Hamlet Act. 1 Quiz

Characters, context, important quotes

Hamlet

• Prince of Denmark, son of the late King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude.

• Deeply mourning his father’s death and disgusted by his mother’s quick marriage to his uncle, Claudius.

• Known for his philosophical and melancholic nature, often soliloquizing about life, death, and corruption.

• Encounters the Ghost of his father, who tells him that Claudius murdered him, setting Hamlet on a path of revenge.

• Struggles with doubt, morality, and the nature of revenge.

Claudius

• Current King of Denmark, Hamlet’s uncle and stepfather.

• Highly political and manipulative, gives speeches about unity while hiding his crime.

• Secretly murdered King Hamlet by pouring poison in his ear.

• Marries Gertrude soon after King Hamlet’s death, raising suspicion.

• Tries to solidify his power by sending ambassadors to Norway and keeping Hamlet close.

• He exhibits a facade of concern for Denmark's welfare while plotting to eliminate threats to his throne.

Gertrude

• Spirit of King Hamlet, appears to the guards and later to Hamlet.

• Reveals that he was murdered by Claudius and demands revenge.

• Warns Hamlet not to harm Gertrude, suggesting she is innocent.

• Raises the question of whether he is truly Hamlet’s father or a devil sent to tempt him.

Polonius

• Chief counselor to Claudius, father of Ophelia and Laertes.

• Long-winded and pompous, believes himself wise but often states the obvious.

• Gives advice to Laertes before he leaves for France, including famous lines like “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”

• Tells Ophelia to reject Hamlet’s love, believing it to be a youthful infatuation.

Ophelia

• Daughter of Polonius, potential love interest of Hamlet.

• Submissive to her father and brother’s advice, suppressing her own desires.

• Polonius and Laertes warn her that Hamlet’s love is not sincere.

• Caught between her father’s authority and Hamlet’s unpredictable behavior.

Laertes

• Son of Polonius, brother to Ophelia.

• Leaves for France but warns Ophelia about Hamlet, saying he cannot marry her.

• Cautious and protective

• Represents a contrast to Hamlet: decisive and action-oriented.

Horatio

• Hamlet’s loyal friend from Wittenberg, trusted confidant.

• Skeptical but rational—only believes in the Ghost after seeing it himself.

• Advises Hamlet to be cautious when speaking with the Ghost.

• Survives at the end of the play, tasked with telling Hamlet’s story.

Marcellus & Bernardo

• Danish soldiers who first see the Ghost.

• Help introduce the play’s eerie, supernatural atmosphere.

• Marcellus says the famous line: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

Setting

• The play is set in Elsinore Castle, Denmark.

• Act 1 begins on the castle battlements at midnight, a dark, cold, and eerie setting that establishes mystery and tension.

• The political backdrop: King Hamlet recently died, and his brother Claudius has taken the throne and married the queen.

• Denmark is in a state of unrest, as Norway’s young prince Fortinbras may be planning an attack.

Themes

• Revenge & Justice – The Ghost demands revenge for King Hamlet’s murder, setting up Hamlet’s internal struggle.

• Corruption & Decay – The Ghost’s death, Claudius’ reign, and Hamlet’s disgust at the world all reflect moral and political decay.

• Appearance vs. Reality – Claudius appears to be a good king, but he is a murderer; Hamlet appears mad, but he is deeply thoughtful.

• Fate vs. Free Will – Is Hamlet destined to avenge his father, or does he have a choice?

What is the political situation in Denmark at the start of the play?

• King Hamlet recently died, and his brother Claudius took the throne.

• Claudius married Gertrude very quickly, making some (especially Hamlet) suspicious.

• Norway’s prince Fortinbras is planning an attack to reclaim land lost to Denmark.

• Denmark is preparing for possible war, adding tension.The political situation in Denmark is tense due to King Hamlet's recent death and the rapid ascension of Claudius to the throne after marrying Gertrude. This has raised suspicions among the court, particularly Hamlet, while Fortinbras of Norway threatens to invade, further escalating the unrest.

Why is Hamlet angry at Claudius and Gertrude?

• He is grieving his father’s death, but they seem to have moved on too quickly.

• Claudius married Gertrude within two months of King Hamlet’s death.

• Hamlet suspects Claudius is dishonest and undeserving of the throne.

“Our sometime sister, now our Queen” Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Line 65

• Speaker: Claudius

• Spoken to: The Danish court (including Hamlet, Gertrude, and advisors)

• Context: Claudius is delivering a formal speech to justify his marriage to Gertrude, the widow of the late King Hamlet. He acknowledges that Gertrude was once his sister-in-law but is now his wife.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • This phrase highlights the suspiciously fast transition from King Hamlet’s death to Gertrude’s remarriage.

