I have attached an example Topic Proposal Discussion, as well as the Topic List. Choose a Topic and then complete the Topic Proposal Discussion similar to the example attached. Here is the website with the Hamlet stories, etc. http://www.folgerdigitaltexts.org/?chapter=5&play=Ham&loc=p7
example_of_topic_proposal.docx
possible_topics_hamlet__research_paper.docx
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Handelman 1
Joy Handelman
Dr. Jones
English Composition II
29 February 2016
Loss of Faith in “Young Goodman Brown”
Faith is the foundation of a person’s view of the world. Faith is what defines the world
and what motivates an individual. Defined this way faith is something that everyone has. It is not
limited to the obviously religious. Critics often view Hawthorne’s story “Young Goodman
Brown” as a loss of faith in God. In reality the story is a painful and dramatic tale of a young
man’s loss of faith in his community, family, and tradition. The powerful unspoken question at
the heart of the story is the reason for Brown’s misplaced faith. Brown’s astonishing reliance on
his family, community, and tradition in the face of the devil’s insistence that he walk a bit further
into the forest shows the source of Brown’s faith is not in God.
The questions I need to research involve the reason for this misplaced faith. The answer
may lie in Hawthorne’s own view of Puritan belief. Hawthorne may have viewed Puritan belief
as being centered, not in a powerful just but loving God, but, rather in a powerful, proud, and
self-righteous religious tradition.
To answer these questions and address these issues, I need to look into Hawthorne’s view
of the Puritans. I need to look at articles about the story as well. Hopefully Galileo will yield
some helpful sources. Questia may also be a valuable source. If I can find Hawthorne’s own
thoughts about this issue, that will be a great help. I hope to find his own statement about the
Puritan faith in his own words. Journals, diaries, and letters will hopefully reveal some of his
thoughts. Biography as well as critical sources will probably be the most accessible sources.
Handelman 2
Original writing by some of the Puritans might shed a little light but I do not want to go too far
off my topic so I will have to be sure and limit these.
Your Research Paper must be on Hamlet
These prompts are just that – directions to get you thinking. You are not required
to choose one of these for your paper. None of these prompts really states a
thesis. You will have to come up with your thesis (what you want to prove) but
you can let these ideas inspire your thinking. Make these topics your own and
please do not choose one that you do not understand! (You may even combine
parts of one with another.)
1. The Mask of Madness in Hamlet – Expressing Grief and Outrage in safety.
Hamlet hides behind madness for his stated reasons but also because his
“wildness” allows him to express something of the extremity of his feelings in his
loss. He cannot say exactly what is on his mind all the time without revealing too
much but his assumed pose of madness allows him to express strong and
extreme emotions of anger and outrage in dramatic and cunning ways. Some
examples would be: 1) in his outburst at Ophelia – when he realizes she is being
used by Polonius and the King to spy on him. 2) his insolent and rude remarks to
Polonius who is so obsequious to the King 3) his treatment of Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern just before the play when he accuses them of trying to play him
(There are many, many others.)
2. Loss of Home – The play is an examination of what it means to lose your home
and still be within its walls. Hamlet still lives in a palace, has a mother, and has a
“new” father but he has lost his home. His loss echoes throughout the play at
every turn. All the familiar and loved faces that are left (except for Horatio’s) have
become strange and deceitful, particularly his mother in her hasty marriage and
apparent passion for Claudius and Ophelia in her lack of loyalty and her
willingness to be used as a spy.
3. An extension of 2 above – Loss of family in Hamlet and Antigone – both these
young people are extremely loyal to their dead family members. Both have a
mission imposed upon them by these deaths and for both that mission is
extremely dangerous. There is a sense in which both are caught by their family
ties and called to action by these ties… explore, explain, think, etc.
4. Illustrate and elaborate on the role of family in Hamlet and Antigone. How does
the idea of what a family should be create the backdrop for the play? In other
words if the reader had no idea of the meaning of family, would these plays even
make sense? How does an idea of family contribute to the meaning of the play or
plays? What is that idea that the play is presupposing that the audience (or
reader) understands? (We take the definition of family for granted so this sounds
self-explanatory and we do not realize that changes in the 20th century to the
present are, at least, changing the idea of family – how many of you, for example,
want to define family as those you care about without regard to the notion of
husband, wife, mother, father, daughter, son, brother, sister, and so on…)
5. Both plays portray a kind of loyalty that is powerful enough to change the
course of a life dramatically. Think through and research the idea of loyalty in the
Hamlet and Antigone – Does loyalty lead to the deaths of these two young
people? Should they have been more pragmatic or not? (Or – just address this in
one of the plays).
