Brief summary: Barnardo, Horatio and Marcellus are taking their shift as watchmen. As Barnardo begins to tell a story about the ghost he saw a few nights back, that very ghost reappears and disappears again without any word. The men notice that the ghost kind of resembles the late King of Denmark. Horatio shares his hypothesis that the ghost is appearing as an omen or a warning. When the ghost reappears the second time, Horatio attemps to speak to it. However, it disappears again without any response, so the men decide to tell the late King's son about the situation.
New characters up to this point:
Barnardo: watchman 2; takes over Francisco's guard position
Francisco: watchman 1
Horatio
Marcellus: watchman 3
the ghost
Questions:
Lines 81-82 - Is Horatio not a regular watchman like Barnardo and Marcellus? Why hasn't he seen the ghost before when they've both seen it twice?
Line 160 - How would Marcellus strike a ghost with a partisan? Wouldn't it go straight through..?
Why is the very beginning scene important? - before Barnardo relieves Francisco..
What is the significance of this scene?
The significance of this scene is to set up the entire play - to introduce some of the key characters and to set the mood. It's also important because in through this act, we learn about the late King of Denmark's history, we learn that the atmosphere is pretty gloomy and mysterious, and we are able to predict bad things happening in the coming acts.
What would the play be like without the scene?
Well obviously, the play would have no beginning without act one scene one. If the story started from scene two, we wouldn't know the background of the late King of Denmark, and we wouldn't know the specific characteristics of Barnardo, Francisco, Horatio and Marcellus. We also wouldn't have been provided with a foreshadowing of bad events to come in the following acts.
Quote lines from the scene that you enjoyed and comment on them.
HORATIO: Before my God, I might not this believe / Without the sensible and true avouch / Of mine own eyes (l. 71-73)
HORATIO: In what particular thought to work I know not, / But in the gross and scope of mine opinion / This bodes some strange eruption to our state. (l. 83-85)
I always found it interesting that some people can believe without seeing, and others must see before they believe. A similar situation happened in the Bible when a disciple didn't believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw him. Here, Horatio doesn't believe that a ghost exists until he sees it himself. But he ends up being the most knowledgeable about it.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 2: lines 201-479 log I
Brief summary: Claudius makes an announcement about his recent marriage to his late brother's wife, Gertrude. Hamlet is unhappy about their marriage, because he feels that it shows his mother's disloyalty to his father. But Claudius urges him to think of the situation positively, and asks him to stay with him and Gertude instead of going away to school. Though Hamlet consents, he feels bitter about the decision. Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo go to tell Hamlet about the ghost they saw the night before. Hamlet is both shocked and interested by the story, and tells them that he will watch guard together with them that night.
New characters up to this point:
Claudius: king of Denmark
Gertrude: queen of Denmark
Hamlet
Polonius
Laertes: Polonius' son
Ophelia: Polonius' daughter
Lords
Voltemand
Cornelius
Talk about the relationships characters have to one another, quoting specific words or phrases to give evidence for your opinion.
Everybody is under Claudius - they speak to him with respect, because he is the king.
CLAUDIUS: With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, / In equal scale weighing delight and dole— / Taken to Wife (l. 212-214)
Claudius married Gertrude, but he is not completely happy with the marriage.
HAMLET: “Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.” / 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, / Nor customary suits of solemn black, / Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, / No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, / Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, / Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, / That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem,” / For they are actions that a man might play. / But I have that within which passeth show, / These but the trappings and the suits of woe. (l. 279-289)
Hamlet obviously had a close relationship with his father. He respected him and admired him, and that is why he is mourning his death so sorrowfully.
HAMLET: Within a month, / Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears / Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, / She married. (l. 357-360)
Gertrude married Claudius after her husband's death. Hamlet does not approve of this, because he feels that she must stay loyal to his father even though he is dead.
HAMLET: Sir, my good friend, I’ll change that name with you. (l. 369)
Hamlet is humble. Although Horatio and Marcellus are so much lower than him in the social hierarchy, he considers them good friends, not servants.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 3: lines 483-623 log 2
Brief summary: Laertes is about to leave for France. He talks to Ophelia and asks her about her relationship with Hamlet. She tells him that they love each other, but Laertes advises her not to be with him, because his love is not genuine. Polonius comes in and Laertes says goodbye to his family and leaves. Polonius advises the same thing to Ophelia, and she says she will obey.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 4: lines 626-730 log 2
Brief summary: Hamlet joins Horatio and Marcellus who are watching guard outside of the castle. The ghost finally appears after midnight, and Hamlet speaks to it. The Ghost brings Hamlet elsewhere, and leaves the others behind. Horatio and Marcellus, who are left behind, begin to worry about what will happen to Hamlet, and go after him and the Ghost.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 5: lines 733-945 log 2
Brief summary: The Ghost tells Hamlet that he is his dead father's spirit, and reveals his horrible death to him. Hamlet is told to get revenge on Claudius, and Hamlet promises to obey. Horatio and Marcellus finally find him and ask him what happened. He tells them the story, but makes them swear not to say a word about it.
New characters up to this point:
Father's Ghost
Hamlet ACT 2, SCENE 1: lines 948-1080 log 2
Brief summary: Polonius sends his servant Reynaldo out to spy on Laertes. Ophelia comes in and complains about Hamlet to Polonius. (Apparently, Ophelia had been doing a good job staying away from Hamlet ever since her brother and father gave her the advice.) Polonius decides that Hamlet must really love Ophelia and that is the reason why he has been so down lately.
New characters up to this point:
Reynaldo
Guildenstern
Rosencrantz
Questions I had while reading:
Could Ophelia be lying? Is it possible that she and Hamlet are planning something together and she's just been acting this whole time?
What is so significant about the Polonius/Laertes scenes/relationship?
Are Guildenstern and Rosencrantz there to figure out what is wrong with Hamlet? Or are they there to help him? Who's side are they on?
If what Ophelia said is true, why was Hamlet acting that way? Is he really crazy in love with her? Or is the Claudius/father/ghost situation bothering him so much that he is acting like that towards everyone?
Hamlet ACT 2, SCENE 2: lines 1084-1680 log 2
Brief summary: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet's friends, come to the castle. They have come to cheer Hamlet up because he has been acting very strange lately. Polonius, Voltimand and Cornelius enter and share what happened with the king of Norway and Fortinbras - war with Fortinbras is no longer likely to happen. After Voltimand and Cornelius leave, Polonius tells the king and queen that Hamlet is in love with Ophelia. They plan to spy on him while he is with Ophelia to see if this is true. When Hamlet comes in, the king and queen exit, leaving only Polonius and Hamlet in the room. The two speak to each other, but Hamlet's replies don't really make sense. After Polonius leaves, Hamlet's two friends come in. The three talk about how Hamlet has suddenly become gloomy and strange. Hamlet is aware of his different behavior, but he claims that he isn't always insane like everyone believes him to be. Players come to the castle and perform a speech in front of Hamlet. He is impressed by their ability to recite the speech so eloquently, but their talent makes him jealous because he is unable to do what he wishes. Hamlet then plans a way to find out whether or not Claudius really murdered his father.
