Hamlet, Act One/Scene Summaries
Act 1, Scene 1:
At the castle Elsinore in Denmark, the sentries have invited Horatio to join them and talk
about a ghost which has appeared before them during the previous nights. For the sentries this is a sign of
imminent danger, perhaps indicating an attack by Fortinbras, Prince of Norway. Horatio refuses to believe
them but then the ghost suddenly appears, and he recognizes it as the King of Denmark, who has recently died.
It says nothing and disappears almost immediately. It reappears shortly afterwards and seems on the
point of speaking when the crowing of a cock, signaling dawn, obliges it to disappear. Horatio decides to warn
Prince Hamlet.
Act 1, Scene 2: In his castle Claudius is addressing his Council and refers to his accession to the throne, the
death of Hamlet’s father, his own marriage to Gertrude, the widowed queen, and announces that he has written
to the old king of Norway, charging him with the task of reining in the ambitions of his nephew, Fortinbras,
who wants to reclaim land lost by his father to Hamlet's father. He then speaks to
Laertes, the son of his advisor, Polonius, giving him permission to return to Paris. Turning to Hamlet he
questions him as to the source of his melancholy, urging him to put an end to his sadness, which he deems
excessive, and asks him not to return to the University of Wittenberg. The queen adds her own pleas to those of
the king and Hamlet promises to do his best to follow their wishes.
After the departure of the king and his court Hamlet, alone, gives vent to his sadness and expresses his
disgust at his mother remarrying a month after the death of his father (First soliloquy: "O that this too too
sullied flesh . . . " ) Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo arrive. Horatio breaks the news of the ghost’s appearances
and Hamlet decides to keep watch with them that evening and to speak to the ghost. For the first time, Hamlet
wonders about the circumstances of his father’s death and suspects a crime.
Act 1, Scene 3: Laertes is preparing to leave for France. He warns his sister Ophelia against Hamlet’s
declarations of love as, even if they are genuine, he is a prince and may not be able to marry whom he chooses.
Polonius arrives and showers Laertes with advice before telling Ophelia to avoid Hamlet. Ophelia promises to
obey him.
Act 1, Scene 4: Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus are waiting for the ghost on the battlements. On hearing the
sounds of merriment from the feast arranged by the new king Hamlet comments on the reputation for
drunkenness acquired by the Danes, a tendency which in a people or an individual can often be ruinous: ‘The
dram of evil/ Doth all the noble substance often doubt/ To his own scandal’. The ghost appears and Hamlet
implores it to speak. The ghost makes a sign that Hamlet should follow it and he does, against the advice of his
companions.
Act 1, Scene 5: The ghost declares itself to be the spirit of Hamlet’s father, returned to earth to spur him to
wreak vengeance. He tells Hamlet he was murdered by his uncle Claudius who, taking advantage of his being
asleep, poured poison into his ears. Having achieved his dark mission Claudius persuaded everybody that the
king had been bitten by a snake. Hamlet’s father was killed before he had an opportunity to confess his sins,
and is thus condemned to wander in Purgatory. He orders Hamlet to kill the murderous and incestuous brother
but not to harm his mother who will, in any case, be subjected to remorse by her conscience. The ghost
disappears.
Horatio and Marcellus arrive. Hamlet feigns a light-hearted mood and makes them swear three times to say
nothing concerning the ghost. Each time the ghost, from now on invisible, cries ‘Swear!’ They finally swear to
reveal nothing, even though Hamlet warns them that his subsequent behavior may seem unusual or eccentric at
times.
Hamlet, Act Two/Scene Summaries
Act 2, Scene 1:
Polonius suspects that his son Laertes is living an immoral lifestyle and sends an
envoy, Reynaldo, to Paris in order to spy on him. Ophelia arrives, bewildered by
Hamlet’s recent behavior. He came to her, pale and shaking, his clothing in disarray,
and did nothing but hold her by the arms and stare at her for a long time, without
saying a word. Polonius is sure that Hamlet’s behavior is due to Ophelia’s coldness
towards him, and decides to speak of it to the king.
