Act 5

HAMLET ACT 5: Questions

1) What do you feel is the point of the gravedigger’s riddles and song? How does it fit into the play?

I think that the riddles supply comic relief. Also it could be hinting that the gravedigger knows that it is hamlet he is talking to. The song could be forboding to hamlets death or his love for Ophelia. It also could be to show comic relief because it is a sad song and he is singing it in a happy way.

2) In what ways do Hamlet’s reactions to the skulls in the graveyard seem to suggest a change in his outlook? Compare Hamlet’s attitude towards Yoric to Hamlet’s attitude to Ophelia or even his father? How is it different? How is it similar?

He seems much more mature and understanding that everyone is the same after they die. Also he understands that everyone dies at some point in time. He shows remorse about yoric and he seems to be heartbroken about ophelia’s death and his fathers death.

3) How old is Hamlet? How do you know this?

30 the gravedigger became a grave digger since the day hamlet was born.

4) What does the violent argument between Hamlet and Laertes add to the play?

Hamlet says that he is the Dane. They are both fighting over Ophelia whome they both love. It shows how crazy Laertes is. They wrestle in the grave and that could be a forshadow of their deaths.

5) What developments in Hamlet’s character are presented through the story of what happened on the boat? (V.ii 1-62). How has Hamlet changed?

He is willing to kill his childhood friends without letting them pray to go to heaven. He starts taking action. He realizes he is in a position of power.

6) How do Hamlet’s motives in killing Claudius seem to have shifted according to his speech beginning “Does it not, think thee…” (V.ii.63)

He seems more upset about Claudius jumping him in the right to be king. He actually shows that he wants to be king for the first time.

7) What concerns of the play are reinforced in the Osric episode? (V.ii.80-170)

Reinforces the idea of prostitution. He is sucking up to a position of power.

8) Why does Hamlet ‘defy augury’? (V.ii.192)

He knows it is a trap and if he doesn’t go now it will just happen later.

9) What does Laertes say is his motive in still resenting Hamlet? How has already lost this? How does this contribute to the presentation of revenge in the play? (V.ii216-223)

He wants his honor protected. His family honor needs to be spoken for. He accepts Hamlets apology but he still needs to protect his honor.

10) How might the dying lines of Gertrude, Claudius and Laertes be viewed as typical of the way their characters have been presented throughout the play?

She could have known that the drink was poisoned and she was just protecting hamlet whom she loves.

 Claudius: He asks for help from people who he has power over who don’t really care about him.

Laertes: He forgives Hamlet and asks for forgiveness from hamlet.

11) Who “wins” in Hamlet? How and why do you think this?

Fortinbras. He gets revenge for his father and gains a kingdom. He is the final speaker of the play. He ends up with complete power. And he never seems to go crazy like everyone else in the play.

Hamlet Scene 2

Act II Study Questions

ACT II

1)   What is does Polonius tell Reynaldo in the opening of Act II? How does he plan to trap his son?

He wants him to go start rumors about his son to see if they are true.

2) What does this say about Polonius?

He is very concerned with his own image and he is also nosy and a sneaky man.

3) What particularly in Act II scene 1 has disturbed Ophelia?

Hamlet grabs hold of her and shakes her and acts crazy. So she thinks she has caused his craziness.

4) Why have Rosencrantez and Guildenstern been sent to Denmark?

They are to try to find out what is wrong with hamlet for the king and queen.

5) What does Hamlet ask the players to recite? How does the allusion mimic Hamlet’s position?

He asks them to recite a story about a man getting revenge for the killing of his father.

Identify the following speaker of the following lines and discuss to whom the lines are being delivered, and what do the lines mean?

6) “No, my lord, but as you did command/ I did repel his letter, and denied his access to me”

Ophelia, talking about hamlets insanity.

7) “More matter less art”

the queen says this to Polonius when he is bullshitting her.

8) “That I, the son of a dear father murdered,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words,

Hamlet during his soliloquy. He is trying to figure out what to do he doesn’t know if the ghost is his father or a demon.

9) “Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth/ And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,/ with windlasses and with assays of bias,/ By directions find directions out.”

Polonius to Reynaldo

10) “For if the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?”

