Transcript Silent Scenes—a scene that enacts a story silently

Silent Scenes—a scene that enacts a story
silently
The play-within-the-play in Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 145-56) is the most famous.
Task: Act this ‘silent scene’ out.
Enter a King and a Queen [very lovingly]; the
Queen embracing him, and he her. [She kneels,
and makes show of protestation unto him.] He
takes her up, and declines his head upon her neck.
He lies him down upon a bank of flowers. She,
seeing him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in
another man, takes off his crown, kisses it, pours
poison in the sleeper's ears, and leaves him.
The Queen returns; finds the King dead, makes
passionate action. The Poisoner, with some three
or four, comes in again, seem to condole with her.
The dead body is carried away. The Poisoner
woos the Queen with gifts; she seems harsh awhile,
but in the end accepts his love.
Questions for 1.2 225-308
1.
2.
3.
What scene does Casca narrate?
How do you think he feels about the scene he is describing? Use
quotes to support your opinion. Also, think about the pace of his
speech.
What kind of person do you think he is? Use quotes to support
your answer.
Group Task
1.
Perform a silent scene based on the lines above.
2.
Assign Roles (Actors and Narrator), Seven People (Casca,
Brutus, Caesar, Antony, Narrator, The Plebeians)
3.
Write a brief script
4.
Perform the script
Discussion Questions following Silent Scenes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Is Casca a reliable source?
Are Antony and Caesar planning something?
Is Caesar faking his illness or his reluctance to take
the crown?
Why is this scene reported, rather than enacted?
Impact on audience?