24-Which plays the greater part in Hamlet's life, materialism or spiritualism?

Act I-Scene 1.

1-How would you change the spirit of Scene I when Horatio and Marcellus enter?

2-What is the atmosphere of Scene 1?

3-Give examples showing that the belief in Shakespeare's day

was that the elements and human affairs were closely connected.

4-With what words does Francisco touch the emotional chord that vibrates through the play?

5-Why is the chord touched in the first scene?

6-What hint is given us in Act I, Scene I of the superstitions of Shakespeare's time?

7-What part of Horatio was not with him when Bernardo asks "is Horatio there?"

8-Why does the Ghost stalk away when Horatio addresses it? 9-How far can supernatural agencies influence persons in the drama?

10-What does the conversation about the Ghost having twice before gone by the watch, tell us of the future action of the tragedy, and of the condition of the state?

11-What is there in Scene I that shows us that Shakespeare loved the characters grouped around Julius Caesar?

12-Give examples of the belief in supernatural agencies current in Shakespeare's time.

13-Analyze "I'll cross it, though it blast me."

Act I-Scene 2.

1-(a) Analyze the King's speech and find the formal tones in it. (b) Find where joy and sorrow are over-lapped and blended. (c) Find the condition of the kingdom at this time. 2-Define "You cannot speak of reason to the Dane, and lose your voice."

3-When Hamlet first stands before us what is his coalition, physically and mentally?

4-What is the meaning of Hamlet's speech, "A little more than kin and less than kind?"

5-From the conversation with the King and Queen and from his soliloquy can we form a very accurate opinion of Hamlet's mental and emotional condition at the beginning of the drama?

6-Is the giving of information the dramatic purpose of the conversation and the soliloquy?

7-What effect does the King's moralizing have on Hamlet? 8-What is Hamlet's source of relief?

9-How does the Queen receive Hamlet's demonstration of irritability?

10-What changes have occurred in the interview between the King, the Queen and Hamlet?

11-What effect do these changes have upon the scene?

12-What two important things have thrust themselves on Hamlet's mind in Scene 2?

13-Was the Queen's love founded on the essential or the accidental elements of life?

14-What elements do you find in the last part of Scene 2? 15-What kind of scene is the latter part of Scene 2? 16-What is Hamlet's mental condition at the end of Scene 2? 17-Why is this condition shown so early in the play? 18-What dramatic forecasts have we had up to this stage of the play?

Act 1, Scene 3.

1-To what group of personages does Scene 3 introduce us? 2-Give salient traits of each character in the group.

3 What is Laertes' part in the play?

4-Is there a comic element in Scene 3?

5-What warning does Laertes give his sister in reference to Hamlet's attentions?

6-What is the dramatic purpose of this warning?

7-From what book did Polonius read his advice to Laertes? 8-Of what does Polonius' wisdom consist?

9-What would the conversation between Ophelia and her father lead you to expect from the attachment that had been formed between Ophelia and Hamlet?

10-Why did Laertes mistrust Hamlet?

11-Has Ophelia shown any signs of weakness or defection in Scene 3?

12-What present day convention was told Ophelia by her father?

13-What is the dramatic function of Polonius' advice to Ophelia? 14-Was there real love between Ophelia and Laertes? Analyze their feelings for each other.

15-How much authority had Polonius in the King's household? 16-What idea have you formed of Hamlet's nature from the first three scenes of the play?

Act 1, Scene 4.

1-At the beginning of Scene 4, why the words, "It is an eager and a nipping air?"

2-Why the flourish of trumpets at the hour when Hamlet is waiting for the appearance of the Ghost?

3-Why does Scene 4 open with a conversation on the trivial details of the weather, the hour and the drinking habits of Denmark?

-Why does Hamlet speak about the drinking habits of the King and of his countrymen?

5-What strong plea for pre-natal environment in this scene? 6-What contradictions of this plea have we in character contrast throughout the play?

7-Do you think pre-natal influence had anything to do with Hamlet's nature?