New characters up to this point:
Voltemand
First Player
Thoughts I had while reading: Hamlet doesn't SEEM crazy.. everyone thinks he might be, but to me, he seems pretty normal. If anything, he might be devising a plan of his own, and his strange behavior is because of that.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 1:
Brief summary: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come back and tell Claudius and Gertrude that Hamlet seems to be acting normal, although his nice behavior seemed unnatural. After they leave, Claudius tells Gertrude to leave as well, because he and Polonius are going to spy on Hamlet and Ophelia. They hide when they hear Hamlet coming in, and watch him. Alone, he questions: to be or not to be? Should he commit suicide or should he live? When Ophelia enters, Hamlet gets angry and criticizes her and women in general for being so evil and turning men into strange, crazy people. After he leaves, Ophelia cries out, feeling sad about how much Hamlet has changed for the worse. Claudius and Polonius, who had been spying on the two the whole time, come out from behind the curtain and discuss the conversation. Claudius no longer believes that Hamlet's insanity has anything to do with love, but Polonius still thinks so.
Hamlet scene My character: Hamlet (first half)
What does your character want in the chosen scene?
Hamlet wants to know whether or not the king and queen sent for his two friends, and he wants to know why.
What does the character do to get it?
Hamlet talks to his friends honestly and directly confronts them with his question: Did the king and queen send for them?
What obstacles stand in his or her way?
His friends do not want to answer - they are hesitant to tell him the truth.
How does your character really feel about what is happening in the scene? How can you tell?
He feels suspicious and frustrated, because everybody thinks he is crazy when he himself knows he is not, and because the king and queen sent his friends to spy on him.
What do other characters say about your character in the scene?
Hamlet is in the entire scene, so the other characters do not have a chance to talk about him behind his back. But they are probably wondering whether or not he is actually crazy throughout the entire scene - since that's what they heard from Claudius.
What does the character’s language reveal about his or her personality? Think about the meaning behind his or her words.
Hamlet's language reveals that he is friendly with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern - he makes jokes and uses casual words with them. His language also reveals that he is suspicious (in our interpretation of the scene, at least) - he asks his friends over and over again if they were sent for by the king and queen. In this scene, Hamlet's language also shows that he is a bit pessimistic about things.
Write down a few phrases he says that might demonstrate something about his personality or are characteristic of his mode of expression.
Joking/sarcastic - "Nor the soles of her shoes?"; "Then you live about her waist, or in the middle of her favours?"
Suspicious: "Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation?"
Pessimistic: "What have you, my good friends, deserved at the hands of fortune, that she sends you to prison hither?"; "Denmark's a prison."
How does this scene add to your knowledge of the character?
This scene made me realize Hamlet's humble character when it comes to his relationship with his friends - although they are lower than him in status, he refuses to treat them like servants. I also learned that Hamlet is pretty clever - he seems to realize pretty quickly that his friends are visiting him for a particular reason, and asks them about it.
Hamlet Nunnery Scene Comparison
1. In the third version of the scene, Ophelia seems more crazy than Hamlet - more insane and also more crazy in love with him.
2. In the third version of the scene, both Hamlet and Ophelia seem unaware that they are being watched.
3. In the second version of the scene, Hamlet seems more disappointed than angry (like he was in the first version) when Ophelia tells him her father is at home.
4. Claudius doesn't seem that high in status compared to Polonius in the second and third versions - but they are very different in the first version.
5. Hamlet is less concerned with his surroundings in the second version than in the first version, where he is constantly looking around the castle while speaking.
6. Hamlet and Ophelia are much more intimate in the second and third versions of the scene (Hamlet towards Ophelia more in the second, and vice versa in the third) than in the first version, where they seem very distanced.
7. The second version seems a lot more modern than the first one - the third one is somewhat in between the two.
8. Claudius and Polonius seem much more ready/about to jump out and stop Hamlet's madness and help Ophelia in the second scene than in the first, where they just calmly sit and watch the entire time.
9. It seemed like Hamlet was doing everything for Ophelia's sake in the second version of the scene - at least up till the point when he gets angry.
10. Hamlet seems to be using Ophelia to carry out his plan against Claudius more in the first scene than in the second or third scenes.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 2:
Brief summary: It's the evening of the long-awaited play, and Hamlet is restless. He begins acting extra-happy and hyper, especially towards Claudius and Ophelia. While waiting for the play to begin, Hamlet and Horatio decide to be on the lookout for any strange reactions or behavior from Claudius. Before it begins, however, there is a short silent version of the upcoming play. Actors come out as a king, a queen and another man, and perform the line-less skit. In the skit, as the king is sound asleep, the other man comes into his room and poisons him. The queen is devastated when she finds him dead the next morning, but she ends up being seduced by the murderer and going off with him. Then, the real play begins. Everything happens as Hamlet had planned, and while the play is going on, Hamlet continuously acts as an excited commentator. Finally, when the poison scene is happening, Claudius gets out of his seat and asks to stop the performance. He and the rest of the audience leave the room, leaving Hamlet and Horatio alone to discuss Claudius' definite, obvious reaction. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter and tell Hamlet that his mother wants to see him before she goes to bed. She wants to speak with him about his strange behavior and tell him that his father was very upset by it. Hamlet says he does not mind going to speak with her at all, but he will have to be completely honest with her and tell her everything.
Questions: Why did Hamlet have to act as a crazy-enthusiastic commentator the entire time? Couldn't he have observed Claudius' reactions without talking to him so much? Why does the queen not react with shock like Claudius did? She is just as well a part of the story... What was the purpose of the silent skit prior to the start of the actual play? Do Claudius and Gertrude realize now that Hamlet is suspicious?
It is obvious to the audience that Hamlet is alone onstage. What else, then, does he mean when he begins, “Now I am alone”?
By stating the obvious, "Now I am alone," Hamlet is reassuring himself that no one is around anymore and therefore he can go back to being himself. He no longer has to act insane or pretend he's crazy in love with Ophelia. He can focus on his plan and speak freely about his thoughts and feelings, because nobody is around.
Why is the Prince calling himself a “rogue” and “peasant slave”?
The Prince calls himself a "rogue" and "peasant slave" (obviously negative titles in this context) because he is disappointed with himself for not being able to carry out his plan of investigation/revenge for his father's death.
*Hamlet compares himself to the player. What does this comparison reveal about Hamlet’s self-perception?
This comparison shows that Hamlet admires the player, but on the contrary, is ashamed of himself. He perceives himself as a coward and a helpless man, because like I said for the previous question, he cannot seem to carry out his revenge, even when it's for his own father's death.
Throughout the play, much violence is done to ears. How does Hamlet’s “cleave the general ear” relate to other “ear” references? Shakespeare uses the word ear twenty-seven times in this play. Do any of these resonate with you?
