Analyzing character in "Hamlet" through epitaphs
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=956
A lesson plan for grade 12 English Language Arts
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 12
- Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text as well as to personal experience.
- Objective 1.02: Respond to texts so that the audience will:
- empathize with the voice of the text.
- make connections between the learner's life and the text.
- reflect on how cultural or historical perspectives may have influenced these responses.
- examine the learner's own response in light of peers' responses.
-recognize features of the author's use of language and how the learner relates these features to his/her own writing.
- Objective 1.02: Respond to texts so that the audience will:
- Goal 2: The learner will inform an audience by exploring general principles at work in life and literature.
- Objective 2.01: Locate, process, and comprehend texts that explain principles, issues, and concepts at work in the world in order to:
- relate complex issues from a variety of critical stances.
- discern significant differences and similarities among texts that propose different ideas related to similar concepts. - Objective 2.03: Compose texts (in print and non-print media) that help the audience understand a principle or theory by:
- researching experience for relevant principles that relate to themes in literature and life.
- presenting a thesis, supporting it, and considering alternative perspectives on the topic.
-adjusting the diction, tone, language, and method of presentation to the audience.
- Objective 2.01: Locate, process, and comprehend texts that explain principles, issues, and concepts at work in the world in order to:
- Goal 3: The learner will be prepared to enter issues of public concern as an advocate.
- Objective 3.02: Organize and deliver an argument so that an intended audience respects it by:
- wording the claim clearly.
- specifying reasons in support of the claim that are likely to be convincing.
-- adopting an appropriate tone and stance toward the issue.
- Objective 3.02: Organize and deliver an argument so that an intended audience respects it by:
- Goal 4: The learner will analyze and critique texts from various perspectives and approaches.
- Objective 4.01: Develop critiques that enable an audience to judge claims and arguments by:
-establishing and applying clear, credible criteria for evaluation.
- substantiating assessments with reasons and evidence.
- Objective 4.01: Develop critiques that enable an audience to judge claims and arguments by:
- Goal 5: The learner will deepen understanding of British literature through exploration and extended engagement.
- Objective 5.01: Explore British literature by:
- recognizing common themes that run through works, using evidence from the texts to substantiate ideas.
- relating the cultural and historical contexts to the literature and identifying perceived ambiguities, prejudices, and complexities.
- making associations between historical and current viewpoints.
-understanding how literary movements influence writers. - Objective 5.02: Extend engagement with selected works of British literature by:
- observing how the imaginative experience of literature broadens and enriches real life.
- relating style, meaning, and genre (including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry).
- applying literary, grammatical, and rhetorical terms of literature.
- demonstrating in various print and non-print media the significance of works.
-discerning the effect of interpreting literature from various critical perspectives.
- Objective 5.01: Explore British literature by:
- Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
- Objective 6.01: Apply knowledge of literary terms, grammar, and rhetoric in order to write clearly, succinctly, and accurately by:
- understanding how to use and apply grammatical, metaphorical, or rhetorical devices.
- recognizing how to use different language conventions (such as loose or periodic sentences, effective use of passive voice, or the importance of strong verbs).
- revising writing to enhance voice and style, sentence variety, subtlety of meaning, and tone in considerations of questions being addressed, purpose, audience, and genres.
- contrasting use of language conventions of authors in different time periods of British literature.
- analyzing the power of standard usage over nonstandard usage in formal settings such a job interviews, academic presentations, or public speaking events. - Objective 6.02: Discern and correct errors in speaking and writing by:
- reviewing and refining purposeful use of various sentence types.
- editing for correct punctuation, spelling, mechanics, and standard edited American English.
- using appropriate transitional words and phrases.
- Objective 6.01: Apply knowledge of literary terms, grammar, and rhetoric in order to write clearly, succinctly, and accurately by:



