Synthesis And/or Research Essay Test Template (Page 2 of 4) in pdf

English L 1 2 S emester O ne 2 016

Name:__________________________________

3. Is Hamlet primarily a tragedy of revenge?

4. Discuss Hamlet's relationship with Gertrude.

5. How important is the general setting of Denmark to the overall play.

6. Of what significance is Ophelia to Hamlet? Was Hamlet truly in love with Ophelia?

7. The character Claudius has been compared to Macbeth. How similar are these two characters? In what ways

are they similar?

8. Compare and contrast the characters of Hamlet and Horatio.

9. In Act 5, scene 2, Hamlet remarks, "His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy." Explain Hamlet's motivation

behind this comment. Is it true?

10. Compare and contrast the characters of Hamlet and Fortinbras. Is Fortinbras a valuable character in his own

right or does he serve only to highlight aspects of Hamlet's personality?

11. Select one of Hamlet soliloquies (preferably not "To be or not to be. . .") and by a detailed attention to the

poetry discuss the nature of Hamlet's feelings as they reveal themselves in this speech. What insights might

this speech provide into the prince's elusive character? Confine your attention strictly to the soliloquy you

have selected.

12. Discuss Hamlet's treatment of and ideas about women. How might these help to clarify some of the

interpretative issues of the play? You might want to consider carefully the way he talks about sexuality.

13. Discuss the importance of one of the following: (a) Ophelia, (b) Rozencrantz and Guildenstern, (c) the ghost

of Hamlet senior, (d) Polonius, (e) Fortinbras, (f) Gertrude. Do not just write about what these people do.

Discuss how an attention to them illuminates issues of central importance to the play as a whole (i.e., deal

with matters of importance to the thematic or character development in the play, not with matters of the

plot).

14. Discuss the importance of appearance and reality in Hamlet (strong hint: Why is Hamlet so interested in the

players?).

15. Is something rotten in the state of Denmark? If so, what precisely is it? Is anyone in particular responsible or

is the rottenness simply a condition of life?

16. Select a particular scene in Hamlet (preferably a short one) and discuss its importance in the play. How does

this particular part of the action contribute significantly to our response to what is going on? What might be

missing if a director decided to cut this scene (e.g., Claudius at prayer, the scene between Polonius and

Reynaldo, the gravedigger scene).

17. Write an essay defending one of the following options. "Hamlet is a noble prince who suffers from a corrupt

world that is not suitable to his sensitive moral nature; or a true poet.

Synthesis And/or Research Essay Test Template Page 2