To be honest, I never really noticed anything to do with ears in the play.. and for something that has come out 20-some times already.. I guess I'll have to pay more attention to details when I read.. The only time I noticed any mentioning of the ear was when the players performed the play and the man poured poison down the king's ear.
Hamlet uses a lot of theatrical terminology in his speech. Find some examples (“cue,” “satage,” “play”). Why might Hamlet be thinking in theatrical terms?
Hamlet might be thinking in theatrical terms because he feels that his life is somewhat like a play. He compares himself to the good actor (player), lamenting the fact that he is not as good at carrying out his plan as the player is. He is jealous of the player because he can get the audience to feel all the correct emotions at all the correct times. He wants to be like the player - he wants to be more influential to everyone, and he wants his plans to work out well. So Hamlet probably, as wishful thinking, considers his own life and current situation a dramatic play.
Find lines or phrases that explain why Hamlet thinks himself a coward. Do you think he is a coward, or is he acting cautiously by looking for external evidence to prove Claudius’s guilt?
"O what a rogue and peasant slave am I!"
"Yet I,
A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak
Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause,
And can say nothing!"
"But I am pigeon-liver'd and lack gall"
"Why, what an ass am I!"
Although he might think it himself, I don't think Hamlet is a coward. In one of our previous discussion, we brought up the question - why is Hamlet waiting so long before acting? Why doesn't he just get his revenge right away? And we came to the conclusion that he is waiting for the right moment. He is preparing himself and his revenge to make it happen just the way he plans it. So it's not that he is a coward - he is just taking his time to be sure that everything works out according to the plan.
Questions:
Act 3.1
1. What advice does Hamlet have for the actors? Why?
Hamlet tells the actors to put in certain lines that he makes up - to use them in their original play in order to make Claudius feel uncomfortable and guilty.
2. Why does Hamlet say he especially likes Horatio (Does Hamlet see Horatio as similar to him or different from him?
3. What function is served by the discussion of Polonius as an actor (3.1.89-96)? Hamlet was written within a year or two of Julius Caesar; what is added to the scene for the audience if Richard Burbage, playing Hamlet, also played Brutus? Can you guess what part the actor playing Polonius might have played in Julius Caesar?
Polonius as an actor = irony, satire. Hamlet making fun of Polonius
.....--
4. Based on 3.2.119, how much time elapsed between Act 1 and Act 2 (since the action has been continuous since the beginning of Act 2)?
Based on 3.2.119, about four months (twice two months) has elapsed between Act 1 and Act 2.
5. How does the play-within-the-play (3.1.122.1-242) reflect the issues bothering Hamlet? Can you identify the lines he has had inserted? (Don't worry, nobody else can either.) Interestingly, the story of Gonzago as known outside Hamlet turns into a revenge story, with Gonzago's son revenging his father's death. So what we've seen is only the first few minutes of a much longer play. What lines would hit the intended audience hardest? (Consider, certainly, 3.2.159-62.) Although Hamlet is interested in Claudius' response, notice that so far Gertrude has taken the strongest "hits" (except, perhaps, for the poisoning in the earone of the new "Italianate" evil inventions, a way to murder someone without it appearing to be murder). Consider also the Player King's more abstract speech in 3.2.1168-195. How does this speech reflect issues that appear elsewhere in the play?
The fact that Claudius and Hamlet's mother married just a month after his father's death is what's bothering him so much. The play re-enacts that same scenario. While reading, I couldn't identify the lines Hamlet had inserted.. actually, to me, all of them seemed relevant to his personal story, so any of them could have been inserted by him. But in the movie, you can tell what lines he had inserted because he recites them with the player.
6. What is Claudius' mood as he stops the play at 3.2.247? How does Hamlet respond? If Hamlet has learned that Claudius is indeed guilty (if that's why he stopped the play and not for some other reason), Claudius has also learned something from the presentation of the play. What has Claudius learned?
7. What message do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have for Hamlet? Despite the chaos at the end of the play, is this message unexpected after hearing Polonius' suggestion at the end of the Nunnery scene (3.1)? What lesson does Hamlet teach with a recorder?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell Hamlet that his mother wants to speak with him. They also tell him that they are a bit shocked and disappointed by his actions. Hamlet gets mad, asking "Am I easier to play than a recorder?"
8. Read Hamlet's fifth soliloquy carefully (3.2.358-69). How is it different from the other soliloquies? What is the mood of the soliloquy? How do you react to it? What about line 360? What is happening to Hamlet?
Act 3.3
1. What has Claudius decided to do with Hamlet? Who will go with him? What "theoretical" message about kingship does Rosencrantz tell to Claudius?
2. Where is Polonius going?
3. What does Claudius admit in his attempt to pray? Has the play actually had an effect on him? Why can't he ask for forgiveness?
Claudius admits that he killed Hamlet's father. He feels guilty, especially because of the play he just watched, but he can't seem to focus on praying and repenting. He can't ask for forgiveness because he doesn't want to change yet. He still wants the crown, and he is still willing to do anything to keep it, even if it is something bad.
4. What happens when Hamlet enters? Why doesn't Hamlet kill Claudius then? What is ironic about Hamlet's decision?
When Hamlet enters, he sees Claudius praying. It's a perfect opportunity to kill him, but he doesn't. He thinks that if Claudius is killed during prayer, he will go to Heaven. Hamlet doesn't want him to go to Heaven - he wants him to go to Hell, so he decides he must kill him later, when he is in the middle of some evil action.
Character Questions: Ophelia
1. What new information did you learn about your character in Act 4 that would help an actor or actress understand him or her better?
She could be pregnant - she might have// had that kind of a relationship with Hamlet. Therefore, she is completely dependent on him. He can make or break her future and the future of their child.
2. In each scene where your character appears, what is his or her motivation and objective? In other words, what does this person really want?
Ophelia really wants Hamlet to come back to her. He seduced her and then left her, so she wants his love back.
3. How does your character feel about the events in Act 4? about Hamlet?
Ophelia is in shock after the death of her father. But she loves Hamlet and seems desperate for his love.
4. What do other characters say about your character and how do they react to him? How does your character feel about other characters?
5. How does your character affect the events of each scene in which she appears? How is she affected by the events?
Hamlet kills Polonius and is told to leave the country --> Ophelia becomes crazy.
Ophelia sings and acts crazy --> the other characters pity her.
6. How is your character important to this act? In other words, do you learn something new about the plot through him? Do you gain any insights about Hamlet by comparing/contrasting him to your character?
7. What questions are raised by your character's words and/or behavior in this act?
Is Ophelia pregnant?
Does Ophelia know that Hamlet killed her father?
8. What was unexpected? What questions that you've previously had are answered by your character's words and /or behavior in this act?