  • It suggests political maneuvering, as Claudius needs to consolidate power.

  • Reveals Claudius’ hypocrisy—he mourns his brother while benefiting from his death.

“Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not ‘seems.’”Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Line 76

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Gertrude

• Context: Gertrude asks Hamlet why he is still mourning so deeply, implying he should move on. Hamlet snaps back, insisting that his grief is genuine.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • Theme of appearance vs. reality – Hamlet criticizes people who only pretend to grieve.

  • Reflects his disillusionment with Gertrude’s quick remarriage.

  • Introduces Hamlet’s obsession with truth vs. deception, which drives much of the play.In this line, Hamlet asserts that his emotions are authentic and not merely an act, highlighting his disdain for the superficiality he perceives in others, particularly in his mother.

“O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew.”

• Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 129–130

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Soliloquy (himself)

• Context: In his first soliloquy, Hamlet expresses suicidal despair over his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • "Solid flesh" – He wishes he could dissolve away, showing his extreme sorrow.

  • "Resolve into a dew" – A poetic way of saying he wants to disappear.

  • Reflects Hamlet’s inner turmoil, melancholy, and his desire for escape.

“How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world.”Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 133–134

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Soliloquy (himself)

• Context: Hamlet continues his speech, saying life feels meaningless.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • Highlights Hamlet’s existential crisis.

  • The world is "weary" and "flat" – He sees no joy or purpose.

  • Sets up his later contemplation of suicide ("To be or not to be").

“Frailty, thy name is woman!” Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Line 146

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Soliloquy (himself, audience overhears)

• Context: He is raging against Gertrude’s quick remarriage.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • Generalizes all women as weak, based on his mother’s actions.

  • Reflects misogynistic tendencies common in Shakespeare’s time.

  • Also shows Hamlet’s disappointment—he once saw Gertrude as noble, but now views her as weak-willed.

“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.”Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Line 158

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Soliloquy (himself)

• Context: Hamlet feels deep sorrow but knows he cannot openly criticize Claudius.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • Conflict between emotion and duty – He wants to express his anger but is forced into silence.

  • Foreshadows his later struggles – His delay in taking action stems partly from this feeling of helplessness.

“Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The funeral bak’d meats Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.”Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 180–181

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Horatio

• Context: Hamlet sarcastically jokes that the same food from his father’s funeral was served at his mother’s wedding.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • Highlights how quickly Gertrude remarried.

  • Shows Hamlet’s dark humor and bitterness.

  • Suggests political opportunism—Claudius wasted no time securing power.

“A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.”Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Line 231

• Speaker: Horatio

• Spoken to: Hamlet

• Context: Horatio describes the Ghost’s expression.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • The Ghost is not vengeful but deeply grieved.

  • Implies the Ghost wants justice, not just revenge.

“I’ll speak to it though Hell itself should gape And bid me hold my peace.” Citation: Act 1, Scene 2, Lines 244–245

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo

• Context: Hamlet is determined to speak to the Ghost, even if it’s dangerous.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • Foreshadows his reckless curiosity.

  • Shows his belief in fate—he feels he must confront the unknown.

“For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favours, Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood…”Citation: Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 5–9

• Speaker: Laertes

• Spoken to: Ophelia

• Context: Laertes warns Ophelia that Hamlet’s love is fleeting.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • Reinforces male control over women’s choices.

  • Foreshadows Ophelia’s later suffering due to Hamlet’s erratic behavior.

“Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, Whiles, like a puff’d and reckless libertine, Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads.”Citation: Act 1, Scene 3, Lines 47–50

• Speaker: Ophelia

• Spoken to: Laertes

• Context: She calls out her brother’s hypocrisy for warning her about Hamlet while living freely himself.

• Deeper Meaning:

  • A rare moment of defiance from Ophelia.

  • Criticizes double standards—men are allowed to be reckless, but women are expected to be pure.

"Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar." Location: Act 1, Scene 3

• Speaker: Polonius

• Spoken to: Laertes

• Context: Polonius gives his son advice before Laertes leaves for France.

• Deeper Meaning: This advice warns Laertes to be friendly but not too casual or disrespectful.

"Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment." Location: Act 1, Scene 3

• Speaker: Polonius

• Spoken to: Laertes

• Context: More fatherly advice before Laertes departs.

• Deeper Meaning: This reflects the theme of wisdom and cautious judgment.

"Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy; For the apparel oft proclaims the man." Location: Act 1, Scene 3

• Speaker: Polonius

• Spoken to: Laertes

• Context: Polonius advises Laertes on his clothing, saying it should be high-quality but not overly flashy.

• Deeper Meaning: This reflects the idea that appearances matter in society—something Hamlet struggles with throughout the play.

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be: For loan oft loses both itself and friend."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 3

• Speaker: Polonius

• Spoken to: Laertes

• Context: Polonius gives advice to Laertes before he leaves for France, warning him about financial dealings.

• Deeper Meaning: This reflects Polonius’ pragmatic view on life—borrowing and lending money can ruin relationships.

"This above all — to thine own self be true; And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." Location: Act 1, Scene 3

• Speaker: Polonius

• Spoken to: Laertes

• Context: Polonius concludes his advice to Laertes with the idea of self-integrity.

• Deeper Meaning: The phrase promotes honesty and authenticity, though Polonius himself does not always live by it.

"But to my mind, — though I am native here And to the manner born, — it is a custom More honour'd in the breach than the observance."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 4

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Horatio and Marcellus

• Context: Hamlet criticizes Claudius’ drunken behavior, saying that certain customs are better left unobserved.

• Deeper Meaning: This suggests Hamlet’s disdain for corruption in Denmark, setting up the theme of moral decay.

"Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life at a pin's fee, And for my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself?"

• Location: Act 1, Scene 4

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Horatio and Marcellus

• Context: Hamlet expresses his lack of fear about following the ghost, believing his soul is immortal.

• Deeper Meaning: This shows his recklessness and foreshadows his obsession with death and the afterlife.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 4

• Speaker: Marcellus

• Spoken to: Horatio

• Context: Marcellus remarks on the ghost’s appearance as a sign of corruption in Denmark.

• Deeper Meaning: This line symbolizes the theme of decay and political corruption, with Claudius’ reign being the source of it.

"My hour is almost come When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames Must render up myself."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Ghost (King Hamlet)

• Spoken to: Hamlet

• Context: The ghost tells Hamlet that he suffers in purgatory because he died without absolution.

• Deeper Meaning: This highlights the religious theme of sin and divine justice in the play.

"The serpent that did sting thy father's life Now wears his crown."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Ghost

• Spoken to: Hamlet

• Context: The ghost reveals that Claudius murdered him.

• Deeper Meaning: This biblical imagery (Garden of Eden, serpent) portrays Claudius as deceitful and evil.

"Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Ghost

• Spoken to: Hamlet

• Context: The ghost laments that he died without the chance to confess his sins.

• Deeper Meaning: This reinforces the idea of divine punishment and the importance of religious rites.

"O horrible, O horrible, most horrible."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Ghost

• Spoken to: Hamlet

• Context: The ghost emphasizes the horror of Claudius' crime.

• Deeper Meaning: This moment reinforces Hamlet’s duty to seek revenge.

"And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porpentine."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Ghost

• Spoken to: Hamlet

• Context: The ghost describes the terrifying nature of his afterlife.

• Deeper Meaning: The imagery enhances the eerie, supernatural elements of the play.

"O most pernicious woman! O, villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! My tables, — meet it is I set it down, That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain." Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Hamlet (soliloquy)

• Spoken to: Himself

• Context: After the ghost leaves, Hamlet curses both Claudius and Gertrude.

• Deeper Meaning: This marks Hamlet’s growing anger and mistrust, as well as the theme of deception.

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

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Horatio

• Context: Hamlet tells Horatio that reality is more complex than human understanding.

• Deeper Meaning: This emphasizes the play’s theme of uncertainty and supernatural influence.

"How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself — As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on."

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Horatio and Marcellus

• Context: Hamlet reveals his plan to act mad in order to disguise his intentions.

• Deeper Meaning: This introduces the theme of feigned madness and deception.

"The time is out of joint; O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right!"

• Location: Act 1, Scene 5

• Speaker: Hamlet

• Spoken to: Himself (soliloquy)

• Context: Hamlet laments his burden of avenging his father.

• Deeper Meaning: This highlights Hamlet’s internal conflict—he feels duty-bound to correct the corrupt state of Denmark, yet he resents this responsibility.

Quote: “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life / Now wears his crown.” (Act 1, Scene 5)

Imagery & Explanation:

• The ghost compares Claudius to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, alluding to Satan’s deception of Adam and Eve.

• This imagery paints Claudius as a deceitful villain who corrupts Denmark, just as Satan brought sin into the world.

