Study Guide

A Teacher's Guide to William Shakespeare's Hamlet

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This A Teacher's Guide to William Shakespeare's Hamlet study guide also includes:

Should Hamlet avenge his father's death? Is the ghost telling the truth or is it trying to trick Hamlet? Is Hamlet's inconsistent behavior a ploy or is he really insane? Something really is rotten in Denmark, and with the help of the activities in this guide, readers can decide for themselves just what is going on.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Show several versions of Act I, scene v, the ghost scene (Branagh, 1996, Olivier, 1948, Nicol Williamson, 1969, etc.) that demonstrate that directors can choose to show or not show the ghost and have viewers consider how these presentations influence their interpretation
  • Just for fun show the YouTube trailer of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Hamlet, and the video of a variety of actors delivering the "To be or not to be" soliloquy
Classroom Considerations
  • While most appropriate for those new to teaching Hamlet, the guide does provide differentiated instructional activities
Pros
  • The 13-page guide includes an act-by-act synopsis, a discussion of the tragic elements, the historical context, and the language of the play, journal topics, activities for all ability levels, discussion questions, and assessment suggestions
Cons
  • None