Essay 3

Hamlet (4-5 pages)

For your third formal essay, which should be four to five full pages long (you may write more if you
need), you will respond to one prompt about Hamlet. These prompts ask you to think more about
interpretation and performance than about the plot of the play, which will be the focus of discussion.
1.

Hamlet is a long play - unabridged productions have run between three and four
hours. Consequently, cutting scenes and/or characters can be tempting if your audience has a
short attention span. Choose a scene, moment, exchange, or role that seems expendable; first,
explain why that piece seems unnecessary, then spend the rest of the paper arguing for its
inclusion in a production. What do we lose if we don't have this scene/character? Why was it
included in the first place? How is the scene/character connected to other moments or themes in
the play? (Note: assume Shakespeare knew what he was doing, but dont base your whole
argument on that. Find textual support for maintaining your chosen material.)

2.

Hamlet is one of the most frequently adapted texts in history. Choose a scene, moment, or
exchange, and compare/contrast how at least two adaptations have presented it. What do the
adaptations do similarly/differently? How does that interpretation affect the play overall or
connect to other moments? (You could also write about why a production chooses to omit
material.) What textual cues does the adaptation highlight/ignore? (Note: As there may be
overlap between essays and in-class screenings, be sure to transcend what has already been said.)

3.

There is no static character in Hamlet; every character experiences at least one moment of
profound change during the course of the play. Drawing on specific textual evidence, choose a
single character and identify the key moment after which that character is never the
same. (Note: do not write about a character's own death as changing that character.) What was
the character like before this moment, how did that moment affect them, and what were they like
afterward? The moment you choose does not necessarily have to occur onstage.

4.

Perform a very close reading on a single soliloquy or monologue. What is the character
saying? To what is that character responding? Does the speaker maintain a single idea
throughout, or at which point does the speech turn? What significance does this speech have
overall in the play? That is, does the speech influence the character's actions or relate to a
recurring theme in the play? You should also give some consideration to how you would stage
this in a production. (If you want to write on something other than a soliloquy or monologue,
consult your instructor.)

As always, if none of these prompts allows you to engage with the text in a meaningful way, you may
propose an alternate topic in conversation with your instructor, who must approve that topic; papers on
unapproved topics will not be accepted.
When writing your essay, you should include a strong interpretive claim about the text (a thesis
statement which answers one of the questions above [or your own question]) as well as specific,
concrete, and cited evidence from the text. Consequently, the paper should end with a Works Cited page
in MLA format, with in-text citations where appropriate; cite the text by act, scene, and line numbers
(where 2.1.18 indicates Act 2, Scene 1, Line 18). Consult your instructor and/or the Purdue OWL site
for further assistance with citations. You are not required to conduct any external research, though the
film adaptations of Hamlet will be available on ICON until the end of the semester.

Essay 3
Hamlet (4-5 pages)
Essay 3 Timeline
There will be no formal proposal due for this assignment. You are, however, strongly
encouraged to discuss your paper topic with your instructor as soon as your thoughts and wishes
bend toward paper topics.
Wednesday, November 20: In-class workshop. Students should bring full drafts to class to
workshop with their peers. Your instructor will only read drafts if students arrange to meet
during office hours or at another scheduled time.
Monday, December 2: Full draft due in class. Your final draft should be 12-pt Times New
Roman font, double-spaced with 1-inch margins, stapled, and in MLA format.