Sit-in at Woolworth: 52 Years Ago Today

As we discussed in class, on this date in 1963, the Woolworth counter in Jackson, Mississippi became the site of the most violently attacked and widely publicized sit-ins.  Protesting the 'whites only' policy, the activists (pictured below) refused to get up from the lunch counter.  The following is an account of that day, excerpted from the Zinn Education Project.

On May 28, 1963, in Jackson, Mississippi, the Woolworth sit-in occurred. “This was the most violently attacked sit-in during the 1960s. A huge mob gathered, with open police support while the three of us sat there for three hours. I was attacked with fists, brass knuckles and the broken portions of glass sugar containers, and was burned with cigarettes.” —John Salter (Hunter Bear), seated in photo with Joan Trumpauer (now Mulholland), and Anne Moody (author of Coming of Age in Mississippi).

More information on the sit-ins is available here. Learn more about the Jackson sit-in in the book We Shall Not Be Moved: The Jackson Woolworth’s Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired and its website.

The Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement website also offers important information and resources, as does the book Coming of Age in Mississippi.

1963 was an important and volatile year for the Civil Rights Movement and Jackson, Mississippi, where this sit-in took place, was particularly marked by violence and protest.

As we work in class, try to reflect on the fact that this protest, and others like it, took place just four years after A Raisin in the Sun premiered on Broadway.  This moment is only 52 years away from us today and if your parents don't remember it, your grandparents do.

Film Versions

As we bring Hamlet to a close, your final assessment will be to produce an artistic interpretation of a scene, character, or other element of the play that conveys your vision of the text.  In keeping with our conversations in class and online, there are countless ways of interpreting the play and its characters.  The full directions for the final assessment can be found here, but the links below are designed to help you develop a theoretical framework, conceptualize your production, and bring it to life.

Literary Criticism Information:

Literary Criticism

Critical Lenses

Literary Criticism: An Overview of Approaches


Critical Approaches

Literary Critical Theory: Interpretive Strategies

Links to Student Projects (other schools) to get you thinking:

Xtranormal- Laertes and Ophelia

 Xtranormal - Hamlet and Ophelia

Hamlet X A Hip-Hopera

Hamlet as Hitchcock 

The Duel Scene (as acted out by sock puppets)

Eulogy for Ophelia

"To much water hast thou, Ophelia..."

As we have examined some of the different representations of Hamlet, we have seen how the play leaves many events and people open to debate and interpretation.  Just like Hamlet, over the last several hundred years, Ophelia has become a muse in her own right.  She has inspired songs, art, poetry, books and was even used by early psychologists as the face of female madness against which other patients were compared.

The video here, by Kula Shaker, is one of the most closely aligned with the play - note how Hamlet's love note to Ophelia actually makes its way into the lyrics.  But this is by no means the only music video on Opehelia; a simple search on youtube will yield hundreds.  Similarly, you can trace Ophelia's evolution through the work of artists in a google search, as well as in this gallery, who seek to breathe life back into Ophelia, to represent her tragedy, or to remind us all that Ophelia was an important part of the play, too.

John Everett Millais' Ophelia

You can find a full explication of this painting here.

Back in 2011, when I had the chance to go to London, I made it a point to stop by the Tate Museum to see the famous "Ophelia" by John Everett Millais.  This is perhaps one of the most famous paintings of Ophelia, perhaps because of its hauntingly realistic appearance, or the eerie peace in death that it conveys.  Or maybe it is because, as some people say, you can see a skull hidden in it.  This picture is from my trip, but you can take a closer look here.  

Representing Ophelia

Shakespeare's characterization of Ophelia does not offer the audience a full picture of who she is and what her motivation might be.  As Elaine Showalter writes in "Representing Ophelia: Women, Madness, and the Responsibilities of Feminist Criticism," in , there can be Hamlet without Ophelia, but there is no Ophelia without Hamlet.  Her character’s existence is dependent on that of Hamlet’s.  

Despite this, or maybe because of it, Ophelia has been such a source of inspiration over hundreds of years, and each artist chooses to represent Ophelia in a different way.   What do you notice about the way that Ophelia is portrayed in the John Everett Millais painting?  What characteristics does the artist imbue in his version of Ophelia?  How does it differ from other artistic representations of Ophelia?

Follow some of the links above (and here) to research Ophelia and consider:  How do you believe Shakespeare intended Ophelia to be portrayed?  What were her final moments like?  Did she intentionally drown herself?  Did she just give in after the branch underneath her broke?  Did Gertrude let her die?

What do you believe is the reason for Ophelia’s madness?  What contributed to her demise, in your opinion?  Do you feel sorry for her?  Indifferent? How might you 'represent Ophelia?' 

