Running Head: TEXT PREP

My words fly up, my thoughts remain below:

Hamlet in the Secondary Classroom
Shelby Marie Boehm
University of Florida

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Table of Contents

Text Prep.3-10
Introduction..............3-4
Rationale..............4
Points of Complexity......4-10
Syntax.. 4-6
Advanced Vocabulary.6
Background Knowledge...6-7
Theme...7-8
Student Interest8
Levels of Meaning and Characterization of Madness..8
Figurative Language........9
Literary Devices.9-10
Conclusion.10
Table for Analyzing Complexity...11
Worksheet for Analysis of Text Complexity of a Literary Text..12-13
Lesson Plan...14-19
Text-Dependent Questions and Anchor Questions20

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My words fly up, my thoughts remain below:
Hamlet in the Secondary Classroom

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, declares Marcellus to Horatio when

considering the decline of Elsinore Castle due to Claudius reign in The Tragedy of Hamlet,
Prince of Denmark, by William Shakespeare (1.4.95). Hamlet is commonly taught in high school
English classrooms because of multifaceted issues surrounding revenge, loyalty, and ethical
decisions. With attention for reader-task consideration, the complexity of the text, and the
quantitative measurement Lexile score of 1390L, Hamlet is a complex text consisting of
difficulties that must be addressed prior, during, and after reading to make the reading process
engaging and enjoyable for students and teachers alike.
Introduction
The play opens with two watchmen and later Horatio seeing a ghost during the nights
watch. The ghost resembles the late King Hamlet, and has come to instruct Prince Hamlet to
revenge his death. After King Hamlets death, his brother, Claudius, inherited the kingdom and
married Queen Gertrude. The ghost of King Hamlet tells Prince Hamlet that Claudius murdered
him in order to take the throne and his wife, and therefore must be punished. For the remainder
of the play, the reader follows Hamlets inner-battle with actually taking revenge on Claudius
rather than only thinking about it. There are numerous moments throughout the play where
Hamlet could take action; however, his introspective persona ultimately drives him to madness
by the last scene, leaving readers to question his fate and the price of vengeance.
In Act 4 Scene 4, a Norwegian captain informs Hamlet that the Norwegian Army under
control of Prince Fortinbras is on their way to battle for a small piece of Polish land that is nearly
worthless for both Norway and Poland. Hamlet contemplates this battle, and equates it to, th

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impostume of much wealth and peace,/ That inward breaks and shows no cause without/ Why
the man dies. (4.4.26-28). After this exchange with the captain, Hamlet reflects on his inability
to take revenge on Claudius thus far and his motivation to still do so. He compares and justifies
his premeditative act of violence against Claudius to the meaningless battle occurring for the
small plot of land in Poland.
Rationale
I chose this segment because it is crucial for understanding the fully developed
characterization of Hamlet as a madman and the impending events of Act 5. I also believe that
this soliloquy will spark student interest through Hamlets self-comparison to Prince Fortinbras
and his own inability to take action when he sees his counterpart succeed. High school students
will relate to this pressure and peer comparison, as well as the tough questions that the segment
raises about honor. This last soliloquy reveals Hamlets inner emotions at a specific moment in
the play, while also holding implications for the entire work. In the microcosm of the soliloquy,
the reader perceives Hamlets realization that he must take revenge on Claudius for his fathers
death. As a whole, this soliloquy prompts the reader to consider tough choices in times of
uncertainty, the ethical response of revenge to injustice, and also the responsibility of being loyal
to family. In other words, this text segment develops the tough questions explored throughout the
entire play.
Points of Complexity
Syntax
Text complexities occur throughout Hamlet and the soliloquy. These challenges can affect
a learners ability to interact with the text. When making reader-text considerations, the primary
demand is the difficulties posed by iambic pentameter and blank verse, which are used almost

