a) What do you know about Hamlet, the "Melancholy Dane"?
From spoofs, parodies, references etc. all i have really gleaned about Hamlet (which is probably inaccurate) is that Hamlet is a prince on a quest for vengeance, ultimately dying from what I've heard by the conclusion of the story.
b) What do you
know about Shakespeare?
A pillar of English writing, not just limited to poetry, Shakespeare is one of the (if not the most) single most influential writers of the English language, founding iambic pentameter, mastering and expanding the foundations of our language as a whole, i appreciate Shakespeare's impact but I'm not the biggest "fan" per say.
c) Why do so many students involuntarily frown
when they hear the name "Shakespeare"?
Dated language combined with a complex structure, rife with antiquated colloquialisms that prevent simple read once and know everything comprehension, its not surprising why students (including myself to a certain extent) involuntarily cringe at when encountering anything Shakespearean.
d) What can we do to make
studying this play an amazing experience we'll never forget?
Active involvement, activities and reading to which we students participate is probably the greatest tool to correct answer C. As well as in-depth cooperative analysis while in class to fully comprehend the play would be welcomed of course :).
Your blog, while having good content, just seems so banal at times. I would personally recommend adding more character to it, make it more personalized. But that's just me.
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