Work on your Hamlet essay

IMPROVING A THESIS BY ADDING SPECIFICS

TOO GENERAL

Shakespeare gives Hamlet and Claudius different language to show their different characters.

BETTER

Shakespeare gives Hamlet and Claudius performative language that disguises their inner feelings; Hamlet acts crazy and manic to cover up his depression and plotting for revenge while Claudius uses long, royal-sounding speeches to cover up his insecurity and guilt.

sample thesis statements

Hamlet's private and public speeches greatly reflect his differing confidence levels; furthermore, when he is alone he doubts himself, and when is is surrounded by his peers he is fearless.

Although Hamlet seems distraught by both his father's death and his mother's untimely marriage, his seemingly crazy behavior is a facade for the true mockery of his peers. In public, he mocks both his mother and Polonius, while in private contemplation, he criticizes himself. 

His father’s death has caused Hamlet to enter an extreme state of craziness that only allows logical thought process when interacting with others; however, when alone he is driven mad.

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, Hamlet utilizes different tones to speak to different people. In private when he speaks to himself, he releases the suffering he is going through after his father's death. He is depressed and also is the epitome of a confused individual. Furthermore, when he is with other people he either mocks them, is serious with them but camouflages his real actions and thoughts with his talks/speech/conversations/language.

Before Monday, blog your very specific working thesis that makes a bold claim about how Shakespeare gives different characters different speech, language, and words.

Reread the assignment. Find quotes that help support your claim.

Before Tuesday, blog you introductory paragraph.

Before Thursday, blog any body paragraph.

Before Monday, Nov. 4, print off a copy of your essay and email a copy to jforman@buckley.org.