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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Analyzing character in "Hamlet" through epitaphs

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=956

A lesson plan for grades 9–12 English Language Arts

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Students draft original epitaphs for a character from Hamlet and using three-paneled poster board, design gravestones to display their work. After students create a list of the major deceased characters in the play, the class brainstorms personality traits for each character. Then the teacher shares “The Epitaph” from “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray as an example, while students note descriptive words, phrases, and figurative language that describe the character. Students decide what tone is being used and point to evidence from the poem that supports their interpretations. In small groups, students brainstorm traits of a selected character from Hamlet and then independently create original epitaphs for the deceased character. After writing epitaphs and designing gravestones, students present their work to the class. Readwritethink provides assignment guidelines, sample epitaphs, peer evaluation forms and rubrics.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 9

  • Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.
    • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze various literary works by:
      • using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection.
      • recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), non-fiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
      • interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, dialogue, diction, and imagery.
      • understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style.
      • explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
      • explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts.
      • determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her.
      • explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
      • making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues.
      • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
      • producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre.

Grade 10

  • Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of selected world literature through interpretation and analysis.
    • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze selected works of world literature by:
      • using effective strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
      • building on prior knowledge of the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry, and exploring how those characteristics apply to literature of world cultures.
      • analyzing literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, situational irony, and imagery and explaining their effect on the work of world literature.
      • analyzing the importance of tone and mood.
      • analyzing archetypal characters, themes, and settings in world literature.
      • making comparisons and connections between historical and contemporary issues.
      • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.

Grade 11

  • Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
    • Objective 4.01: Interpret meaning for an audience by:
      - examining the functions and the effects of narrative strategies such as plot, conflict, suspense, point of view, characterization, and dialogue.
      - interpreting the effect of figures of speech (e.g., personification, oxymoron) and the effect of devices of sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia).
      - analyzing stylistic features such as word choice and links between sense and sound.
      - identifying ambiguity, contradiction, irony, parody, and satire.
      - demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them.

Grade 12

  • Goal 2: The learner will inform an audience by exploring general principles at work in life and literature.
    • Objective 2.02: Analyze general principles at work in life and literature by:
      - discovering and defining principles at work in personal experience and in literature.
      -predicting what is likely to happen in the future on the basis of those principles.