Hamlet Acts 1

Read: Hamlet Acts I (pgs. 1602-1626), pgs. 1534-1544 (on Shakespeare) and 1439-1441 (on tragedy).

For Discussion 1, you will be looking closely at a selection of speeches and contributing to a “close reading”. As with the poetry, please pick out phrases that have not yet been commented on and discuss why they are significant. Length: 200-250 words. (2 points).

Respond to 1 thread. Identify 2 short phrases that have not yet been commented on and discuss why they are significant. For instance, what is revealed about character, plot, why is language revealing? Is there noteworthy figurative language, word choice? Do a close reading of 2 short phrases (leave others for other people)—do not give an overview of the entire speech & do not merely summarize the lines you are writing about: analyze details of the phrase.

Each thread in the discussion will give you the Act, Scene, and line #s of the speech (I’ll also quote the 1st and last lines to help identify the speech).

THIS IS THE QUOTE TO USE :

4). (I, 4, 104-135) Ophelia: “I do not know, my lord, what I should think.” through “I shall obey, my lord.”