“So excellent a king; that was, to this, / Hyperion to a satyr.” (Act 1, Scene 2)

Hyperion vs. Satyr (Classical Mythology Allusion)

• Hyperion, the Titan god of the sun, represents King Hamlet’s nobility and divine presence.

• A satyr, a half-man, half-goat associated with lust and indulgence, represents Claudius’ inferiority and moral corruption.

• The contrast intensifies Hamlet’s disgust with Claudius’ rule.

“What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, / That he should weep for her?” (Act 2, Scene 2)

Hecuba Allusion (Classical Mythology)

• Hecuba, Queen of Troy, represents intense grief over her husband’s murder.

• The actor’s ability to cry for a fictional story contrasts with Hamlet’s own inaction, making him feel inadequate in avenging his father.

Hercules Allusion "My father’s brother, but no more like my father / Than I to Hercules."

• Hamlet uses this comparison to emphasize the stark contrast between his late father (King Hamlet) and his uncle Claudius.

• He suggests that Claudius is nothing like his father—just as Hamlet himself is nothing like Hercules, the legendary Greek hero known for his immense strength and heroic feats.

• The allusion highlights Hamlet’s feelings of inadequacy. Unlike Hercules, who was decisive and powerful, Hamlet sees himself as weak and passive, unable to take action.

• It also suggests that Hamlet views his father as a larger-than-life, heroic figure—almost godlike—while he sees himself as much lesser in comparison.

• The comparison further reinforces the theme of Hamlet’s hesitation and internal conflict. He feels unworthy or incapable of taking revenge, unlike the heroic figures of myth.

• The contrast between King Hamlet and Claudius mirrors the contrast between Hercules and Hamlet—one strong and noble, the other weak and unworthy in the eyes of the speaker.

“O, most wicked speed, to post / With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (Act 1, Scene 2)

• Hamlet condemns Gertrude’s quick marriage to Claudius, calling it incestuous.

• The phrase “incestuous sheets” evokes disgust and impurity, highlighting Hamlet’s deep resentment toward his mother.

“’Tis an unweeded garden / That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature / Possess it merely.” (Act 1, Scene 2)

• Hamlet compares Denmark to an overgrown, neglected garden.

• The “weeds” represent corruption and moral decay under Claudius’ rule.

“O, most wicked speed, to post / With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (Act 1, Scene 2)

• Hamlet condemns Gertrude’s quick marriage to Claudius, calling it incestuous.

• The phrase “incestuous sheets” evokes disgust and impurity, highlighting Hamlet’s deep resentment toward his mother.

"And the moist star / Upon whose influence Neptune’s empire stands / Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse."

Neptune allusion, the roman god of the sea

"Like Niobe, all tears:—why she, even she—
O God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer—married with my uncle."
(Act 1, Scene 2)

• Niobe is a figure from Greek mythology. She was a queen who boasted about her superior motherhood, claiming she was greater than the goddess Leto, because she had many children while Leto only had two (Apollo and Artemis).

• As punishment for her arrogance, Apollo and Artemis slaughtered all or most of Niobe’s children. Devastated, Niobe wept endlessly until the gods turned her into a stone, but even as a rock, she continued to cry.

• In Hamlet, the allusion is used to criticize Gertrude’s lack of grief.

Key Themes & Motifs in Act 1

• Corruption & Decay – Denmark is metaphorically and literally rotting (“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”).

• Appearance vs. Reality – Claudius appears to be a just ruler but is a murderer; Hamlet will feign madness.

• Fate & Revenge – The ghost’s demand sets Hamlet on a tragic path.

• Misogyny & Betrayal – Hamlet resents Gertrude; Polonius controls Ophelia.

• The Supernatural – The ghost’s presence raises questions about the afterlife, truth, and deception.

Scene 1 – The Ghost Appears

• The play opens on a cold, dark night at Elsinore Castle in Denmark.

• The guards, Francisco and Bernardo, are on watch; Bernardo relieves Francisco.

• Marcellus, another guard, arrives with Horatio, a scholar and friend of Prince Hamlet.

• The guards tell Horatio about a ghost resembling the recently deceased King Hamlet, which has appeared on two prior nights.

• The ghost appears, clad in full armor, but does not speak.

• Horatio is shaken and believes the ghost is a bad omen, possibly foreshadowing trouble for Denmark.

• Horatio recalls how Julius Caesar’s assassination was preceded by supernatural events.

• The ghost vanishes as the rooster crows, a sign of morning.

• The men discuss Denmark’s political instability:

  • Young Fortinbras of Norway is planning to reclaim lands his father lost in battle to King Hamlet.

