Shakespeare Studies

Directions: Acts 1-5 Entries • After reading each act of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, respond in a journal entry to the seven exercises listed below, which are designed to assist you in writing your analytical essay on Option A, the theme of the deterministic causes behind the protagonist’s delay in avenging his father’s death. Exercises 1. What is one deterministic cause behind the protagonist’s delay in seeking revenge for his father’s death presented in the act? 2. When does this cause first appear in the act? 3. How does this cause arise for the protagonist? 4. Is Hamlet aware of this cause? 5. What does this cause reveal about the prince’s thoughts, feelings, or beliefs? 6. How does this cause affect Hamlet’s behavior? 7. Cite and analyze a relevant passage from the act, discussing one or more of the following elements within the passage to provide further insights into this particular deterministic cause: * a word or phrase * an image * a metaphor * a personification * a simile * an allusion or a direct reference * a reference * a symbol * an irony * a pun • Each entry should be labeled “Act 1,” “Act 2,” and so on. • Each entry should be typed and double-spaced, using Times New Roman font and 12-point print. • Each entry should be a minimum of 300 words.

Topic Question: Think about Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia. Does he love her? Stop loving her? Did he ever love her? What evidence can you find to support your opinion?  Essay Outline: Paragraph One: Introduction. Captures the reader’s attention and makes them interested. The last sentence is the thesis statement. A thesis statement includes: It will clearly state which side of the argument you are discussing. You must pick a side and this will clearly state to the reader what side you are on… It will clearly state the three ways in which you intend to prove that your argument is the only correct argument. Paragraph Two – Argument #1: This is your first argument. It is also your strongest argument. Please set up the paragraph in the following manner: Introductory Statement – Clearly state what you intend to argue…how are you going to prove your point. Proof #1 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #2 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #3 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Summary Statement with Link – this refers to one sentence that summarizes your first argument and brings the reader towards the second argument. Paragraph Three – Argument #2: This is your second argument. It is also your weakest argument. Please set up the paragraph in the following manner: Introductory Statement – clearly state what you intend to argue…how are you going to prove your point. Proof #1 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #2 State your IDEA – Ehat is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #3 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three 5. Summary Statement with Link – this refers to one sentence that summarizes your first argument and brings the reader towards the second argument. Paragraph Four – Argument #3: This is your third argument. It is also your second strongest argument. Please set up the paragraph in the following manner: Introductory Statement – clearly state what you intend to argue…how are you going to prove your point. Proof #1 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #2 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #3 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three 5. Summary Statement with Link – this refers to one sentence that summarizes your first argument and brings the reader towards the second argument. Paragraph Five – Conclusion: This is the opposite to your introduction. Start by repeating your thesis statement, but discuss it as it has already been proven.

Ok so, I already wrote an outline for my ideas for this essay. This essay is supposed to use critical sources to prove my thesis but the quotes from the sources are included in the outline. I also included quotes from the text but please add more quotes from Hamlet. The outline is below (please read carefully and incorporate all my ideas)  Thesis Statement: While Hamlet is experiencing true grief and depression throughout the play due to the loss of his father at the hands of his villainous uncle, his emotional state is one that is perfectly normal in response to such a troubling time. Though he may appear mad to those around him he is merely putting on this act on purpose to mask his real emotional state. It is obvious to the reader that Hamlet does not experience a break with reality and is very aware of himself and his surroundings. Critical Source Used: Hamlet and the Trauma Doctors: An Essay at Interpretation Topic: As a reader, we have the all-seeing eye. We are able to hear the thoughts of each character, know the motives behind their actions, and watch how the events unfold with this prior knowledge that the characters within the reading do not have. With this all-seeing eye, we are able to get a glimpse into the true mind of Hamlet, one that no one else is able to see. Early in the play, after Hamlet meets with the ghost of his father and it is revealed that he was murdered by his own brother, Hamlet devises a plan to act as though he is mad to contribute to his grand scheme of revenge. Supporting quote: “as I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on”  (1.5 190-191) Critical source: “Hamlet’s melancholy, by his own lights, is wholly real—in 1.2 he has not heard about or seen the Ghost—but upon being traumatized by the Ghost’s revelations, his strategy is to feign madness. There is more continuity between his genuine melancholy and the “antic disposition” than he himself can acknowledge” Topic: Judging by Hamlet’s encounters with other characters after he commits to putting on this “antic disposition” it appears that Hamlet has gone mad. He rambles on and on about things that seem to not make sense, he never answers people’s questions directly and goes on long tangents about what seems to be nothing. These are all signs that Hamlet is experiencing a break with reality. But with this prior knowledge that we as readers have, we understand Hamlet’s ramblings and we know that they actually make perfect sense. From our perspective, it could be argued that Hamlet’s true emotional state, one where he is experiencing depression compounded with anger and grief is his true madness but I simply disagree. Hamlet is stuck in a state where he views the world as a rotten cesspool but that’s because, from his recent experiences, it is.   Supporting quote: “it goes so heavily with my disposition that this godly frame, the Earth, seems to me a sterile promontory… why it appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congression of vapors” (2.2 320-325)   Critical source: One could further speculate that Hamlet’s initial melancholy is a response not only to the “o’er hasty marriage” but also to the secrecy and lies perpetrated by Claudius and the feeling that he is being used. His gradual awareness that Ophelia too is being used (whether with or without her consent he cannot be sure) augments his sense of betrayal and anger, perhaps pushing him farther than he can control. In short, Hamlet’s feigned madness is a symptom of the “feigning” and deceit around him, but he is intermittently more unhinged than he realizes or wishes to be. Topic: To shine a light on how true madness is portrayed in Hamlet I’d like to talk about Ophelia. Much like Hamlet, Ophelia’s father was murdered by someone close to her and she experiences an actual break with reality. Because Ophelia is painted as a weak, delicate, damsel in distress who relies on the influence of men, more specifically her father, to give her purpose and to keep her grounded, when she loses her father, she loses her grasp on reality. Ophelia continuously sings fragments of songs about chaos, death, and unrequited love. The King and Queen both try to speak with her, but she replies only unintelligibly. Her mental break soon causes her to commit suicide. In Ophelia’s case, there is no plan to act in this manner, she has truly gone mad, so much so that she kills herself.  Supporting quote: Critical source: Another way of looking at the traumas that drive Ophelia to madness is that, with the death of her father and absence of her brother, she has lost male protection and has no standing as an unmarried woman

