Scribe 12/13

Today was the last class period before the final!
In class we finished reading Hamlet. Here is a brief summary of Act 5 scenes 1 and 2.

Act 5 Scene 1
- Hamlet and Horatio go to the graveyard where a gravedigger is digging Ophelia's grave
- Hamlet and the gravedigger contemplate death using comedy
- when the funeral starts the priest does not perform his job the right way and this angers
Laertes
-Hamlet and Laertes get into an argument which sets the stage for scene 2
-this scene provided some comic relief with the presence of the gravedigger and his sarcastic remarks
-the comic relief is used to lighten the mood of the play at this point

Act 5 Scene 2
- Hamlet has stolen a letter from Claudius to the English and has rewritten it so that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern will be killed
- Claudius sends Osric to tell Hamlet that he and Laertes will have a fencing match and Hamlet accepts
- When the match starts, Claudius offers Hamlet a drink (poisoned), but Hamlet does not accept it. The queen then drinks the poisoned drink.
- Laertes cuts Hamlet with a poisoned knife, and then they accidentally switch knives, and Hamlet cuts Laertes.
- Hamlet then uses the poisoned knife and wine to kill King Claudius
- The queen, king, and Laertes all die
- Hamlet tells Horatio to live on to tell Hamlet's story and shortly after Hamlet dies
- Fortinbras arrives and is disgusted at the scene - he orders a funeral for Hamlet

The significance of all of this will be discussed at the final fishbowl. Come prepared to lead, discuss, or live blog with your questions and comments.
We will have a short essay response the day of the final as well.

Don't forget to turn in your papers by Friday AM. NO EXCEPTIONS. Attach the rubric.
If you have not blogged on Ms. Howell's question, do it soon.

Andy, the donuts and OJ were good.

by Levi K.