Hamlet

1
Hamlet

• William Shakespeare

2
Form of Shakespeares Plays

• 5 Acts
• Act One Exposition
• Act Two Rising Action
• Act Three Turning Point
• comedy or tragedy
• Act Four Falling Action
• Act Five Climax and Denouement

3
Hamlet

• Aristotles View of Tragedy
• What is tragic?
• Pleasure of Pity and Fear
• Catharsis
• Hero
• Hubris
• Hamartia
• Anagnorisis
• Revenge Tragedy

4
Thematic Topics

• Appearances vs. Reality
• Class Differences/Social Status
• Gender Issues
• Revenge
• Free Will vs. Destiny
• Evil Destroys Itself

5
Motifs

• Infection
• Filial Obligation
• Spying
• Betrayal

6
Characterization

• Balance of Head (intellect), Heart (emotion), and
  Body (action)
• Out of Balance characters - Basis of all conflict
  in play

7
Soliloquies

• Spoken to audience (voice over)
• 9 total
• Hamlet
• Bemoans state in life
• Dwells on past
• Action Plan
• Claudius