told some hundreds of years previously in the Historia Danica of Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1180-1208). The Hamlet of the Historie, after a fierce revenge, becomes King of Denmark, marries two wives, and finally dies in battle.

No play of Shakespeare has had a greater power of interesting spectators and readers, and none has given rise to a greater variety of conflicting interpretations. It has been rightly named a tragedy of thought, and in this respect as well as others takes its place beside Julius Caesar. Neither Brutus nor Hamlet is the victim of an overmastering passion as are the chief persons of the later tragedies--eg., Othello, Macbeth, Coriolanus. The burden of a terrible duty is laid upon each of them, and neither is fitted for bearing such a burden. Brutus is disqualified for action by his moral idealism, his student-like habits, his capacity for dealing with abstractions rather than with men and things. Hamlet is disqualified for action by his excess of the reflective tendency, and by his unstable will, which alternates between complete inactivity and fits of excited energy. Naturally sensitive, he receives a painful shock from the hasty second marriage of his mother; already the springs of faith and joy in his nature are embittered; then follows the terrible discovery of his father's murder with the injunction laid upon him to revenge the crime; upon this again follow the repulses which he receives from Ophelia. A deep melancholy lays hold of his spirit, and all of life grows dark and sad to his vision. Although hating his father's murderer, he has little heart to push on his revenge. He is aware that he is suspected and surrounded by spies. Partly to baffle them, partly to create a veil behind which to seclude his true self, partly because his whole moral nature is indeed deeply disordered, he assumes the part of one whose wits have gone astray. Except for one loyal friend, he is alone among enemies or supposed traitors. Ophelia he regards as no more loyal or honest to him than his mother had been to her dead husband. The ascertainment of Claudius' guilt by means of the play still leaves him incapable of the last decisive act of vengeance. Not so, however, with the King, who now recognizing his foe in Hamlet, does not delay to dispatch him to a bloody death in England. But there is in Hamlet a terrible power of sudden and desperate action. From the melancholy which broods over him after the burial of Ophelia, he rouses himself to the play of swords with Laertes, and at the last, with strength which leaps up before its final extinction, he accomplishes the punishment of the malefactor.

Horatio, with his fortitude, his self-possession, his strong equanimity, is a contrast to the Prince. And Laertes, who takes violent measures at the shortest notice to revenge his father's murder, is in another way a contrast; but Laertes is the young gallant of the period, and his capacity for action arises in part from the absence of those moral checks of which Hamlet is sensible. Polonius is owner of the shallow wisdom of this world, and exhibits this grotesquely while now on the brink of dotage; he sees, but cannot see through Hamlet's ironical mockery of him. Ophelia is tender, sensitive, affectionate, but the reverse of heroic; she fails Hamlet in his need, and then in her turn becoming the sufferer, gives way under the pressure of her afflictions. We do not honor, we commiserate her.

The play is harldy consistent with respect to Hamlet's age. In Act V, scene i, lines 155-191, it is stated that he is thirty years old, while in Act I he is spoken of as still quite youthful; yet only a few months, at most, can have elapsed in the interval of time between the beginning and the end of the action. His profoundly reflective soliloquies point to an age certainly past early youth.

Short Biography Wiliam Shakespeare

Information about the life of William Shakespeare is often open to doubt. Some even doubt whether he wrote all plays ascribed to him. From the best available sources it seems William Shakespeare was born in Stratford on about April 23rd 1564. His father William was a successful local businessman and his mother Mary was the daughter of a landowner. Relatively prosperous it is likely the family paid for Williams education, although there is no evidence he attended university.

In 1582 William, aged only 18, married an older woman (26) named Anne Hathaway. Soon after they had there first daughter, Susanna. They had another 2 children but William’s only son Hamnet died aged only 11.

After his marriage information about the life of Shakespeare is sketchy but it seems he spent most of his time in London writing and performing in his plays. It seemed he didn’t mind being absent from his family. Only returning home during Lent when all theatres were closed. It is generally thought that during the 1590s he wrote the majority of his sonnets. This was a time of prolific writing and his plays developed a good deal of interest and controversy. Due to some well timed investments he was able to secure a firm financial background leaving time for writing and acting. The best of these investments was buying some real estate near Stratford in 1605, this soon doubled in value. Some academics known as the “oxfords” claim that Shakespeare never actually wrote any plays they suggest names such as Edward de Vere. They contend Shakespeare was actually just a successful businessman. Nevertheless there is some evidence of Shakespeare in theatres as he received a variety of criticism from people such as Ben Johnson and Robert Greene. Shakespeare the Poet

William Shakespeare wrote 154 Sonnets mostly in the 1590s. Fairly short poems they deal with issues such as lost love. His sonnets have an enduring appeal with his characteristic skill with language and words.

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove:”

- Sonnet CXVI The Plays of Shakespeare

The plays of Shakespeare have been studied more than any other writing in the English language and have been translated into numerous languages. He was rare as a playwrite for excelling in tragedies, comedies and histories. He deftly combined popular entertainment with a rare poetic capacity for expression which is almost mantric in quality.

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> "This above all: to thine ownself be true, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> And it must follow, as the night the day, <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Thou canst not then be false to any man. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!" <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> --Lord Polonius, Hamlet Act I, Scene 3 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

During his lifetime Shakespeare was not without controversy, but he also received lavish praise for his plays which were very popular and commercially successful.

Shakespear3 died in 1664 it is not clear how he died although his vicar suggested it was from heavy drinking. His tombstone is marked with the following epitaph;

<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> To digg the dust encloased heare <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> Blessed by y man y spares hes stones <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;"> And curst be he y moves my bones <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif;">

It is true to say that each line of Shakespeare has been poured over by scholars and students no idea or concept has been left unturned. Shakespeare has left a profound and lasting impact on literature, cinema and theatre. <span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;">