New Study Guide Format | Study Guide | Stratford Festival Official Website

Study Guide written by Luisa Appolloni, Education Associate - Enrichment Focus, Education Department, Stratford Festival

INTRODUCTION TO THE GUIDE

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
- Hamlet, Hamlet, Act 1, scene 5

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most popular and hotly debated plays. It has an enigmatic and empathic title character whom students find fascinating to watch. Viewing the play through a contemporary lens, we are drawn to a rich assortment of critical approaches and interpretations. This production invites students to examine such issues as gender, patriarchy, relationships, desires and isolation, as well as cultural, political and social power and how they resonate in the twenty-first century. In seeing the production and participating in the activities in this guide, students can ask questions about what happens to a society built on deceit and oppression, the consequences of social, psychological and sexual marginalization and the complexity of power in their daily lives.

Content Advisory for Students
Explores mature themes, including suicide.
Contains some sexual innuendo and the depiction of violence.

Curriculum Connections

Grades 8 and up

HAM global competencies grey

HAM elementary greyscale

HAM secondary greyscale

Themes

• Disorder, Death and Afterlife: the impossibility of certainty, the nature of existence, the supernatural
• Sickness and Corruption: madness and melancholia
• Power and Politics: family, public vs. private, appearance vs. reality
• Action vs. Inaction: entrapment, confinement, responsibility and freedom
• Good and Evil: honour and revenge, sin and virtue, love and sex, incest and desire, misogyny

Three key figures to look for in Hamlet

HAM characters to look for greyscale

A Perspective on the Piece from the Director

With Peter Pasyk

What excites you about directing this piece?

I am excited by the challenge of directing such an iconic play. For me, the challenge is in making this well-known story feel surprising, dramatic and new. On the other hand, I know there will be many young audience members who have never seen Hamlet, and I am most excited about presenting them with their first experience of this play. Sometimes Shakespearean language can have a distancing effect for audiences hearing it for the first time, but I believe that it doesn't have to be that way. I hope to make the play feel modern, exciting and accessible.
I am also excited by the scope of the play. It is a story that examines the human condition and poses philosophical questions about mortality and beyond. It confronts us humans with the truth of our condition: that we are at once the image of God and food for worms. In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses a great sense of irony by always contrasting the holy with the profane.

Could you share a little bit about your artistic vision for the production?

This production of Hamlet will be for our times. I am setting the play in our modern world, in 2020. Shakespeare gives us a clue within the play about how it should be directed, when Hamlet tells the players that theatre should hold a "mirror up to nature." Shakespeare wanted the play to reflect the world, and for audiences to recognize themselves on stage. My way into the world of Hamlet is through the universal family story and the love story at the centre of the play. I will also be investigating themes of revenge, surveillance, mental health and the search for truth. And you can expect to see elements of modern technology and modern fashion in the production too.

It's exciting to have a woman of colour playing the role of Hamlet. What effect do you hope this choice will have on audiences' perceptions of the play?

Hamlet is one of the most universal roles - we all see a piece of ourselves in Hamlet. In my search for a Hamlet, Amaka [Umeh] was the most gifted actor for the role - male or female. She has a great intuitive understanding of the language, and I hope that through her interpretation the words will be heard anew by audiences. There is a long tradition of famous actresses playing Hamlet to great acclaim, including Sarah Siddons in the 1700s and Sarah Bernhardt in the 1800s. I also wanted this production to be a reflection of the multicultural world we live in today.

Are there aspects of this play, and of your particular production, that will resonate with things in the world today that we are maybe not seeing or that we need to re-examine?

Today, we live in a post-truth world and anyone using the Internet expects to be under surveillance to some degree. We may think this is unique to our times, but Shakespeare wrote this kind of paranoid world for prince Hamlet in 1601. Perhaps the difference is that today these issues are more widespread and common for the masses, which makes Hamlet more relatable now than ever. Shakespeare also explores mental illness in this play, and we live in a time when mental health is being framed in new ways, and its stigmas are being challenged publicly. I am interested in how today's audience responds to the question of Hamlet's madness.

Are there specific production elements or other aspects of the staging of the play that audiences might find innovative or unusual?

The short answer is: yes! But you will have to come and see the show to find out. What I can say is that Hamlet is Shakespeare's most experimental play. The turning point of its plot is a production of a play within the play. So there is a meta-theatricality in the play - a kind of winking to the audience - and I plan to lean into that.

