ADAPTED VERSION · B1 · dyslexia friendly

Session 2: Revenge: duty or crime?

Question: Should Hamlet obey the ghost?
Step 1

Goals

Step 2
Today's language goal

To weigh the arguments for and against revenge and give my judgement, we need the words of moral choice (duty, proof, conscience, sin, justice, guilty, trap) and should, ought to, have to, must not (and should have to judge the past).

Warm-up

Vote with your feet: one side of the room for 'revenge is justice', the other for 'revenge is a crime'. Explain your choice in one sentence.

Step 3

Read

"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder."
William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, scene 5, the Ghost
Document: revenge tragedy. In Elizabethan England, revenge plays were very popular. The law and the Church condemned private revenge, so the hero is caught between a sacred duty to his father and a sin.
"The play's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."
William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act II, scene 2, Hamlet

Dilemma table

ChoiceForAgainst
Kill Claudius nowjustice for his fatherno proof, it is a sin
Test him with a playproof firsttime lost, danger
Do nothingno crimethe murderer keeps the crown

Vocabulary

WordMeaning
dutysomething you must do
proofevidence that shows the truth
consciencethe inner sense of good and bad
sinan act against religious law
justicefair treatment by the law
guiltyresponsible for a crime
playa theatre performance
trapa trick to catch someone
Step 4

Grammar lesson: should, ought to, have to, must not; should have

To weigh the arguments for and against revenge and give my judgement, we need should, ought to, have to, must not; should have
On the board, to copy

Rule

should = good idea. has to = obligation. must not = forbidden.

Form

  • has to / have to + base verb: Hamlet has to find proof.
  • should / ought to + base verb: He should not believe the ghost immediately.
  • must not + base verb: A Christian must not kill.
  • should have + past participle: He should have acted earlier.

Examples from the lesson

  • Hamlet has to find proof.
  • Hamlet should not believe the ghost immediately.
  • The law and the Church say that a man must not take private revenge.

Common mistakes

  • Not Hamlet should to find proof., but Hamlet should find proof.
  • Not Hamlet have to find proof., but Hamlet has to find proof.

Quick check (2 minutes, hands up or mini whiteboards)Should, has to, must not or should have?

  1. The Ghost orders it: Hamlet ______ avenge his father.
  2. In my opinion, he ______ check the ghost's story.
  3. The Church says a man ______ kill.
  4. He ______ talked to Horatio earlier.
Show the answers

1. has to. 2. should. 3. must not. 4. should have.

Exercises

EntryRecognition. Obligation (O), opinion or advice (A), prohibition (P), criticism of the past (C)?

  1. Hamlet has to obey his father.
  2. He ought to think before he acts.
  3. A son must not kill his king.
  4. Hamlet should have spoken to his mother earlier.
  5. Claudius should confess his crime.
  6. Hamlet shouldn't have killed Polonius.
Show the answers

1. O. 2. A. 3. P. 4. C. 5. A. 6. C.

CoreTransformation. Rewrite with the word in brackets.

  1. It is a good idea for Hamlet to find proof. (should)
  2. The Ghost obliges Hamlet to take revenge. (has to)
  3. Killing is forbidden by the Church. (must not)
  4. It was a mistake not to act during the prayer scene. (should have)
  5. It is right to protect his mother. (ought to)
  6. It was wrong to kill Polonius. (shouldn't have)
  7. He is not obliged to kill: he can wait. (doesn't have to)
Show the answers

1. Hamlet should find proof. 2. Hamlet has to take revenge. 3. A man must not kill. 4. He should have acted during the prayer scene. 5. He ought to protect his mother. 6. He shouldn't have killed Polonius. 7. He doesn't have to kill: he can wait.

StretchProduction. Write the arguments of the dilemma table in six sentences: two for revenge (has to, should), two against (must not, ought to), two judgements on the past (should have, shouldn't have).

Show the answers

For example: Hamlet has to avenge his father, because the Ghost ordered it. He should restore justice in Denmark. However, he must not commit a sin. He ought to find proof first. He should have acted when he was sure. He shouldn't have killed Polonius by mistake.

Words in action

To say it precisely, we need the right words

EntryMatch: duty, proof, sin, guilty.

  1. responsible for a crime
  2. evidence that shows the truth
  3. something you must do
  4. an act against religious law
Show the answers

1. guilty. 2. proof. 3. duty. 4. sin.

Tasks

Task a. List the arguments for and against revenge in the play.
Task b. Language: should, ought to, have to, must not.
Task c. Why does Hamlet organise a play to test Claudius? Explain 'catch the conscience of the king'.
Task d. Acting troupes: perform a two minute 'play within the play' in modern English.
Step 5

More tasks

Exercises
  1. Turn into a sentence with 'should': Hamlet / not believe the ghost immediately.
  2. Turn with 'has to': Hamlet / find proof.
  3. Which line shows that Hamlet wants proof?
  4. Give one argument against revenge.
  5. Translate the idea of 'conscience' in your own words in English.
Corrigé of the exercises
  1. Hamlet should not believe the ghost immediately.
  2. Hamlet has to find proof.
  3. The play's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.
  4. Revenge leads to more deaths and is condemned by the law.
  5. The inner voice that tells you what is good or bad.
Step 6

Sentence starters

  • Hamlet should...
  • On the one hand... on the other hand...
  • Revenge is never... because...
  • I believe that...
Step 7

Role play

Student A is Hamlet, Student B is Horatio. Hamlet wants to kill Claudius tonight. Horatio tries to calm him and suggests another way.

Step 8

Figures of speech in the documents

Metaphor: the play as a trap

“The play's the thing / Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.” (Act II, scene 2, Hamlet)

You catch an animal with a trap. Hamlet wants to “catch” the king's guilt with a play. This is a metaphor.

EntryWhat do we usually catch?

Show the answers

A ball, a fish, an animal, a thief.

Gap-fill worksheet

QR code to this worksheet
Word bank: duty · proof · conscience · sin · justice · guilty · play · trap
  1. Hamlet feels it is his to avenge his father.
  2. He wants before acting.
  3. The play is a for the king.
  4. Claudius looks when he sees the play.
  5. For the Church, revenge is a .
  6. The law, not a son, should bring .
  7. The within the play shows a murder.
  8. Hamlet wants to catch the of the king.
Answer key
  1. duty
  2. proof
  3. trap
  4. guilty
  5. sin
  6. justice
  7. play
  8. conscience
Step 9

Expression task

Now say it

Debate: Hamlet must decide. Kill Claudius now, test him with a play, or do nothing?

EntryTwo sentences: your choice with should and one reason.

Tools to use:

  • duty, proof, conscience, sin, justice, guilty, trap
  • should, ought to, has to, must not, should have
  • on the one hand, on the other hand, however

Sentence starters:

  • In my opinion, Hamlet should ...
  • On the one hand, he has to ...
  • On the other hand, he must not ...
Show a model answer

In my opinion, Hamlet should test Claudius with a play first. On the one hand, he has to avenge his father, because the Ghost ordered it. On the other hand, he must not kill an innocent man: the ghost might be lying. The play is a trap that will catch the king's conscience. Later, of course, he should have acted faster, but at this moment, proof comes first.

Assessment grid

CriteriaLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4
ArgumentsRarelySometimesMostlyAlways and precisely
Obligation and judgmentHard to followSome errorsClearRich and accurate
Use of the textNo quotationOne quotationTwo quotations, explainedQuotations analysed

Homework

Write a short speech (150 words) for or against Hamlet's revenge.

Step 10

Links reminder