6. Views of family and home in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Look at the main
characters and elaborate on their ideas of family or marriage or love. For example
look at Polonius and how he deals with his children, Gertrude and Claudius -Does their relationship show a willingness to reject “family” for romantic love?
(not that the two have to be in opposition) Horatio – his treatment of the death of
Hamlet’s father and his willingness to stand by Hamlet in his grief – what does it
say about his reverence for family?
7. Destruction of the family – what does it bring about in the play Hamlet? (Or
Hamlet and Antigone)
8. Treachery and Betrayal – a nearly constant theme running through Hamlet.
Elaborate on the layers of treachery and betrayal within families in this play.
9. Why do you suppose family is a major theme and setting in Hamlet? You could
also include Antigone in this topic if you wish.
Below are more ideas for topics that are not directly centered on family; they are
also acceptable:
10. Humor in Hamlet – Shakespeare shows us Hamlet’s brilliance through his word play, double
meanings, puns, and jokes — some of it while he pretends to be mad. Hamlet’s humor is one thing that
shows the character’s intelligence and sanity. This paper would need to come up with a theory as to
why Shakespeare has so much humor in this deeply sad and tragic work.
11. Explore the expressions in Hamlet that we still use today. A thesis for this topic might address the
reasons for the fact that we still use these expressions.
12. Choose a character from the play and do an extended character analysis. Research could go in the
psychological direction ( the nature of Hamlet’s madness – pretend or real – or his inability to actwhere codes int come from ) or in a more literary direction ( how does the character work as an
artistic creation, how does Shakespeare create such depth in so many characters, etc. etc.) or you
could look at the moral dimensions of Hamlet – how he struggles over the commission to kill Claudius,
how he is so concerned with doing the right thing, etc..
13. Madness as a major theme in the play – Hamlet’s pretend madness, Ophelia’s real madness, – did
Shakespeare mean madness as a broad comment on the state of the world?
14. Garden imagery — references to Eden and to the fall. Hamlet speaks of his world as”’tis an
unweeded garden, / That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature / Possess it merely” (1.2.134136) Throughout the play there is an abundance of garden imagery. Ophelia’s flowers given away in
her grief have established meanings as well. How does this garden imagery work in the play? What
does it mean?
15. The players within the play – what is their purpose? Explain the speech that Hamlet has the actor
perform when they first arrive. Where does it come from? What is its importance to Hamlet (the play)
as a whole? What about the advice Hamlet gives the players? Why does Shakespeare have this
interlude in the play? (What does it tell us about Hamlet?) Explain the play Hamlet has the players
perform for the court. What purpose does it serve for Hamlet and the audience?
16. Hamlet is often called a revenge play. Research the history and definition of this sub-genre. How
does Hamlet (the play) fit this category? How does it go beyond it?
17. Related to 8 – Revenge v. Justice – Which one is the more accurate description of these themes?
Explain and justify your theory.
18. Research what actors have said about playing the part of Hamlet and come up with a theory that
accounts for all the different versions or one that explains why so many great actors want to play this
role.
19. What does the introduction of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern mean for the play? Why do you think
Shakespeare brings them into the play? What doe they reveal about the king and queen’s view of
Hamlet at this point in the play? Some of Hamlet’s wittiest give and take is with these two as he calls
them sponges. However, earlier he does let them know something of his dismay and sorrow.
20. Why does Hamlet’s attitude toward Ophelia swing so violently from adoration to contempt?
Explore their relationship. What part does she have in this change?
21. Love and marriage as a theme in Hamlet. There is a standard for good honorable marriage set up
by old king Hamlet’s marriage ot Gertrude. Describe the various views of marriage put forth in the
play. What is the play saying about marriage?
22. Death is certainly a major theme in the play. There are repeated references to the process of
death and decay. Think of Hamlet’s insult to Claudius as he describes the process through which a king
may progress through the guts of a beggar. He speaks of the sun breeding maggots in a dead dog.
There’s the graveyard scene. Death is viewed in it horrible physical process in this play in a very
dramatic and disturbing way.
22 (a) Death is also viewed as the problem which we all face. Hamlet at one point states that anyone
would rather die than endure what life brings but that the troubles of life are endured because we
fear the unknown in death. (Of course, he says it with beauty and vitality and power — “To be or not
to be…” that speech!)
23. How does Shakespeare use the soliloquy as a technique to help the audience know Hamlet? Why
is it so important for the play that the audience know Hamlet’s inner struggles, thoughts, and
questions?
…
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