Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
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Name: _____________________________________________________ Class: _______
Act One:
Scene one1.
What is Horatio’s opinion of the ghost before and after he sees it?
2.
What does the ghost look like?
3.
Explain the political unrest that takes place in Denmark at the beginning of the play.
Scene two4.
Explain Claudius’ comments to Hamlet regarding his father’s death. What advice is given?
5.
Explain Hamlet’s feelings in his soliloquy. How does he feel about his father’s death and
mother’s marriage?
Scene three6.
Compare Laertes’ advice to Ophelia with Polonius’ command to Ophelia.
Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
7.
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Explain Horatio’s fear about the ghost.
Scene five8.
What does Hamlet mean when he says he will “put on an antic disposition”?
9.
Why do you think he will do this?
Act Two:
Scene one10.
Where is Reynaldo being sent? Why?
11.
Describe the encounter between Ophelia and Hamlet.
12.
What conclusion does Polonius come to at the end of the scene?
Scene two13.
Who are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? What are they instructed to do?
14.
How does the King of Norway respond to his nephew’s plot against Denmark? What is young
Fortinbras’ new plan of action?
Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
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15.
What does Gertrude believe to be the cause of Hamlet’s “distemper”?
16.
What does Polonius believe to be the cause of Hamlet’s “distemper”?
17.
What is Polonius’ plan to find the true cause of Hamlet’s “antic disposition”?
18.
How does Hamlet treat Polonius? Describe his behavior.
19.
How does Hamlet treat Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
20.
What is Hamlet’s excuse for his behavior? What is his opinion of humanity?
21.
A group of players (actors) arrive at Elsinore. What is the significance of the speech about
Pyrrhus that Hamlet requests to hear?
22.
What two requests does Hamlet ask of the actors?
23.
Explain Hamlet’s comparison of himself to the actor.
24.
How has Hamlet’s opinion of the ghost changed? What is Hamlet’s new plan of action?
Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
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Act Three:
Scene one25.
What instructions is Ophelia given at the beginning of the scene?
26.
Copy the line where we see Claudius admit his guilt.
27.
Explain what Hamlet means by, “when we have shuffled off this mortal coil.”
28.
According to the “to be or not to be” speech, list two reasons Hamlet considers suicide.
29.
What does the king decide to do with Hamlet? What is his fear?
30.
What does Polonius plan to do?
Scene two31.
What does Hamlet instruct Horatio to do before the play?
32.
Describe Hamlet’s behavior at the play. How does he speak to his mother, uncle, Polonius, and
Ophelia?
33.
Explain why Hamlet compares himself to a musical pipe. Think about how Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern are treating him.
Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
34.
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Explain Hamlet’s feelings in his soliloquy. How is this speech different from the others?
Scene three35.
Read the king’s soliloquy. Is he sorry he killed his brother? What would he have done in order
to repent? Explain his prayer.
36.
Why won’t Hamlet kill Claudius and get revenge in this scene?
Scene four37.
What is the setting of this scene? What four characters are present?
38.
Why does the ghost appear?
39.
What does Hamlet explain to his mother about his madness?
40.
What two things does Hamlet command his mother not to do?
Act Four:
Scene one41.
What does Gertrude relate to the king? What is the king’s fear?
Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
Scene three42.
According to Hamlet, where is Polonius? Explain his lines.
43.
What does the King plan for Hamlet?
Scene four44.
Why has Fortinbras come to Denmark?
45.
Explain the comparison between Hamlet and the army of soldiers in the soliloquy.
46.
Describe Hamlet’s attitude at the end of the scene.
Scene five47.
What happened to Ophelia and why?
48.
Why is Laertes angry? What does he desire?
Scene six49.
What happens to Hamlet on his trip?
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Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
Scene seven50.
Why doesn’t Claudius execute Hamlet for the murder of Polonius?
51.
How will the king go about killing Hamlet?
52.
Review the king’s questions to Laertes. What is the nature of Claudius’ questions?
53.
Compare Laertes and Hamlet as sons.
54.
How do Laertes and Claudius plan to kill Hamlet?
55.
What happens to Ophelia?
Act Five:
Scene one56.
What are the grave diggers debating over?
57.
How does the grave digger answer Hamlet’s questions?
58.
What does the grave digger state about England?
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Boscaino-English 4A
Hamlet Study Guide Questions
59.
Describe Laertes and Hamlet’s actions at the funeral?
Scene two60.
What does Hamlet relate to Horatio?
61.
What is Hamlet’s opinion of Osric?
62.
What message does Osric bring and what is Hamlet’s response?
63.
What is Horatio’s opinion about Hamlet’s above response?
64.
Who arrives at the end of the play? What is his reaction to what he finds in Denmark?
65.
How many people die in this play? List them, and the manner in which they died.
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