Ophelia's death wasn't shocking, but it certainly wasn't expected.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 3
Brief summary: Claudius feels disturbed after having watched the play. Once he is alone, he repents for his horrible crime. He feels bad for having killed his brother, but he doesn't know what he can do now because he still wants to be king. He begins to pray. Hamlet sees him and considers killing him at that moment, but decides not to because if he kills him during prayer, he will go to Heaven, not Hell, where Hamlet wants him to go.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 4
Brief summary: Hamlet goes to his mother's bedroom and asks her why she called for him. Gertrude tells him that his father was very upset by the play. Hamlet becomes angry and tells her that she was wrong in marrying Claudius. He attacks her, and she cries out for help. Polonius, who is hiding behind a curtain listening to the entire conversation, makes a sound in order to save Gertrude, and Hamlet runs towards the curtain and stabs him to death. Hamlet kills him because he thought the person hiding was Claudius, not Polonius. Still, his death seems unimportant. Hamlet goes back to attacking Gertrude until suddenly, Hamlet's father's ghost appears. He speaks to the ghost, and Gertrude questions him because she cannot see or hear the ghost herself. She thinks he is mad. The ghost disappears again, and Hamlet leaves Gertrude's room, carrying Polonius' body out with him.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 1
Brief summary: Gertrude tells Claudius everything - that Hamlet is crazy and that he has killed Polonius. But she doesn't mention the father's ghost, or how Hamlet disapproved of their marriage. Claudius and Gertrude decide that Hamlet should be sent abroad because he cannot stay in the country after committing such a crime.
Questions: If Gertrude is still on Claudius' side, if she doesn't believe Hamlet and thinks he is crazy, why doesn't she mention the father's ghost to Claudius? Why doesn't she mention the fact that Hamlet is unhappy about their marriage? Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 2
Brief summary: As soon as Hamlet disposes of Polonius' body, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear. They have come to bring him to Claudius. They ask him where he put the body, but he gives them a vague, tricky answer, and accuses them of teaming up against him.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 3
Brief summary: Claudius speaks in front of many people, telling them of Polonius' death and his plan to send Hamlet away. Hamlet shows up with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and when asked about Polonius' body, he answers with very gruesome details. Claudius tells Hamlet that he must be sent away, and Hamlet willingly leaves. Claudius has secretly shipped to England orders to have Hamlet killed.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 4
Brief summary: Prince Fortinbras meets Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on the way to England. He is on his way to attack Poland. Hamlet learns that there might be a war over a tiny, insignificant piece of land, and wonders why little things like that cause so much trouble.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 5
Brief summary: Ophelia becomes crazy after the death of her father. She goes around singing and giving flowers to everybody. The others pity her and sympathize for her because of how terribly Polonius' death has affected her. Laertes comes back from France and storms in angrily. He is angry about his father's death, but once he sees that Ophelia has gone mad, he becomes even more upset. He swears to Claudius that he will get revenge on his father's murderer.
Questions: What exactly do Ophelia's songs mean? I get the basic idea - Hamlet has seduced her and then left her.. but what does the rest mean? And is Ophelia pregnant? Is she crazy because of Polonius' death, or because Hamlet has left her?
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 6
Brief summary: Horatio receives a letter that says Hamlet has been captured by pirates and sent back to Denmark. He takes the sailors (who delivered the letter) to Claudius and then goes to find Hamlet.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 7
Brief summary: Horatio brings the letter to Claudius, who is speaking with Laertes about Polonius' death. He learns that Hamlet will be returning the next day, which makes Laertes happy, because his chance to get revenge will come sooner. Laertes wants to kill Hamlet, and Claudius encourages him. They plan a sword fight, so that it wouldn't look like another murder. Laertes plans on using a sharper sword than the usual, and also plans on poisoning the sword to kill Hamlet faster. As they are planning Laertes' revenge, Gertrude enters and tells them that Ophelia has drowned herself out of grief.
Diary entry:
Dear Diary,
I know that Ophelia killed herself.. and to be honest, I witnessed it happen.. but I didn't help her. I couldn't. Not when I knew why she wanted to die. My heart broke for her. My son seduced her. He fooled her into thinking he actually loved her, and left her when she needed him most. Why, the nerve of some men..! Then he went ahead and killed her father. She had no one.. Ophelia was truly alone. The other day, I saw her in her room panicking about something. I overheard a few words: "child," "honor," "regret," "purity," and I understood.. Ophelia bore Hamlet's child. And if she had lived, she would have had to raise the child alone. What would people have thought? Such a fine young woman with a child and no husband.. of course she wanted to die. So there. I saw it happen, and I didn't run out to save her. I let her go, because I knew there wasn't much left for her here.
-Gertrude
Hamlet ACT 5, SCENE 1
Brief summary: Two gravediggers are digging Ophelia's grave. They question whether or not Ophelia deserves a proper burial, because her death was a suicide. Hamlet and Horatio enter, and are amazed at how little the gravediggers seem to care about death. Because they've been working as gravediggers for so long, death doesn't mean much to them anymore. Hamlet picks up a skull, and one of the gravediggers tells him that it is the skull of Yorick, King Hamlet's old jester. Hamlet is disgusted at how he used to know Yorick, and now he is holding his very skull. Ophelia's funeral begins, and Hamlet finally realizes that it is she who died. He watches as Laertes throws himself on top of her coffin, and then jumps out and fights with him, declaring that his love for her cannot be compared to anything else. People stop the fight, and Claudius and Gertrude blame Hamlet's behavior on his "insanity."
Hamlet ACT 5, SCENE 2
Brief summary: Hamlet tells Horatio of his successful plan that has brought him back to Denmark. He had opened up the letter that had orders to have him killed, and had replaced it with one that had orders to have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed. He then tells Horatio that he feels bad about the way he attacked Laertes. He understands Laertes, because he is in a similar situation, where he wants to get revenge for his father's death.
Motif - ears: What is the ear's main function? To hear. To hear the truth. By poisoning the ear, the function is becoming disabled. The ear is no longer able to perceive the truth - the truth is distorted, and it becomes a lie. In the play, the actor representing Claudius poured poison down the king's ear. The king represents the country, and that very action symbolizes the distortion and disabling of the entire country's ability to hear the truth. They now only know lies.
1. Comment in one sentence on what you think is the significance of this scene. Then what would the play be like without the scene?
2. Ask questions about the scene. Has anything in the scene caused you confusion? OR Ask one of the characters in the scene a question -- or ask ME a question.
3. Quote lines from the scene that you enjoyed and comment on them.
4. Describe your reactions to a character, action, or idea you confronted in the scene.
5. Talk about the relationships characters have to one another, quoting specific words or phrases to give evidence for your opinion.
6. Write a diary entry from the perspective of one of the characters. Get inside that character’s mind. Tell how the character feels about herself, about other characters, about the situation of the scene.
