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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect?-Alex Biegaj

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect?-Alex Biegaj

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On reflection, I think the most satisfying moment of the play was when Hamlet killed Polonius in Gertrude's bedroom. Not only was the reader presented riveting action in the form of a murder, but it also finally brought Gertrude into attention. The reader is informed that Gertrude has married her Hamlet Sr. brother relatively shortly after Hamlet Sr. death, but until this moment, no character has directly questioned her questionable decision to do so. Here, we see Hamlet violently questioning her judgement on marrying Claudius, and it reveals certain layers to Gertrude's character. After Hamlet reveals that he has been feigning madness to Gertrude, Gertrude, who has been on “Claudius’s side” surprisingly agrees to keep the secret of Hamlet’s pretend madness. Upon analysis, this may be a revelation of Gertrude's character, who as an individual doesn’t really possess any internal guidance, that her actions and decisions are heavily influenced by individuals who hold power and leadership.

This moment was also satisfying as it seemed to change the progression of the plot. AFter this “first death,” the plot seems to accelerate as other characters begin to suffer deaths as well. Ultimately, Shakespeare’s use of delay frequently made this moment when something finally happened more satisfying to the reader.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? - Lucy Price

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? - Lucy Price

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In my opinion, the most satisfying moment of the play was when Fortinbras entered the scene in Act 5, Scene 2, just after the other characters all killed each other, and laid claim to the throne of Denmark. I found this part to be extremely satisfying because when Fortinbras arrives, he seems so level-headed and in control after the foolishness and ignorance that marks the characters with power earlier in the play (such as Hamlet, Claudius, and Polonius).  Fortinbras proclaims, "For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune. / I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, / Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me" (V.ii.389-391). Shakespeare combines characterization of Fortinbras as a confident and benevolent leader with earlier tension and dramatic irony to give the reader a sense of relief when he finally arrives to take over. As Marcellus stated earlier in the play, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (I.iv.95). But now, with all of the characters who created the tension dead, and Fortinbras in the right place at the right time, there is finally an opportunity for the reader to feel some reprieve. The suspense of knowing whether Hamlet will get his revenge on Claudius or not is over, and the reader can relax knowing that Denmark is at peace for now.

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? -Aaron Correya

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? -Aaron Correya

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Personally, Hamlet's main strength is his power to manipulate and use his intelligence to get his will done. However, this strength proves to no use since one of his biggest weaknesses is inability to take action and not having the courage to execute the orders that are conjured up in his devious mind. For example, a highlight of the inaction in Hamlet's character is during the infamous "To be or not to be" soliloquoy, where Hamlet states "To be, or not to be--that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them." This gives the audience an inside look on Hamlet's state of mind. Obviously, Hamlet isn't thinking very clearly, for he actually contemplates the idea of suicide due to all of his struggles. He argues that the massive amounts of misfortune that surround him lead to his inability to act on anything, because that is exactly what to be or not to be is about. It is about Hamlet's journey and how his character develops throughout the play. Inaction proves to be Hamlet's Achilles heel, for it haunts him for the entirety of the play.

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Did you find Shakespeare using different kinds of tension in the play in order to engage and hold the audience? -Jaron Jin

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Did you find Shakespeare using different kinds of tension in the play in order to engage and hold the audience? -Jaron Jin

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Shakespeare creates tension in a number of different ways. The most common techniques he uses to do this are delay and dramatic irony.
One situation where Shakespeare includes both delay and dramatic irony is when Hamlet contemplates whether or not to kill Claudius while he is attempting to pray. From Hamlet's perspective he sees Claudius praying and assumes that he was able to achieve salvation. However in actuality, Claudius's dialogue reveals that he is unable to repent for his sins and wouldn't have been able to go to heaven had Hamlet decided to kill him. This example of dramatic irony leads to a delay in the plot. Since, Hamlet is determined to exact revenge on Claudius his specific way which further delays any action and increases the  anticipation for Claudius's death.
Another example of dramatic irony is when Claudius assumes that the reason for Hamlet's madness is love for Ophelia. This creates tension because the audience knows that Hamlet is plotting to murder Claudius and avenge his father's death. Claudius is unaware of this and believes that he has the upper hand by using Ophelia to spy on Hamlet.

