StudyguideHAMLET

Directions for use.

Scene notes.

Information slides.

CONTENTS

ACT 1

King Hamlet (senior) has died. Instead of his son, Hamlet (junior) becoming king,

Hamlet Snr.’s brother, Claudius, takes the throne.Claudius marries Gertrude.Hamlet is very sad about his father’s death.Hamlet is/had been dating Ophelia.Hamlet had been at university with his best friend,

Horatio.For several nights some soldiers guarding the castle

have seen the ghost of Hamlet Snr. walking around. They invite Horatio (who is known to be really smart) to come see it and explain it.

PREFACE

The soldiers, Bernardo and Francisco, are guarding the castle. Another soldier, Marcellus, comes and brings Horatio with him. The Ghost enters and Horatio agrees that this is a very strange thing and they all agree that they must tell Prince Hamlet about it.

ACT 1. SCENE I. ELSINORE. A PLATFORM BEFORE THE CASTLE.

CLASSIC LINES

Claudius is having a celebration to show how amazing he is now that he is king and has married Gertrude. He gives a monologue about how it is both sad that his brother died and it is joyful that Claudius got married. He uses lots of oxymorons and anachronisms in his speech.

Claudius then tells Hamlet he should stop being so sad. Gertrude tells Hamlet to stop mourning.

Hamlet says that it is normal for him to mourn and he is not the only one.

Claudius says it is ‘unmanly’ to show so much grief and that everyone has fathers that die. He then says that Hamlet will take the throne if Claudius dies.

ACT 1. SCENE II. A ROOM OF STATE IN THE CASTLE.

Hamlet has a soliloquy in which he discuss how terrible the world is; how he wishes it would all melt away; how unfortunate it is that God won’t allow suicides; how horrible is mother is; how she loved his father so much but now she doesn’t even seem to remember him; how his father loved her so much; how his father was so amazing and nothing like Claudius; how he wishes he could tell his mother she is not a good person but that he can’t because she is his mother and the queen and because Claudius is king.

ACT 1. SCENE II. A ROOM OF STATE IN THE CASTLE, CONT.

The soldiers and Horatio come see Hamlet and Hamlet is very happy to see Horatio. They tell him that they have seen the ghost of his father. Hamlet says that he will go with them tonight to look for him.

ACT 1. SCENE II. A ROOM OF STATE IN THE CASTLE, CONT.

KING CLAUDIUSThat we with wisest sorrow think on him,Together with remembrance of ourselves.

HAMLET [Aside] A little more than kin, and less than kind.

QUEEN GERTRUDEGood Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off ,And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.

HAMLETO, that this too too solid fl esh would meltThaw and resolve itself into a dew!

HAMLETThrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral baked meatsDid coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.

CLASSIC LINES

A long speech by one person (with other people on the stage)

Mono = 1

MONOLOGUE

Two words or ideas that mean opposite things but when put together form a new meaning

For example: Girly man Loud silence

OXYMORON

ANACHRONISM

A long speech by one person (with NO other people on the stage)

Solo = by one’s self

SOLILOQUY

An ‘aside’ is when a character says something on stage that other characters can’t hear but that audience can hear – it is like talking under your breath.

[ASIDE]

Laertes is going off to school and before he leaves he tells Ophelia that he doesn’t think Hamlet is genuinely in love with her and that she shouldn’t put too much stock in Hamlet’s aff ections. He specifically cautions Ophelia against having an intimate relationship with Hamlet because it will most likely backfire (as Hamlet probably can’t marry her because he is a prince and must marry who the king says) and it could cause the family dishonor.

Ophelia tells Laertes that she won’t tell anyone his advice and that he better not act hypocritically (i.e. tell her not to do things that he himself is doing).

ACT 1. SCENE III. A ROOM IN POLONIUS' HOUSE.

Polonius comes to say goodbye to Laertes and gives him a lot of advice: look at your moral character; don’t say everything you are thinking; don’t act without thinking; be friendly but not crude; be careful of getting in fi ghts but if you are in a fi ght know that the other person might be scared of you; be a good listener and don’t talk a lot; take the judgment of others and don’t be to judgmental of people; buy clothing that is as expensive as you can aff ord but not gaudy; don’t lend nor borrow money; be true to yourself.

Laertes leaves.Polonius then tells Ophelia that Hamlet is not good

enough for her. She says that he has shown his love honorably. Polonius orders her to not speak/see Hamlet again.

ACT 1. SCENE III. A ROOM IN POLONIUS' HOUSE, CONT.

Laertes[Hamlet’s] greatness weigh'd, his will is not his own

LORD POLONIUSNeither a borrower nor a lender be; This above all: to thine ownself be true,

Ophelia'Tis in my memory lock'd,And you yourself shall keep the key of it.

CLASSIC LINES

Hamlet, Horatio, and the soldiers go back to find the Ghost. The Ghost comes and Hamlet leaves with him.

ACT 1. SCENE IV. THE PLATFORM.

Hamlet speaks to the Ghost. The Ghost tells Hamlet that the rumor about his death (that a snake bit him while napping) is a lie and that actually Claudius killed him. The Ghost commands Hamlet to revenge his murder.

Hamlet makes the others swear that they won’t tell anyone about this.

ACT 1. SCENE V. ANOTHER PART OF THE PLATFORM.

HamletThere are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

HamletThe time is out of joint: O cursed spite,That ever I was born to set it right!

CLASSIC LINES

ACT 2

Ophelia tells her father how Hamlet came to see her in the middle of the night and looked strange – his clothes were all messed up and he was very upset and he sighed and moaned and it scared her because she didn’t know what was wrong with him. Polonius says they will tell Claudius and then he asks Ophelia if she did what he asked and ignored Hamlet. She says she has been ignoring him and Polonius figures that this must have driven Hamlet crazy.

ACT 2: SCENE I. A ROOM IN POLONIUS' HOUSE.

Hamlet has been acting really weird and Claudius and Gertrude and Polonius get together to try and figure out what is going on.

Gertrude thinks it because of Hamlet Snr’s death and her quick marriage.

Polonius says it is because he has kept Ophelia away from Hamlet and Hamlet has fallen into a depression and madness. Gertrude agrees that it could be this. Claudius wants to test the theory out so Polonius has arranged a meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet. Polonius and Claudius will hide behind a curtain and spy. (more on this storyline later)

ACT 2. SCENE II. A ROOM IN THE CASTLE.

Claudius has invited Hamlet’s old friend Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (R&G) to the castle in the hopes that they can figure out what is bothering Hamlet.

Hamlet meets with R&G and he pretends to be happy to see them but also confesses that he believes the king and queen brought the pair to the castle to spy on him.

ACT 2. SCENE II. A ROOM IN THE CASTLE.

A group of players has stopped by the castle and Hamlet, R&G, and Polonius greet them.

Hamlet asks the lead actor if he can perform a short play that Hamlet has written tomorrow night and the actor agrees.

Everyone leaves and Hamlet explains how he is going to have the actors perform a play that mimics the murder of his father. He believes that when Claudius sees the play he will be so overcome with guilt that he will confess.

ACT 2. SCENE II. A ROOM IN THE CASTLE.

ACT 3

ACT 4

ACT 5