7. At least twice, do an entry that is not writing. Draw a picture. Create a collage of characters. Draw what you think the stage should look
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 1: lines 1-198 log I
Brief summary: Barnardo, Horatio and Marcellus are taking their shift as watchmen. As Barnardo begins to tell a story about the ghost he saw a few nights back, that very ghost reappears and disappears again without any word. The men notice that the ghost kind of resembles the late King of Denmark. Horatio shares his hypothesis that the ghost is appearing as an omen or a warning. When the ghost reappears the second time, Horatio attemps to speak to it. However, it disappears again without any response, so the men decide to tell the late King's son about the situation.
New characters up to this point:
Barnardo: watchman 2; takes over Francisco's guard position
Francisco: watchman 1
Horatio
Marcellus: watchman 3
the ghost
Questions:
Lines 81-82 - Is Horatio not a regular watchman like Barnardo and Marcellus? Why hasn't he seen the ghost before when they've both seen it twice?
Line 160 - How would Marcellus strike a ghost with a partisan? Wouldn't it go straight through..?
Why is the very beginning scene important? - before Barnardo relieves Francisco..
What is the significance of this scene?
The significance of this scene is to set up the entire play - to introduce some of the key characters and to set the mood. It's also important because in through this act, we learn about the late King of Denmark's history, we learn that the atmosphere is pretty gloomy and mysterious, and we are able to predict bad things happening in the coming acts.
What would the play be like without the scene?
Well obviously, the play would have no beginning without act one scene one. If the story started from scene two, we wouldn't know the background of the late King of Denmark, and we wouldn't know the specific characteristics of Barnardo, Francisco, Horatio and Marcellus. We also wouldn't have been provided with a foreshadowing of bad events to come in the following acts.
Quote lines from the scene that you enjoyed and comment on them.
HORATIO: Before my God, I might not this believe / Without the sensible and true avouch / Of mine own eyes (l. 71-73)
HORATIO: In what particular thought to work I know not, / But in the gross and scope of mine opinion / This bodes some strange eruption to our state. (l. 83-85)
I always found it interesting that some people can believe without seeing, and others must see before they believe. A similar situation happened in the Bible when a disciple didn't believe that Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw him. Here, Horatio doesn't believe that a ghost exists until he sees it himself. But he ends up being the most knowledgeable about it.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 2: lines 201-479 log I
Brief summary: Claudius makes an announcement about his recent marriage to his late brother's wife, Gertrude. Hamlet is unhappy about their marriage, because he feels that it shows his mother's disloyalty to his father. But Claudius urges him to think of the situation positively, and asks him to stay with him and Gertude instead of going away to school. Though Hamlet consents, he feels bitter about the decision. Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo go to tell Hamlet about the ghost they saw the night before. Hamlet is both shocked and interested by the story, and tells them that he will watch guard together with them that night.
New characters up to this point:
Claudius: king of Denmark
Gertrude: queen of Denmark
Hamlet
Polonius
Laertes: Polonius' son
Ophelia: Polonius' daughter
Lords
Voltemand
Cornelius
Talk about the relationships characters have to one another, quoting specific words or phrases to give evidence for your opinion.
Everybody is under Claudius - they speak to him with respect, because he is the king.
CLAUDIUS: With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, / In equal scale weighing delight and dole— / Taken to Wife (l. 212-214)
Claudius married Gertrude, but he is not completely happy with the marriage.
HAMLET: “Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.” / 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, / Nor customary suits of solemn black, / Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, / No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, / Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, / Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, / That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem,” / For they are actions that a man might play. / But I have that within which passeth show, / These but the trappings and the suits of woe. (l. 279-289)
Hamlet obviously had a close relationship with his father. He respected him and admired him, and that is why he is mourning his death so sorrowfully.
HAMLET: Within a month, / Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears / Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, / She married. (l. 357-360)
Gertrude married Claudius after her husband's death. Hamlet does not approve of this, because he feels that she must stay loyal to his father even though he is dead.
HAMLET: Sir, my good friend, I’ll change that name with you. (l. 369)
Hamlet is humble. Although Horatio and Marcellus are so much lower than him in the social hierarchy, he considers them good friends, not servants.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 3: lines 483-623 log 2
Brief summary: Laertes is about to leave for France. He talks to Ophelia and asks her about her relationship with Hamlet. She tells him that they love each other, but Laertes advises her not to be with him, because his love is not genuine. Polonius comes in and Laertes says goodbye to his family and leaves. Polonius advises the same thing to Ophelia, and she says she will obey.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 4: lines 626-730 log 2
Brief summary: Hamlet joins Horatio and Marcellus who are watching guard outside of the castle. The ghost finally appears after midnight, and Hamlet speaks to it. The Ghost brings Hamlet elsewhere, and leaves the others behind. Horatio and Marcellus, who are left behind, begin to worry about what will happen to Hamlet, and go after him and the Ghost.
Hamlet ACT 1, SCENE 5: lines 733-945 log 2
Brief summary: The Ghost tells Hamlet that he is his dead father's spirit, and reveals his horrible death to him. Hamlet is told to get revenge on Claudius, and Hamlet promises to obey. Horatio and Marcellus finally find him and ask him what happened. He tells them the story, but makes them swear not to say a word about it.
New characters up to this point:
Father's Ghost
Hamlet ACT 2, SCENE 1: lines 948-1080 log 2
Brief summary: Polonius sends his servant Reynaldo out to spy on Laertes. Ophelia comes in and complains about Hamlet to Polonius. (Apparently, Ophelia had been doing a good job staying away from Hamlet ever since her brother and father gave her the advice.) Polonius decides that Hamlet must really love Ophelia and that is the reason why he has been so down lately.
New characters up to this point:
Reynaldo
Guildenstern
Rosencrantz
Questions I had while reading:
Could Ophelia be lying? Is it possible that she and Hamlet are planning something together and she's just been acting this whole time?
What is so significant about the Polonius/Laertes scenes/relationship?
Are Guildenstern and Rosencrantz there to figure out what is wrong with Hamlet? Or are they there to help him? Who's side are they on?
If what Ophelia said is true, why was Hamlet acting that way? Is he really crazy in love with her? Or is the Claudius/father/ghost situation bothering him so much that he is acting like that towards everyone?
Hamlet ACT 2, SCENE 2: lines 1084-1680 log 2
Brief summary: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet's friends, come to the castle. They have come to cheer Hamlet up because he has been acting very strange lately. Polonius, Voltimand and Cornelius enter and share what happened with the king of Norway and Fortinbras - war with Fortinbras is no longer likely to happen. After Voltimand and Cornelius leave, Polonius tells the king and queen that Hamlet is in love with Ophelia. They plan to spy on him while he is with Ophelia to see if this is true. When Hamlet comes in, the king and queen exit, leaving only Polonius and Hamlet in the room. The two speak to each other, but Hamlet's replies don't really make sense. After Polonius leaves, Hamlet's two friends come in. The three talk about how Hamlet has suddenly become gloomy and strange. Hamlet is aware of his different behavior, but he claims that he isn't always insane like everyone believes him to be. Players come to the castle and perform a speech in front of Hamlet. He is impressed by their ability to recite the speech so eloquently, but their talent makes him jealous because he is unable to do what he wishes. Hamlet then plans a way to find out whether or not Claudius really murdered his father.
