English 12: Hamlet Essay

Here are some famous quotes from Camus and Sartre:

Jean-Paul Sartre

1. “Man is condemned to be free.”
2. “Existence precedes essence.”
3. “Hell is—other people!”
4. “It is up to you to give life a meaning.”

Albert Camus

5. “The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world.”
6. “The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions.”
7. “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”
8. “There is no sun without shadow.”

These quotes can be used to support your position in the synthesis.

Topic 1 — Freedom and Choice

Jean-Paul Sartre states, “Man is condemned to be free.”

Using this quotation as a central piece of evidence, analyze how Hamlet struggles with freedom, responsibility, and decision-making throughout the play.

• directly quote and analyze Sartre,
• incorporate evidence from Hamlet,
• explain how Hamlet’s choices shape his tragedy.

Topic 2 — The Search for Meaning

Albert Camus argues that “The meaning of life is the most urgent of questions.”

To what extent does Hamlet explore humanity’s search for meaning in a world filled with suffering, corruption, and death?

• directly quote and analyze Camus,
• use evidence from multiple scenes in Hamlet,
• explain whether Hamlet ultimately discovers meaning or remains uncertain.

Topic 3 — Identity and Self-Creation

Sartre claims that “Existence precedes essence.”

How does Hamlet struggle to define his identity throughout the play?

• directly engage with Sartre’s quotation,
• analyze Hamlet’s changing roles and behavior,
• argue whether Hamlet creates his own identity or becomes trapped by expectations placed upon him.

English 12 Essay Prep

For our essay, we will be looking at two philosophers closely - Jean Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus. In the context of Hamlet:

• Camus → absurdity and meaninglessness
• Sartre → freedom and responsibility
• Hamlet → trapped between both

Camus
The world does not give us clear meaning.

Humans want:
justice
certainty
purpose

But the universe gives:
silence
confusion
death

This conflict is the absurd

Sartre
Humans are “condemned to be free.”

Meaning:
we always choose
even refusing to act is a choice
we are responsible for our actions
excuses cannot fully remove responsibility

This creates:
anxiety
guilt
pressure

What advice would Camus give? Sartre?

Hamlet cannot decide whether to kill Claudius.

Hamlet feels life is meaningless after his father’s death.

Ophelia feels trapped by expectations.

Hamlet worries the ghost may be lying.

Hamlet delays action because he fears consequences.

Hamlet Soliloquies

Here they are:

1. Act I Scene 2: Oh, that this too too solid flesh would melt...
2. Act II Scene 2: Now I am alone...
3. Act III Scene 1: To be, or not to be...
4. Act III Scene 3: Now might I do it pat...
5. Act IV Scene 4: How all occasions do inform against me...

Macbeth Soliloquies

 

1. Act I, Scene 5, Glamis thou art: Glamis thou art… (line 14-29)
2. Act I, Scene 5, Unsex me here: The raven himself is hoarse (line 41 - 57)
3. Act I, Scene 7, Vaulting Ambition: He’s here in double trust… (line 1 - 28)
4. Act II, Scene 1, The Dagger Speech: Is this a dagger which I see before me? (line 40 - 71)
5. Act III, Scene 1, A Fruitless Crown: To be thus is nothing; but to be safely thus… (line 52 - 76)
6. Act V, Scene 1, Insanity: Out spot. (only her lines - page 213)

List of scenes Hamlet

 Act 1, Scene 1: Elsinore. A platform before the castle.

Act 1, Scene 2: A room of state in the castle.
Act 1, Scene 3: A room in Polonius' house.
Act 1, Scene 4: The platform.
Act 1, Scene 5: Another part of the platform.

Act 2, Scene 1: A room in POLONIUS' house.
Act 2, Scene 2: A room in the castle.

Act 3, Scene 1: A room in the castle.
Act 3, Scene 2: A hall in the castle.
Act 3, Scene 3: A room in the castle.
Act 3, Scene 4: The Queen's closet.