What do you hope audience members will feel during the show? What questions do you want them to leave with? Is there anything that you hope young people might be particularly engaged by?

Hamlet continues to fascinate each new generation because it is a play that makes us ask many questions while providing few answers. It's at once a revenge thriller, a love story and a philosophical drama. But at its core it investigates the nature of truth and honesty. When are we our most true selves: alone, with family, with friends? Is there even such a thing as one true self?
Hamlet is a young person's play. The central character is a student and full of questions about the world around him. He questions authority, social conventions and life's purpose. I hope that audiences connect with this grieving young adult who is forced into an unimaginable situation.

PRE-SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask students:

• What do you expect to see on stage at the Stratford Festival? Make a list of predictions, save it, and, after the trip, revisit it to see how your predictions compared to the actual production.
• What traits would someone classified as a "thinker" possess? What traits would someone classified as a "doer" possess? What might happen when these types of characters go to the extreme?
• How does our society today respond to claims of the supernatural? How do you think the Elizabethans responded to the supernatural four hundred years ago?
• At the beginning of the play, King Claudius, in addition to being Hamlet's uncle, has just become his stepfather. How are step-parents and stepchildren often portrayed in film and fiction? If you haven't yet read or seen Hamlet, what do you imagine Claudius and his relationship with Hamlet will be like?
• How would you define a villain? Why?
• How does society keep checks and balances on their leaders and government today? In what ways do you imagine citizens were able to do so four hundred or more years ago?
• Shakespeare wrote two prominent female characters in Hamlet: Gertrude and Ophelia. He wrote this play four hundred years ago. Knowing this, in what ways do you imagine these characters might be portrayed? How has the role of women changed since then? What still needs to be done in order to achieve gender equality?
• How would you define extreme parenting? Do parents have a right to check up and even spy on their children? If so, to what extent?
• How far should someone go to seek revenge?

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Understanding Hamlet's true feelings (Act 1, scene 2)

1 class: approx. 60 minutes

HAM classroom activity understanding hamlets true feelings obj greyscale

Excerpt

Hamlet's first soliloquy (a speech spoken by a character who is alone) in Act 1, scene 2, reveals a lot about his true feelings and thoughts.

1. As a class, read the speech together as a chorus (i.e., all students read their excerpts together). Discuss the nature of Hamlet's dilemma.

2. Divide the class into eight groups and assign one section of the speech below to each group.

3. Next, have them rewrite their section in their own words.

4. Each group will then give their section a title or caption, similar to a newspaper headline, that best describes what that section is all about. Then have each group create a tableau (one still image) for their section of text.

5. After a suitable rehearsal period (approx. 20 to 25 minutes), have the groups come together to read their sections aloud, share their captions and strike their tableau poses. Upon completion, have the students share their findings and thoughts about the character.

Extension Activity: After students present their images and contemporary excerpts, have the class determine a title/headline for each image. Then connect back to Hamlet's thoughts and feelings.

Debriefing Questions:
• At whom is Hamlet's anger aimed, and why?
• What words did Shakespeare use that indicated Hamlet's state of mind, depression and feeling of isolation?
• In your opinion, which soliloquy version had an impact on you: your contemporary version or Shakespeare's words? Why?

HAM classroom activity hamlets true feelings essay questions

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Tapping into the story*: A look at Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 3, scene 1

2 classes: approx. 120 minutes

HAM classroom activity tapping in obj

NOTE: To see a video of this activity click here.
Scroll down to PERFORMANCEPLUS,
STEP 1: click Hamlet link,
STEP 2: click "Lesson Plans,"
STEP 3: click "For Act 3,"
STEP 4: click "View Tapping into the Story video.".

Divided Soliloquy Excerpt

Full Soliloquy Excerpt

Directions:
1. Hand out photocopies of the soliloquy to each student. (Have this double-sided with the full text on one side and the divided six sections on the other side.)

2. Have the whole class read the full text aloud in unison.

3. Discuss any words or phrases the students may not be familiar with, and use the opposite page to look at the glossary.

4. Divide the class into six groups and assign a section to each group.

5. Have the students begin reading aloud the lines in their section while they walk around the room.

6. When they get to the end of their section, have the students go back to the beginning of their section and repeat the process until the teacher stops them. (They should read this at least four times.)