Act 2, Scene 2:
Claudius asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, childhood friends of Hamlet, to
sound him out as to the reasons for the strange changes in his behavior. Polonius enters
and announces the return from Norway of the ambassadors, with the news that the
King of Norway has persuaded Fortinbras to invade Poland instead of Denmark. He
also states his belief that the cause of Hamlet’s madness is unrequited love, Ophelia
having spurned his advances. This reason scarcely persuades the king and queen. The
queen thinks it is her hasty marriage which has caused her son to lose his mind.
Hamlet enters feigning madness, which allows him to mock and deride the
remarks made by Polonius, who leaves. Hamlet soon discovers that Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern have been sent by the king to spy on him and the conversation turns
instead to the arrival of a troupe of actor comedians, to theatre and to the fact that
principal roles are more and more often played by children and adolescents. Hamlet
welcomes the comedians and they recite lines concerning the death of King Priam of
Troy and the grief borne by his wife, Hecuba. Polonius leads the actors away. The
principal actor remains with Hamlet, who asks him to perform The Murder of Gonzago
before the court and to add a few lines Hamlet himself is to write.
Left alone Hamlet marvels at the suggestive power of the theatre and agonizes
over his inactivity. He decides to stage the murder of his father by his uncle, and to
observe the latter’s reactions to the play, before unmasking him and avenging his father.
(Second soliloquy: "O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I.")
Hamlet, Act Three/Scene Summaries
Act 3, Scene 1:
In the hope of discovering the reasons for Hamlet’s distress, the king and queen decide to
engineer a meeting between him and Ophelia. Polonius asks her to pretend to be alone whilst he and
the king hide behind a tapestry. Hamlet enters and declaims his famous monologue, ‘To be or not to
be’, up until the moment he notices Ophelia. He denies any love for her and advises her not to marry
and to enter a convent instead. Claudius now starts to believe that Hamlet’s madness is not due to
unrequited love and suspects that he might pose a threat to his crown. He decides to get him out of the
way by sending him to England. Polonius suggests one final attempt at discovering the reasons for
Hamlet’s behavior by arranging a meeting with his mother, Gertrude.
Act 3, Scene 2:
Having given his instructions to the actors, Hamlet asks Horatio to observe the reactions of
the king during the performance. The king, queen and their court attend the performance. Hamlet, his
head on Ophelia’s knees, prepares to make comments to her about the play, which is preceded by a
mimed summary of the action, followed by some words addressed to the public by a character called
‘Prologue’. The spoken play itself begins, stressing the themes of treason, murder and incest. At the
moment Lucianus pours poison into the ear of the king Claudius rises and leaves the hall in anger,
even though Hamlet had forewarned him that the play would deal with the murder of Duke Gonzago
in Vienna.
Hamlet now believes he has received conformation that his father was murdered. The king
sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, then Polonius, to convey his mother’s wish that they speak with
each other. Hamlet declares his intention to wreak vengeance on the king but
decides not to take it out on his mother other than in words.
Act 3, Scene 3:
Claudius charges Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with escorting Hamlet to England. Polonius
goes to spy on Hamlet’s meeting with the queen. Left alone, the king experiences remorse for his
actions, and gets down on his knees to pray and ask for forgiveness for his sins. Hamlet enters and
could easily kill the king, but refuses the opportunity as the king would go to heaven if killed whilst
praying.
Act 3, Scene 4:
Polonius, hidden behind a hanging curtain, overhears the conversation between Gertrude and
Hamlet. Hamlet’s wild behavior and manner so frighten the queen that she cries out for assistance.
When Polonius makes a move, betraying his presence, Hamlet kills him, believing him to be the king.
He then admonishes the queen for her unworthy behavior and loss of virtue. The ghost of the dead king
arrives and urges Hamlet to seek vengeance against the king but not to add to the suffering of his
mother.
Hamlet asks his mother to stop sharing Claudius’ bed, then shifts slightly and suggests she
meet and inform him of what has happened. He leaves the room, dragging behind him the dead body of
Polonius.
