Read the excerpt from Act I of Hamlet . Horatio: Our last king, Whose image even but now appear’d to us, Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway, Thereto prick’d on by a most emulate pride, Dar’d to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet— For so this side of our known world esteem’d him— Did slay this Fortinbras; who, by a seal’d compact, Well ratified by law and heraldry, Did forfeit with his life all those his lands To view the excerpt through a historical lens, which questions should the reader ask? Choose two correct answers.
Answer
A
What literary devices make the relationship between Horatio and Fortinbras clear to the audience?
B
How does the structure of the text help the audience to understand the situation with Fortinbras?
C
What beliefs were common during this period that make the appearance of a ghost believable to the audience?
D
What major political events occurred that the audience can compare to the politics in the scene?
E
How does the dialogue reinforce or challenge the gender stereotypes that were present at the time?