1. Carefully read Polonius’ speech to Laertes in Act Iof Hamlet (pp. 1059-1060, lines 59-85). Whatadvice, specifically, is Polonius trying to give his son? There isa lot of material here in this short speech. What kinds ofknowledge or wisdom is Polonius attempting to impart? Do you agreeor disagree with Polonius’ advice? Do you recognize any of thesayings from this speech even today?

text content Hamlet (pp. 1059-1060,lines 59-85)

Yet here, Laertes! aboard, aboard, for shame! The wind sits inthe shoulder of your sail, And you are stay'd for. There,- myblessing with you! Laying his hand on Laertes' head And these fewprecepts in thy memory See thou character.? Give thy thoughts notongue, Nor any unproportion'd thought his act. Be thou familiar,but by no means vulgar. The friends thou hast, and their adoptiontried, Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; But do notdull thy palm with entertainment Of each new-hatch'd, unfledg'dcomrade. Beware Of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, Bear'tthat the opposéd may beware of thee. Give every man thine ear, butfew thy voice: Take each man's censure,® but reserve thy judgment.Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express'd in fancy;rich, not gaudy: For the apparel oft proclaims the man; And they inFrance of the best rank and station Are most select and generouschief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be: 80 For a loan oft loses bothitself and friend; And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. Thisabove all, -to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as thenight the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. 85Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!

2. Carefully read and analyze Hamlet’s famous soliloquyin Act III (pp. 1090-1091, lines 63-97). What “question” is Hamletattempting to answer? I’m sure that you’ve heard pieces of thisfamous soliloquy before, but what does it really mean? Whatdecision is Hamlet attempting to make? In other words, what are histwo choices? What advice would you give Hamlet about what he shoulddo here?

text content pp. 1090-1091, lines63-97)

HAMLET: To be, or not to be; -that is the question: Whether 'tisnobler in the mind to suffer 65 The slings and arrows of outrageousfortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposingend them?- To die,--to sleep, No more; and by a sleep to say we endThe heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks afin0 in 70 Thatflesh is heir to,- 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. Todie, - to sleep;- 3890 02 HAV To sleep! perchance to dream:-_ay,there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, 75 Must give us pause:there's the respect 2001 Y That makes a calamity of so long life;For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor'swrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of déspis'd love, thelaw's delay, 80 The insolence of office, and the spurns Thatpatient merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might hisquietus make With a bare bodkin?? who would fardels' bear, 85 Togrunt* and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread ofsomething after death, The undiscover'd country, from whose bourn'No traveler returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bearthose ills we have Than to fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the nativehue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought;And enterprises of great pith and moment, With this regard, theircurrents turn awry, And lose the name of action. -Soft you now! Thefair Ophelia._ Nymph, in thy orisons® Be all my sinsremember'd.