8-In what stage of civilization is the force of heredity chiefly displayed?

9-Discussion, "Heredity is habit writ in large."

10-Analyze emotions in Scene 4.

11-Was Hamlet a fatalist, or did he merely depend upon accidents for his motives and impulses?

12-Find central thought in Scene 4.

13-Why does Horatio see the Ghost in Scene 4 before Hamlet sees it?

14-What cause does Hamlet give for his fearlessness in following the Ghost?

15-What inference as to the condition of Denmark does Mar

cellus draw from the visit of the Ghost?

16-Is there the element of growth in Scene 4?

17-How do you account for Horatio's fear in Scene 4?

18-What dramatic law does the conversation between Hamlet

and Horatio fulfill?

19-How does this conversation enhance the scene?

20-What types of character in Scene 4?

Act 1, Scene 5.

1-What two thoughts are planted in Hamlet's mind by the Ghost?

2-What information as to his present condition, and as to the manner of his death, does the Ghost give to Hamlet? 3-What does the belief in the Ghost suggest to our minds concerning spiritualism?

4-Comment on the Ghost's charge to Hamlet regarding Hamlet's mother.

5-Does the interview with the Ghost make the turning point in Hamlet's life?

6-May the terms objective and subjective be applied to ghosts? 7-What is the function of a ghost in a plot?

8-May supernatural agencies influence events without in fluencing persons?

9-Do the events always agree with the prediction?

10-Does foreknowledge imply predestination?

11-How is it possible for the ghost to make the revelation to Hamlet?

12-Does the individual have to give consent before supernatural agencies can influence them? Give examples.

13-Do supernatural agencies initiate or alter, or do they emphasize and assist?

14-Is the supernatural function in Shakespeare's plays addressed to the persons in the story, or to the spectator of the drama?

15-Why the words of the Ghost "But that I am forbid to tell the secrets of my prison-house," etc.?

16-Do these words shift Shakespeare's responsibility?

17-Why does Hamlet set it down in his tables that Claudius is a smiling damned villain?

18-Does Hamlet's remark when the Ghost makes its exit manifest the cardinal traits of his character?

19-Why did Hamlet answer Horatio and Marcellus evasively?

20-How does the Ghost's emphasis to Hamlet's request to "swear by the sword" effect you?

21-Why does Hamlet assume an antic disposition after the interview with the Ghost?

22-Why does he assume madness?

23-What is Hamlet's immediate need at this moment?

24-Has Hamlet formed a definite plan of revenge?

25-Does Hamlet's assumed madness assist or retard his action 26-Give the effect that Hamlet's present condition has upon the different persons in the drama?

27-How are his mimetics and mockery compensated? 28-Does Hamlet's letting go his terrible duty and then return. ing to it, imply weakness or strength?

29-Remember question 28, Act I, Scene 5, as it will help you in the comparison and comprehension of Hamlet's traits. 30-Do the closing words of Act I uttered by Hamlet foreshadow the main action of the drama? (b) Do you consider them the key-note of the drama? (c) What is the key-note of a drama?

32-What has been accomplished in Act I?

33-What is the dramatic function of the first act of a drama? 34-Are the unities ever violated in this respect by Shakespeare?

Act II, Scene 1.

1-In Act I, Scene 3, we had Polonius posing as a moralist. What do we learn of Polonius' morality at the opening of Act II?

2-Upon what persons in the drama do the morals of Polonius reflect?

3-Why does Shakespeare give the information about Hamlet's appearance and condition during his interview with Ophelia, by means of narrative instead of action?

4-(a) What is gradation in the drama? (b) What is anti-climax? 5-How had Ophelia lately received Hamlet's advances? 6-What is one of the principal emotions in Act II, Scene 1? 7-What prompted Hamlet to go to Ophelia's closet?

8-What did he expect of Ophelia?

9-Why did he fall to such perusal of Ophelia's face? 10-What did he read in her face?

11-Why did he not speak instead of sigh?