Write about 750 words. 3 pages. Typed: double spaced, 12 point font, one inch margins.
REACT TO THESE LINES FROM ACT IV, SCENE 4:
What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused.
In the lines, Hamlet says that a human being should be judged by how much use she or he makes of the inborn talents of reason and the ability to think about the future and the past. The overall idea of the selection might be that human beings have great capabilities and have a responsibility to do something with them.
In the selection, Hamlet criticizes himself for his inactivity, and feels he should be a more effective man. It might be said that his self-criticism also applies to many people of all ages who are irresolute (have difficulty taking strong action).
In an ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY (with counter-argument and refutation) argue that this is or is not a valid claim. Are human beings responsible for making good use of their talents? Or is stagnation (doing nothing but eating and sleeping and killing time) an acceptable option for a person's life?
Refer to Hamlet and his dilemma. Possibly contrast him with Laertes and Fortinbras.
Also include:
1) another source, literary or nonfiction, of your choice, which deals with the same issue.
2) personal experience and observation.