hamlet act 1

what atmosphere is introduced

dark and gloomy

where does this take place

Denmark

As the play opens, Horatio joins Marcellus and Barnardo at their night watch. Why has Horatio joined them?

because the guards have seen a “dreaded sight”. So he can speak about what they are saw

In lines 71 – 80, how does Horatio interpret the appearance of the ghost?

as a warning of what's to come(“this bodes some strange eruption to our state”)

What three questions does Marcellus raise?

why this same struck and most observant watch so nightly toils the subject of the land?

why such daily cast of brazen cannon and foreign mark for implements of war?

why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore take does not divide the Sunday from the week?

In a long speech (lines 91-135), Horatio answers Marcellus. Summarize as briefly as you can the events that have led to preparations for war.

Hamlet Sr.'s enemy was Fortinbras Sr.(king of Norway). They went to battle for Norwegian lands and Hamlet Sr. slayed Fortinbras. His son prepared his armies to take back his father's land that was lost

What three reasons does Horatio list as possible reasons for a ghost's returning from the grave?

if there is a good deed that will bring s ghost peace, the spirit has knowledge about something terrible that will happen to the country and warn the people, and perhaps there is a buried treasure somewhere that bothers the ghost

Why do Horatio and Marcellus decide to tell Hamlet about the ghost?

they decide to tell Hamlet because they believe the ghost will speak to Hamlet. They also believe they owe it to him out of duty and love

What surprising news does King Claudius announce at the opening of scene 2?

That he married Queen Gertrude and is sending ambassadors to Norway. He is sending a message to Norway. Also, he is over the death of Hamlet Sr.

why does Claudius send Cornelius and Voltimad to Norway?

To go see the King of Norway. They are taking the message for King Claudius to Norway.

what bothers Claudius and Gertrude about Hamlet’s dress?

They are upset he is still wearing dark clothes, which means mourning. They want him to get over it.

Why does Claudius want Hamlet to remain in court?

Because he wants to watch over him and ensure he doesn’t do anything crazy

About how long has Hamlet’s father been dead?

Two months

Explain why Hamlet says, “Frailty, thy name is woman!”(line 150)

He explains how his mom is weak because she remarried so quickly—saying that it is weak marrying your ex-husband's brother. She just wants to stay in power.

At the end of scene 2, what is Hamlet’s plan?

He is going to go with Horatio to go see the ghost. If it appears, he is going to try to speak to it and get closure and information

horatios skepticism represents what

reader/audience perspective

Claudius’s speech shows the corruption and weakness of the king as it is full of contradictions(see below) and leaves the reader/audience with a negative impression

1\. Death and decay vs. greenery and growth

2\. Our sometime sister, now our queen

3\. Defeated joy

4\. Mirth in Funeral

5\. Dirge in marriage

who is the only character who does not play along with Claudius’s attempt to mimic a healthy royal court

prince hamlet

Polonius provides 6 pieces of advice(page 43) to his son. Rewrite this advice in modern language.

**Give thy thoughts no tongue, nor any unproportioned thought his act. (think before you speak)**

**Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel, but do not dull thy palm with entertainment(keep your friends close) (cherish old friends but be hesitant to make new ones)**

**Beware of entrance to a quarrel, but, being in, bear ‘t that the opposed may beware of thee (do not jump into fights so quickly, but if you find yourself in one, do not hold back or show weakness)**

**Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice (listen to others if you want them to hear your side as well) (listen to others more than you speak)**

**Neither a borrower nor a lender, for loan oft loses both itself and friend (do not give if you cant)**

**To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man. (stay yourself and true to yourself)**

laertes is introduced and begins to develop as a __ to hamlet

foil

what is a foil

a character who by contrast emphasizes the distinct characteristics of another character

1)the appearance of the ghost again is a sign of what

2) and who is it shown by

1)Denmark’s decay

2)Marcellus

what of the ghost sets the main plot of the play into motion and leads hamlet to the idea of feigning madness

demand for Hamlet to seek revenge upon Claudius

What happens at the court while Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus are on the platform?

the king is partying. (“...the king doth wake tonight and takes his rouse, keeps wassail and the swaggering upspring reels”)

Why does Hamlet denounce the custom of drunken celebration?

because it brings criticism from other countries(“This heavy-headed revel east and west makes us traduced and taxed of other nations”)

What happens at the end of scene 4?

The ghost of King Hamlet returns. This time, Hamlet is the only one who is able to see the spirit. He waves Hamlet over to him, but Marcellus and Horatio do not want him to follow. In the end, he decides to follow him anyway…

What does the Ghost reveal about the manner of his death?

King Hamlet’s ghost reveals that he was murdered. Although people believed that he had been bitten by a poisonous snake, the ghost reveals that it was, in fact, Claudius who killed him.

In lines 82-89, what tasks does the Ghost tell Hamlet to undertake?

The ghost asks Hamlet to seek revenge. He does not want “the royal bed of Denmark is a couch for luxury and damned incest,” so he tells Hamlet to avenge his death. He does also caution Hamlet not to corrupt his mind, or to harm his mother when he says, *“Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive against thy mother aught.”*

In lines 178-181, what does Hamlet imply he may decide to do?

Hamlet decides that he will act mad(crazy). He tells Horatio of his plan “*to put an antic disposition on*” and asks him never to let on that he knows.

what is the name of the castle in denmark in hamlet

Elsinore Castle

who are the three guards introduced at the beginning of act 1 scene 1

Francisco, Barnardo, Marcellus

this character is introduced as a good-natured man who is educated, intelligent, and skeptical of the supernatural

Horatio

how does horatio interpret the appearance of the ghost in act 1 scene 1

bad omen

the ghost appears in the image of what character

King Hamlet

in a long speech, horatio answers Marcellus’ questions about the future of denmark. list one of the events horatio explains.

a.king is dead

b.king hamlet always fought with fortinbras Sr.

c.king hamlet defeated fortinbras sr. and won land

d.fortinbras jr. wants the land back

list one of three questions marcellus asked

1. why this same struck and most observant watch so nightly toils the subject of the land
2. why such daily cast of brazen cannon and foreign mark for implements of war
3. why such impresss of shipwrights, whose sore task does not divide the sunday from the week

how long has king hamlet been dead

2 months

who is the only character who does not play along with claudius’ attempt to mimic a healthy royal court

hamlet

what famous line does hamlet deliver in regards to his mothers remarriage

Frailty, thy name is woman

who is hamlets foil that is introduced in act 3

laertes

which 2 characters give fatherly advice in act 1

polonius and the ghost of king hamlet

who is hamlets love interest

ophelia

which danish custom does hamlet denounce in act 1 scene 4

drunken celebration(partying)

what happens at the end of act 1 scene 4

the ghost of king hamlet returns and invites hamlet into the woods

how do the people of denmark think king hamlet died

he was bitten by a poisonous snake in the garden

how does laertes feel about hamlet and ophelias relationship

he does not trust hamlet; ophelia is not “good enough”

what does hamlet imply he may decide to do in order to get revenge for his father

act mad (crazy)

in what year did Shakespeare die

1616