7. At an agreed-upon signal, have everyone stop reading and stand quietly. Make sure the students are spread out evenly throughout the room.

8. Have each student choose a line, short phrase or word in the text from their section that they find powerful and resonates with them. (Encourage them to keep it short and simple, as they will memorize this and put their papers away.)

9. Ask students for their permission to tap them on their shoulder. Inform them that this will be the signal to the student to have them say their line, short phrase or word loud and clear. (Note: if the student does not feel comfortable with a shoulder tap, find an alternative agreed-upon signal that's acceptable to them.)

10. Before beginning, as an option, the teacher may decide to underscore this with some atmospheric/mood music and ask students (again, only if they feel comfortable with it) to close their eyes for this activity.

11. The teacher will then wander through the class and tap the students on the shoulder to have them say their word, line or short phrase. (NOTE: As with a music conductor, the teacher may repeat taps as s/he sees fit to emphasize a motif and also ensure everyone has said their line, short phrase or word at least twice.)

12. Afterwards, debrief with the whole class and discuss what discoveries they have made.

Debriefing Questions:
• What did you discover while doing this exercise?
• What words or lines or phrases stood out for you? Why?
• Did this activity shed new light on Hamlet's state of mind? If so how and in what way?

HAM classroom activity tapping in extensions

*Adapted from an activity by Kathleen Gould Lundy

Introduction to the Study Guide

Study Guide written by Luisa Appolloni, Education Associate - Enrichment Focus, Education Department, Stratford Festival

INTRODUCTION TO THE GUIDE

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
- Hamlet, Hamlet, Act 1, scene 5

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare's most popular and hotly debated plays. It has an enigmatic and empathic title character whom students find fascinating to watch. Viewing the play through a contemporary lens, we are drawn to a rich assortment of critical approaches and interpretations. This production invites students to examine such issues as gender, patriarchy, relationships, desires and isolation, as well as cultural, political and social power and how they resonate in the twenty-first century. In seeing the production and participating in the activities in this guide, students can ask questions about what happens to a society built on deceit and oppression, the consequences of social, psychological and sexual marginalization and the complexity of power in their daily lives.

Content Advisory for Students
Explores mature themes, including suicide.
Contains some sexual innuendo and the depiction of violence.

Curriculum Connections

Grades 8 and up

HAM global competencies grey

HAM elementary greyscale

HAM secondary greyscale

Themes

• Disorder, Death and Afterlife: the impossibility of certainty, the nature of existence, the supernatural
• Sickness and Corruption: madness and melancholia
• Power and Politics: family, public vs. private, appearance vs. reality
• Action vs. Inaction: entrapment, confinement, responsibility and freedom
• Good and Evil: honour and revenge, sin and virtue, love and sex, incest and desire, misogyny

Three key figures to look for in Hamlet

HAM characters to look for greyscale

A Perspective on the Piece from the Director

With Peter Pasyk

What excites you about directing this piece?

I am excited by the challenge of directing such an iconic play. For me, the challenge is in making this well-known story feel surprising, dramatic and new. On the other hand, I know there will be many young audience members who have never seen Hamlet, and I am most excited about presenting them with their first experience of this play. Sometimes Shakespearean language can have a distancing effect for audiences hearing it for the first time, but I believe that it doesn't have to be that way. I hope to make the play feel modern, exciting and accessible.
I am also excited by the scope of the play. It is a story that examines the human condition and poses philosophical questions about mortality and beyond. It confronts us humans with the truth of our condition: that we are at once the image of God and food for worms. In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses a great sense of irony by always contrasting the holy with the profane.

Could you share a little bit about your artistic vision for the production?

This production of Hamlet will be for our times. I am setting the play in our modern world, in 2020. Shakespeare gives us a clue within the play about how it should be directed, when Hamlet tells the players that theatre should hold a "mirror up to nature." Shakespeare wanted the play to reflect the world, and for audiences to recognize themselves on stage. My way into the world of Hamlet is through the universal family story and the love story at the centre of the play. I will also be investigating themes of revenge, surveillance, mental health and the search for truth. And you can expect to see elements of modern technology and modern fashion in the production too.

It's exciting to have a woman of colour playing the role of Hamlet. What effect do you hope this choice will have on audiences' perceptions of the play?

Hamlet is one of the most universal roles - we all see a piece of ourselves in Hamlet. In my search for a Hamlet, Amaka [Umeh] was the most gifted actor for the role - male or female. She has a great intuitive understanding of the language, and I hope that through her interpretation the words will be heard anew by audiences. There is a long tradition of famous actresses playing Hamlet to great acclaim, including Sarah Siddons in the 1700s and Sarah Bernhardt in the 1800s. I also wanted this production to be a reflection of the multicultural world we live in today.

Are there aspects of this play, and of your particular production, that will resonate with things in the world today that we are maybe not seeing or that we need to re-examine?

Today, we live in a post-truth world and anyone using the Internet expects to be under surveillance to some degree. We may think this is unique to our times, but Shakespeare wrote this kind of paranoid world for prince Hamlet in 1601. Perhaps the difference is that today these issues are more widespread and common for the masses, which makes Hamlet more relatable now than ever. Shakespeare also explores mental illness in this play, and we live in a time when mental health is being framed in new ways, and its stigmas are being challenged publicly. I am interested in how today's audience responds to the question of Hamlet's madness.

Are there specific production elements or other aspects of the staging of the play that audiences might find innovative or unusual?

The short answer is: yes! But you will have to come and see the show to find out. What I can say is that Hamlet is Shakespeare's most experimental play. The turning point of its plot is a production of a play within the play. So there is a meta-theatricality in the play - a kind of winking to the audience - and I plan to lean into that.

What do you hope audience members will feel during the show? What questions do you want them to leave with? Is there anything that you hope young people might be particularly engaged by?

Hamlet continues to fascinate each new generation because it is a play that makes us ask many questions while providing few answers. It's at once a revenge thriller, a love story and a philosophical drama. But at its core it investigates the nature of truth and honesty. When are we our most true selves: alone, with family, with friends? Is there even such a thing as one true self?
Hamlet is a young person's play. The central character is a student and full of questions about the world around him. He questions authority, social conventions and life's purpose. I hope that audiences connect with this grieving young adult who is forced into an unimaginable situation.

Pre-show Discussion Questions

PRE-SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask students:

• What do you expect to see on stage at the Stratford Festival? Make a list of predictions, save it, and, after the trip, revisit it to see how your predictions compared to the actual production.
• What traits would someone classified as a "thinker" possess? What traits would someone classified as a "doer" possess? What might happen when these types of characters go to the extreme?
• How does our society today respond to claims of the supernatural? How do you think the Elizabethans responded to the supernatural four hundred years ago?
• At the beginning of the play, King Claudius, in addition to being Hamlet's uncle, has just become his stepfather. How are step-parents and stepchildren often portrayed in film and fiction? If you haven't yet read or seen Hamlet, what do you imagine Claudius and his relationship with Hamlet will be like?
• How would you define a villain? Why?
• How does society keep checks and balances on their leaders and government today? In what ways do you imagine citizens were able to do so four hundred or more years ago?
• Shakespeare wrote two prominent female characters in Hamlet: Gertrude and Ophelia. He wrote this play four hundred years ago. Knowing this, in what ways do you imagine these characters might be portrayed? How has the role of women changed since then? What still needs to be done in order to achieve gender equality?
• How would you define extreme parenting? Do parents have a right to check up and even spy on their children? If so, to what extent?
• How far should someone go to seek revenge?

Warm Up

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Understanding Hamlet's true feelings (Act 1, scene 2)

1 class: approx. 60 minutes

HAM classroom activity understanding hamlets true feelings obj greyscale

Excerpt

Hamlet's first soliloquy (a speech spoken by a character who is alone) in Act 1, scene 2, reveals a lot about his true feelings and thoughts.

1. As a class, read the speech together as a chorus (i.e., all students read their excerpts together). Discuss the nature of Hamlet's dilemma.

2. Divide the class into eight groups and assign one section of the speech below to each group.

3. Next, have them rewrite their section in their own words.

4. Each group will then give their section a title or caption, similar to a newspaper headline, that best describes what that section is all about. Then have each group create a tableau (one still image) for their section of text.

5. After a suitable rehearsal period (approx. 20 to 25 minutes), have the groups come together to read their sections aloud, share their captions and strike their tableau poses. Upon completion, have the students share their findings and thoughts about the character.

Extension Activity: After students present their images and contemporary excerpts, have the class determine a title/headline for each image. Then connect back to Hamlet's thoughts and feelings.