Ok so, I already wrote an outline for my ideas for this essay. This essay is supposed to use critical sources to prove my thesis but the quotes from the sources are included in the outline. I also included quotes from the text but please add more quotes from Hamlet. The outline is below (please read carefully and incorporate all my ideas)  Thesis Statement: While Hamlet is experiencing true grief and depression throughout the play due to the loss of his father at the hands of his villainous uncle, his emotional state is one that is perfectly normal in response to such a troubling time. Though he may appear mad to those around him he is merely putting on this act on purpose to mask his real emotional state. It is obvious to the reader that Hamlet does not experience a break with reality and is very aware of himself and his surroundings. Critical Source Used: Hamlet and the Trauma Doctors: An Essay at Interpretation Topic: As a reader, we have the all-seeing eye. We are able to hear the thoughts of each character, know the motives behind their actions, and watch how the events unfold with this prior knowledge that the characters within the reading do not have. With this all-seeing eye, we are able to get a glimpse into the true mind of Hamlet, one that no one else is able to see. Early in the play, after Hamlet meets with the ghost of his father and it is revealed that he was murdered by his own brother, Hamlet devises a plan to act as though he is mad to contribute to his grand scheme of revenge. Supporting quote: “as I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on”  (1.5 190-191) Critical source: “Hamlet’s melancholy, by his own lights, is wholly real—in 1.2 he has not heard about or seen the Ghost—but upon being traumatized by the Ghost’s revelations, his strategy is to feign madness. There is more continuity between his genuine melancholy and the “antic disposition” than he himself can acknowledge” Topic: Judging by Hamlet’s encounters with other characters after he commits to putting on this “antic disposition” it appears that Hamlet has gone mad. He rambles on and on about things that seem to not make sense, he never answers people’s questions directly and goes on long tangents about what seems to be nothing. These are all signs that Hamlet is experiencing a break with reality. But with this prior knowledge that we as readers have, we understand Hamlet’s ramblings and we know that they actually make perfect sense. From our perspective, it could be argued that Hamlet’s true emotional state, one where he is experiencing depression compounded with anger and grief is his true madness but I simply disagree. Hamlet is stuck in a state where he views the world as a rotten cesspool but that’s because, from his recent experiences, it is.   Supporting quote: “it goes so heavily with my disposition that this godly frame, the Earth, seems to me a sterile promontory… why it appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congression of vapors” (2.2 320-325)   Critical source: One could further speculate that Hamlet’s initial melancholy is a response not only to the “o’er hasty marriage” but also to the secrecy and lies perpetrated by Claudius and the feeling that he is being used. His gradual awareness that Ophelia too is being used (whether with or without her consent he cannot be sure) augments his sense of betrayal and anger, perhaps pushing him farther than he can control. In short, Hamlet’s feigned madness is a symptom of the “feigning” and deceit around him, but he is intermittently more unhinged than he realizes or wishes to be. Topic: To shine a light on how true madness is portrayed in Hamlet I’d like to talk about Ophelia. Much like Hamlet, Ophelia’s father was murdered by someone close to her and she experiences an actual break with reality. Because Ophelia is painted as a weak, delicate, damsel in distress who relies on the influence of men, more specifically her father, to give her purpose and to keep her grounded, when she loses her father, she loses her grasp on reality. Ophelia continuously sings fragments of songs about chaos, death, and unrequited love. The King and Queen both try to speak with her, but she replies only unintelligibly. Her mental break soon causes her to commit suicide. In Ophelia’s case, there is no plan to act in this manner, she has truly gone mad, so much so that she kills herself.  Supporting quote: Critical source: Another way of looking at the traumas that drive Ophelia to madness is that, with the death of her father and absence of her brother, she has lost male protection and has no standing as an unmarried woman

