Shakespeare
Hamlet (1600-01)
M. D’Antonio
Study Guide
Motifs or recurring themes to look for as you read Hamlet:
- decay and corruption: the “unweeded garden”;
“Something is rotten…”
- appearance and reality, “seems” vs. “is”
- thought vs. action
- poison, both literal and figurative
- prostitution
- people caught in their own traps: “hoist with his own
petard”
- revenge (particularly of a son for his father)
- putting on an act: “the play’s the thing”
Act I: Exposition (characters are introduced, motivation, actions set in motion)
Note particularly the introduction of the themes of fathers and children and of appearance and reality.
These themes will recur frequently and with different images and metaphors to set them forth. Look also
for the two views of the nature of man.
Scene One
Scene Two
Scene Three
Scene Four
A guard platform. Note how the guards in their exchanges establish the time and place of the
scene. What are they? What does the ghost look like? How is he dressed? How does Horatio
interpret the appearance of the ghost? Marcellus gives some background. Why are there
military preparations underway? Note the theme of father and son introduced here. How
does young Fortinbras react to his father’s defeat and death? Which what plan does the scene
conclude? What is the theory about ghosts expounded by Marcellus?
This is a formal scene in which Claudius, the new king, is holding court. Visually it reveals
the conflict between Claudius and the young Hamlet. Everyone is lavishly and colorfully
dressed; Hamlet is clothed in black. Note the paradoxes in the opening speech of Claudius.
Claudius takes care of several items of business. On what business does he send Voltemand
and Cornelius? How does he answer the request made by Laertes? Note that Hamlet’s first
speech is an aside. How is that significant? What does it mean and to what does it refer? Be
able to explain what Hamlet means when he angrily says, “Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know
not ‘seems.’” What is Claudius reaction to Hamlet’s mourning? What is the tone of Hamlet’s
first soliloquy? How does Hamlet feel and why? How does he feel about Claudius? Gertrude?
What is Hamlet’s mood as he questions Horatio? What is his interpretation of the
appearance of the ghost?
Laertes takes leave of his father, Polonius, an advisor to Claudius, and to his sister, Ophelia.
How does Laertes interpret the attention that Hamlet has been paying to Ophelia? Polonius
advises his son. What is the nature of his advice? Polonius also advises Ophelia about Hamlet.
What is the tenor of his remarks? What image does Polonius use in interpreting Hamlet’s
vow of love? This image becomes sadly ironic later on in the play. Ophelia is very young.
What are her father and brother teaching her? Look for future evidence to indicate whether
or not they are right.
On the guard platform: Hamlet criticizes the Danes for drunkenness.
His comment relates to the notion of tragedy. What is Hamlet’s
theory? What does it say about him? The ghost appears. Think about
the tone of the scene, Hamlet’s response, and that of his companions.
Scene Five
What is the message that the ghost gives Hamlet? What is Hamlet’s response to the news of
the murder? How does Hamlet Senior compare himself to Claudius? Of what does he accuse
Queen Gertrude? The ghost cites a further result of his murder. Note the ghost’s instructions
regarding Hamlet’s mother. What has Hamlet learned about appearance and reality? At a
point in his conversation with Marcellus and Horatio, Hamlet changes his mind. Can you
find the lines? What do you think Hamlet means by the lines, “There are more things in
heaven and earth, Horatio / Than are dreamed of in your philosophy”? What is Hamlet’s plan
and how does this plan relate to the appearance/reality theme set forth in Act I?
Act II: Rising action (complication)
Scene One
Scene Two
What are Polonius’ instructions to Reynaldo? What are you learning about the older
generation through him? How does this scene make you feel about Laertes? Polonius? Ophelia
enters very upset. What does she describe to her father? How does Polonius interpret the
event and how does he respond? Are there any further interpretations of Hamlet’s behavior?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are received by Claudius. Who are they and what does
Claudius want from them? Watch for parallels. How does this scene compare to that with
Polonius and Reynaldo? Claudius receives ambassadors he had sent to Norway. What have
they accomplished? What sort of king does Claudius seem to be so far? Polonius presents to
Claudius his theory about Hamlet’s “madness.” What do you think of the evidence that he
presents? What is Polonius’ plan to test out his theory? Hamlet enters in his “mad” attire and
acting appropriately. How does Hamlet treat Polonius? If you were feigning madness, might
you take the opportunity to treat some people more honestly than manners permit? Do you
think Hamlet is mad in this scene?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern greet Hamlet. He is pleased to see them but quickly suspects
they were sent for. Find the lines where he realizes they were sent for. How do you imagine
he feels at this realization? Note Hamlet’s summation of the Renaissance conception of man.
