Reading for Wednesday the 27th and Friday the 29th.

Alrighty, kiddos. Here we go on the reading. Recall the class discussion today in which I explained that we HAVE to take the speed of reading Hamlet up several notches. You are going to have to read every night in order to keep up with the schedule. However, it is only two weeks and you can do anything for two weeks. So, here is the reading schedule for the rest of the week.

• Cornell Notes: the ONLY notes you are required to take are those that relate to the three essential questions (you wrote the essential questions down in your composition notebook the first day we took class notes). In other words, you are writing down quotes and any other information (situations, circumstances, decisions and actions of the characters, etc.) that helps you answer the essential questions. 

• You need to know the answers as those questions will inform your writing for the essay.
• By Friday, read Act I, scene v through Act III, scene ii, lines 1-295. By Wednesday, you should have read up to Act II, scene ii. You will have a written response/quiz on Wednesday.

• Remember, Hamlet's words have been his weapons, so far. As you are searching for answers to the essential questions, look for not only the literal meanings of Hamlets descriptive words and phrases, but also the connotative meanings.

• SKIP Act II, scene i. In this scene we learn more of Polonius's character, who he is as a person. He tells Reynaldo to spy on his son, Laertes, to find out if he is behaving himself in France. To accomplish this task, Polonius instructs Reynaldo to indirectly (spreading rumors and then asking a person if he/she has seen Laertes engage in any of the "rumored" offenses) accuse Laertes of various indiscretions. Through this scene, we learn that Polonius has a devious and untrusting mind (recall his conversation with Ophelia), he likes spying, and he clearly does not trust his son. 
• Next, Ophelia comes bursting into his bedchamber to recount an experience she has just had with Hamlet (he came to her bedraggled and unclean, does not speak, and, through his actions, gives the impression of deep sorrow and depression). In this part of the scene, we begin to see Hamlet, via Ophelia's recounted interaction with Hamlet, act out his pretended madness (recall he vows to appear mad in the garden/ghost scene in order to learn more about the murder situation). Not only do we see Hamlet's developing the impression of his madness, we are also seeing Hamlet test Ophelia--he is wondering if he can trust her with the truth.  
• In the end, Polonius and Ophelia determine was her (forced) rejection of Hamlet that has driven him mad, and Polonius feels guilty about misreading the situation as he felt Hamlet only meant to take advantage of Ophelia. He further worries that Ophelia will take it especially hard, which she probably will as she is a kind, loving, and loyal soul.

• SKIP Act II scene ii, ONLY lines 440-557. In this part of the scene, we are introduced to the "players" (actors) that have come at Hamlet's request to put on a play--"The Murder of Gonzago". The players re-enact a portion of a different tragic play (at Hamlet's request--he is weighing their ability) as he and Polonius watch. Hamlet connects to this part of the play as it describes a grieving son wreaking revenge on his father's killer (Polonius does not get Hamlet's subtle hint of what he is doing--revenging his father's death). After Polonius leaves, Hamlet explains to the "First Player" that he needs him to do the play (Murder of Gonzago) because he has an ability Hamlet does not--realistically summon true emotion over a fictional character. Hamlet lets the players know he will meet with them the following day (the day of the play) to go over the changes he has made to the script. At the end of this scene is one of Hamlet's soliloquies that we will study more in-depth. However, pay close attention to it now.