U6 L7 Hamlet

Question 1

What is the complete title of Hamlet?

Answer 1

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

Question 2

What does catharsis mean?

Answer 2

cleansing/relieving of emotions by art

Question 3

What does purgation mean?

Answer 3

cleansing

Question 4

What is soliloquy?

Answer 4

speech made by actor to themselves

Question 5

What does tragedy mean in terms of drama?

Answer 5

• deals with serious subjects
• tragic hero with flaw that leads to downfall
• character must be hero, admire except flaw

Question 6

How does a tragedy end?

Answer 6

unhappily

Question 7

What is the nature of the final catastrophe of a tragedy?

Answer 7

inevitable

Question 8

Ultimately, the purpose of a tragedy is to make an audience feel what?

Answer 8

calm

Question 9

What might be a ghost’s nature and purpose?

Answer 9

• trick of mind
• returning to unfinished task
• blessed spirit with divine permission
• evil spirit/devil returning in form of dead person

Question 10

What is a list of characters called?

Answer 10

Dramatis Personae

Question 11

Why was Denmark preparing for a possible war?

Answer 11

• Hamlet’s father filled Norway king
• Norwegian king’s son planned revenge
• Hamlet’s father won some land from Norway

Question 12

Why does Laertes think Hamlet will never marry Ophelia?

Answer 12

• Hamlet bases all actions on consideration of his position in life
• Hamlet’s noble birth won’t allow him to marry her

Question 13

In Act 1 Scene 1, how many times does the Ghost of King Hamlet appear to Horatio?

Answer 13

2 times

Question 14

What did the Medieval church forbid in terms or marriage?

Answer 14

man marrying dead brother’s wife

Question 15

How many months had passed before Gertrude married Claudius?

Answer 15

two months

Question 16

Where was the university that Hamlet and Horatio attended?

Answer 16

Wittenberg

Question 17

What does pompous mean?

Answer 17

filled with self-importance

Question 18

What do the first four scenes of Act 1, Hamlet provide?

Answer 18

• familiarizes the tragedy

- intros characters, tone, situation etc

Question 19

What scene contains the exciting force?

Answer 19

Scene 5

Question 20

What is the exciting force?

Answer 20

incident that starts conflict/struggle between two opposing interests

Question 21

What does Gertrude, Claudius, Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern think is the reason for Hamlet’s madness?

Answer 21

G- death of Hamlet’s father and marriage
C- death of Hamlet’s father
P- Ophelia’s rejection of Hamlet’s love
RG- not being named king after father’s death

Question 22

What news does Voltemand and Cornelius bring to Claudius in ACT 2?

Answer 22

Norway king ordered Fortinbras to direct attention to Poles

Question 23

Act 2 provides what aspect of the tragedy?

Answer 23

rising action

Question 24

What happens in a rising action?

Answer 24

hero gains domination over opponent (Hamlet is sure Claudius killed his father)

Question 25

Some drama critics believe the climax of Hamlet happens in which part?

Answer 25

• Hamlet get’s the chance to kill Claudius while he’s praying
• But refrains

Question 26

What happens to the roles of the two conflicting characters during the climax?

Answer 26

switch/reverse (other side gains power)

Question 27

Act 3 Scene 4 provides what aspect of the tragedy?

Answer 27

falling action

Question 28

What happens in the falling action?

Answer 28

• hero’s down fall

- emphasizes opposing force activities

Question 29

Which is shorter, the falling or rising action?

Answer 29

falling action

Question 30

What is the tragic force?

Answer 30

• dramatic element closely related/identical with climax

- initiates falling action