Unit 1
Why does Mrs. Whitaker refuse the magical apple?
She is afraid of the feelings it has stirred up in her
She values her ordinary, comfortable life over power or wealth.
Her decision is motivated by contentment and desire to see her husband again.
What is the plan Claudius and Laertes plan to ensure Hamlet will die in the duel. - Act 4, Scene 7
What is tricking Hamlet into drinking poison during the fight?
Describe exactly how Claudius dies (list all parts of the event).
He is stabbed with the poisoned sword and is forced to drink the poisoned wine
What happens to Horatio at the end of the play, and why?
He wants to kill himself, but Hamlet asks him to live to share what happened
What does “Is that your motion?” (Page 31, line 12) mean?
Is that your impulse or inclination?
Based on her behavior throughout the story, describe one personality trait Mrs. Whitaker shows (e.g., calm, adventurous, routine-oriented).
She likes to follow a regular routine
What is the difference between Ophelia’s madness and Hamlet’s?
Ophelia’s madness is authentic and caused by external conflicts; Hamlet’s madness may be feigned
Explain who Yorick was.
He was the late King’s jester, now dead.
Hamlet compares his parents to figures like Hyperion, Hercules, and Niobe. Explain what these references reveal about Hamlet as a person (e.g., intellectual, dramatic, educated).
He is a scholar
Define the word ignoble based on the context and definition given in HMH.
Cowardly
How does Sir Gawain’s motivations influence the continuation of the conflict?
Gawain’s desire for personal revenge becomes more important to him than a peace treaty with Lancelot
The central idea of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech.
What is Hamlet’s contemplation of killing himself?
From Claudius’s opening speech on page 171-172, identify one character or occupational trait he displays.
He is cunning like a politician
What message does the ambassador bring from England at the end of the play?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been executed
A literary device where a character contrasts with another (usually the protagonist) to highlight specific traits, values, or flaws through comparison
What is a character foil?
Describe the specific internal struggle Launcelot faces when Arthur’s forces come to France in the opening scene of “Le Morte d’Arthur”.
He wants to protect his people, but he is reluctant to fight Arthur because he has declared loyalty to the King
Claudius’s judgment of Hamlet’s mental and emotional state after watching his play-within-a-play.
What is crazy AND dangerous?
The misunderstanding or double meaning happening when Gertrude says Hamlet has offended his father, and Hamlet replies that she has offended his father.
What is Gertrude talking about Claudius, but Hamlet is talking about the dead king?
Explain why Claudius feels unable to pray for forgiveness in Act 3, Scene 3.
He cannot repent because he still has the crown and the queen - the two things he wanted enough to murder for
When Claudius asks Hamlet why “the clouds still hang” over him on 174, line 66, what is Claudius really commenting on?
Claudius is saying that Hamlet’s dark mood is readily apparent
From The Wife of Bath’s Tale, identify one line or idea that reinforces a stereotype about women. Explain why it reflects a stereotype. (page 33-36)
“A man can win us best with flattery”
“Some said our hearts are set on wealth and treasure,”
“To dance attend on us, make a fuss”
“Some on honor, some on jollity and pleasure…”
“Ensares us all, the best and worst of us”
What is one theme or lesson revealed through Hamlet’s conflict with Laertes in Act 5?
A person must face his or her fate with courage
“It will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come”
Describe how Hamlet’s encounter with Fortinbras motivates him to take action.
Hamlet is inspired by Fortinbras’s passion about an insignificant parcel of land
Explain what Hamlet reveals privately in his soliloquy (page 175-176, lines 129–159) that the other characters do not know.
His true feelings about Claudius and Gertrude
“But no more to my father/then I to Hercules”
Explain the paradox “mirth in funeral and dirge in marriage” on page page 172, line 12. Why does he feel this?
Claudius feels mingled grief and joy over his marriage and his brother’s death