Hamlet
Characters,
structure, and themes
Hamlet
Plot/subplot structure
• Main Plot – court
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Hamlet’s grief
Revenge of Old Hamlet’s death
Dealing with Fortinbras
Plots and machinations
• Subplots – Polonius family
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Ophelia and Hamlet’s love
Laertes in France
Revenge of Polonius’ death
Ophelia’s madness
Hamlet
Plot/subplot structure
• Main Plot – revenge
– Revenge of Old Hamlet’s death
– Revenge for Polonius’ death
– Fortinbras’ revenge
• Subplots
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Hamlet’s grief, thoughts of death
Hamlet’s antic disposition
Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia
Ophelia’s madness
Hamlet
Foiling
• Character foiling
– Fortinbras, Hamlet, Laertes: lost father, revenge
– Hamlet, Ophelia: madness
– Old Hamlet, Polonius, Claudius: give advice to
child(ren)
• Parallel scenes
– Act 1, scenes 2, 3, 5: Parents give advice to children
– Act 2 and Act 4: Hamlet and Ophelia’s madness
Hamlet
themes
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revenge
madness
grief
ideal king, politics
eavesdropping, spying
power of art, plays
Hamlet
issues to resolve
• Ghost
– Is it real or not?
– If it is real, is it a good ghost or an evil ghost?
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Is Hamlet really mad or feigning madness?
Does Hamlet procrastinate? If so, why?
Is Hamlet a scourge and/or minister?
How much should characters obey parents?
Whose view of revenge is right: Hamlet’s or
Laertes’?
Hamlet -- Act I
Scene 1
Horatio to speak
with Ghost
Scene 2
Claudius at Court
Hamlet’s grief
Horatio tells
Hamlet about
Ghost
Scene 4
Hamlet waiting
for Ghost
“Stamp of one defect”
Scene 3
Polonius and
Ophelia say
goodbye to
Laertes
Scene 5
Hamlet and Ghost
antic disposition
Hamlet -- Act II
Scene 1
Polonius/Reynaldo
Ophelia’s report
re/Hamlet
Scene 2
Claudius with
Ros and Gild
Polonius’s report
Hamlet and
fishmonger
Players/Pyrrhus
“The play’s the
thing”
Hamlet -- Act III
Scene 1
NUNNERY SCENE
Hamlet and Ophelia
Scene 3
PRAYER SCENE
Claudius/Hamlet
Scene 2
MOUSETRAP SCENE
Hamlet and players
Play within a play
Scene 4
CLOSET SCENE
Gertrude/Hamlet
Death of Polonius
Hamlet -- Act IV
Scene 1
Gertrude/Claudius
Scene 2
Ros and Gild
seek Hamlet
Scene 3
Claudius sends
Hamlet to England
Scene 4
Hamlet sees
Fortinbras
Scene 6
Gertrude
Ophelia’s madness
Laertes’ threat
Scene 7
Letter to Horatio
from Hamlet
Scene 8
Claudius and Laertes’
plans against Hamlet
Gertrude’s report of
Ophelia’s death
Hamlet -- Act V
Scene 1
GRAVEYARD SCENE
Gravediggers/Hamlet
Burial of Ophelia
Scene 2
FOIL SCENE
Hamlet/Horatio
Laertes’ challenge
Duel
Death of Gertrude/Claudius
Death of Laertes/Hamlet
Fortinbras