Hamlet's soliloquy

Paul Kaye, British Council, Syria

Level - intermediate and above

This lesson looks at a very well-known Shakespeare text, Hamlet's soliloquy, which begins 'To be or not to be'. Its main objectives are for learners to enjoy working with a Shakespearean text (which can be very motivating) and improve their confidence with language which is at first glance beyond them. It does this by identifying common and relevant themes, and inviting learners to comment on what is going on in the mind of the character, Hamlet.

Plan components

Lesson Plan: - guide for teacher on procedure including answers to tasks.

Download plan >> pdf 84k

Worksheets: - exercises which can be printed out for use in class. The worksheet contains:

  • A matching exercise from the
  • Some discussion exercise
  • A summary to complete
  • A copy of the soliloquy

Download worksheets >> pdf 65k

The plans and worksheets are downloadable and in pdf format. If you have difficulty downloading the materials see the download section of the About page.