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? - Daniella Longhi

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? - Daniella Longhi

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Hamlet’s greatest strength is his intelligence, as his witty nature allows him to discern the motives of other characters and act cleverly and accordingly. For example, it is because of his intelligence that Hamlet is able to devise the idea of performing the play to analyze Claudius’s reaction. It is also due to his intelligence that he finds out Claudius’s true intentions in sending him to England and creates an alternate plan that will take care of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Intelligence is clearly his greatest asset, as well as a necessary aspect of his character to make the play interesting. The conflict between his need to take revenge and his intelligence, with reason telling him that he should not kill Claudius to avoid going to hell, also introduces a commentary on human nature, which additionally makes the audience more engaged. However, this is also revealing of his greatest weakness - he is indecisive and uncertain, since his intelligence leads him to overthink rather than take definitive action to avenge his father. For example, in Act 4 Scene 4, Hamlet cries, “Thinking too precisely on th’ event - / Although which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom / And ever three parts coward” (41-43). His cowardly and indecisive nature has resulted from always thinking about his actions rather than actually acting, portraying his indecisiveness as his greatest weakness as a character. Although Hamlet is clearly very clever and perceptive, which allows him to play the other characters and discern their true intentions, his overthinking delays the actual revenge and conclusion of the play. Ultimately, this makes the play more engaging for the reader, as Hamlet’s intelligence allows the plot to move forward while his subsequent uncertainty and cowardice creates a sense of suspense, as his decision to take definitive action is very much delayed due to his overthinking.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how out how Shakespeare manged to achieve that effect? -Rithvik Nallapareddy 

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how out how Shakespeare manged to achieve that effect? -Rithvik Nallapareddy 

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I thought the most riveting part of the play was the end, which was also the climax. Many characters die at the end of the novel and they are die very quickly. I believe that Shakespeare wants have this incredibly large build up to release all this chaos all at once. If he had decided to instead to let the chaos go slowly it would have seemed more calculated, and Shakespeare wanted everything to crumble as fast as it could. An example of the massive death occurs in the final scene of the play, "The drink, the drink! I am poisoned. Dies" ( V,ii, 298). then about 15 lines later Hamlet says to Claudius, "Follow my mother," (V, ii, 313). 15 lines in a play of 1000's of lines is a incredibly small fraction of the whole play. Considering there were many acts that lead up to the death of Claudius, to just walk up to him and stab him was probably the least calculated way possible. It just re characterized Hamlet as immature and rash, instead of staying thoughtful as the time before.

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Did you find Shakespeare using different kinds of tension in the play in order to engage and hold the audience? - Ben Smith

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Did you find Shakespeare using different kinds of tension in the play in order to engage and hold the audience? - Ben Smith

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Shakespeare uses different kinds of tension in Hamlet in order to engage and hold the audience. These kinds of tension were created through dramatic irony, and the struggling between the characters directly. For example, tension is created between the characters of Hamlet and Claudius because of the play constructed by Hamlet in order to assert himself towards Claudius. The audience is aware that Hamlet knows how Claudius killed his father, King Hamlet, however Claudius himself is unaware that Hamlet knows he is guilty. As the play develops Claudius becomes increasingly paranoid to the point that it is now clear to him that Hamlet knows. This tension acts as a catalyst in the play to lead to resolution at the end of the play.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect?

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect?

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-Tanner Wilkins

The most riveting moment in the play was in act three scene three in which Hamlet was about to kill Claudius but decided not to. He thought that Claudius was praying and confessing for his sins which lead Hamlet to not want to send him to heaven “That would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven” (III,iii,75-78). Hamlet believed that Claudius was praying when in reality he was unable to pray or confess his sins due to the immense guilt that he was feeling. Shakespeare achieved this riveting effect through the themes deception, and delay. The theme of deception created the effect where the audience clearly knew that Claudius was unable to confess his sins, but Hamlet was unaware and decided not to kill him. This led to the theme of delay which was prevalent throughout the entire play because Hamlet saved his revenge for the very end. This delay of action added suspense to the plot and forced the audience to question whether or not Hamlet could ever gain the courage to carry out the deed of murdering his uncle. I found this scene to be the most riveting because it actually made me angry when reading it. Shakespeare builds up such a hatred of Claudius through the audience which results in an angry response when Claudius escapes Hamlet’s plan of revenge alive.

