AP Literature Class Remakes Hamlet

by Melanie Schaefer  

     Everyone knows the normal route of an English class: read a book, take a test, move on. But instead, the Advanced Placement Literature and Composition class focuses more on projects along with writing an occasional paper. Hamlet was read individually with small assignments throughout the reading. Hamlet is a typical Shakespearean tragedy that takes place in olden day Denmark. Hamlet’s father had recently been killed and his ghost demands that Hamlet seeks avengance. Hamlet’s mother married his Uncle which set the story up for its’ fair share of dramatic scenes.

     Students were able to sign up individually for one of the five acts of the play upon completing the reading. Once the groups were formed, one person from each group drew a time period out of a hat. Modern day, the 1920s, 1950s, and the 1980s were all included.

     Now with this information, groups have to rewrite Hamlet in a way appropriate to their time periods and perform it. Spoiler alert: there were multiple “hey man”s in the 1950s group’s project. They then had to put together costumes and props to film their Hamlet act. Two weeks seems like plenty of time until the students started working. The project was assigned on March 2nd and was due on March 13th. But they buckled down and you can even watch some of the finished projects on YouTube.