This document provides instructions for a Hamlet essay assignment. Students are asked to: 1) Find 2-3 articles on Hamlet from JSTOR and complete an annotated bibliography. 2) Choose one article to use in their essay and thoroughly annotate it. 3) Develop a thesis defending an aspect of Hamlet using evidence from the play and their chosen article. Topic suggestions include analyzing characters, symbols/motifs, themes, gender roles, or modern interpretations. The essay must be a minimum of 2 pages, cite sources in MLA format, and fully develop the argument with specific quotes from Hamlet and the article. Annotated bibliographies and articles are due on different dates before the in

1. Name: Date:
HamletEssay (Unit Test) Przybysz
Overview: For this task, you will use your knowledge of Hamlet to write a response based on
the task below.
Task: Your task for this essay will be to explore any aspect of Hamlet that you find compelling.
You will:
1. Find at least 2-3 articles on JSTOR; read the articles and complete an annotated
bibliography on Noodlebib.
2. Then, choose one article to use in your essay. Read thoroughly and annotate this
article.
3. Create a solid thesis, and defend your thesis using textual evidence from Hamlet and
your annotated article.
Below you will find some topic suggestions:
- Close-reading of characters/character development
o Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: there must be more to these guys; Gertrude:
what do you make of her at the end of the play? Hamlet vs. Fortinbras… etc.
etc. etc…
- Symbols and motifs (what is mentioned a lot/repeated in the play?)
o Decay/Death/Skulls… Yorick’s skull significant? Why all the disease imagery
repeated throughout?
o Ears—and hearing are mentioned a LOT if you look for it
- Themes
o Action vs. inaction throughout the play
o Death
o Deception/ Lies/ Betrayal
- Gender roles
o Lack of decent mother figures?
o Misogyny (men hating women)
o Patriarchy (men/fathers as head of society)
o Ophelia as strong female by end?
- Modern Takes…
o Modern allusions to Ophelia/drowning in literature
o Modern productions of Hamlet—specific study?
o Hamlet as a modern day _____(fill in the blank with a person you can compare
him to…)?

2. Guidelines:
- Development: Make sure your argument is fully developed.
- Use specific details and quotes to strengthen your argument—both from the TEXT
and from your chosen annotated article.
- In your conclusion, connect and discuss the examples listed in your thesis statement.
- Organize your ideas in a logical, coherent manner.
- Use language that communicates ideas effectively.
- Follow the conventions of standard written English.
- Your response must be typed in standard, MLA style (that means use in-text
citations correctly. Visit our class website for links that will help).
- Your response should be a minimum of 2 typed, double-spaced pages.
Due dates:
Wednesday, 5/28: Annotated Bibliography of 2-3 articles submitted on Noodlebib.
Choose one of your articles to focus on/use in your essay by this date
Thursday, 6/5:Article(s) annotated, you are prepared to write your essay (have textual
evidence ready)
Essay writing in-class; essay due by end of block.
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Brainstorming:
1. Write down at least 3 QUESTIONS you still have after finishing Hamlet:
2. Write down at least 3 IDEAS you have for your research. What are some of the
topics/characters you might be interested in taking a closer look at?
JSTOR NOTES: