I've always said to my students that out of all the modules set for the HSC Advanced English Course, the critical study requires the most reading and understanding not only of the text, but of all the external factors surrounding the text. For this reason, I suggest if you are going to begin your Critical Study of Hamlet at the beginning of Term two, do so now. You can begin by reading the text. Also, if you are fortunate enough to live close to a theatre who is showing Hamlet, go and see it. There is no comparison to actually seeing the play acted upon the stage, as Shakespeare intended.
Hamlet is the most studied and performed of all plays. The reasoning behind this is almost as complex as the play itself. Some of the questions that have been asked about, and that stimulate lively debate about the play, are:
- Is Hamlet mad or only feigning? Or is he a victim of 'thinking makes it so'?
- Is Hamlet a tragic hero in the Greek tradition? Or are we forced to redefine the concept of 'hero' by the nature of the play?
-How does Hamlet's attachment to his father affect his dealing with other characters?
- What effect do the iterative images of disease, decay, duplicity and pretence have on your reading?
- When we look at how characters disguise or hide themselves, we find an interesting array of false identities. Does this say anything about the way we all function in society?
You could expand upon this line of questioning with questions that arise from your initial reading and viewing of the play.
Keep in mind that you will be formulating your own interpretation of the play, one that sets you apart from all other students. To do this successfully requires an enormous amount of reading, not just the text, but of what other people have said of the text. Notable scholars are Maynard Mack, and A.C Bradley.
Enjoy!
Hamlet is the most studied and performed of all plays. The reasoning behind this is almost as complex as the play itself. Some of the questions that have been asked about, and that stimulate lively debate about the play, are:
- Is Hamlet mad or only feigning? Or is he a victim of 'thinking makes it so'?
- Is Hamlet a tragic hero in the Greek tradition? Or are we forced to redefine the concept of 'hero' by the nature of the play?
-How does Hamlet's attachment to his father affect his dealing with other characters?
- What effect do the iterative images of disease, decay, duplicity and pretence have on your reading?
- When we look at how characters disguise or hide themselves, we find an interesting array of false identities. Does this say anything about the way we all function in society?
You could expand upon this line of questioning with questions that arise from your initial reading and viewing of the play.
Keep in mind that you will be formulating your own interpretation of the play, one that sets you apart from all other students. To do this successfully requires an enormous amount of reading, not just the text, but of what other people have said of the text. Notable scholars are Maynard Mack, and A.C Bradley.
Enjoy!