Hamlet says this to Polonius. He is putting himself down I think. To show how stupid it was for Polonius to command Ophelia to stop seeing him

11) List three metaphors (1 direct, 1 implied, 1 extended) from the play.

Direct: Hamlet breeds maggots in a dead dog

Implied: Lies are poison.

Extended: Denmark is a jail.

12) What proof does Polonius have that he believe indicates Hamlet’s love for Ophelia?

A letter “Hamlet sent” to Ophelia.

13) Explain the quote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” How does this relate to Hamlet.

Nothing is good or bad because certain people see things differently so something bad for one person may be good for another. Depending on how they take it.

14) What is a fishmonger?

A fishmonger is a Pimp.

15) Who was Jephthah?

A man who killed his daughter for political favors.

Hamlet Act 3 and 4

Act 1 scenes 3-4

1)   What is Laertes advice to Ophelia?

He thinks that Hamlet is a prince and he will probably just use Ophelia. He has no choice in who he will marry so she shouldn’t get her hopes up.

2) How does “The canker galls the infants of the spring/ too oft before their buttons be disclos’d” fit into the ideology of the decaying garden?

The worm ruins the flower before it blooms. So in other words hamlet could ruin Ophelia before she is married or an adult. She could be a ruined women.

3) What analogy does Ophelia give to her brother as an answer to his advice? What does she mean?

"But, good my brother, do not, as some ungracious pastors do, show me the steep and thorny way to heaven whiles, like a puffed and reckless libertine, himself the primrose path of dalliance treads and recks not his own rede." (47-51) 

She is frustrated with her brothers advice because she thinks he is a hypocrite.

4) List five of the “few precepts” that Polonius gives to Laertes.

Be true to yourself

Don’t be to friendly to people.

Stay true to your friends don’t bother with wasting your time with other people.

Be a good listener but don’t talk to to many people.

Buy clothes for their quality not for how flashy they are.

5) In lines 105-109, what is the metaphor that Polonius uses to describe Hamlet’s words of love?

He compares fake coins to Hamlet’s “Fake Love”. He doesn’t want her to be sweet talked into bed by Hamlet’s nice words.

6) List and explain one metaphor found in the lines 115-135.

“When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul lends the tongue vows.”

He is saying that lust will make you say anything and do anything to get what you want even if it is unjust or unbelievable.

7) What is Polonius’ command to Ophelia?

She tells him she is no longer aloud to see hamlet or respond to any of his messages or receive any of his letters.

8) In scene 4, what is Hamlet talking about in lines 13-38?

Hamlet does not approve of how Claudius is running the country he thinks that he is making the country look like a drunken foul country.

9) Why doesn’t Horatio want Hamlet to follow the ghost?

The ghost could be evil or it could not even be his father. It may try to convince him to do terrible things so Horatio thinks it best just not to follow it.

10) What is Hamlet’s command to the three guards?

He tells the guards to leave him alone to talk to the ghosts because even if the ghost is evil his life isn’t worth living anyways.

Act 1 Scene 2

HAMLET ACT 1 Scene 2

1. What is odd about Hamlet’s appearance in the opening of scene two?

He is dressed in all black. He is depressed.

2. Explain (give at least two reasons) why Claudius needs to justify his marriage in the opening of scene two.

1.   Because the country can not appear weak for fear of war.

2.   Because he married his brothers woman

3.   Laertes asks the King for leave to do what, specifically?

He wants to go back to school in france.

4.   Explain Hamlet’s insult when he says, “A little more than kin and less than kind.”

He is saying his Uncle/Father is closer related to him because he is not just blood but also related through marriage.

5. Explain Hamlet’s use of pun in the line, “Not so my lord, I am too much in the sun.”

The use of the word sun could be thought of as like son… He doesn’t like being called the son of king Claudius….

5.   In Hamlet’s first soliloquy it is obvious that what troubles him most is?

He is troubled not just that his mother married his uncle but that she did it so fast.

7. What does Hamlet mean by the following lines

“Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not ‘seems’.

‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,

Nor customary suits of solemn black,

Nor windy suspiration of forc’d breath,

No, nore the fruitful river in the eye,

Nor the dejected havior of the visage,

Together will all forms, moods, shapes of grief,

That can denote me truly. These indeed seem,

For they are actions that a man might play;

But I have that within which passes show,

These but the trappings and the suits of woe.