New characters up to this point:
Voltemand
First Player
Thoughts I had while reading: Hamlet doesn't SEEM crazy.. everyone thinks he might be, but to me, he seems pretty normal. If anything, he might be devising a plan of his own, and his strange behavior is because of that.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 1:
Brief summary: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come back and tell Claudius and Gertrude that Hamlet seems to be acting normal, although his nice behavior seemed unnatural. After they leave, Claudius tells Gertrude to leave as well, because he and Polonius are going to spy on Hamlet and Ophelia. They hide when they hear Hamlet coming in, and watch him. Alone, he questions: to be or not to be? Should he commit suicide or should he live? When Ophelia enters, Hamlet gets angry and criticizes her and women in general for being so evil and turning men into strange, crazy people. After he leaves, Ophelia cries out, feeling sad about how much Hamlet has changed for the worse. Claudius and Polonius, who had been spying on the two the whole time, come out from behind the curtain and discuss the conversation. Claudius no longer believes that Hamlet's insanity has anything to do with love, but Polonius still thinks so.
Hamlet scene
My character: Hamlet (first half)
What does your character want in the chosen scene?
Hamlet wants to know whether or not the king and queen sent for his two friends, and he wants to know why.
What does the character do to get it?
Hamlet talks to his friends honestly and directly confronts them with his question: Did the king and queen send for them?
What obstacles stand in his or her way?
His friends do not want to answer - they are hesitant to tell him the truth.
How does your character really feel about what is happening in the scene? How can you tell?
He feels suspicious and frustrated, because everybody thinks he is crazy when he himself knows he is not, and because the king and queen sent his friends to spy on him.
What do other characters say about your character in the scene?
Hamlet is in the entire scene, so the other characters do not have a chance to talk about him behind his back. But they are probably wondering whether or not he is actually crazy throughout the entire scene - since that's what they heard from Claudius.
What does the character’s language reveal about his or her personality? Think about the meaning behind his or her words.
Hamlet's language reveals that he is friendly with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern - he makes jokes and uses casual words with them. His language also reveals that he is suspicious (in our interpretation of the scene, at least) - he asks his friends over and over again if they were sent for by the king and queen. In this scene, Hamlet's language also shows that he is a bit pessimistic about things.
Write down a few phrases he says that might demonstrate something about his personality or are characteristic of his mode of expression.
Joking/sarcastic - "Nor the soles of her shoes?"; "Then you live about her waist, or in the middle of her favours?"
Suspicious: "Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation?"
Pessimistic: "What have you, my good friends, deserved at the hands of fortune, that she sends you to prison hither?"; "Denmark's a prison."
How does this scene add to your knowledge of the character?
This scene made me realize Hamlet's humble character when it comes to his relationship with his friends - although they are lower than him in status, he refuses to treat them like servants. I also learned that Hamlet is pretty clever - he seems to realize pretty quickly that his friends are visiting him for a particular reason, and asks them about it.
Hamlet Nunnery Scene Comparison
1. In the third version of the scene, Ophelia seems more crazy than Hamlet - more insane and also more crazy in love with him.
2. In the third version of the scene, both Hamlet and Ophelia seem unaware that they are being watched.
3. In the second version of the scene, Hamlet seems more disappointed than angry (like he was in the first version) when Ophelia tells him her father is at home.
4. Claudius doesn't seem that high in status compared to Polonius in the second and third versions - but they are very different in the first version.
5. Hamlet is less concerned with his surroundings in the second version than in the first version, where he is constantly looking around the castle while speaking.
6. Hamlet and Ophelia are much more intimate in the second and third versions of the scene (Hamlet towards Ophelia more in the second, and vice versa in the third) than in the first version, where they seem very distanced.
7. The second version seems a lot more modern than the first one - the third one is somewhat in between the two.
8. Claudius and Polonius seem much more ready/about to jump out and stop Hamlet's madness and help Ophelia in the second scene than in the first, where they just calmly sit and watch the entire time.
9. It seemed like Hamlet was doing everything for Ophelia's sake in the second version of the scene - at least up till the point when he gets angry.
10. Hamlet seems to be using Ophelia to carry out his plan against Claudius more in the first scene than in the second or third scenes.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 2:
Brief summary: It's the evening of the long-awaited play, and Hamlet is restless. He begins acting extra-happy and hyper, especially towards Claudius and Ophelia. While waiting for the play to begin, Hamlet and Horatio decide to be on the lookout for any strange reactions or behavior from Claudius. Before it begins, however, there is a short silent version of the upcoming play. Actors come out as a king, a queen and another man, and perform the line-less skit. In the skit, as the king is sound asleep, the other man comes into his room and poisons him. The queen is devastated when she finds him dead the next morning, but she ends up being seduced by the murderer and going off with him. Then, the real play begins. Everything happens as Hamlet had planned, and while the play is going on, Hamlet continuously acts as an excited commentator. Finally, when the poison scene is happening, Claudius gets out of his seat and asks to stop the performance. He and the rest of the audience leave the room, leaving Hamlet and Horatio alone to discuss Claudius' definite, obvious reaction. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter and tell Hamlet that his mother wants to see him before she goes to bed. She wants to speak with him about his strange behavior and tell him that his father was very upset by it. Hamlet says he does not mind going to speak with her at all, but he will have to be completely honest with her and tell her everything.
Questions: Why did Hamlet have to act as a crazy-enthusiastic commentator the entire time? Couldn't he have observed Claudius' reactions without talking to him so much? Why does the queen not react with shock like Claudius did? She is just as well a part of the story... What was the purpose of the silent skit prior to the start of the actual play? Do Claudius and Gertrude realize now that Hamlet is suspicious?
It is obvious to the audience that Hamlet is alone onstage. What else, then, does he mean when he begins, “Now I am alone”?
By stating the obvious, "Now I am alone," Hamlet is reassuring himself that no one is around anymore and therefore he can go back to being himself. He no longer has to act insane or pretend he's crazy in love with Ophelia. He can focus on his plan and speak freely about his thoughts and feelings, because nobody is around.
Why is the Prince calling himself a “rogue” and “peasant slave”?
The Prince calls himself a "rogue" and "peasant slave" (obviously negative titles in this context) because he is disappointed with himself for not being able to carry out his plan of investigation/revenge for his father's death.
*Hamlet compares himself to the player. What does this comparison reveal about Hamlet’s self-perception?
This comparison shows that Hamlet admires the player, but on the contrary, is ashamed of himself. He perceives himself as a coward and a helpless man, because like I said for the previous question, he cannot seem to carry out his revenge, even when it's for his own father's death.
Throughout the play, much violence is done to ears. How does Hamlet’s “cleave the general ear” relate to other “ear” references? Shakespeare uses the word ear twenty-seven times in this play. Do any of these resonate with you?