This paper is a requirement for a Law and Literature class over 5 Shakespeare plays. Julius Caesar, Richard II, Henry V, The Merchant of Venice, and Measure for measure. Though this paper is not necessarily about the law, the paper will be submitted to a Law professor and Bluebook Citation is required. I have attached the Designated Topic and Outline I submitted to the professor, but it is perfectly fine not to follow the exact outline if the paper evolves in a different direction. The paper should have a decent mix of fact based research and opinionated commentary. When discussing political and economic structures, do note that the professor is aware my political opinion falls mainly on the libertarian/pro-individual freedom spectrum so please keep that in mind when writing. When referring to the plays please cite where you are referencing and when citing other sources ensure they are sound sources. Bluebook citation required, please have familiarity with this format.

Directions: Acts 1-5 Entries • After reading each act of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, respond in a journal entry to the seven exercises listed below, which are designed to assist you in writing your analytical essay on Option A, the theme of the deterministic causes behind the protagonist’s delay in avenging his father’s death. Exercises 1. What is one deterministic cause behind the protagonist’s delay in seeking revenge for his father’s death presented in the act? 2. When does this cause first appear in the act? 3. How does this cause arise for the protagonist? 4. Is Hamlet aware of this cause? 5. What does this cause reveal about the prince’s thoughts, feelings, or beliefs? 6. How does this cause affect Hamlet’s behavior? 7. Cite and analyze a relevant passage from the act, discussing one or more of the following elements within the passage to provide further insights into this particular deterministic cause: * a word or phrase * an image * a metaphor * a personification * a simile * an allusion or a direct reference * a reference * a symbol * an irony * a pun • Each entry should be labeled “Act 1,” “Act 2,” and so on. • Each entry should be typed and double-spaced, using Times New Roman font and 12-point print. • Each entry should be a minimum of 300 words.

Topic Question: Think about Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia. Does he love her? Stop loving her? Did he ever love her? What evidence can you find to support your opinion?  Essay Outline: Paragraph One: Introduction. Captures the reader’s attention and makes them interested. The last sentence is the thesis statement. A thesis statement includes: It will clearly state which side of the argument you are discussing. You must pick a side and this will clearly state to the reader what side you are on… It will clearly state the three ways in which you intend to prove that your argument is the only correct argument. Paragraph Two – Argument #1: This is your first argument. It is also your strongest argument. Please set up the paragraph in the following manner: Introductory Statement – Clearly state what you intend to argue…how are you going to prove your point. Proof #1 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #2 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #3 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Summary Statement with Link – this refers to one sentence that summarizes your first argument and brings the reader towards the second argument. Paragraph Three – Argument #2: This is your second argument. It is also your weakest argument. Please set up the paragraph in the following manner: Introductory Statement – clearly state what you intend to argue…how are you going to prove your point. Proof #1 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #2 State your IDEA – Ehat is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #3 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three 5. Summary Statement with Link – this refers to one sentence that summarizes your first argument and brings the reader towards the second argument. Paragraph Four – Argument #3: This is your third argument. It is also your second strongest argument. Please set up the paragraph in the following manner: Introductory Statement – clearly state what you intend to argue…how are you going to prove your point. Proof #1 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #2 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three Proof #3 State your IDEA – What is the first way in which you intend to approach this argument QUOTE – From the novel, poem or story pull a direct quote from the text that you intend to use to prove your point…always pull enough material to be able to analyze it properly ANALYZE – This is where you will explain to your reader why your quote proves your idea and then of course why it proves your thesis statement. Please use a minimum of three different analyses to prove your idea. Analysis One Analysis Two Analysis Three 5. Summary Statement with Link – this refers to one sentence that summarizes your first argument and brings the reader towards the second argument. Paragraph Five – Conclusion: This is the opposite to your introduction. Start by repeating your thesis statement, but discuss it as it has already been proven.