He is saying that he does not just sad but that the outer look of him is on the inside is well. He is really depressed and not just pretending.

8. What does Hamlet say about the baked meats and the funeral and the wedding.

That it was kept from the funeral and used at the funeral

9. What news does Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo bring to Hamlet.

His dead father is back as a ghost in full armor.

Act 1 Scene 1

Questions for ACT 1 SCENE 1

1) How is interest created in the opening scene?

They are not sure what the return of the late king means? It could be a sign that they are in trouble. Foreboding to a war.

2) What information are we given to help us understand the situation?

The ghost of king hamlet is back.

Leaders come back in a time of great danger.

3) What happens at the end of the scene to create suspense and keep up the reader’s interest?

The Ghost is temped to speak but then vanishes because the guards try to stab him to get him to speak?

The guards also want to bring the info to hamlet. The dead kings son.

4) What is the mood of the scene?

The mood of the scene is pretty gloomy and mystifying.

5) Why are the sentries apprehensive (there are two reasons)?

What is a Sentrie?

6) What reasons are suggested by Horatio for the appearance of the late King’s ghost?

The kingdom is in danger 

Dj's 36-56 their eyes where watching god

Blake Fletcher

AP English

DJ’s 35-56

DJ’s 36-56

36. pg 61 “The Parson sat motionless in a dead pine tree about two miles off.”

The parson is sitting in a tree waiting to go eat a dead mule. I just think that this has a slight connection to the symbol that the tree has something major to do with life. Janie always talks about beauty in trees but this Parson is about to go eat a dead mule. How is that beautiful? I guess it could relate to the fact that the tree and animals rely on each other like a marriage? The parson needs the mule to survive.

37. pg 84 “And then if he hadn’t, the next morning she was bound to know, for people began to gather in the big yard under the palm and china berry trees.”

This is talking about Jody’s death. The fact that everyone gathered under the tree like the parson sat in the tree waiting for the mule is interesting. Maybe trees are not just a symbol for beauty but a symbol for death as well. Possibly finding beauty in death somehow?

38. pg 84 “And then too, Jody, no Joe, gave her a ferocious look.”

Jody was a term of affection from Janie to Joe. Jody loves her but does Joe? I think it is interesting that Janie sees two people in Joe. One with affection and one who possibly hates her?

39. pg 87 “A sound of strife in Jody’s throat, but his eyes stared unwillingly into a corner of the room so Janie knew the futile fight was not with her”

This is Jody dying. Janie is in the middle of yelling at him and then he makes a noise and his eyes stop moving. He dies with not resolution between Janie. Janie feels pity for the first time in a long time for Jody. But now he is gone.

40.  pg 87 “She tore off the kerchief from her head and let down her plentiful hair”

She is free!!! She no longer has to keep her hair pinned up to make Jody happy. This is showing her freedome. The first step to becoming herself again. It also shows that she has the power in her life again. Very important because Jody was very controlling.

41. pg 89 “She hated her grandmother and had hidden it from herself all these years under a cloak of pity.”

She finally admits to herself that she despises her grandmother for taking her youth away. This is important because her nanny is the first person to take away her freedom. She has this idea about love that she can now explore because no one is controlling her.

42. pg 90 “She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around.”

This is her taking power of her life. She found that beautiful person she was before her first husband and she wants to exploit it. She wants people to see her hair and her inner beauty. She wants to see her own beauty. She is in control.

43. pg 106 “He could be a bee to a blossom”

Remember back to when she was sitting under the tree in the beginning. Her understanding of a good marriage was a bee and a blossom. Also, this is odd because she said the same thing about Jody. Could be taken as foreboding but I think she means more when she talks about Tea Cake because he is so different.

44. pg 106 “ Thought ah’d try tuh git heah soon enough to tell yuh mah daytime thoughts.”

He is making an effort to show her that his feelings are with good intentions. He doesn’t just want to take advantage of her and take her money which is something she is really worrying about at this point.

45. pg 110 “Tea Cake making flower beds in Janie’s yard and seeding the garden for her.”

This is important because Jody would have never worked in the garden for her because it would have poorly affected people’s views of how manly and how powerful he is. Tea Cake is a better man than Jody.

