World of Shakespeare:

Hamlet: Grief Session

Directions: You are a psychiatrist and have begun counseling a new patient recently. In a 250 word, one page typed paper, please file a report on your findings. Please use specific examples from Acts 1-4 to support you end recommendations. You are required to look at all of his soliloquies and dialogue, which should be used as direct conversations given in his therapy sessions.

Please follow the following rubric:

1.) Start with an opening paragraph which needs to state your overall opinion of Hamlet’s mental state. 20 points

2.) In your body, please detail 4 examples which support your thesis.
40 points

3.) Please end with a final paragraph restating your diagnosis. Please end your report with your recommendations. 20 points

4.) Paper is typed, with proper grammar and punctuation 20 points





Notes:
Probably the most well-known of these might be from Elizabeth Kubler-Ross' book, "On Death and Dying." In it, she identified five stages that a dying patient experiences when informed of their terminal prognosis.

The stages Kubler-Ross identified are:
Denial (this isn't happening to me!)
Anger (why is this happening to me?)
Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
Depression (I don't care anymore)
Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes)

Many people believe that these stages of grief are also experienced by others when they have lost a loved one.
Personally, I think of these definitions as emotional behaviors rather than stages, per se. I believe we may certainly experience some of these behaviors. But, I believe just as strongly, that there is no script for grief; that we cannot expect to feel any of our emotions in a particular set pattern. I do agree that acceptance is probably the last emotion felt, and in some instances it may be the only one.
A lesser known definition of the stages of grief is described by Dr. Roberta Temes in the book, "Living With An Empty Chair - a guide through grief." Temes describes three particular types of behavior exhibited by those suffering from grief and loss.

They are:
Numbness (mechanical functioning and social insulation)
Disorganization (intensely painful feelings of loss)
Reorganization (re-entry into a more 'normal' social life.)

Soph Lit:

All of you reported success on the MCAS writing section. We continued with testing today, and the English section will conclude this Thursday. There is no assigned HW during testing days to allow you to focus all of your energy on the exam. Continued good luck!

Today in class:
We have started our pre-novel work for the novel Lord of the Flies. Yesterday, I asked you to brainstorm on what 10 items that you would bring to survive on an island for one year. This list, and the activities this week, will lead us into our next round of journal writing.

We also began to look at the British English, and discuss the subtle differences in language from across the pond in the UK.

We continued our debate in class: Is man inherently good or evil? Where does evil come from? If there were no consequences in life, would people act with a good heart?

World of Shakespeare:

Due to MCAS testing, we did not have class Tuesday.

Today: We reviewed act 3 in Hamlet.

Please begin thinking of specific issues that are causing Hamlet unhappiness in life. Your next assigned paper will require you to become his grief councilor and write a report of your findings. This will be assigned Friday...

Word O' the Week:

Morose (mo-Ros)
Adj. Gloomy, sullen.

Think:

The "save" icon in Word shows a floppy disk with the shutter on backwards.

Soph Lit:

Today in class:

We wrapped up our MCAS review and I collected your completed MCAS review pack.

I passed out our next novel, Lord of the Flies.

I introduced the novel and recorded book numbers.

I asked you to list 10 things that you would bring with you if stranded on a island for one year.

Best of luck on MCAS this week. A quick review for tonight:

Get a solid night sleep
Eat well tonight and make sure you have a healthy breakfast- no crummy energy drinks.
Make sure you review the events and character in one book that you have read. It helps if you enjoyed it.
Do not summarize the novel in answering your prompt. Have a clear thesis, and make sure you write a brief outline first to organize how you will answer it. Remember the things we also worked on last week: Clear thesis/topic sentence, good transitional words/phrases, and a conclusion that re-states your thesis. Do not use big words that you are un-sure of. Proof read and correct if time. Follow basic grammar rules: Cap letters for proper nouns, watch for run on sentences, and punctuate correctly.

Most of all: Relax- you are going to do great. Do your best work!

World of Shakespeare:

Today:

We finished with the remaining Hamlet lines. Great job everyone!

We explored the mind of Hamlet and acted out a Hamlet therapy session.

HW: Read and study act 3. Quiz soon.