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? - Tasha Mok

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? - Tasha Mok

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One of Hamlet's main strengths is his intelligence. He shows this through his contemplation on life and death in his soliloquys, as well as morality, vengeance and love. However, his introspective nature leads to inaction in the first part of the play, which creates further suspense and depth to the plot. While Hamlet had opportunities to kill Claudius, such as when Claudius shows his guilt by standing up after watching Hamlet's play and when Claudius attempts to pray, his inaction delays the play. Although his indecisiveness can be seen as a weakness, in some aspects, it is also a strength. He showed this by being careful to make sure that Claudius did in fact murder in father, rather than blinding trusting the ghost. His rash action when he did not assess the situation is shown to have consequences when he was talking to his mother Gertrude and killed Polonius, thinking that it was Claudius. By killing Polonius, he lost his moral superiority to Claudius because Hamlet murdered someone too, despite his intention to target Claudius. By doing so, he places Laertes at a similar position of seeking vengeance for the death of his father. This culminates into the final scene of the play where many of the characters die.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? –Dana McCaw

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? –Dana McCaw

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I think the most riveting moment in the play is Act 5, Scene 2, where Shakespeare reveals characters’ true intentions and loyalties. This scene also epitomizes a revenge tragedy, as audience discovers the effects of characters’ acts of revenge. The scene begins with Hamlet discovering Claudius’s letter to the king of England with instructions to kill Hamlet; in response, Hamlet continues his act of revenge, changing the contents of the letter and including instructions to murder Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who had previously sided with the king against Hamlet rather than with their former classmate and friend.

In this scene, Hamlet renews his determination to kill Claudius, while showing a lack of bitterness towards Laertes by planning to be nice to him, as his situation was similar to Hamlet’s. This also exemplifies Shakespeare’s doubling, as Hamlet and Laertes are foils for each other in that they both lost family members and wanted to avenge them. They both forgive one another in this scene before dying, as Laertes confesses, “Hamlet, thou art slain./No med’cine in the world can do thee good” (V.ii.299-300). Hamlet and Laertes empathize with one another and blame Claudius at the end. Gertrude reveals her true loyalties at the end, as well. She turns against Claudius once discovering that he is evil, as she tells Hamlet, “The drink, the drink, I am poisoned” (V.ii.296). Thus, she betrays Claudius, wanting her son (the better character) to survive.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? -Melissa Carpenter

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? -Melissa Carpenter

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To me, the most satisfying moment in the play was the peak of the final fight scene. I thought that Shakespeare used dramatic irony in a different way than in previous instances in the play to create satisfying resolutions to problems within the play. For example, Claudius is forced to drink "a poison tempered by himself," created with the intention of killing Hamlet (V, ii, 312). This is deeply ironic, as not only did Claudius kill King Hamlet with poison then succumb to poison himself, but he also dies via his own elixir, essentially causing him to kill himself in a roundabout sense. A second layer of irony is added when Hamlet dies shortly after killing Claudius. Hamlet, who spends the entire play plotting the perfect revenge against Claudius, dies before he is able to truly appreciate Claudius' death.

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? Sabrina Loos 

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? Sabrina Loos 

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A weakness of Hamlet is his internal struggles between action and inaction limit him as a character, and allow him to get lost in his own thoughts and get a distorted perspective of society. While Hamlet is furious upon hearing the news of his father's murder from the ghost and speaks of avenging Claudius for murdering his father, but when given the opportunity he never executes his plans or takes advantage of Claudius's weaknesses. For example, when Hamlet silently stands behind Claudius as he is praying,  instead of taking the opportunity to finally kill Claudius, Hamlet overthinks the situation and starts pondering the possibility that since Claudius is praying, and repenting for his sins, if he kills Claudius he will go to heaven and not go to purgatory (like his father was in). Also another one of Hamlet's character flaws is how gullible he is. The whole revenge plot of the novel is catalyzed by the words and claims of the ghost, whom could be from heaven or hell, and still Hamlet believes all the ghost has to say without stopping to think about the limitations of the ghost's words and the possible lack of credibility. After the Ghost tells Hamlet that his father’s death was not due to a venomous bite but instead Claudius had killed him, Hamlet instinctively responds in a hostile nature towards Claudius while speaking to the ghost, “Haste me know’t, that I with wings as swift/As meditation or the thoughts of love/May sweep to my revenge” (1.5.29-31). Hamlet expresses his eagerness to take immediate action towards revenge, without rationalizing his idea or making any concrete plans. Some strengths of the protagonist is his loyalty towards his father. Hamlet is willing to go mad and endanger his own life in the name of avenging his father's death. This kind of loyalty and sacrifice for one's elder is only seen in one other character- Laertes who upon learning that Hamlet had murdered his father (through the curtains by accident) he unites with Claudius to kill Hamlet upon his return to Denmark from England.