46. pg 114 “Dis is uh love game. Ah done lived Grandma’s way, Now Ah means tuh live mine.”

It is time for the bees and the blossoms! She wants to experience love the way she always dreamed about it. She tried to do right by her grandmother but it didn’t make her happy. So she despises her grandmother for making her marry so young. She now sees her opportunity to be happy and she is going to take it.

47. pg 116 “The train beat on itself and danced on the shiny steel rails mile after mile. Every now and then the engineer would play on his whistle for the people in the towns he passed by. And the train shuffled on to Jacksonville, and to a whole lot of things she wanted to see and to know.”

Janie is really excited to start her new life and is finding beauty in everything. It sounds like music and everything to do with the train is so nice and surreal. She wanted to see what real love is and now she has the chance to experience it.

48. pg 120 “But ah God, don’t let Tea Cake be of somewhere hurt and Ah not know nothing about it.”

Even though Tea Cake just stole from her she is more worried about his well-being. This shows how much she cares about him because she can push through her worries and deep down be worried about him.

49. pg 124 “He had done found out how rich people feel and he had a fine guitar and twelve dollars left in his pocket and all he needed now was a great big old hug and kiss from Janie”

He spent all but twelve dollars of Janie’s 200 just to experience what it was like to live like that and now he is over it? He says he still was always thinking about Janie so maybe this was a good thing. Now the only thing he needs to make him happy is be with Janie.

50. pg 130 “Tain’t no need uh you not knowin’ how tuh handle shootin’ tools.”

No other man would have taught Janie to shoot a gun but Tea Cake sees not problem with it. This shows that Tea Cake is really different then most other guys. It shows he doesn’t believe in the traditional role of women for the time period that is a pretty big deal.

51. pg 131 “Dancing, fighting, singing, crying, laughing, winning and losing love every hour.”

This shows how crazy this love is for Janie. Life is a struggle. But with the struggle comes with many good things. The fighting, crying, and losing love every hour is cancelled out with the dancing, singing, laughing, and winning love ever hour. It balances out but it is not perfect.

52. pg 133 “Ah gits lonesome out dere all day ‘thought yuh. After dis, you betta come git uh job uh work out dere lak de rest uh de women.”

Tea Cake is asking Janie to come work with him not for him because he misses her during the day. His concern isn’t with making money but he wants to be with her all day every day. This is true love.

53. pg 133 “ Then Tea Cake would help get supper afterwards.”

Jody never helped prepare diner. This is a big deal because Tea Cake and Janie can really count on each other like a bee can count on a blossom. This is a real marriage.

54. pg 137 “And another thing, Tea Cake didn’t seem to be able to fend her off as promptly as Janie thought he ought to.”

Janie is getting jealous. This is odd because Jody got jealous and it lead to the fall of their relationship. She needs to be careful because Jealousy can drive you crazy. This could be the start of fighting or this could bring them closer together.

55. pg 141 “Naw, mah husband didn’t had nothin’ but hisself. He’s easy tuh love if you mess round ‘im. Ah loves ‘im”

This is Janie expressing how much she cares about Tea Cake. This is important because this is after she shows her jealousy. They are getting through this together. I think that this is a good sign.

56. pg 141 “He kin take most any lil thing and make summertime out of it when times is dull. Then we lives offa dat happiness he made till so mo’ happiness come along.”

This relates back to her thought of marriage. The bee and the bloom are most active in summer time and can rely on each other during summer time like a proper married couple should. So Tea Cake being able to create summer time is a big deal because that is allowing Janie to rely on him like a bee relies on a bloom.

DJ's 21-35 Eyes were watching god...

Blake Fletcher

AP English

DJ’s 21-35

DJ’s 21-35

21. pg 27 “The noon sun filtered through the leaves of the fine oak tree where she sat and made lacy patterns on the ground.”

This is interesting because as soon as her husband leaves, she is back to the tree. Relaxing enjoying herself in the shade of the tree. The tree could possibly symbolize her dreams, like she can’t do this while her husband is home but she does it as soon as she leaves. She is not happy and that is clear, so this is where she finds happiness.

22.  pg 27 “It was a citified, stylish dressed man with his hat set at an angle that didn’t belong in these parts. His coat was over his arm, but he didn’t need it to represent his clothes. The shirt with the silk sleeveholders was dazzling enough for the world.”

