Log inSign up for FREE
Library

Mental Illness and Hamlet

Last updated over 3 years ago
6 questions
Note from the author:
Analyze Hamlet as an Elizabethan psychologist.

Mental Disorders in Hamlet

Objectives:
  • Look at mental illness in context of the Elizabethan Era.
  • Examine Ophelia’s descent into madness through close reading of Act 4, Scene 5
Complete charts
  • Analyze how Hamlet and Polonius caused Ophelia’s madness
  • Analyze the symbolic meaning of flowers and how they reflect the societal problems that lead to Ophelia’s madness.
  • Evaluate who had the greatest impact on Ophelia’s insanity.
Watch the Edpuzzle on the Four Humours
https://edpuzzle.com/assignments/60b90177f3420d415072d7a7/watch
A person was considered healthy when all four humours were in balance.
The humours were related to personality traits. Too much of one humour would create a negative behavior.
2

Using the chart what HUMOUR best shows the temperment of HAMLET? Explain.

2

Using the chart what HUMOUR best shows the temperment of OPHELIA? Explain.

2

Using the chart what HUMOUR best shows the temperment of CLAUDIUS? Explain.

Explaining the Roots of Ophelia's Madness
4

Ophelia's decent into madness didn't start at her father's death. How had both Polonius and Hamlet contributed to her confusion and loss of reality? One quote per example.

Watch performance of Ophelia's madness scene from Mel Gibson's Hamlet
Crash Course Analysis of Ophelia's Madness
Ophelia's Flowers Scene
12

Complete the chart analyzing the subtle meaning of the flowers Ophelia gives to each character.

8

Evaluate each character's blame in Ophelia's mental breakdown. For each rating, explain your reasoning.