Question

(1) Shakespeare's contemporary Sir Francis Bacon observed that revenge is a kind of wild justice. (2) Shakespeare explores this theme in Hamlet. (3) Hamlet is a revenge tragedy. (4) This type of play was a real crowd-pleaser in Shakespeare's day. (5) Audiences found enjoyment in the choreography of staged combat, the elegance of the playwrites' poetic language, and the emotional catharsis associated with the genre. (6) Shakespeare's achievement in Hamlet was to elevate this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece.

(7) The English revenge tragedy has its roots in Roman theater's tragedy of blood. (8) Shakespeare would have been familiar with the most famous English play in this tradition, Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy. (9) According to theater historian Bridget Chastain, Kyd filled the stage with an unprecedented level of gore, including a hanging, multiple stabbings, and a character who bites off his own tongue.
(10) Revenge tragedies had typical characteristics. (11) These traits all are present in Hamlet. (12) They include a secret murder, the ghost of the victim demanding vengeance, and the avenger pretending to be mad. (13) The avenger in The Spanish Tragedy is the character Hieronimo. (14) Scholars of revenge tragedy may be interested to note that the weapon Hieronimo employs for his revenge is a play-within-a-play. (15) This episode anticipates Hamlet's use of his play-within-a-play, "The Mousetrap," to expose the guilt of Claudius.(16) Although Shakespeare used these formulaic elements in creating Hamlet, he transformed the revenge tragedy in the process. (17) Shakespeare scholar Frances Short observes that, in Hamlet, Shakespeare simultaneously draws on convention and advances the genre. (18) By having Hamlet reflect repeatedly on what he is doing, rather than simply rushing to his vengeance, Shakespeare creates an individual with an extraordinarily complex psychology.
(19) The simple duty of vengeance provides the moral for other revenge tragedies. (20) By contrast, Hamlet is thematically multifaseted, which has provided material for widely varying interpretations of the play.
(21) Shakespeare found an immensely popular type of theater made-to-order in the revenge tragedy. (22) This type of drama was characterized by a series of unvarying formulaic elements. (23) Shakespeare transformed these formulaic elements in creating Hamlet. (24) Scholars and audiences alike cannot overestimate the value of this transformation. (25) Indeed, it is hard to imagine the literary cannen without Hamlet.

Choose the revision of sentence 17 that uses a direct quotation most effectively.
Select one:
a. Shakespeare scholar Frances Short observes, "In Hamlet, Shakespeare simultaneously draws on convention and advances the genre."
b. "Shakespeare scholar Frances Short observes that, in Hamlet, Shakespeare simultaneously draws on convention and advances the genre."
c. Shakespeare scholar Frances Short observes that, in Hamlet, Shakespeare simultaneously "draws on convention and advances the genre."
d. "In Hamlet," observes Shakespeare scholar Frances Short, Shakespeare simultaneously draws on convention and advances the genre.

Answer 1

Option a is the most effective revision of sentence 17 using a direct quotation, as it directly incorporates an authoritative scholarly statement, emphasizing the transformative nature of Shakespeare's work on Hamlet.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most effective revision of sentence 17, which uses a direct quotation about Shakespeare's work on Hamlet, is option a: Shakespeare scholar Frances Short observes, "In Hamlet, Shakespeare simultaneously draws on convention and advances the genre."

This revision includes the authoritative voice of a scholar directly, enhancing the statement's credibility and impact. Hamlet is recognized not only as a revenge tragedy but also as a work that broke the boundaries of the genre through its complex character development and thematic depth.

Shakespeare scholar Frances Short observes, "In Hamlet, Shakespeare simultaneously draws on convention and advances the genre."