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 BEST way to revise sentence 6 by inverting the word order.
Select one:
a. Shakespeare's achievement was in Hamlet to elevate this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece.
b. In Hamlet Shakespeare elevated this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece.
c. Elevating this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece was Shakespeare's achievement in Hamlet.
d. Shakespeare's achievement was to elevate a form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece in Hamlet.

Answer 1

The best revision for sentence 6 is option c, which focuses on Shakespeare's achievement in elevating popular culture into a masterpiece through the inversion of sentence structure. The correct option is c. Elevating this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece was Shakespeare's achievement in Hamlet.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best way to revise sentence 6 by inverting the word order is c. Elevating this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece was Shakespeare's achievement in Hamlet.

This revision maintains the clarity of Shakespeare's achievement as the primary subject of the sentence while emphasizing the transformation of a popular form into a literary gem. It's important to evaluate the effectiveness of the inverted word order in highlighting Shakespeare's accomplishments within the genre of revenge tragedy and literary masterpiece.

Elevating this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece was Shakespeare's achievement in Hamlet.

This transformation, outlined in sentence 6, marks a pivotal moment in literature, where Shakespeare not only adhered to conventions but elevated revenge tragedy by infusing it with profound reflections and psychological depth. Hamlet, with its multifaceted themes and complex characters, challenges the simplicity of vengeance found in traditional revenge tragedies.

Shakespeare's ingenuity lies not just in following established norms but in reshaping them, showcasing the enduring impact of his creative prowess on the literary canon. Scholars and audiences alike recognize the unparalleled value of this transformative work within the realm of dramatic storytelling.

The correct option is c. Elevating this form of popular culture into a literary masterpiece was Shakespeare's achievement in Hamlet.