HAMLET, William Shakespeare
 
 

4 / 28/ 98
 
HAMLET
 
*  REVENGE TRAGEDIES-- Affinities of Hamlet to Revenger's Tragedy and Jew of Malta? For instance, how many separate or interrelated conspiracies and counter conspiracies can you identify in H? Middleton's RT is patterned extensively on Hamlet. Can you see affinities in tragic plot structure (hint, Aristotle's Poetics)? What about skulls, poisons, dead fathers etc? What else? Notes to RT were good at pointing out this sort of stuff.

*  Any comparison of metaphysical collapse of in Marlowe's Dr. Faustus with situation in Hamlet? Cracks in any part of Medieval/Elizabethan worldview compounded from Ptolemy, Aristotle's Physics and Church teachings? What about the role of the devil and perils to souls to be found in either drama.

*  Nietzsche, BT 7, compares "Dionysian Man " to Hamlet and quotes Hamlet's reference to "John a dreams" (2, 2, 579). Any Nietzschean interpreters out there?

*  TRICKSTER FIGURES. JM, RT, Dr. F, Alchemist, 12th Night, RG etc. see previous paper topics and class notes. a) Any comparisons between tricksters in Hamlet and those of our other tragedies? B) consider how trickster and conspiracy themes interact either in Hamlet or in Hamlet and 1 or 2 other plays.

*  FORTUNE seems to get a rather bad rap in this play. Trace the presentation of this concept throughout the play. Feel free to go to Shakespeare link and download Hamlet and do a word search.