Hamlet, Act Four/Scene Summaries
Act 4, Scene 1:
Gertrude is now convinced that her son is in the grip of madness, and informs the king of the death of
Polonius. The king realizes that he probably was Hamlet’s target and tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to
leave immediately for England with Hamlet.
Act 4, Scene 2:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern try to discover where Hamlet has hidden Polonius’ body. Hamlet mocks
them and refuses to answer. Nevertheless he agrees to meet the king.
Act 4, Scene 3:
Hamlet refuses to answer the king’s questions but pretends to be happy to go into exile. Left alone,
Claudius reveals that he has ordered that Hamlet be executed on his arrival in England.
Act 4, Scene 4:
Before leaving for England, Hamlet meets Fortinbras, who is crossing Denmark to battle for barren
lands. Musing on the futility of this action, considering what is at stake, Hamlet, who has to avenge the death
of his father and his mother’s dishonoring, reproaches his own inactivity. (Fourth soliloquy: "How all occasions
do inform against me.")
Act 4, Scene 5:
Ophelia arrives, driven mad by the death of her father and the loss of Hamlet. The queen tries to
reason with her, but she says nothing, contenting herself with singing lovers’ laments.
Laertes arrives from France demanding to learn the truth about the circumstances of his father’s death
and why he didn’t receive a state funeral. Just at the moment the king is preparing to explain, Ophelia enters
the room. Realizing what has befallen his sister, Laertes promises to punish those responsible for his father’s
death.
Act 4, Scene 6:
Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet in which he describes how his ship had been attacked by pirates,
who spared him after receiving assurance that they would be received by the king of Denmark. Hamlet informs
Horatio that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are still on their way to England.
Act 4, Scene 7:
Claudius holds Hamlet responsible for the death of Polonius and Ophelia’s madness, and tells Laertes
the reasons which pushed him to spare Hamlet; apart from the affection of his mother, Hamlet has the support
of the people. A messenger arrives and announces Hamlet’s return. The king considers stratagems and suggests
that Laertes provoke his nephew into a duel.
Laertes accepts the king’s proposition and announces his intention to coat the end of his sword with a
deadly poison. In addition the king will offer Hamlet a poisoned goblet during the duel. The queen enters and
announces the death of Ophelia, who has drowned herself.
Hamlet, Act Five/Scene Summaries
Act 5, Scene 1:
Hamlet and Horatio come across two gravediggers preparing Ophelia’s tomb.
Hamlet talks to them concerning the nature of life and death. Examining skulls
uncovered by the gravediggers he is saddened to find that of Yorick, the fool who so
amused him in his childhood.
The funeral cortege arrives. Laertes curses whom he considers the assassin of his
sister and jumps into the grave. Hamlet joins him there and they fight. They are
separated and before leaving Hamlet shouts of his love for Ophelia.
Act 5, Scene 2:
Hamlet tells Horatio how he was able to substitute for a letter from the king
asking the English authorities to execute him another demanding the execution of
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the bearers of the message. Next he tries to effect a
reconciliation with Laertes and offers him apologies for having wronged him. Osric, a
courtier, enters to ensure that Hamlet takes part in the duel. Laertes had seemed ready
to accept Hamlet’s friendship but now insists that they fight each other; Hamlet
accepts the challenge and the duel begins. After the first exchanges and parries the king
offers the poisoned goblet to Hamlet, who puts it aside. Hamlet carries the opening
exchanges and the queen drinks to his health from the poisoned goblet. In the following
chaos both duellists are wounded by the poisoned sword, the queen dies and Laertes
reveals the plot concocted by himself and the king. Hamlet throws himself on the king
and stabs him with the poisoned sword before finishing him by forcing him to drink
from the deadly goblet. Laertes dies after a reconciliation with Hamlet. Horatio also
wants to drink from the goblet but Hamlet dissuades him, charging him with telling the
story of the tragedy. At that moment Fortinbras arrives from Poland and Hamlet
expresses his wish that the prince of Norway should rule Denmark. He dies in his turn.
The ambassadors arrive and announce the execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Fortinbras orders that Hamlet be given funeral honors.