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entirely except for a few small moments of prose. During the reading process, iambic pentameter
can be problematic for readers because it should be heard through performance rather than read
as silent text. By listening to the blank verse in the soliloquy, the reader can hear the meter of
Hamlets words and the emphasis on content according to the iambic pentameter style. For
example, the line If his chief good and market of his time/ Be but to sleep and feed? a best, no
more. contains a line break that separates a question, which some students may assume means a
pause or the end of a thought when reading; however, the line break serves to purposefully utilize
the iambic pentameter flow (4.4.33-34). Complications due to the iambic pentameter format also
occur when syllables are removed to confine the text to the five feet rhythm in examples from
the soliloquy such as quarterd (4.4.41), puffd (4.4.48), dot (4.4.45), killd (4.4.51),
and staind (4.4.51). These shortened words need to be explained with attention to their
relation to iambic pentameter.
Also, Hamlet is written in Early Modern English, which poses moments where meaning
is unclear or not utilized conventionally in comparison to the modern texts that students are
accustomed to reading. For example, the first line of the soliloquy (and the many that follow)
presents a simple idea in a language form that may seem complex today. When Hamlet declares,
How all occasions do inform against me,/ And spur my dull revenge!, he is reflecting on his
incompetence in taking revenge thus far, and how everything he sees presently reminds him of
his failure and need to act swiftly before his own life is taken (4.4.31-32). Another example of
complex syntax is Hamlets constant introspection. In this portion of the text, he begins to see
that his actions thus far have taken one step forward for being wise and three steps backward for
being cowardly: A thought which, quarterd, hath but one part wisdom/ And ever three parts
coward, (4.4.41-42). As readers, this language complexity affects student interest and

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engagement because although the themes may interest some, the way the language describes the
events and issues can discourage students due to the complicated syntax. This difficult syntax
inhibits students from gathering meaning easily, and therefore the language must be scaffolded in
order to understand both subtle and implied meaning in the soliloquy.
Advanced Vocabulary
In Hamlets last soliloquy, there are numerous upper-level vocabulary words that may be
considered complex within the context of the text. Words such as spur (4.4.32), discourse
(4.4.35), fust (4.4.38), craven (4.4.39), scruple (4.4.39), sith (4.4.44), and plot
(meaning land in this context, 4.4.61) would need to be discussed in order to clarify meaning. To
help with difficult vocabulary words, students could keep a vocabulary graphic organizer for the
entire reading of Hamlet where they will write down the difficult words and their meanings in
context of the play. Students would have access to a dictionary or modern translation of Hamlet
to look up words.
Background Knowledge
To fully understand and appreciate Hamlet, students will need to build background
knowledge about Shakespeare and his work. For Hamlet, the teacher should address the
characteristics of Shakespearean tragedies, and also the features of the revenge plays. Also to
examine any play, it is helpful to discuss how the content would have been performed by the
actors and understood by the audience. In this case, the teacher should address how Hamlets last
soliloquy would have been performed in the Globe Theatre. Also, it would be helpful to discuss
how Hamlets last soliloquy serves as a climactic moment for Hamlets characterization. For this
reason, the soliloquy may have been performed differently than his other soliloquys to highlight
this change.

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Many of Shakespeares plays allude to specific historical contexts, so it is helpful to build
background knowledge about the conventions of playwriting at the time. There are cultural and
historical references that contribute to the texts difficulties. These events may be beyond student
experience, ultimately necessitating specialized knowledge to be explicitly taught. For example,
in Hamlet there are references to Neros cruelty and abuse, the reformation of the Roman
Catholic Church, and also the emphasis on intelligence during the Elizabethan Era seen through
characters Hamlet and Horatio. The implied meaning in a beast, no more. (4.4.34) and Bestial
oblivion (4.4.39) illustrates the status of animals in a negative manner, which perhaps represent
ideals of the time period. In the soliloquy and the play overall, Shakespeare addresses difficult
decisions and the fate that waits for those who do not act quickly, ultimately entertaining and
making a statement to the audience of both nobles and peasants that must be further examined
when reading in a modern context.
Theme
Since Hamlet is typically taught toward the latter end of high school, I assume that
students are intellectually capable of dealing with issues such as murder, family issues, and
vengeance; however, I believe it is still crucial to address these themes prior to reading in order
to investigate the plot further than a superficial understanding of the violent acts. The text should
be prefaced with attention to the advanced content and questions raised, ultimately allowing
students to be prepared to deal with the issues maturely in a classroom setting. Lines such as
How stand I then,/ That have a father killd, a mother staind,/ Excitements of my reason and
my blood, And let all sleep? (4.4.55-58) and My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
(4.4.65) illustrate both microcosmic and macrocosmic themes of revenge and family loyalty in