This is a big deal because just a day or so ago Janie and her husband got in a big fight and he said sarcastically that she probably wants one of those city slickers and here comes one walking down the road. Maybe when her husband said that she wanted someone like Joe Starks it was foreboding to this and I just missed it.

23. pg 30 “There! Janie had put words in his held-in fears. She might run off sure enough. The thought put a terrible ache in Logan’s body, but he thought it best to put on scorn.”

This passage shows that yeah Logan may be a dick to Janie but he really does care about her enough to feel sick at the thought of losing her. Her saying that she might run of justifies his fears and makes them real for him. Now he can either try to change to keep her or possibly lose her.

24. Pg 32 “From now on until death she was going to have flower dust and springtime sprinkled over everything. A bee for her bloom.”

This passage relates back to why she kissed Johnny and this is her comparing Joe starks to her wonders and dreams when she was younger under a pear tree wondering about love. She says Jody is her bee because she sees him as her perfect match. Someone she can rely on and be happy with.

25. pg. 43 “Thank yuh fuh yo’ compliments, but mah wife don’t know nothin’ ‘bout no speech-makin’. Ah never married her for nothin’ lak dat. She’s uh woman and her place is in de home.”

This is a big change in Janie’s opinion of Jody. She really thought he was perfect and now she kind of really sees his first flaw. Janie didn’t really want to give the speech but it would have been nice to have the opportunity.

26. pg 46 “A feeling of coldness and fear took hold of her. She felt far away from things and lonely.”

This is showing the first signs of Janie being unhappy. That is a big deal because she just ran away from one failed marriage that she wasn’t happy for a man who she thought was “her bee to her blossom” this is maybe her admitting to herself that he isn’t this man.

27. pg 47 “They had murmured hotly about slavery being over, but everyman filled his assignment.”

This is important because all of the towns people are starting to realize that he runs them like slaves. His house resembles a rich white persons house. Ironic? I just feel like he kind of owns them with his power.

28. pg 49 “Whut make her keep her head tied up lak some ole ‘oman round de store?”

This is important because the reason she has to wear her hair up is because Jody is making her. This just shows a flaw in Jody and Janie’s relationship. The flaw is Jody’s jealousy and his inability to be satisfied with the work he as already done. He is working himself to death.

29. pg. 51 “When the people sat around on the porch and passed around the pictures of their thoughts for others to look at and see, it was nice.”

I think it is weird that in the beginning of the novel Janie hates the porch talk. She wants to take no part in it. Though she finds this interesting now and wants to play a part in it? I just think this is interesting.

30. pg 53 “ Janie loved the conversation sometimes she thought up good stories on the mule, but Joe had forbidden her to indulge.”

Again, I think this shows a change in Janie as a person from the beginning of the novel to now because In the beginning she makes a big deal about not stopping and talking to the women on the porch but now she wants to indulge?

31. pg 54 “She had come to hate the inside of that store anyway.”

This is just progression for her. She keeps getting angrier and angrier and more unhappy this is just another piece of evidence to put on her failing marriage. This is a downward spiral.

32. pg 54 “He wanted her to use her privileges.”

Jody really thinks of working at the store as a “privilege” while Janie is beginning to hate it more and more. This is bad. They need to communicate to make this work or this is all going to become one big fight.

33. pg 56 “They oughta be shamed uh theyselves! Teasin’ dat poor brute beast lak they is!”

This is important because Jody over hears Janie say this. That is a big deal because he does something about it to try to make her feel better. That shows that he still does care about Janie even though they are fighting. This is where Jody makes an effort.

34. pg 58 “Didn’t buy ‘im fuh no work. I god, Ah bought dat varmint tuh let ‘im rest.”

This is a big deal because I think this is Jody trying to make Janie see that he is trying. He says this deliberately in front of her because he knows how she feels about the mule being teased and worked so hard. At least it is an effort.

35. pg 59 “But way after a while he died. Lum found him under the big tree on his rawbony back with all four feet up in the air”

I think it is odd that Janie seems to be most happiest when trees are involved. She sees something beautiful to do with trees. Maybe the fact that he died under a tree which is generally a symbol for happiness for Janie means that he will be happier now that he is dead?