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Did you find Shakespeare using different kinds of tension in the play in order to engage and hold the audience?

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Did you find Shakespeare using different kinds of tension in the play in order to engage and hold the audience?

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I found that Shakespeare creates various forms of tension in Hamlet to slow the pace of the story and engage the audience. Specifically, Shakespeare was able to use tension in Hamlet to develop a recurring theme of delay, ultimately culminating in a fast paced end sequence where all the characters die. One major way in which Shakespeare develops tension is the internal indecision of characters. For instance, Hamlet exclaims in antithesis "to be, or not to be" and that life "must give us pause to sleep" (III.i.60-65). Hamlet's inability to resolve himself to living or dying with purpose focuses the audience's attention on the internal struggle of his character, thereby increasing the audience's attention to Hamlet's decisions. By having Hamlet decide not to murder a praying Claudius, Shakespeare engages an increasingly frustrated audience with the plot by having them anxiously await a conclusion. Another way in which Shakespeare develops tension is with the setting. From the start of the play, when Marcellus says "that something is rotten in the state of Denmark," the conflict within Denmark's royal family keeps increasing until it reaches a catharsis during the final scene. The effect of this prolonged conflict due to setting and internal family disputes, namely between Gertrude/Claudius and Hamlet, is the heightened awareness of the rising stakes, effectively keeping the audience's senses glued to the play.

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? -Riddhi Patel

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? -Riddhi Patel

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As a protagonist I would say that Hamlet has multiple strengths and weaknesses. I feel that they are both balanced out but because of that it also creates an atmosphere of suspense because the audience isn't quite sure what Hamlet is planning on doing. Some of his strengths include his intelligence and his independence from his family, but contrastingly because of those strengths he's also quite hesitant and more concerned with revenge than taking care of important matters. We can see some of that hesitance come into play when in Act 3, scene 3, Hamlet thinks he's going to kill Claudius but then doesn't saying "No! / Up sword, and know though a more horrid hent" (III,iii,87-88). Because of this hesitation he doesn't do what everyone expects him to do, which is kill Claudius. His hesitation is a weakness as it delays a lot within the play. And it seems like that's a theme that Shakespeare uses a lot within the play. However, his hesitation towards killing Claudius is surprisingly contrasted by his previous ingenious plan to capture Claudius' actions during the play. When Ophelia says "The king rises" (III,ii,254), it's interesting to see hoe Hamlet is two steps ahead of everyone. But this courage is then gone when he actually tries to take revenge upon Claudius. By making Hamlet's actions seem unpredictable, Shakespeare creates more delay and allows a mood of suspense to be felt by the audience.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? - Emmett Gruber

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? - Emmett Gruber

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By far the most satisfying scene in the play by far was when Hamlet came out of the shadows and out of his wallowing and began to take control of the problem at hand by stating“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.” in act 4  scene 2, Hamlet grows out of his boyish state, and begins to toy with the man he despises the most, Claudius. By becoming a more free open individual he also uses his spirit to show up Ophelia his love. While as a reader/watcher of the play you feel like standing up and rooting for Hamlet as he goes against the Kingdom.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? - Brendan Emch

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect? - Brendan Emch

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I found the most riveting part of the play to be Hamlet's decision not to kill Claudius when he is seemingly praying, but in reality, not able to ask for forgiveness. Shakespeare is able to engage and interest the audience through his use of soliloquies, both from Hamlet and Claudius, which channels the audience's attention directly to that character and their inner thoughts in the play. For example, Hamlet in his soliloquy says "Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; / And now I'll do't. And so 'a goes to / heaven" (III, iii, 72-74). With Hamlet on the verge of killing Claudius, Shakespeare creates suspense, which he further intensifies with Hamlet deciding not to, as he believes doing so at that moment would send Claudius to heaven, empathizing Hamlet's desire to make Claudius suffer: "That has no relish of salvation in't; / Then trip him that his heels may kick at heaven" (III, iii, 92-93). By doing this, Shakespeare further creates suspense in the audience and engages them further, anticipating the moment when Hamlet will take his revenge.