To be honest, I never really noticed anything to do with ears in the play.. and for something that has come out 20-some times already.. I guess I'll have to pay more attention to details when I read.. The only time I noticed any mentioning of the ear was when the players performed the play and the man poured poison down the king's ear.
Hamlet uses a lot of theatrical terminology in his speech. Find some examples (“cue,” “satage,” “play”). Why might Hamlet be thinking in theatrical terms?
Hamlet might be thinking in theatrical terms because he feels that his life is somewhat like a play. He compares himself to the good actor (player), lamenting the fact that he is not as good at carrying out his plan as the player is. He is jealous of the player because he can get the audience to feel all the correct emotions at all the correct times. He wants to be like the player - he wants to be more influential to everyone, and he wants his plans to work out well. So Hamlet probably, as wishful thinking, considers his own life and current situation a dramatic play.
Find lines or phrases that explain why Hamlet thinks himself a coward. Do you think he is a coward, or is he acting cautiously by looking for external evidence to prove Claudius’s guilt?
"O what a rogue and peasant slave am I!"
"Yet I,
A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak
Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause,
And can say nothing!"
"But I am pigeon-liver'd and lack gall"
"Why, what an ass am I!"
Although he might think it himself, I don't think Hamlet is a coward. In one of our previous discussion, we brought up the question - why is Hamlet waiting so long before acting? Why doesn't he just get his revenge right away? And we came to the conclusion that he is waiting for the right moment. He is preparing himself and his revenge to make it happen just the way he plans it. So it's not that he is a coward - he is just taking his time to be sure that everything works out according to the plan.
Questions:
Act 3.1
1. What advice does Hamlet have for the actors? Why?
Hamlet tells the actors to put in certain lines that he makes up - to use them in their original play in order to make Claudius feel uncomfortable and guilty.
2. Why does Hamlet say he especially likes Horatio (Does Hamlet see Horatio as similar to him or different from him?
3. What function is served by the discussion of Polonius as an actor (3.1.89-96)? Hamlet was written within a year or two of Julius Caesar; what is added to the scene for the audience if Richard Burbage, playing Hamlet, also played Brutus? Can you guess what part the actor playing Polonius might have played in Julius Caesar?
Polonius as an actor = irony, satire. Hamlet making fun of Polonius
.....--
4. Based on 3.2.119, how much time elapsed between Act 1 and Act 2 (since the action has been continuous since the beginning of Act 2)?
Based on 3.2.119, about four months (twice two months) has elapsed between Act 1 and Act 2.
5. How does the play-within-the-play (3.1.122.1-242) reflect the issues bothering Hamlet? Can you identify the lines he has had inserted? (Don't worry, nobody else can either.) Interestingly, the story of Gonzago as known outside Hamlet turns into a revenge story, with Gonzago's son revenging his father's death. So what we've seen is only the first few minutes of a much longer play. What lines would hit the intended audience hardest? (Consider, certainly, 3.2.159-62.) Although Hamlet is interested in Claudius' response, notice that so far Gertrude has taken the strongest "hits" (except, perhaps, for the poisoning in the earone of the new "Italianate" evil inventions, a way to murder someone without it appearing to be murder). Consider also the Player King's more abstract speech in 3.2.1168-195. How does this speech reflect issues that appear elsewhere in the play?
The fact that Claudius and Hamlet's mother married just a month after his father's death is what's bothering him so much. The play re-enacts that same scenario. While reading, I couldn't identify the lines Hamlet had inserted.. actually, to me, all of them seemed relevant to his personal story, so any of them could have been inserted by him. But in the movie, you can tell what lines he had inserted because he recites them with the player.
6. What is Claudius' mood as he stops the play at 3.2.247? How does Hamlet respond? If Hamlet has learned that Claudius is indeed guilty (if that's why he stopped the play and not for some other reason), Claudius has also learned something from the presentation of the play. What has Claudius learned?
7. What message do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have for Hamlet? Despite the chaos at the end of the play, is this message unexpected after hearing Polonius' suggestion at the end of the Nunnery scene (3.1)? What lesson does Hamlet teach with a recorder?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell Hamlet that his mother wants to speak with him. They also tell him that they are a bit shocked and disappointed by his actions. Hamlet gets mad, asking "Am I easier to play than a recorder?"
8. Read Hamlet's fifth soliloquy carefully (3.2.358-69). How is it different from the other soliloquies? What is the mood of the soliloquy? How do you react to it? What about line 360? What is happening to Hamlet?
Act 3.3
1. What has Claudius decided to do with Hamlet? Who will go with him? What "theoretical" message about kingship does Rosencrantz tell to Claudius?
2. Where is Polonius going?
3. What does Claudius admit in his attempt to pray? Has the play actually had an effect on him? Why can't he ask for forgiveness?
Claudius admits that he killed Hamlet's father. He feels guilty, especially because of the play he just watched, but he can't seem to focus on praying and repenting. He can't ask for forgiveness because he doesn't want to change yet. He still wants the crown, and he is still willing to do anything to keep it, even if it is something bad.
4. What happens when Hamlet enters? Why doesn't Hamlet kill Claudius then? What is ironic about Hamlet's decision?
When Hamlet enters, he sees Claudius praying. It's a perfect opportunity to kill him, but he doesn't. He thinks that if Claudius is killed during prayer, he will go to Heaven. Hamlet doesn't want him to go to Heaven - he wants him to go to Hell, so he decides he must kill him later, when he is in the middle of some evil action.
Character Questions: Ophelia
1. What new information did you learn about your character in Act 4 that would help an actor or actress understand him or her better?
She could be pregnant - she might have// had that kind of a relationship with Hamlet. Therefore, she is completely dependent on him. He can make or break her future and the future of their child.
2. In each scene where your character appears, what is his or her motivation and objective? In other words, what does this person really want?
Ophelia really wants Hamlet to come back to her. He seduced her and then left her, so she wants his love back.
3. How does your character feel about the events in Act 4? about Hamlet?
Ophelia is in shock after the death of her father. But she loves Hamlet and seems desperate for his love.
4. What do other characters say about your character and how do they react to him? How does your character feel about other characters?
5. How does your character affect the events of each scene in which she appears? How is she affected by the events?
Hamlet kills Polonius and is told to leave the country --> Ophelia becomes crazy.
Ophelia sings and acts crazy --> the other characters pity her.
6. How is your character important to this act? In other words, do you learn something new about the plot through him? Do you gain any insights about Hamlet by comparing/contrasting him to your character?
7. What questions are raised by your character's words and/or behavior in this act?
Is Ophelia pregnant?
Does Ophelia know that Hamlet killed her father?
8. What was unexpected? What questions that you've previously had are answered by your character's words and /or behavior in this act?