Your Task

As we see in the play, the circumstances of her death prevent Ophelia from having a proper burial.  After you have considered the questions above for yourself, construct a 'eulogy' for Ophelia.  What words would you read at her funeral? 

Because this is a fictitious assignment, you can choose to honor Ophelia, or you can agree that she perhaps did not deserve more in the way of burial rites.  This is, of course, open to your opinion, depending on how effectively you support it.  

In at least 400 words (what that looks like), eulogize Ophelia; give her the burial rites you believe she deserves based on whatever your opinion of her character is.  Use your research as well as the text to support your 

You can visit the blog here, or do a simple search to find out more about writing a eulogy.

Video Links for Ophelia (5/13)

Today in class we are looking at how each director portrays Ophelia in the three films we have been watching.  There is no blog post associated with these scenes yet, however, viewing these scenes will prepare you for the next assignment.

Branagh - Ophelia Mad Scene Pt. 1   

Branagh - Ophelia Mad Scene Pt. 2

Zeffirelli - Ophelia Mad Scene

Almereyda - Ophelia Mad Scene

Unfortunately, not all of the clips that we are viewing in class today are available on YouTube, but this should at least give you a reference if you couldn't be in class.

Understanding a Freudian Interpretation of Hamlet (or, trying to)

One scene that is not available is the Zeffirelli interpretation of the scene between Hamlet and Gertrude after the Mousetrap scene.  In this interpretation, the director uses a Freudian lens to examine the Oedipal complex in the context of the relationship between Hamlet and his mother.  While this is not an interpretation I prefer, it is a common literary lens for analyzing Hamlet.

For your film projects you will be asked to consider a literary lens to support your production of a particular scene, so it is helpful to consider how directors and actors have interpreted them.  You can learn a little more about Psychoanalytic criticism (which we briefly discussed with The Catcher in the Rye) by visiting this link.

Video Links from 5/8

In case you were out on Friday for PARCC, or AP testing, etc......

Here are some links to the scenes that we viewed in class.  Please refer directly to the text to help guide your understanding of these scenes.  (There is no post required here, this is just a reference.)

We will continue with Act IV on Monday, but you should be sure that you fully understand Act III or come prepared to ask questions.

As we discussed earlier, Act III in any Shakespeare play is where the most important action takes place.  What happens in the scenes below, sets everything else in the play into motion.

Claudius' Confession (Act III, sc. iii, pg. 137)

Hamlet's Argument with Gertrude (Act III, sc. iv, pg.141-143)

(Act IV, sc. i, pg. 157)

Hamlet's Antics in Act IV

Please note - these scenes are incomplete.  Please use your book to make sure you are up to date.

Hamlet's Dilemma

An enduring question throughout the play is whether it is better to be a man of thought or of action.  This question is perhaps most deeply explored in the context of this scene.

What do you think about Hamlet's hesitation to kill Claudius? Is Hamlet right for waiting and thinking about it carefully?  Or should he just shut up and do it already?  What is at stake? Additionally, how does this scene further inform your understanding of Hamlet or Claudius?

Consider carefully ethical issues about murder and cultural issues of honor and filial obligation.  Consider also religious ramifications, as they are a thematic focus in the play.  And of course, consider whether Claudius is really guilty, what would be the cost if he were not, and what might happen to poor Hamlet if he killed the king considering everyone things he is a madman.

Propose your answers on your own blog, in no fewer than 300 words.  This post is due no later than Monday.

To Be or Not To Be

The following links will bring you to the videos that we viewed in class.  Take a moment to review them before considering the prompt.

Olivier's Hamlet             Zeffirelli's Hamlet  

Branagh's Hamlet      Almereyda's Hamlet

Your Task:

Reflect on each film version of Hamlet's soliloquy in more depth. Consider using some of your notes about what Hamlet is saying in this speech to guide your analysis of how the directors and actors interpret this scene.  Use the follow questions to guide your note-taking as you view each version, then evaluate each interpretation of this scene in no fewer than 500 words (due Wednesday).

• In each version of the play, what is the setting? What effect does this have? What is the director trying to convey by setting the scene here?
• Is there any music? What mood does this set?
• What choices does the director make about lighting or props? Do these choices reinforce the theme of his speech?
• What figurative aspects of the speech are represented literally (if any)? How does the director use these symbols throughout the speech?
• What is the emotion with which the actor repeats the lines? How does this change throughout the speech, if at all? What effect does this have?
• More broadly - Why are there so many versions of this play? What do you think that says about the universality of Hamlet? Which version of the play did you like the most (do not think of putting Schwarzenegger's)? What about this version was most effective in your opinion?

Just for fun...The Last Action Hero