To be, or not to be...

You've made it within two days of break!  You won't have much homework over the break (I really shouldn't be so nice), but your one assignment is to memorize Hamlet's oh-so-famous "To be, or not to be" soliloquy.  In case you have trouble finding the text online (that's a joke, as it is not hard to find at all), I will post it below.  Prior to memorizing it, though, you need to understand what Hamlet is saying.  Therefore, I would like you to translate it into your own words (still from Hamlet's point of view).  We will do the actual performances of the speech beginning on January 9th.

*Update* Since I am so nice and you do have quite a bit of work due next week, I will only require you to memorize up to "With a bare bodkin" (line 84 below).  However, you will receive extra credit for reciting the entire soliloquy.

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks (70)
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despis'd love, the law's delay, (80)
The insolence of office and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of? (90)
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.-- Soft you now!
The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
Be all my sins remember'd.

Words, words, words

Well, only one more week to get through before winter break.  You can make it!  We will try to get through Act II and well into Act III of Hamlet before the week is through. 

I know some of you are wondering: "Why are we studying Hamlet?"  Well, if you haven't already started recognizing several of the lines from the play, I'm sure you will soon.  Shakespeare introduced so many words and phrases into the English language it is unfathomable, and some of the most ubiquitous (look it up) come from Hamlet.  For this assignment, I want you to find at least two contemporary references to Hamlet (they can be from books, TV shows, movies, songs, comic strips... well, you get the picture) and describe the reference in a paragraph.  You also need to provide a complete citation in MLA format at the bottom of the page.  Separate the citations by putting the title Works Cited in the center of the page, and then cite each work below that.  For a review of proper citation format for different mediums (book, website, online video, etc.) click on the hyperlink below and use this reference:

http://library.williams.edu/citing/styles/mla.php

P.S. The Lion King is "off limits," since we have been using it as an example in class.

This assignment MUST BE TYPED and is due at the BEGINNING OF CLASS on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, the penultimate (again, look it up) class before winter break.

Well, I know the blog hasn't seen much traffic lately (hopefully you've all checked out your videos I uploaded, though), but welcome back. 

We may not have enough Hamlet books for everyone to have a copy to take home, but, well, welcome to the twenty-first century.  Since we are using public domain literature (from the most studied author in the English language, there is no shortage of free online texts, which means (you got it) homework!  The following is a good online version of Hamlet from Open Source Shakespeare:

http://www.opensourceshakespeare.org/views/plays/playmenu.php?WorkID=hamlet

You may use this site to complete homework assignments, reading, etc.  Now you have no excuse (I'm sure you can find a computer to use, but nice try).

I will also be posting clips from various film adaptations of Hamlet with interpretation questions which you will be expected to watch and respond to outside of class.

Cheers,

Mr. Pace