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What was your favorite or least favorite secondary character in the play? Can you see how Shakespeare made you either like or dislike this character- Conner Hoke

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What was your favorite or least favorite secondary character in the play? Can you see how Shakespeare made you either like or dislike this character- Conner Hoke

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My least favorite secondary character, or in this case characters, are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are loyal servants to the royalty as well as classmates of Hamlet. I found them distasteful for their lack of personal fortitude or regard for and kind of thought. Shakespeare creates them as paradoxical characters as they are schoolmates of Hamlet and therefore are part of the intellectual faction of society that does advocates thought and complex problem-solving. However, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, while projected to be questioning and inquisitive by their introduction, are actually quite the opposite and blindly take orders from the royalty. In Act 2, Scene 2, after being introduced to the king, Rosencrantz affirms Claudius's unquestioned authority by stating " Both your Majesties/ Might, by your sovereign power you have of us,/ put your dread pleasures more into command/ than to entreaty" (II.ii.27-29). This statement not only affirms Claudius's absolute power, but also presents Rosencrantz as a character of little independent thought or opinion, willing to do whatever is ordered of him. By presenting this paradox to the reader,  Shakespeare makes you question not only their convictions, but their internal moral authority, which makes the reader question the motives for every action. Through this questioning and increasingly blatant lack of thought, Shakespeare creates unlikable and simple characters who eventually get outwitted by the more independently thinking Hamlet.

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Who was your favorite or least favorite secondary character in the play? Can you see how Shakespeare made you either like or dislike this character? -Nile Drochak 

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Who was your favorite or least favorite secondary character in the play? Can you see how Shakespeare made you either like or dislike this character? -Nile Drochak 

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My favorite secondary character is Horatio. The reason for this is because he is the most relate able character, and he is the most noble. He has not done anything wrong, and  he remains alive until the end of the play to tell Hamlet’s story. He is the only person who knows Hamlet’s true thoughts/feelings which I think is interesting because Horatio himself does not express his feeling to anyone else. He also knew the truth about what Claudius did. Horatio is know almost everything about everyone else in the play, however, we do not know much about Horatio himself. Some characteristics which makes Horatio appealing is that he is loyal,  helpful, trustworthy, and intelligent

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? -Victoria Pao

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What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist and what effect do you think they have on the play as a whole? -Victoria Pao

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Even though Hamlet is a very clever and witty character, this intelligence impacted his rational judgement, causing him to overthink and prevent him from avenging his father's death. Throughout the book, Hamlet is portrayed as a character that is not only witty, seen through Act 1, Scene 2 when Hamlet talks to Claudius about their father-son relationship, "A little more than kin, and less than kind" (I.ii.65), but also a character that questions larger philosophical conundrums, seen through his contemplation of death and the unknown consequences of the afterlife, "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come/ When we have shuffled off this mortal coil" (III.i.66-67). These questions not only pose as a tactic for the audience to question the sanity of Hamlet, but also demonstrate dramatic irony and how by questioning philosophical ideas, Shakespeare is stalling the act of Hamlet killing Claudius.

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect?--Jackson Zariski

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What did you think was the most riveting or satisfying moment in the play? Can you figure out how Shakespeare managed to achieve that effect?--Jackson Zariski

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I found the most riveting part of the play to be by far the final scene, in which four main characters of the work die one after the other. It is satisfying in that it Shakespeare finally brings the conflict of the play to a close, and wraps up many struggles between characters. After Claudius dies at Hamlet's hand, Laertes says, "He is justly served." (V,ii,313). Ironically, Laertes planned with Claudius to kill Hamlet in this way. Shakespeare shifts Laertes' characterization from one of revenge to one of repentance through this line, and hence evokes a mood of satisfaction in the audience as Claudius' treachery is brought to light. The resolution of dramatic irony is incredibly satisfying, as the characters no longer have any secrets to keep from each other. I felt relived that Laertes owned up to his misdeeds as well--Shakespeare is able to redeem this character in the eyes of the reader.