3-3 B: Elizabethan Ghosts

King Hamlet: Ghost, Demon, or Hallucination?

First, read some background information about Elizabethans and ghosts; the site Elizabeth Ghosts provides short, easy to read material while "Elizabethan People" offers more in-depth information.

Do you agree with these beliefs? Why or why not? Support your reasoning with evidence from the Elizabethan period and from modern society.

DO NOT repeat your classmates' ideas! Make sure you read the other responses before posting your ideas.

All responses are due by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1st.

3-3 A: Advice

In Act 1, scene 3, both Polonius and Laertes advise Ophelia, and Polonius also advises Laertes. Respond to ONE of the following questions:

1.What advice would you, as a parent, give to your child when he or she sets off for college? Focus on 2-3 important ideas and develop each idea fully (explain the advice clearly, AND explain why this advice is so critical).

2. What advice would you, as an older brother or sister, give to your younger sibling when you depart for college, leaving your sister or brother behind? Focus on 2-3 important ideas and develop each idea fully (explain the advice clearly, AND explain why this advice is so critical).

DO NOT repeat your classmates' ideas; if someone has discussed the advice you would have given, choose different advice or response to a different option.

All responses are due by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1st.

3-2 B: Shakespeare in Modern Society

"To be or not to be, that is the question"
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark"
"To thine own self be true"
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be"
"The lady doth protest too much"

Shakespeare's words, phrases, and quotes abound in our society today. The preceding quotes all originated in Hamlet, and they provide you with a tiny sampling of the Bard's ability to infiltrate modern culture.

How significantly DOES Shakespeare influence our society today? Novels, movies, and TV shows are just a few of the outlets that draw on Shakespeare's plays, characters, and themes. Choose 1-2 specific allusions to Shakespeare in modern culture today, and then discuss them and their importance to modern society. Part (but not all) of your discussion should focus on the question of whether or not we need to understand the original Shakespearean source to understand the modern work.

Discuss your ideas in relation to those of your classmates, but do not repeat your classmates' ideas.

All responses are due by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22nd.

3-2 A: Shakespeare's Intellectual Power

Read the 2006 article, "Reading Shakespeare has Dramatic Effect on Human Brain," and then develop a response to the article. Points to consider when you respond:

• Do you believe the study? Why or why not?
• Do the findings make reading Shakepeare worthwhile? Why or why not?
• What questions does the article raise for you? Why?
• Also consider other ideas and reactions that stand out to you when you read the article.

Make sure you discuss your ideas in relation to those of your classmates; DO NOT repeat the ideas discussed by anyone else!

All responses due by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22nd.

3-1: Modern War Poetry

Using "Exit Wounds" or"Contemporary War Poems from the Front Lines," choose ONE modern war poem that we ARE NOT discussing in class. Discuss the poem's message, the ways the poet conveys this message, and your reaction to the poem.


Reminder 1: Your response should be approximately 2 full paragraphs of well-developed and concrete analysis, so choose a poem about which you have much to say.

Reminder 2: Make sure you read the responses that your classmates post before you. You will not earn credit for repeating someone else's ideas!

All responses are due by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, 2/14

2-6: War in your Words

How would you describe war today? Choose one aspect of war in our society, and then write a vivid and concrete description of that aspect. This description must come from your individual and unique perspective, and it must include both examples and explanations.



Here are some ideas to help you begin thinking, but I encourage you to choose an aspect of your own (not necessary related to these questions):
- How does the news media today portray war? How does this portrayal influence our society and our society's reactions to war? How does it influence your opinions about war?
- How does war today influence soldiers and/or their families and friends.
- How do TV shows and movies today portray war? How does this portrayal influence your perspective of war?
- How do politicians today shape your views of war?

Discuss your ideas in relation to your classmates' posts, but DO NOT repeat your classmates' ideas.

All responses are due by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 20th.

2-5: Blogging about War

Find a current (from 2010 or 2011) blog or article about war; the focus could be on either a present-day war or a past war. Include the blog or article's url so that we can go to the site; include the title of the blog or article; if you use a blog, include the date(s) of the entry or entries you read. Use the following questions to guide your comments:

- What opinions does the writer express?
- What reasons does the writer give for these opinions?
- Do the writer's opinions surprise you? Why or why not?
- What insights does the blog provide into the effects of war on individuals and/ or on society?

All responses are due by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 12th.