Have you noticed Hamlet’s tendency to generalize? In this case his generalization stems from
his education as a Renaissance prince. What is happening to his idealistic view of the world?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern inform Hamlet that they have encountered a company of
traveling actors. There follows an allusion to a real event, the formation of a children’s acting
company in London in the late 1590’s. They were popular and gave other companies some
competition. Hamlet greets the players with his usual courtesy and good manners. He
requests a speech from them – a speech from the Aeneid describing the fall of Troy, the murder
of King Priam, and the reaction of his wife, Hecuba. Why do you suppose he chose that
particular speech? The player gets carried away with the subject of the speech.
Hamlet picks up this action in his soliloquy and that closes the act. What contrast does he
draw between the player and himself? Is this a fair assessment of Hamlet’s conduct so far?
Why or why not? Read this soliloquy carefully. Is Hamlet carrying out his father’s
instructions? Is so, how? If not, why not? The soliloquy concludes (as did Act I) with Hamlet
creating a plan. Does his plan help you to determine if he is following out his father’s wishes?
We come again to the tragic issue of the inscrutability and complexity of the world which the
tragic hero inhabits. Is there any possibility that the ghost (like the witches in Macbeth) is
evil?
Act III: Climax (action continues to complicate until the turning point occurs)
Scene One
Claudius hears from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about Hamlet. Does Claudius learn of
Hamlet’s suspicions? Ophelia is used as bait to enable Polonius and Claudius to examine
Hamlet’s “madness.” What is Polonius’ hope? Ophelia’s? The Queen’s? Claudius delivers an
aside. What does this reveal to the audience? Hamlet enters and delivers a third soliloquy.
Note how its subject and Hamlet’s thoughts serve to contrast his character with that of
Macbeth. It also reveals that he is aware of his delay in executing his father’s wishes. How
does Hamlet treat Ophelia? Why do you think he speaks to her in this way? Look for
examples of the appearance/reality theme here. The notion is beginning to obsess Hamlet. Pay
close attention to Ophelia’s speech at the close of the scene. It is a statement of the Hamlet
that was – a description of a Renaissance prince. What is Claudius’ reaction to the scene?
Ophelia’s? Polonius has a plan to follow up this scene. Note it; it will become tragically
significant. Do you agree not with Marcellus that “Something is rotten in the state of
Denmark”?
Scene Two
This is the play-within-the-play. Hamlet addresses the
players in a famous speech, requesting them to be
natural and unaffected in their acting, a reminder that
Shakespeare was an actor as well as a playwright.
Before the play begins, Hamlet assumes his “antic
disposition” again and both baits Polonius and insults
Ophelia. Again the subject is the same – sex and
woman’s inconstancy. Read the play scene carefully to see the point at which Claudius
interrupts. At this point, what irreversible event has occurred? From now to the conclusion of
Act III, Hamlet is extremely distraught. He has achieved the information he sought through
the players. What does he do now? What is the content and purpose of the interchange with
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
The king now knows that Hamlet knows. He acts, sending Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
with Hamlet to England. Polonius again begins to spy. Claudius delivers a revealing soliloquy.
What do we learn from it? Hamlet enters behind him and makes a crucial and irrevocable
error. Why does he hold back here? The scene ends in tragic irony. Note Claudius’ last two
lines and their relation to Hamlet’s thoughts just preceding them.
The son finally confronts his mother. Remember the ghost’s instructions to Hamlet about
how he should treat her. In the heat of the moment here, Hamlet does act, again irrevocably.