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Hamlets last soliloquy, causing students to experience Hamlets final inner-battle with his
destined fate and the vengeance he must take in order to keep his honor.
Student Interest
Although complex, this text addresses issues like the justification of revenge that will
contribute to conversation among readers. The themes and content of Hamlet do have the
potential to be troublesome for some readers. For example, a student whose family is going
through a difficult time or divorce may become embarrassed when discussing the familial
troubles that occur in Hamlet; however, this understanding could also enhance the accessibility
of the text, ultimately utilizing his or her personal experiences to recognize the context and
contemplative nature of Hamlet in a time of difficulty. Hamlet may potentially provoke students
to further consider themes and issues such as the morality of achieving honor or the
responsibility to family throughout other works. Their understanding of the text may also inform
their individual ways of seeing and questioning in the world outside of the classroom in regards
to these themes and issues.
Levels of Meaning and Characterization of Madness
In Hamlets last soliloquy, there are multiple levels of subtle and implied meaning that
have accumulated over the course of the play to contribute to Hamlets madness. This madness
causes the reader to view Hamlets thoughts as somewhat unreliable and difficult to decipher,
since Hamlet has spent an entire play plotting revenge on Claudius without taking any action. At
the end of the soliloquy, Hamlets characterization of madness has climaxed in the lines: My
thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! (4.4.65). His realization and motivation to act is
implicitly driven by the comparison of Prince Fortinbras will to take action and lose countless
lives over an egg-shell (4.4.52).

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Figurative Language
Shakespeares use of figurative language throughout the soliloquy contributes to
understanding difficulties and complexity of meaning in Hamlets last soliloquy. Metaphors such
as, a beast, no more (4.4.34) and the comparison of land to an eggshell (4.4.52), are used as
comparisons, which are demanding for the reader to comprehend in addition to difficult syntax.
Similes gross as earth (4.4.45) and graves like beds (4.4.61) are also utilized to make
unlikely correlations that require consideration. Alliteration in death and danger dare (4.4.51)
and repetition in Rightly to be great/ Is not to stir without great argument,/ But greatly to find
quarrel in a straw/ When honours at stake. (4.4.52-55) give aesthetic appeal to the soliloquy,
potentially resulting in complications with interpretation of meaning. Before discussing Hamlet
and Hamlets last soliloquy, figurative language terminology, such as metaphor, simile, and
alliteration, should be discussed and understood so that the language can be both understood and
recognized for artistic value in writing.
Literary Devices
Literary devices, such as foreshadowing, demand that students read carefully and apply
their understanding of the plot of the entire play. Hamlet says, I do not know/ Why yet I live to
say This things to do, which foreshadows the revenge that will take place in Act 5, and also
the characterization of vengeance being his sole reason to live (4.4.42-43). Understanding of
Hamlets characterization in the entire play is also needed to comprehend the foil of Prince
Fortinbras with Prince Hamlet that occurs in the lines, Examples, gross as earth, exhort me:/
Witness this army, of such mass and charge,/ Led by a delicate and tender prince;, where he
compares the quick action of the Norwegian army over a meaningless plot of land with his
inability to act on his fathers murder (4.4.45-47). Rhetorical questions such as How stand I

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then,/ That have a father killd, a mother staind,/ Excitements of my reason and my blood,/ And
let all sleep? may cause confusion among the reader, but ultimately reveal Hamlets thoughts
and reasons to finally act in vengeance (4.4.55-58). Relevant literary device terminology should
be addressed and discussed to help students understand the purposeful language choices
Shakespeare made when writing Hamlet and Hamlets last soliloquy.
Conclusion
By explaining and analyzing the complex language present in Hamlets last soliloquy,
students will be able to better comprehend the meaning of the soliloquy, and investigate the
relevant and engaging topics from The Tragedy of Hamlet. At first glance, student interest in
Hamlet may be less than the average English teacher and literature enthusiast; however, once the
language is deconstructed and the significant issues are realized, a student will recognize that
many of the questions raised apply to their own life and questions about the world.

