Synthesis And/or Research Essay Test Template (Page 3 of 4) in pdf

English L 1 2 S emester O ne 2 016

Name:__________________________________

18. The s tructure o f d rama i s s ometimes b ased o n t he p rinciple o f a ction f ollowed b y r eaction. C ite e xamples i n H amlet

of a c haracter’s o wn a ctions b ackfiring o r r eacting a gainst h im—a p attern t hat t he G reeks c alled n emesis.

19. How c an H amlet b e c onsidered a “ Tragic H ero”? W hat i s h is “ Tragic F law”?

20. Next t o H amlet, a rguably t he m ost c omplex c haracter i n t he p lay i s C laudius. W rite a n e ssay t hat c onsiders t he

complex a nd o ften c ontradictory n ature o f C laudius’ c haracter. T his e ssay m ust l ook b eyond t he f act t hat C laudius i s

a m urderer ( or n ot-‐depending o n y our p erspective) w ho h as u surped h is b rother’s t hrone a nd m arried h is b rother’s

wife. I t m ust a lso c onsider h is e ffectiveness o r i neffectiveness a s a p olitical f igure, a nd d etermine a t p recisely w hat

point C laudius m akes t he t ransition f rom o ne t o a nother

21. How d oes t he q uestion o f a ppearance a nd r eality a ffect t he m eaning o f t he p lay?

22. As i s s o o ften t he c ase w ith S hakespeare’s w orks, t he w omen o f H amlet w ind u p b eing p ortrayed i n a l ess t han

positive l ight, a nd c ertainly m eet w ith a l ess t han d esirable e nd. W rite a n e ssay t hat e xamines t he w ay(s) i n w hich

either G ertrude o r O phelia a s c haracters a re p ortrayed b y S hakespeare. M ore s pecifically, y ou m ust m ake

inferences o n t he w ays i n w hich t his p ortrayal m ay b e a r eflection o f t he a uthor’s v iew t owards w omen a nd t heir

role i n t he s ocial c onstruct o f t he 1 7

c entury. F inally, y ou s hould c onsider i n w hat w ay(s) a m odern r eader’s v iew

may o r m ay n ot h ave c hanged o ver t he c ourse o f t he l ast 4 00 y ears.

23. Emotion, r eason a nd f ate ( i.e. t ime a nd a ccident) a re k ey a spects o f w hat h appens i n t he p lay. D iscuss h ow t hese

elements i nteract t o c reate t ensions i n t he p lay a nd t he r ole e ach p lays i n d etermining e vents i n t he p lay.

24. There a re p olitical a nd e thical d ilemmas i n t he p lay; s ome a pply o nly t o S hakespeare’s t ime, b ut m any o thers a re

universal. D iscuss t he d ilemmas a nd w hy t hey b elong o nly t o t he R enaissance o r w hy t hey b elong t o a ll t imes.

25. Discuss t he l eitmotif ( recurring i magery) o f n ature i n t he p lay a nd h ow t he c onstant r eferences t o n ature a nd t o

blemished ( faulty) n ature e nhance t he m eaning o f t he p lay.

26. Is t he s tratagem o f f eigned m adness n ecessary t o H amlet’s p urposes? I f y ou a re o f t he o pinion t hat t he “ madness”

is n ot n ecessary t o H amlet’s p urposes, w hy t hen d id S hakespeare a dd t he e lement o f f eigned m adness t o t he p lay?

27. Comparative L iterature: C ompare t he d ramatic c onclusions o f o ther t ragedies b y S hakespeare o r c ompare H amlet’s

plight w ith a nother l iterary f igure.

28. Think about Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia. Does he love her? Does he stop loving her? Did he ever

love her? What evidence can you find in the play to support your opinion?

29. Consider Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s role in the play. Why might Shakespeare have created characters

like this? Are they there for comic relief, or do they serve a more serious purpose? Why does the news of

their deaths come only after the deaths of the royal family in Act V, as if this news were not anticlimactic?

Is it acceptable for Hamlet to treat them as he does? Why or why not?

30. Analyze the use of descriptions and images in Hamlet. How does Shakespeare use descriptive language to

enhance the visual possibilities of a stage production? How does he use imagery to create a mood of tension,

suspense, fear, and despair?

31. Analyze the use of comedy in Hamlet, paying particular attention to the gravediggers, Osric, and Polonius.

Does comedy serve merely to relieve the tension of the tragedy, or do the comic scenes serve a more serious

thematic purpose as well?

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