Debriefing Questions:
• At whom is Hamlet's anger aimed, and why?
• What words did Shakespeare use that indicated Hamlet's state of mind, depression and feeling of isolation?
• In your opinion, which soliloquy version had an impact on you: your contemporary version or Shakespeare's words? Why?

HAM classroom activity hamlets true feelings essay questions

Exercise

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Tapping into the story*: A look at Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 3, scene 1

2 classes: approx. 120 minutes

HAM classroom activity tapping in obj

NOTE: To see a video of this activity click here.
Scroll down to PERFORMANCEPLUS,
STEP 1: click Hamlet link,
STEP 2: click "Lesson Plans,"
STEP 3: click "For Act 3,"
STEP 4: click "View Tapping into the Story video.".

Divided Soliloquy Excerpt

Full Soliloquy Excerpt

Directions:
1. Hand out photocopies of the soliloquy to each student. (Have this double-sided with the full text on one side and the divided six sections on the other side.)

2. Have the whole class read the full text aloud in unison.

3. Discuss any words or phrases the students may not be familiar with, and use the opposite page to look at the glossary.

4. Divide the class into six groups and assign a section to each group.

5. Have the students begin reading aloud the lines in their section while they walk around the room.

6. When they get to the end of their section, have the students go back to the beginning of their section and repeat the process until the teacher stops them. (They should read this at least four times.)

7. At an agreed-upon signal, have everyone stop reading and stand quietly. Make sure the students are spread out evenly throughout the room.

8. Have each student choose a line, short phrase or word in the text from their section that they find powerful and resonates with them. (Encourage them to keep it short and simple, as they will memorize this and put their papers away.)

9. Ask students for their permission to tap them on their shoulder. Inform them that this will be the signal to the student to have them say their line, short phrase or word loud and clear. (Note: if the student does not feel comfortable with a shoulder tap, find an alternative agreed-upon signal that's acceptable to them.)

10. Before beginning, as an option, the teacher may decide to underscore this with some atmospheric/mood music and ask students (again, only if they feel comfortable with it) to close their eyes for this activity.

11. The teacher will then wander through the class and tap the students on the shoulder to have them say their word, line or short phrase. (NOTE: As with a music conductor, the teacher may repeat taps as s/he sees fit to emphasize a motif and also ensure everyone has said their line, short phrase or word at least twice.)

12. Afterwards, debrief with the whole class and discuss what discoveries they have made.

Debriefing Questions:
• What did you discover while doing this exercise?
• What words or lines or phrases stood out for you? Why?
• Did this activity shed new light on Hamlet's state of mind? If so how and in what way?

HAM classroom activity tapping in extensions

*Adapted from an activity by Kathleen Gould Lundy

POST-SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask students:

How does having a woman playing the role of Hamlet shape your understanding of the play? What did you discover?
Discuss Hamlet's love for Ophelia - was it genuine or not?
Are there qualities of Hamlet that you admire? Why or why not?
How do politics and domestic matters intersect in this play?
How did the female characters shape your understanding of the play?
To what extent and in what ways would Hamlet have handled power and government had s/he lived to be king? Would Hamlet have made a good ruler?
Hamlet is a complex play. What were the key themes that stood out for you? What do you think is the play's central message? What do you think the director is trying to say?
Does this play resonate with today's family dynamics, politics and gender issues? What are the similarities and differences?
How did the production elements (costumes, lights, music and set) affect your experience?

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Writing in Role

2 classes (approx. 120 minutes)

HAM classroom activity writing in role objective greyscale

Directions:

Divide the class into six groups.
Assign only one of the following characters to each group: Ophelia, Gertrude, Claudius, Polonius, Horatio and Laertes.
Students will write from their character's perspective their feelings and observations about Hamlet. However, before doing so, they will discuss and brainstorm (for approx. 30 minutes) with their group what they already know about their character and how s/he interacts with Hamlet. While doing this, students will make notes of their findings and observations.
Next, students may choose to write their character's perspective on Hamlet in the form of a diary entry, letter, email or text (minimum ¾ of a page; maximum one full page in length). (OPTION: If some students are visual learners and like to draw, then have them create a mini graphic novel.)
Have each student write/draft a stream of consciousness of their perspective on Hamlet, using the notes and observations they made earlier in their group (minimum 30 minutes). Encourage students to also draw upon the text and the production they saw at the Stratford Festival.
Upon completion (i.e., after reviewing and editing) have the students share their writing with the rest of the class.
Debrief with the class what they have discovered.

Debriefing Questions:

What did you discover about your character through this activity?
What new insights did you make about Hamlet?
What can we infer about each character's motivation and opinion?

HAM classroom activity writing in role extension greyscale

Please share your letters with the Stratford Festival! We would love to hear from you.
Attn: Education Department
Re: Hamlet
PO Box 520
Stratford, ON N5A 6V2

Share your thoughts on Instagram, twitter, and Facebook!
@stratfest #sfeducation #sfhamlet

SOURCES & RESOURCES

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE HAMLET STUDY GUIDE

SHAKESPEARE: HISTORY, CRITICISM and BIOGRAPHY

Beckerman, Bernard. Shakespeare and the Globe, 1599-1609. 1962.

Bentley, G.E. Shakespeare: A Biographical Handbook. 1951.

Boyce, Charles. Shakespeare A to Z. 1990.

Brown, Ivor. Shakespeare and the Actors. 1970.

Brown, John Russell. Shakespeare and his Theatre. 1993.

Burgess, Anthony. Shakespeare. 1970.

Campbell, Oscar James, ed. The Reader's Encyclopedia of Shakespeare. 1966.

Dobson, Michael, ed. The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. 2001.

Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakespeare. 1992.

Frye, R. M. Shakespeare's Life and Times: a Pictorial Record. 1968.

Gurr, Andrew. The Shakespearean Stage, 1574-1642. 1980.

Hodges, C. Walter. Shakespeare and the Players. 1948.

Muir, Kenneth and Samuel Schoenbaum, eds. A New Companion to Shakespeare Studies, 1985.

Nagler, A. M. Shakespeare's Stage. 1985.

Schoenbaum, Samuel. William Shakespeare: A Documentary Life. 1975.

Taylor, Gary. Reinventing Shakespeare. 1989.

Thomson, Peter. Shakespeare's Theatre. 1983.

Tillyard, E. M. W. The Elizabethan World Picture. 1943.

Wells, Stanley, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies. 1986.

TEACHING SHAKESPEARE

Asimov, Isaac. Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare. New York, 1970.

Edens, Walter, et al. Teaching Shakespeare. New Jersey: Princeton UP, 1977.

Gibson, Rex. Secondary School Shakespeare. Cambridge: 1990.

Gibson, Rex. Stepping into Shakespeare. Cambridge: 2000.

Gibson, Rex. Teaching Shakespeare. 1998.

Gibson, Rex and Field-Pickering, Janet. Discovering Shakespeare's Language. Cambridge: 1998.

O'Brien, Veronica. Teaching Shakespeare. London, 1982.

Stredder, James. The North Face of Shakespeare: Activities for Teaching the Plays. Cambridge, 2009

HAMLET
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Arden Shakespeare 2006.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Cambridge School Shakespeare. 2014.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Folger Shakespeare Library, 2003.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Oxford University Press, 2009.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Pelican Shakespeare (Penguin Random House), 2016.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Royal Shakespeare Company (The Modern Library Classics), 2008.

ONLINE RESOURCES

BookRags.com Homepage http://www.bookrags.com

MIT Global Shakespeares http://globalshakespeares.mit.edu/europe/#

MIT Shakespeare Homepage: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare http://shakespeare.mit.edu/

Shakespeare's Life and Times web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Library/SLT/intro/introsubj.html