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Analyzing Text Complexity: Hamlets Last Soliloquy Act 4 Scene 4

Attribute of Complexity

Explanation and Excerpt Identity (see more in Jago 2011, p. 66-6

Relationships:

Hamlets inability to act on revenge, Comparison of Hamlets inability to

declaring war over meaningless land

Interactions among ideas or characters in the

text are subtle, involved, or deeply
embedded.

Richness
The text possesses a sizable amount of
highly sophisticated information conveyed
through data or literary devices.

Structure

Literary Devices: Foreshadowing: I do not know/ Why yet I live to say

foreshadows the revenge that will take place in Act 5, and also the charac
Hamlets sole reason to live (4.4.42-43), Foil of Prince Fortinbras with P
lines, Examples, gross as earth, exhort me:/ Witness this army, of such m
delicate and tender prince;, where he compares the quick action of the N
meaningless plot of land with his inability to act on his fathers murder (
such as How stand I then,/ That have a father killd, a mother staind,/ E
blood,/ And let all sleep?(4.4.55-58).
Iambic pentameter, difficult syntax, Early Modern English

The text is organized in ways that are

elaborate and sometimes unconventional.

Style
The authors tone and use of language are
often intricate.

Vocabulary
The authors choice of words is demanding
and highly context dependent.

Purpose
The authors intent in writing the text is
implicit and sometimes ambiguous.

Figurative language: Metaphors a beast, no more (4.4.34) and the com

(4.4.42), Similes gross as earth (4.4.45) and graves like beds (4.4.61
danger dare (4.4.51) and repetition in Rightly to be great/ Is not to stir
greatly to find quarrel in a straw/ When honours at stake. (4.4.52-55)
spur (4.4.32), discourse (4.4.35), fust (4.4.38), craven (4.4.39),
and plot (meaning land in this context, 4.4.61)

Implied characterization of madness, reflection on the actions of Prince F

the will to act in vengeance for familial honor

Note: Not all of these attributes need to be present in every text you teach.

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Name: Shelby Marie Boehm

Placement/level/time: 12th Grade IB English 4, 50 minutes
Lesson Title: Hamlets Last Soliloquy
Purpose of Instruction: By looking closely at Hamlets last soliloquy in Act
4 Scene 4, students will gather information about the fully developed
characterization of Hamlet as a madman and the forthcoming events of Act
5. By deciphering this soliloquy, students will improve their interpretation
skills, ultimately building their confidence in understanding difficult syntax.
Themes of revenge, family obligation, and honor are present, which
contribute to the overall understanding of Hamlet. These themes are present
in many other works of literature and life, and students may use their new
knowledge about these themes in other pieces of text and even across
content areas. Also, these themes prompt students to consider their
individual responses to tough questions about life outside of the classroom
such as, Is it ever okay to seek revenge? and Is maintaining family honor
worth the consequences?.
Rationale: I will utilize the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model so that
students feel included in the learning process. By completing a Read Aloud of
Hamlet, students will have the opportunity to hear the modeling of reading,
pausing, and questioning during a complex text. We (the students and I) will
finish the Read Aloud together. I will ask students to make any annotations
that are helpful to them during the Read Aloud, and I will also ask them to
mark at least two places where they feel confused, have a question, or
wonder about something in order to create text-dependent questions that
are meaningful and student-driven. After the Read Aloud, students will be
divided into groups of four by numbering off, where they will each share their
points of confusion, questions, or wonderings. As a group, the students will
discuss these text-dependent questions, and then choose one topic from the
group to bring to the classroom discussion. Lastly, students will be asked to
individually complete a Notice and Note Reading Log, where they will need to
identify at least two Aha Moments from Hamlets last soliloquy, commenting
about how this new information will impact the end of Hamlet.
By utilizing the Aha Moment, one of the Notice and Note Signposts, I hope to
teach students a close reading strategy that can be applied to not only
Hamlet, but also other texts as well. It is imperative for students to practice
and achieve competence in close reading, and this skill set will also help
them in their future endeavors as citizens who need to read, understand, and
apply knowledge in the world outside of the classroom.
Objective:
Students will be able to interpret a Shakespearean work consisting of
difficult syntax and implied meaning.

