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VENGEANCE

from Hamlet Teacher Resource Package

from Hamlet Teacher Resource Package, page 35

APPENDIX B

Prince Hamlet's father, the King, is dead. Hamlet learns from his father's ghost that Claudius, the King’s brother and Hamlet’s uncle, has murdered him. Hamlet wrestles with the notion of vengeance.

Discussion questions 1

• What other approaches could Hamlet consider, aside from vengeance?

• What would it take to obtain reconciliation and forgiveness in Hamlet's situation?

Discussion questions 2

• How are the histories of the British monarchy, Canadian government, and Indigenous Nations, connected?

• Is there an opportunity to look at the atrocities that Indigenous Nations have faced, and the notion of truth and reconciliation in modern times? How effective has Truth and Reconciliation been so far?

• Why do or don't Indigenous Nations seek vengeance for these atrocities?

• Unpack with students: What are some of the ways in which Indigenous communities all over have (1) resisted injustice, and (2) supported reconciliation processes?

Text-to-Text, Text-to-Self, Text-to-World strategy

Text-to-Text

• Do the themes in Hamlet remind you of another text? (E.g. story, film, video…)

• How are these themes in Hamlet similar and different to that text?

Text-to-Self

• How do the themes in this text relate to your own life?

• Do you agree with Hamlet's choices? Are there any you disagree with?

Text-to-World

• How do the themes in this text relate to what is happening (now or in the past), in the world?

• How are they similar or different?

• What can we learn from the play that could be applied to real life?

Trauma And Joy

Hamlet is a tragedy with heavy themes, and the events within are, at times, traumatic. In life, tragedy and happiness co-exist – and we experience both ends of the spectrum. Can we extract more joyful meaning from this story?

Discussion questions

• Do you think it is important for a story to have a happy ending? Why or why not?

• How could we give Hamlet an ending that avoids violence?

• What is a catalyst that could have prevented anyone from dying?

• If someone had made one different choice, how would the outcome change?