Read – Round Robin the “O, what a rogue and peasant slave” Soliloquy
- Note unfamiliar words
(Questions)
It is obvious to the audience (or reader) that Hamlet is
alone onstage. What else, then, could he mean when he begins, “Now I am alone”?
Why is the Prince calling himself a “rogue” and a “peasant
slave”?
Hamlet compares himself to the player. What does this
comparison reveal about Hamlet’s self-perception?
Throughout Hamlet, much violence is done to the ears. How
does Hamlet’s “cleave the general ear” relate to the other “ear” references?
(Shakespeare uses the word ear 27 times in this play.)
Hamlet uses a lot of theatrical terminology in his speech.
Find some examples and decide why might Hamlet be thinking in theatrical terms?
What lines or phrases explain why Hamlet thinks himself a
coward? Do you think he is a coward, or is he acting cautiously by looking for
external evidence to prove Claudius’s guilt?
VIEWING
What does a visual element add to our understanding of the
speech?
Does it help to see an actor deliver the soliloquy? Explain.
Does the setting affect your understanding?
How does being able to hear the words add to understanding?
HW
Read 3.1 – pay attention to the “To Be…” soliloquy