Ophelia's death wasn't shocking, but it certainly wasn't expected.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 3
Brief summary: Claudius feels disturbed after having watched the play. Once he is alone, he repents for his horrible crime. He feels bad for having killed his brother, but he doesn't know what he can do now because he still wants to be king. He begins to pray. Hamlet sees him and considers killing him at that moment, but decides not to because if he kills him during prayer, he will go to Heaven, not Hell, where Hamlet wants him to go.
Hamlet ACT 3, SCENE 4
Brief summary: Hamlet goes to his mother's bedroom and asks her why she called for him. Gertrude tells him that his father was very upset by the play. Hamlet becomes angry and tells her that she was wrong in marrying Claudius. He attacks her, and she cries out for help. Polonius, who is hiding behind a curtain listening to the entire conversation, makes a sound in order to save Gertrude, and Hamlet runs towards the curtain and stabs him to death. Hamlet kills him because he thought the person hiding was Claudius, not Polonius. Still, his death seems unimportant. Hamlet goes back to attacking Gertrude until suddenly, Hamlet's father's ghost appears. He speaks to the ghost, and Gertrude questions him because she cannot see or hear the ghost herself. She thinks he is mad. The ghost disappears again, and Hamlet leaves Gertrude's room, carrying Polonius' body out with him.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 1
Brief summary: Gertrude tells Claudius everything - that Hamlet is crazy and that he has killed Polonius. But she doesn't mention the father's ghost, or how Hamlet disapproved of their marriage. Claudius and Gertrude decide that Hamlet should be sent abroad because he cannot stay in the country after committing such a crime.
Questions: If Gertrude is still on Claudius' side, if she doesn't believe Hamlet and thinks he is crazy, why doesn't she mention the father's ghost to Claudius? Why doesn't she mention the fact that Hamlet is unhappy about their marriage?
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 2
Brief summary: As soon as Hamlet disposes of Polonius' body, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear. They have come to bring him to Claudius. They ask him where he put the body, but he gives them a vague, tricky answer, and accuses them of teaming up against him.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 3
Brief summary: Claudius speaks in front of many people, telling them of Polonius' death and his plan to send Hamlet away. Hamlet shows up with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and when asked about Polonius' body, he answers with very gruesome details. Claudius tells Hamlet that he must be sent away, and Hamlet willingly leaves. Claudius has secretly shipped to England orders to have Hamlet killed.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 4
Brief summary: Prince Fortinbras meets Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on the way to England. He is on his way to attack Poland. Hamlet learns that there might be a war over a tiny, insignificant piece of land, and wonders why little things like that cause so much trouble.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 5
Brief summary: Ophelia becomes crazy after the death of her father. She goes around singing and giving flowers to everybody. The others pity her and sympathize for her because of how terribly Polonius' death has affected her. Laertes comes back from France and storms in angrily. He is angry about his father's death, but once he sees that Ophelia has gone mad, he becomes even more upset. He swears to Claudius that he will get revenge on his father's murderer.
Questions: What exactly do Ophelia's songs mean? I get the basic idea - Hamlet has seduced her and then left her.. but what does the rest mean? And is Ophelia pregnant? Is she crazy because of Polonius' death, or because Hamlet has left her?
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 6
Brief summary: Horatio receives a letter that says Hamlet has been captured by pirates and sent back to Denmark. He takes the sailors (who delivered the letter) to Claudius and then goes to find Hamlet.
Hamlet ACT 4, SCENE 7
Brief summary: Horatio brings the letter to Claudius, who is speaking with Laertes about Polonius' death. He learns that Hamlet will be returning the next day, which makes Laertes happy, because his chance to get revenge will come sooner. Laertes wants to kill Hamlet, and Claudius encourages him. They plan a sword fight, so that it wouldn't look like another murder. Laertes plans on using a sharper sword than the usual, and also plans on poisoning the sword to kill Hamlet faster. As they are planning Laertes' revenge, Gertrude enters and tells them that Ophelia has drowned herself out of grief.
Diary entry:
Dear Diary,
I know that Ophelia killed herself.. and to be honest, I witnessed it happen.. but I didn't help her. I couldn't. Not when I knew why she wanted to die. My heart broke for her. My son seduced her. He fooled her into thinking he actually loved her, and left her when she needed him most. Why, the nerve of some men..! Then he went ahead and killed her father. She had no one.. Ophelia was truly alone. The other day, I saw her in her room panicking about something. I overheard a few words: "child," "honor," "regret," "purity," and I understood.. Ophelia bore Hamlet's child. And if she had lived, she would have had to raise the child alone. What would people have thought? Such a fine young woman with a child and no husband.. of course she wanted to die. So there. I saw it happen, and I didn't run out to save her. I let her go, because I knew there wasn't much left for her here.
-Gertrude
Hamlet ACT 5, SCENE 1
Brief summary: Two gravediggers are digging Ophelia's grave. They question whether or not Ophelia deserves a proper burial, because her death was a suicide. Hamlet and Horatio enter, and are amazed at how little the gravediggers seem to care about death. Because they've been working as gravediggers for so long, death doesn't mean much to them anymore. Hamlet picks up a skull, and one of the gravediggers tells him that it is the skull of Yorick, King Hamlet's old jester. Hamlet is disgusted at how he used to know Yorick, and now he is holding his very skull. Ophelia's funeral begins, and Hamlet finally realizes that it is she who died. He watches as Laertes throws himself on top of her coffin, and then jumps out and fights with him, declaring that his love for her cannot be compared to anything else. People stop the fight, and Claudius and Gertrude blame Hamlet's behavior on his "insanity."
Hamlet ACT 5, SCENE 2
Brief summary: Hamlet tells Horatio of his successful plan that has brought him back to Denmark. He had opened up the letter that had orders to have him killed, and had replaced it with one that had orders to have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed. He then tells Horatio that he feels bad about the way he attacked Laertes. He understands Laertes, because he is in a similar situation, where he wants to get revenge for his father's death.
Motif - ears: What is the ear's main function? To hear. To hear the truth. By poisoning the ear, the function is becoming disabled. The ear is no longer able to perceive the truth - the truth is distorted, and it becomes a lie. In the play, the actor representing Claudius poured poison down the king's ear. The king represents the country, and that very action symbolizes the distortion and disabling of the entire country's ability to hear the truth. They now only know lies.
1. Comment in one sentence on what you think is the significance of this scene. Then what would the play be like without the scene?
2. Ask questions about the scene. Has anything in the scene caused you confusion? OR Ask one of the characters in the scene a question -- or ask ME a question.
3. Quote lines from the scene that you enjoyed and comment on them.
4. Describe your reactions to a character, action, or idea you confronted in the scene.
5. Talk about the relationships characters have to one another, quoting specific words or phrases to give evidence for your opinion.
6. Write a diary entry from the perspective of one of the characters. Get inside that character’s mind. Tell how the character feels about herself, about other characters, about the situation of the scene.
7. At least twice, do an entry that is not writing. Draw a picture. Create a collage of characters. Draw what you think the stage should look