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ACT Reading 1.2 Humanities Passage 301 Views


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ACT Reading: Humanities Passage Drill 1, Problem 2. What distinction does the passage make between Hamlet and Julius Caesar and the other plays written in what the passage calls Shakespeare's "tragic period"?

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English Language

Transcript

00:03

Here's your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by Professor A.C. Bradley. He was much cooler

00:09

than his brother, Professor Heating Bradley.

00:25

What distinction does the passage make between Hamlet and Julius Caesar and the other plays

00:30

written in what the passage calls Shakespeare's "tragic period"?

00:37

Okay -- first of all, when we see the word "distinction" we know we're looking

00:41

for a contrast, or difference, between Hamlet and Julius Caesar...

00:44

...and Shakespeare's other "tragic period" plays.

00:47

Hamlet and Caesar might think they're superior...

00:50

But Professor Bradley doesn't claim such a thing in his lecture. According to the Prof,

00:54

this is not what sets them apart.

00:56

Although the passage does ponder whether Shakespeare was going through some tough times...

01:00

...which influenced him to write more tragedies...

01:02

...it doesn't mention any of Shakespeare's plays containing more autobiographical info

01:06

than others.

01:08

Choice (D) is not the answer we're looking for...

01:10

The passage, in fact, says the opposite of choice (C), stating that both Hamlet and Brutus

01:14

are characters that don't succumb to their passions.

01:17

Choice (B) is the way to go. The passage does point out how both Hamlet and Brutus are smart

01:22

guys whose passions don't bring them down.

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