How does this act change the dramatic situation tragically? At what point in the scene does
Hamlet violate the ghost’s admonition regarding his mother? What happens? How does
Gertrude interpret the event? Do you find anything unnatural about this scene? Think about
Elizabethan notions of order and disorder. The scene ends with a reiteration of Hamlet’s trip
to England and a statement that he knows not to trust his companions. What image does he
use to describe them? How has the balance been tipped by the conclusion of Act III? Who has
the initiative now?
Scene Three
Scene Four
Act IV: Descending action (beginning of resolution)
Scene One
Scenes Two
and Three
Claudius and Gertrude discuss Hamlet’s murder of Polonius. What does Claudius fear? Is he
right?
How does Hamlet respond to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? What are his tone and attitude
toward them? These scenes contain some (needed) comic relief. But notice the serious subject
and bitter tone of the humor. In Scene 3, Claudius explains why he must be circumspect in
Scene Four
Scene Five
Scene Six
Scene Seven
his dealings with Hamlet. What do we learn of Hamlet’s public reputation? Might this be
important in our final estimation of him? However, in what circumstances is Hamlet when
we next see him? Hamlet, the bitter and witty philosopher, speculates on the ironies of death.
Which creature figures in his ironic jests? Claudius, having planned Hamlet’s death in
England, describes Hamlet as “the hectic in his blood.” Have you seen any evidence of further
references to health? What is the relation of the king to the nation’s health?
The paths of Fortinbras and Hamlet cross. If we may already have drawn some parallels and
contrasts between the two young princes, note them here. How is Fortinbras’ situation like
Hamlet’s? How are his actions unlike Hamlet’s? Hamlet himself draws these parallels. Read
his soliloquy, “How all occasions do inform against met…” Note how Hamlet again turns his
thoughts to the nature of man, questioning what reason it is that has caused his delay.
Ophelia, rejected by Hamlet, confused by her father’s and Claudius’ use of her, and finally,
distraught by her father’s death, has gone insane. And Laertes has retuned home, seeking
revenge for his father’s death. Does Laertes situation parallel that of anyone else in the play?
How? Note Ophelia’s songs. Are they appropriate to the young maiden we met earlier? What
do they show to us? Think about the deeper significance of the various flowers.
What is the significance of this brief scene?
Note Claudius’ arguments to Laertes to turn his anger to
Claudius’ own purposes. What sort of character does
Laertes reveal? Explain the three ways Claudius and
Laertes devise to insure Hamlet’s death. Two of them
involve poison. Ophelia is dead. Does she deserve her fate?
Why or why not? How responsible is she for her death?
Act V: Denouement (all is resolved)
Scene One
Scene Two
The two clowns (gravediggers) again supply comic relief, but again notice that the “relief”
concerns death. Find and mark plays on words. Look for examples of the theme that death is
inevitable. Might these examples suggest a change in Hamlet’s thinking? Do you believe
Hamlet’s statement that he loved Ophelia? Why or why not? Notice the King’s final speech.
What other meanings does it have?
Why has Hamlet stopped acting insanely? How does he now feel about ( a) killing, (b)
Laertes, (c) his own death? Note the places where he shows his true feelings; think about
why he has changed his mind. What do you think is the purpose of the scene with Osric? At
the end of the play, four people lie dead on the stage. Is there any way that any of these deaths
might have been prevented? What poison(s) has/have killed each of the characters? Why
doesn’t Hamlet want Horatio to die along with him? Fortinbras will become King of
Denmark. He declares that Hamlet should have a soldier’s funeral. Is this funeral appropriate
for Hamlet who, as we have seen him, has been more the man of thought than the man of
action? Why? Laertes says, “The King’s to blame.” Is he correct? In what ways? What do you
think is Hamlet’s tragic flaw? Be prepared to substantiate your opinion. How does it
contribute to his-and to others’ downfall(s)? Is his flaw his greatness as well? Or does it
balance out with positive traits? Bradley finds that the experience of Shakespearean tragedy
produces feelings of pity, fear, and a sense of waste. Does your experience with Hamlet
produce these feelings for you? Why or why not?