Hamlet plot summary

ACT 1

scene 1 - A ghost is spotted by the guards at Elsinore castle. The guards and Horatio decide to tell Hamlet that a ghost, the image of his dead father, is haunting the castle battlements.

scene 2 - Claudius announces his marriage to the old King's wife, Gertrude, and asks Hamlet to remain at home rather than return to University. Hamlet is outraged by his mother's remarriage but his thoughts are disturbed by Horatio and the guards who come to tell him about the ghost.

scene 3 - While Hamlet has to stay behind in Elsinore, Polonius' son Laertes is given permission to go back to university in France. His father gives him advice on how to behave. Polonius' daughter Ophelia has been spending time with Hamlet. Polonius tells her to not speak to him again.

sene 4 - The ghost of Hamlet's father tells him that he was murdered by his brother Claudius while sleeping. He wants Hamlet to avenge his death. Hamlet decides to feign madness until he has completed his mission.

ACT 2

scene 1 - Polonius sends Reynaldo to France to keep an eye on his son's behaviour. Hamlet has visited Ophelia in her room with his clothes in disarray. He grabbed her wrists and stared at her. Ophelia tells her father, who is convinced that he is lovesick for her. He arranges to meet the King.

scene 2 - Gertrude asks Hamlet's schools friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to cheer up her melancholy son. The King and Ophelia's father hide and watch Hamet and Ophelia talk. Ophelia tries to return gifts Hamlet has given to her. He tells her she should go to a nunnery. Does he know they are being watched? Hamlet asks a travelling troup of players to deliver one of his favourite speeches. Once they are finished he asks them to stage The Murder of Gonzago the following night.

ACT 3

scene 1 - Hearing reports from Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Polonius of Hamlet's behaviour, Claudius thinks he should send Hamlet away. Polonius convinces him to involve Gertrude to see if she can talk sense into her son.

scene 2 - The actors perform the old King’s murder and Claudius stops the action just before the new king marries the old king's wife. Hamlet braggs to Horatio that he has exposed Claudius as a murderer. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to tell him that his mother is looking for him.

scene 3 - As Claudius kneels in prayer, Hamlet lifts his dagger to avenge his father. He is stopped by the thought that Claudius will go to heaven. Unknown to Hamlet, Claudius is finding it impossible to pray.

scene 4 - Polonius spies on Hamlet and Gertrude as Hamlet tells his mother she has married a murderer. He hears a noise and kills the unseen intruder, Polonius. The ghost of his father appears to him again. Gertrude tells Claudius that Hamlet is mad. Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find Hamlet.

scene 5 - Hamlet refuses to reveal the location of Polonius’ body. He tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that they too willingly follow the King's orders.

scene 6 - Hamlet reveals where Polonius' corpse is. Claudius tells Hamlet he is to be sent to England and secretly plans to have him killed on the journey.

ACT 4

scene 1 - With her father's death and Hamlet's departure, Ophelia starts to go mad. As she is raving to the King and Queen, Laertes arrives, seeking revenge for the death of his father.

scene 2 - Hamlet discovers the plan to kill him and manages to stop it. He returns determined to carry out his revenge.

scene 3 - Claudius hatches a plan whereby Laertes will challenge Hamlet to a duel and fight with an unblunted sword with a poisoned tip. Claudius also plans to poison Hamlet's drink, just to make sure he dies. Gertrude announces to Claudius and Laertes that Ophelia has taken her life and drowned.

ACT 5

scene 1 - As Hamlet returns to Elsinore he sees two men digging a grave. Hamlet tries to find out who the grave is for and reflects on the skulls that are being dug up. As the funeral party approaches it becomes obvious it's Ophelia's grave.

scene 2 - The fencing match begins and Hamlet wins the first two rounds. Claudius was not expecting Hamlet to fight so well and offers him the poisoned drink. Hamlet refuses the drink. Instead, Gertrude drinks to Hamlet from the poisoned cup. Hamlet gets cut by Laertes’ sword and in anger cuts him back. Gertrude dies and the Queen's death encourages Laertes to reveal Claudius' plot. Hamlet takes his revenge on Claudius. He stabs him with the poisoned sword and makes him drink the poison. Laertes, Hamlet and Claudius die, leaving Horatio to lament his loss.