Act 4, Scene 1: A room in the castle.
Act 4, Scene 2: Another room in the castle.
Act 4, Scene 3: Another room in the castle.
Act 4, Scene 4: A plain in Denmark.
Act 4, Scene 5: Elsinore. A room in the castle.
Act 4, Scene 6: Another room in the castle.
Act 4, Scene 7: Another room in the castle.

Act 5, Scene 1: A churchyard.
Act 5, Scene 2: A hall in the castle.

King Cladius: Close Reading - III.iii

Analyze how Shakespeare reveals Claudius’ inner conflict through literary devices, imagery, structure, and diction.

 
Part 1: Annotation 

• Students annotate the soliloquy for:
• Religious imagery
• References to corruption/decay
• Contrasts or paradoxes
• Rhetorical questions
• Emotional shifts
• References to kingship/power
• Words connected to guilt or forgiveness

In the Language

• lines that seem sincere
• lines that seem self-serving
• moments where Claudius contradicts himself

English 12 Soliloquy Close Reading

 Today we're looking at Hamlet's well-known soliloquy in III.i - "to be, or not to be"

Back to existentialism, here are a few key tenets:

• Existentialism suggests that the world lacks inherent meaning, and human suffering is often met with cosmic indifference.
• Jean-Paul Sartre famously stated that humans are "condemned to be free." This freedom is a burden because it makes the individual solely responsible for their actions.
• The philosopher Martin Heidegger argued that truly "authentic" living only begins when one acknowledges their own mortality.

Re-read the soliloquy. How does this soliloquy reflect existentialist aspects?

English 11: Preparation for Friday's discussion

Greetings English 11!

On Thursday, we'll be finishing the Lord of the Flies mini-series. What a neat little show to accompany the end of our unit! There were many differences between this show and the novel - particularly in the story telling and characterization. For Friday we will be having a discussion and a little reflection afterward designed to have us think about approach by director Marc Munden.

To prepare for this discussion, students will prepare 3 questions to be used in their groups. During the discussion, I will be moving about the room and assessing the following:

A. Question Quality
    Questions are open-ended and invite interpretation
    Clearly connect the novel and the miniseries
    Focus on character development or theme

B. Use of Evidence
    Refers to specific moments from the book and show
    Explains how evidence supports ideas

C. Discussion Skills
    Listens actively and responds thoughtfully
    Builds on peers’ contributions
    Encourages balanced participation

D. Depth of Thinking
    Demonstrates insight into adaptation choices
    Recognizes complexity in characters (Jack, Ralph, Piggy, Simon)
    Avoids simplistic moral judgments

Please note - that while some of these are quite specific, these are only examples of how to thrive in the discussion. Essentially, I want to see an engagement with the subject and an intent to carry the discussion forward with critical thinking and engagement.

After the discussion, we will reserve roughly 20-30 minutes for a brief written reflection on our discussion.

Lord of the Flies: Essay

 Our essay is on Tuesday, May 5. You may bring:

• The essay criteria handout 
•  Quotes only on the back
• The Lord of the Flies novel
• The id, ego, superego handout or the unconscious defense mechanisms handout. New blank forms will be made for the purposes of the essay.

Below are our essay topics for Golding's The Lord of the Flies.

1. How has Jack's use of the unconscious defense mechanisms shifted over the course of his descent into Savagery? 
1. This topic examines Jack's dynamic character, and uses the defense mechanisms as the primary means to describe his changes.
2. Don't just focus on the shift in his values - the essay should really focus on how his defenses shift as he declines.
2. How might Golding's The Lord of the Flies be considered an allegory of the human mind? (be sure to indicate the implications of your claims)
3. How has Ralph contended with the pressures from the id and superego as chief of the island in Golding's Lord of the Flies? (consider specific moments in the story where Ralph is drawn towards the superego, or id - and discuss the implications of this)
1. There are moments in the story where Ralph follows the demands of the id (to act impulsively) and the demands of the superego (to accept guilt or to act socially responsible)