Hamlet: Sane or Insane?

Based on what we have read thus far, do you think Hamlet is sane or insane? Defend your response using specific evidence from the text.

Betrayal

"One should rather die than be betrayed. There is no deciet in death. It delivers precisely what it has promised. Betrayal, though...betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope" ~Steven Deitz

How would you feel if a friend betrayed you? What if they acted out of concern for your well being?

Desrcribe an occasion when you thought/knew a friend wasn't totally honest with you. How did it make you feel? Was your friends behavior justified? Have you ever done something similar?

Hamlet Production: Respond to ALL 3 components

ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE TO BE DISCUSSED:

I. Which actor stood out most in your mind (for either a good or a bad performance)? Again tell why and be specific. Do not make personal attacks on the actors for faults of the script and/or production.

II. Consider EACH of the visual/aural elements of the play (set, costumes, lighting, sound). How did they affect your appreciation of the play? Discuss the characters' costumes in terms of how they were reflections of the characters' personalities. Discuss the set/lighting as to how each served the play. Discuss the use of sound in the performance (don't forget pre-show wind!). Sound means SOUND EFFECTS, not whether or not you could hear the actors (although you can comment on that in section III).

III. As a whole, how would you rate this play? Use the time-honored method of giving it stars. From four stars as the highest rating to no stars for a real stinkeroo. Answer the following questions concerning the production as a whole:
~What does the play have to say about people, relationships, human nature?
~What did I learn about the theatre from this production?
~Was the play entertaining?

The Power of Word

In "Antigone", the messenger statesm "excessive silence can be dangerous". React to this statement. Is "silence" a good or bad thing? Defend your position through the use of specific life experiences you have encountered AND literature studied.

Thoughtlessness?

In "Antigone" the Messenger states "The unfortunate boy has shown all men how, of all the evils which effect mankind, the most disasterous one is thoughtlessness" React to this statement. Is the messenger correct or incorrect thinking that "thoughlessness" leads to the greatest disasters. Use evidence from the world and units of studry to support your response.

Personal Experience: Antigone

The following is a quote from Antigone. It is part of one of the Chorus’ speeches:

"For what is destined/for us, men mortal, there is no escape."

Read the quote very carefully, think about what it says, and then write a blog explaining what the quote means and whether you agree or disagree with the meaning. This should be more than a paragraph in length.

Be sure to give lots of specific examples from the play to support whatever point of view you wish to express.

Fate

Antigone tells Ismene, "Don't fear for me. Set your own fate in order." Who determines fate? Does a higher power determine this or do we play a role? Is it a combination of both? Explain your viewpoint!