Shakespeare Online, www.shakespeare-online.com

Movie Review Query Engine www.mrqe.com

Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com

HAMLET ON FILM, VIDEO and DVD
1948 (AU - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Laurence Olivier; starring Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons and Stanley Holloway.
1964 (US - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Bill Colleron and John Gielgud; starring Richard Burton, Hume Cronyn and John Gielgud.
1969 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Tony Richardson; starring Nicol Williamson, Anthony Hopkins and Marianne Faithfull.
1990 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli; starring Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Ian Holm, and Helena Bonham Carter.
1996 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Kenneth Branagh; starring Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie and Judi Dench.
2000 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Michael Almereyda; starring Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Bill Murray, Live Schreiber and Julia Stiles.
2009 (UK - TV) Hamlet. Directed by Gregory Doran; starring David tenant, Patrick Stewart and Penny Downie.
2010 (UK - National Theatre Live) Hamlet. Directed by Nicholas Hytner; starring Rory Kinnear and Patrick Malahide.
2015 (UK - National Theatre Live) Hamlet. Directed by Lyndsey Turner; starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
2015 (UK - MJW Productions, Genesius Pictures) Hamlet. Directed by Sarah Frankom and Margaret Williams; starring Maxine Peake, John Shrapnel and Katie West.
2016 (Canada - Stratford Festival) Hamlet. Directed by Antoni Cimolino and Shelagh O'Brien; starring Jonathan Goad, Seana McKenna and Geraint Wyn Davies.
2018 (UK - The Almeida Theatre) Hamlet. Directed by Robert Icke, Rhodri Huwand, Ilinca Radulian; starring Andrew Scott, Julie Stevenson and Angus Wright.

Education Program Partner

Scotiabank_2019_New

Tools for Teachers sponsored by

2020_CL_New_Lrg

The Tools for Teachers program includes Prologues, Study Guides, and Stratford Shorts.

Learn more about our Prologue series here

Study Guides for use in your classroom for select shows in our current season

Check out our Stratford Shorts and learn more about all of the shows in our current season

Post-Show Discussion Questions

POST-SHOW DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Ask students:

How does having a woman playing the role of Hamlet shape your understanding of the play? What did you discover?
Discuss Hamlet's love for Ophelia - was it genuine or not?
Are there qualities of Hamlet that you admire? Why or why not?
How do politics and domestic matters intersect in this play?
How did the female characters shape your understanding of the play?
To what extent and in what ways would Hamlet have handled power and government had s/he lived to be king? Would Hamlet have made a good ruler?
Hamlet is a complex play. What were the key themes that stood out for you? What do you think is the play's central message? What do you think the director is trying to say?
Does this play resonate with today's family dynamics, politics and gender issues? What are the similarities and differences?
How did the production elements (costumes, lights, music and set) affect your experience?

Culminating Exercise

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY: Writing in Role

2 classes (approx. 120 minutes)

HAM classroom activity writing in role objective greyscale

Directions:

Divide the class into six groups.
Assign only one of the following characters to each group: Ophelia, Gertrude, Claudius, Polonius, Horatio and Laertes.
Students will write from their character's perspective their feelings and observations about Hamlet. However, before doing so, they will discuss and brainstorm (for approx. 30 minutes) with their group what they already know about their character and how s/he interacts with Hamlet. While doing this, students will make notes of their findings and observations.
Next, students may choose to write their character's perspective on Hamlet in the form of a diary entry, letter, email or text (minimum ¾ of a page; maximum one full page in length). (OPTION: If some students are visual learners and like to draw, then have them create a mini graphic novel.)
Have each student write/draft a stream of consciousness of their perspective on Hamlet, using the notes and observations they made earlier in their group (minimum 30 minutes). Encourage students to also draw upon the text and the production they saw at the Stratford Festival.
Upon completion (i.e., after reviewing and editing) have the students share their writing with the rest of the class.
Debrief with the class what they have discovered.

Debriefing Questions:

What did you discover about your character through this activity?
What new insights did you make about Hamlet?
What can we infer about each character's motivation and opinion?

HAM classroom activity writing in role extension greyscale

Sources & Resources

Please share your letters with the Stratford Festival! We would love to hear from you.
Attn: Education Department
Re: Hamlet
PO Box 520
Stratford, ON N5A 6V2

Share your thoughts on Instagram, twitter, and Facebook!
@stratfest #sfeducation #sfhamlet

SOURCES & RESOURCES

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE HAMLET STUDY GUIDE

SHAKESPEARE: HISTORY, CRITICISM and BIOGRAPHY

Beckerman, Bernard. Shakespeare and the Globe, 1599-1609. 1962.

Bentley, G.E. Shakespeare: A Biographical Handbook. 1951.

Boyce, Charles. Shakespeare A to Z. 1990.

Brown, Ivor. Shakespeare and the Actors. 1970.

Brown, John Russell. Shakespeare and his Theatre. 1993.

Burgess, Anthony. Shakespeare. 1970.

Campbell, Oscar James, ed. The Reader's Encyclopedia of Shakespeare. 1966.

Dobson, Michael, ed. The Oxford Companion to Shakespeare. 2001.

Epstein, Norrie. The Friendly Shakespeare. 1992.

