Happy Thanksgiving!

We love you, Ms. Minor! We just thought we should show you how your smart, intellectual children like to spend their time outside of class.

-Dumbledore's Army

Prompt to respond to before Wed. Nov. 26

After reading Carolyn Heilbrun's essay on Gertrude and considering the points she makes, as well as the opinions of other critics she references, do some thinking and studying of your own about Gertrude. Is she intelligent and verbally gifted, although with a weakness for kings? Is she shallow and weak? To what extent does the action of the play pivot around her? Engage in a lively discussion with one another, but whenever possible reference particular passages from the play to support your ideas.

Prompt to respond to before Monday, Nov. 24

For this posting, I'm seeking a genuine & personal response to Robert MacNeil's genuine & personal account of his early experience with Shakespeare. It's better you write something in advance and post it rather than use someone else's response as a springboard--though you're always welcome to comment on what you read here.

Prompt to respond to before Wed., Nov. 20

In Act I, Scene 2, Lines 76-86, Shakespeare introduces a primary motif in Hamlet, the idea of "seeming". Consider how many of the characters -- Hamlet, Gertrude, Claudius, Polonius, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern -- are all engaged in pretense, acting out parts. Confine your discussion to Acts I & II, especially Act II. When possible refer to specific lines so others can follow your train of thought.

Assignment for Tuesday the 18th

No blog prompt today, but feel free to bring up with your colleagues any issues/confusion you have with Hamlet, particularly Act I and Act II. This is optional, not required. By the way, I am really impressed with how some of you are using this forum to enrich your study. It also gives me a window into your thoughts, especially those quiet ones out there, and those participation points can really add up.

For those few who were absent last class, be sure to study through Act I, Scene 2 (particularly Hamlet's first soliloquy) and discuss it with someone who WAS in class (both physically and mentally).

Enjoy this glorious sunshine!!!!

Prompt to respond to before class on Wed. Nov. 12

Choose one of the articles You received on Friday, post your comments, and engage in the discussion. This will require logging on more than once.

Reminder: In-class essay on Wed. -- bring all your notes and the book to use. Revised essays are also due Wed. Be sure to staple the original essay with my comments to the back of your revision.

So, how was the opera?

I REALLY wish I could have gone!

Also, Natalie, I noticed you showed great "restraint" in posting last on Monday's blog.

Blog Prompt for Friday the 7th of Nov

Read Part III, paragraph 9 beginning with the line "The manager came out". . . through "I turned to Kurtz for relief--positively for relief."

Why does Marlow turn to Kurtz for relief? What about the atmosphere is so vile that it chokes Marlow, and -- again -- why would he turn to Kurtz, of all people, for relief?