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Students will be able to analyze the significance and implications of

Hamlets soliloquy using the Aha Moment from the Notice and Note
Signposts and make predictions for how this new information will
impact Hamlet.

LAFL Standard Addressed:

LAFS.1112.RL.1.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including
determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
Student-Friendly Standards:
Today we are going to:
Use textual support to interpret what Hamlets last soliloquy (Act 4
Scene 4) is saying explicitly and implicitly
Identify Aha Moments in the text and make predictions for how this
new information will impact Hamlet
Process/Procedures for Teachers:
Preparation & materials needed:
Hamlets last soliloquy (24 copies) [see Appendix 1.1]
Notice and Note Reading Log (24 copies) [see Appendix 1.2]
PowerPoint with Hamlets last soliloquy displayed for Read Aloud
Introduction: Introduce the essential question: Is taking vengeance
for honor ethical? Introduce Hamlets last soliloquy. Ask students to define
the purpose of a soliloquy. While were reading the soliloquy aloud, ask
students to mark at least two points of the text where they are confused,
have a question, or wonder about something, and also make any annotations
that will help decipher the meaning of the text. After reading, give students
think-time to reflect on those two points of the text that they marked, and
then come up with at least two questions about the parts of the text that you
marked (student-created text-dependent questions). Instruct them to write
their questions on the soliloquy handout. Tell students to discuss these
questions in a pre-assigned group of four. After a few minutes, we will discuss
a question from each group in a whole class discussion. Review the Notice
and Note Signpost Aha Moment using generable language: Do you remember
the signpost Aha Moment? Aha Moments happen when a character realizes
or finally understands something. When this happens, you want to pause
because you know this realization means something. An Aha Moment reveals
change. This question focuses on that change for either the character or the
setting. It might be showing you something about character development or
a new direction of the plot. You want to ask yourself, How might this change
things in what Im reading? In Hamlets last soliloquy, he realizes that he is
disappointed in his inability to act in vengeance for his fathers murder when
comparing himself to Prince Fortinbras, who is quick to act over a

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meaningless plot of land in order to maintain honor. Hamlet ends his

soliloquy by saying that from now on, his thoughts will be bloody or be
worthless. How does this realization change things? How does this new
information impact the end of Hamlet? Instruct students to add two entries
to their Notice and Note Reading Logs pertaining to an Aha Moment from
Hamlets last soliloquy.
Assistance/scaffolding: Difficult vocabulary and complex syntax or
ideas will need to be addressed, which I will scaffold during the modeling of
reading the text. While students are in small groups discussing their textdependent questions, I will walk around and clear of confusion or answer
questions.
Closure/Summary: Remember that Aha Moments can happen across
texts, and when we see a character suddenly realize or understand
something, you should pause to think about how this new realization might
change things in the text. For Hamlet, we made some great predictions
about how Hamlets realization of his inner motivation to finally take
vengeance for his family and honor will impact Act 5. I want you to keep
thinking about Hamlets Aha Moment, and think about the development of
his character over the course of the play.
Connection to previous and forthcoming lessons: Weve been
working on learning the Notice and Note Signposts all year to improve on our
close reading skills. By using them during our reading of Hamlet, weve
began to understand character development, the tough questions that the
themes prompt us to consider as readers, and also moments that are meant
to move the plot forward or make us ask questions. Tomorrow, we will finish
Hamlet, and pay close attention to how the soliloquy in Act 4 impacts the
outcome of the end of the play in Act 5.
Generalizable Language: Do you remember the signpost Aha
Moment? Aha Moments happen when a character realizes or finally
understands something. When this happens, you want to pause because you
know this realization means something. An Aha Moment reveals change. This
question focuses on that change for either the character or the setting. It
might be showing you something about character development or a new
direction of the plot. You want to ask yourself, How might this change things
in what Im reading?
In Hamlets last soliloquy, he realizes that he is disappointed in his
inability to act in vengeance for his fathers murder when comparing himself
to Prince Fortinbras, who is quick to act over a meaningless plot of land in
order to maintain honor. Hamlet ends his soliloquy by saying that from now
on, his thoughts will be bloody or be worthless. How does this realization
change things? How does this new information impact the end of Hamlet?
Process/Procedures for Students: Students will be asked to follow along
during the Read Aloud of Hamlets last soliloquy, marking at least two places
where they are confused, have questions, or wonderings, and also to make
annotations where helpful for deciphering meaning. After I have modeled half