  • Denmark is preparing for possible war, increasing military activity.

• They decide to inform Prince Hamlet, thinking the ghost may speak to him.

Scene 2 – Claudius’ Speech & Hamlet’s Grief

• The scene shifts to the royal court at Elsinore.

• King Claudius gives a politically calculated speech:

  • Acknowledges his brother’s recent death while celebrating his own marriage to Queen Gertrude.

  • Claims to balance grief with duty, attempting to justify his hasty marriage.

• Claudius sends Cornelius and Voltimand as envoys to Norway to warn the King (Fortinbras’ uncle) about Fortinbras’ aggression.

• Laertes asks Claudius for permission to return to France; Claudius grants it after Polonius’ approval.

• Claudius then turns to Hamlet, chastising him for excessive mourning:

  • Calls Hamlet’s grief “unmanly,” implying it is time to move on.

  • Argues that death is natural and everyone must accept it.

  • Urges Hamlet to see him as a father and remain in Denmark rather than return to Wittenberg.

• Gertrude also pleads with Hamlet to stay and not dwell on sorrow.

• Hamlet reluctantly agrees to remain in Denmark.

• Hamlet’s First Soliloquy:

  • After the court leaves, Hamlet expresses his deep despair.

  • Wishes he could die (“O, that this too too solid flesh would melt…”).

  • Sees the world as “weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable.”

  • Angry at his mother’s hasty remarriage (“Frailty, thy name is woman!”).

  • Believes his father was a far superior king to Claudius.

  • Is disgusted that Gertrude married Claudius within a month of the funeral.

  • Feels he cannot speak out (“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.”).

• Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo arrive and tell Hamlet about the ghost.

• Hamlet is intrigued and plans to watch for the ghost himself that night.

Scene 3 – Warnings to Ophelia

• Takes place in Polonius’ house.

• Laertes prepares to leave for France and advises Ophelia about Hamlet:

  • Warns that Hamlet’s love is not to be trusted.

  • Says Hamlet, as a prince, may not be free to choose whom he marries.

  • Compares Hamlet’s affections to a fleeting flower (“A violet in the youth of primy nature”).

• Ophelia challenges Laertes, questioning whether he practices what he preaches.

• Polonius enters and gives Laertes fatherly advice:

  • Be friendly but not overly familiar (“Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.”).

  • Listen to others but speak little (“Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.”).

  • Dress well but not extravagantly (“For the apparel oft proclaims the man.”).

  • Above all, stay true to himself (“To thine own self be true.”).

• Laertes leaves for France.

• Polonius then interrogates Ophelia about Hamlet.

• Ophelia admits Hamlet has shown affection for her.

• Polonius dismisses Hamlet’s love as a passing fancy, warning her not to trust him.

• Orders Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet; she reluctantly agrees.

Scene 4 – Hamlet Meets the Ghost

• Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus wait for the ghost on the battlements.

• Hamlet criticizes Denmark’s drunken reputation:

  • Calls the custom of excessive drinking shameful.

  • Says it makes Denmark look weak to other nations.

• The ghost appears and beckons Hamlet to follow it.

• Horatio and Marcellus try to stop him, fearing it may be a demon leading him to harm.

• Hamlet insists he does not fear death (“Why, what should be the fear? I do not set my life at a pin’s fee.”).

• The ghost and Hamlet leave; Marcellus ominously declares, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

• Marcellus and Horatio decide to follow at a distance.

Scene 5 – The Ghost’s Revelation & Hamlet’s Vow

• The ghost finally speaks and reveals its identity as King Hamlet’s spirit.

• It describes its suffering in purgatory:

  • Cannot reveal details of the afterlife but suffers immensely.

  • Was murdered before receiving last rites, left in sin.

• The ghost reveals that Claudius murdered him:

  • “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.”

  • Claudius poured poison into his ear while he was sleeping in the garden.

  • His death was publicly believed to be a natural cause.

• The ghost urges Hamlet to avenge him but not harm Gertrude.

• As the ghost vanishes, Hamlet is overcome with rage:

  • Calls Gertrude a “pernicious woman.”

  • Declares that he must remember what he has learned.

  • Writes down that “one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.”

• Horatio and Marcellus find Hamlet, who is acting strangely.

• Hamlet makes them swear on his sword never to reveal what they saw.

• The ghost’s voice reinforces this oath from below the ground.

• Hamlet tells them he may act mad (“How strange or odd soe’er I bear myself… to put an antic disposition on”).

• Ends with Hamlet’s declaration: “The time is out of joint: O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right!”