Frye, R. M. Shakespeare's Life and Times: a Pictorial Record. 1968.

Gurr, Andrew. The Shakespearean Stage, 1574-1642. 1980.

Hodges, C. Walter. Shakespeare and the Players. 1948.

Muir, Kenneth and Samuel Schoenbaum, eds. A New Companion to Shakespeare Studies, 1985.

Nagler, A. M. Shakespeare's Stage. 1985.

Schoenbaum, Samuel. William Shakespeare: A Documentary Life. 1975.

Taylor, Gary. Reinventing Shakespeare. 1989.

Thomson, Peter. Shakespeare's Theatre. 1983.

Tillyard, E. M. W. The Elizabethan World Picture. 1943.

Wells, Stanley, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies. 1986.

TEACHING SHAKESPEARE

Asimov, Isaac. Asimov's Guide to Shakespeare. New York, 1970.

Edens, Walter, et al. Teaching Shakespeare. New Jersey: Princeton UP, 1977.

Gibson, Rex. Secondary School Shakespeare. Cambridge: 1990.

Gibson, Rex. Stepping into Shakespeare. Cambridge: 2000.

Gibson, Rex. Teaching Shakespeare. 1998.

Gibson, Rex and Field-Pickering, Janet. Discovering Shakespeare's Language. Cambridge: 1998.

O'Brien, Veronica. Teaching Shakespeare. London, 1982.

Stredder, James. The North Face of Shakespeare: Activities for Teaching the Plays. Cambridge, 2009

HAMLET
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Arden Shakespeare 2006.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Cambridge School Shakespeare. 2014.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Folger Shakespeare Library, 2003.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Oxford University Press, 2009.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Pelican Shakespeare (Penguin Random House), 2016.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. The Royal Shakespeare Company (The Modern Library Classics), 2008.

ONLINE RESOURCES

BookRags.com Homepage http://www.bookrags.com

MIT Global Shakespeares http://globalshakespeares.mit.edu/europe/#

MIT Shakespeare Homepage: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare http://shakespeare.mit.edu/

Shakespeare's Life and Times web.uvic.ca/shakespeare/Library/SLT/intro/introsubj.html

Shakespeare Online, www.shakespeare-online.com

Movie Review Query Engine www.mrqe.com

Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com

HAMLET ON FILM, VIDEO and DVD
1948 (AU - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Laurence Olivier; starring Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons and Stanley Holloway.
1964 (US - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Bill Colleron and John Gielgud; starring Richard Burton, Hume Cronyn and John Gielgud.
1969 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Tony Richardson; starring Nicol Williamson, Anthony Hopkins and Marianne Faithfull.
1990 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli; starring Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Ian Holm, and Helena Bonham Carter.
1996 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Kenneth Branagh; starring Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie and Judi Dench.
2000 (UK - Film) Hamlet. Directed by Michael Almereyda; starring Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Bill Murray, Live Schreiber and Julia Stiles.
2009 (UK - TV) Hamlet. Directed by Gregory Doran; starring David tenant, Patrick Stewart and Penny Downie.
2010 (UK - National Theatre Live) Hamlet. Directed by Nicholas Hytner; starring Rory Kinnear and Patrick Malahide.
2015 (UK - National Theatre Live) Hamlet. Directed by Lyndsey Turner; starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
2015 (UK - MJW Productions, Genesius Pictures) Hamlet. Directed by Sarah Frankom and Margaret Williams; starring Maxine Peake, John Shrapnel and Katie West.
2016 (Canada - Stratford Festival) Hamlet. Directed by Antoni Cimolino and Shelagh O'Brien; starring Jonathan Goad, Seana McKenna and Geraint Wyn Davies.
2018 (UK - The Almeida Theatre) Hamlet. Directed by Robert Icke, Rhodri Huwand, Ilinca Radulian; starring Andrew Scott, Julie Stevenson and Angus Wright.

Sponsorship

Education Program Partner

Scotiabank_2019_New

Tools for Teachers sponsored by

2020_CL_New_Lrg

The Tools for Teachers program includes Prologues, Study Guides, and Stratford Shorts.

Learn more about our Prologue series here

Study Guides for use in your classroom for select shows in our current season

Check out our Stratford Shorts and learn more about all of the shows in our current season

Hamlet Digital Study Guide

Tools for Teachers sponsored by

HAMLET