The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

							CONTENTS


1. The Life of William Shakespeare
2. Shakespeare's Plays
3. A Brief History of English Drama up to Shakespeare
4. Shakespeare, a Romantic Playwright
5. Some Facts About the Elizabethan Theatre
6. Shakespeare's Greatness as a Playwright
7. The Alleged Faults of Shakespeare
8. Shakespearean Criticism Through the Centuries
9. Hamlet: An Introduction
10. (A) Source for the Plot
o  (B) Hamlet as a Revenge Traced
11. Hamlet: A Critical Summary (Act by Act. Scene by
   Scene)
12. Some Aspects of Hamlet
13. Hamlet as Religious Drama
14. The Value and Significance of Hamlet in the
   Twentieth Century
15. Shakespeare's Idea of Tragedy with Reference
   to Hamlet
16. Character or Fate Or The Sense of Fate in Hamlet
17. Catharsis and the Play or Hamlet
18. Hamlet's Irresolution and Procrastination
19. The Problem of Hamlet's Madness
20. The Love of Hamlet and Ophelia
21. The Use of the Supernatural in Hamlet
22. The Use of Soliloquies in Hamlet
23. Comic Elements in Hamlet
24. The Play within the Play OR The Mouse Trap
25. Characters
1.   Hamlet
2.   Polonius
3.   Horatio
4.   Laertes
5.   Ophelia
6.   Gertrude
7.   Claudius
8.   Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
9.   Fortinbras
     Select Literary Criticism
     Meanings and Explanatory Notes
     Expirations, with Reference to the Context, of
     important Passages
     Important Questions with Complete Answers
o    Q.1. What do you think of the view that Hamlet is an
     artistic failure? Give a reasoned answer. Or Justify
     or refute T.S. Eliot’s view that, far from being
     Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Hamlet is most
     certainly an artistic failure.
o    Q.2. Consider Shakespeare’s treatment of the
     theme of revenge in Hamlet. Or "In Hamlet
     Shakespeare presents an incisive analysis of Ac
     conventions of the contemporary revenge play.”
     Discuss. Or Examine critically Hamlet as a revenge
     tragedy, bringing out its superiority over the
     conventional plays m this genre.
o    Q.3.      Write     a     short  rritkal   note    cn
     Hamlet’s soliloquies and the light they throw on the
     character Or Analyse the soliloquies of Hamlet and
     state whether they are fully and correctly expressive
     of his character. Or What do you gather about the
    personality of Hamlet from his soliloquies ? Discuss
    with suitable illustrations.
o   Q.4. Examine critically the dramatic presentation of
    the revenge morality in Hamlet. Or "Hamlet's death
    is the ultimate result of us being charged by the
    Ghost to carry oat instructions which were offensive
    to the moral principles” Discuss. Or Explain the
    problem of delay in Hamlet. How is it linked with the
    theme of revenge?
o   Q.5. Examine critically the relationship between
    Hamlet and Ophelia. How do yon account for its
    failure? Or Attempt a critical examination of
    Hamlet's relationship Ophelia. Or Comment on
    Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia
o   Q.6. Examine the view rhar far from being a
    dramatic          failure.    Hamlet       is       a
    most carefully constructed play.
o   Q.7. “Character is destiny.” How far is this
    applicable       to Hamlet? Or "In   Shakespearean
    tragedy the accent falls on human responsibility
    rather than on supernatural suggestion." Discuss
    with reference to Hamlet. Or Character or fate?
    Who is responsible for the tragedy of Hamlet?