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of the reading, I will ask students to finish the Read Aloud with me,
continuing to mark places of confusion and any annotations that are helpful.
Students will then be placed intro groups of four, where they will each
discuss their confusion, questions, or wonderings from the Read Aloud. After
this, each group will bring one topic discussed during the group work to the
classroom discussion, where we will work through issues and topics
discussed as a class. Then individually, students will complete at least two
entries pertaining to an Aha Moment from Hamlets last soliloquy on their
Notice and Note Reading Log.
Assessment:
Work collected: Hamlet soliloquy (marked with annotation and textdependent questions), Notice and Note Reading Log
Work observed: Participation in group discussion
Criteria used: Check for completion of Notice and Note Reading Log
Accommodation:
Support Accommodation: Students could consult their notes about
how to find the Notice and Note Signposts if they were struggling to find the
Aha Moments. Students could consult a modern translation of Hamlet such
as the No Fear Shakespeare Hamlet edition.
Challenge Accommodation: Students could add more entries to
their Notice and Note Reading Log about other signposts noticed in Hamlets
last soliloquy outside of the Aha Moments.
ESOL Accommodations: Students could have access to a recorded
reading of Hamlets last soliloquy, a modern translation of the text, and a
film adaptation with subtitles. The lesson could also be recorded so that
students would be able to listen to the content and instructions at home
again if necessary. If they needed more time to complete their reading log,
then they could have an extended deadline. Groups could be chosen
strategically in an effort to choose students who would help the ESOL
student understand and be an active participant in discussion.

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Appendix 1.1
The Tragedy of Hamlet (4.4.31-65)
How all occasions do inform against me,
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, (35)
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on the event,-- (40)
A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom
And ever three parts coward,-- I do not know
Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'
Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means
To do't. Examples, gross as earth, exhort me: (45)
Witness this army, of such mass and charge,
Led by a delicate and tender prince;
Whose spirit, with divine ambition puffd,
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure (50)
To all that fortune, death and danger dare,

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Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great

Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake. How stand I then, (55)
That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That, for a fantasy and trick of fame, (60)
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth! (65)
Exit
Appendix 1.2

Notice and Note Reading Log

Name ____________________________________
Notice and Note Log for ___________________________________________
Location

Signpost I Noticed

My Notes About It

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Text Dependent Questions

1. What two reasons does Hamlet give for his inability to take vengeance?
2. How does Hamlet feel about Prince Fortinbras army attacking a meaningless plot of
land?
3. For what reason is the army attacking the Polish land?
4. What moment in the soliloquy do we see Hamlet committing to take action?
5. Why does Hamlet finally decide to take revenge?
Anchor Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

How might this new information change things?

How might Hamlets realization of his inability to act in vengeance change things?
How does Hamlets self-comparison to his peer, Prince Fortinbras, change things?
How does Hamlets attention to honor change things?
How does Hamlets reflection on the purpose of living change things?

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