Content questions for Hamlet
Act 1, scene 1
1. Explain Horatio’s attitude towards the ghost. What does this reveal about his
character?
2. Describe recent political events in Denmark. What conflict exists?
3. What purpose do Horatio and Barnardo think the ghost has?
4. What do they plan to do and why?
Act 1, scene 2
1. What four items does the new king Claudius address in this, his first public speech?
2. Analyze Hamlet’s first soliloquy. What conclusions can be made?
3. How does Hamlet react to Horatio’s claim that he saw old Hamlet’s ghost?
Act 1, scene 3
1. What advice does Laertes give to Ophelia about Hamlet? Provide evidence.
2. What advice does Polonius give to Laertes before he departs? Why is this ironic? (you
may have to return to this question after reading ahead.)
3. Describe Ophelia and provide details to support your description.
Act 1, scene 4
1. How is Claudius behaving in this scene? How does Hamlet react to it, and why?
2. What does Hamlet mean by a “mole in nature”?
3. Why is Horatio worried when the ghost beckons Hamlet to follow him?
Act 1, scene 5
1.
2.
3.
4.
What instruction does the ghost give to Hamlet? Why? Give evidence from lines 42-90.
What instruction is made regarding Hamlet’s mother? What does the ghost imply?
How does Hamlet respond to the ghost’s instructions? What vow does he make?
What promise does he want the others to make? Why?
Some important lines for this act
“This bodes some strange eruption to our state.” (1.1.72)
“A little more than kin and less than kind.” (1.2.65)
“… I have that within which passes show,/ these but the trappings and the suits of woe”
(1.2.85-87)
“’tis an unweeded garden/that grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature/ possess it
merely.” (1.2.135-137)
“the funeral bak’d meats/did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.” (1.2.180-181)
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (1.5.90)
Act 2, scene 1
1. With what purpose does Polonius send Reynaldo to Paris? How does he want him to
carry this purpose out? What does this indicate about his character and role as a
father?
2. What strange news does Ophelia take to her father? What does Polonius intend to do
with this information? Do you think this was part of Hamlet’s plan?
Act 2, scene 2
1. (a) what does Claudius suspect in his speech to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? What
does he do to appease his suspicions? What does this reveal about his character and
role as stepfather to Hamlet?
(b) How does Gertrude respond to Claudius’ plan? What does this reveal about her
character?
2. What does Polonius propose as the reason for Hamlet’s “antic disposition” towards
Ophelia? How does he support this claim?
3. What plan does Polonius concoct to test his theory?
4. Examine the banter between Polonius and Hamlet (lines 171-215). Find examples in
which Hamlet implicitly and explicitly insults Polonius. What might he be so rude to
Polonius?
5. Provide examples of Hamlet’s clever use of language and wit in his conversation with
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
6. What allusions does Hamlet make while chatting with the actors? Why are these
allusions relevant to Hamlet’s situation?
7. How does Hamlet intend to “catch the conscience of the king”?
8. Analyze Hamlet’s second soliloquy (IB students: you may skip this question for now,
as you will be analyzing it in depth later on in the course).
Act 3, scene 1
1. Analyze Hamlet’s soliloquy (IB students: we’ll do this later on, so you may read this
quickly and move on). Consider especially the following
a. What does “to be or not to be” mean?
b. Why doesn’t Hamlet ever refer specifically to himself or his own problems in
this speech?
c. Who might be listening to the speech, and how might that affect Hamlet’s
speech?
2. Provide evidence to show that Hamlet cares for Ophelia and that he is cruel towards
her. How do you explain his ambivalence (fluctuation between contradictory
attitudes or feelings)?
3. What does Polonius suggest Gertrude do after the play?
Act 3, scene 2
1. What instruction does Hamlet give to the actors at the beginning of the scene?
2. Why does Hamlet praise Horatio? Why does Hamlet confide in him? What comments
about friendship in general does Hamlet make?
3. Give examples of Hamlet’s sarcasm in lines 110-149.
4. How does the dumb-show and The Mousetrap compare/contrast with what we know
about Old Hamlet, Gertrude, and Claudius?
5. Why does Hamlet call the play The Mousetrap?
6. What is significant about Claudius’s reaction to the play?
7. What is significant about Hamlet’s aside in line 375?
Act 3, scene 3
1. What arrangements does Claudius make for Hamlet?
2. What does Claudius reveal in his soliloquy? What does he struggle with?
3. Why does Hamlet choose to let Claudius live?
Act 3, scene 4
1. Why does Hamlet kill Polonius?
2. What does Hamlet’s response to the murder reveal about his state of mind?
3. Lines 53-88: What about Gertrude’s behavior has confused Hamlet? What does he
imply about her?
4. What is the purpose of the ghost entering at this point?
5. In what ways has Act 3 been climactic (i.e. of great intensity; a turning point or “point
of no return” for the protagonist)?
Act 4, scene 1
1. What does Claudius regret?
2. How is Hamlet responding now to his murder of Polonius?
3. What is Claudius worried about at the end?
Act 4, scene 3
1. Identify Hamlet’s comments on mortality and the great chain of being (lines 19-31).
What point is he making?
2. What has Claudius secretly planned for Hamlet?
Act 4, scene 4
1. Why is Fortinbras’ army in Denmark?
2. How valuable is the land Fortinbras intends to seize?
3. How is Hamlet’s reaction to Fortinbras similar to his reaction to the first player in act
2, scene 2?
4. What lessons does Hamlet derive from the example of Fortinbras?
Act 4, scene 5
1. Why is Ophelia “distracted” (emotionally disturbed)?
2. What might be the subtext of Ophelia’s songs? What might they suggest about her
relationship with Hamlet?
3. What have the people of Denmark been saying about Laertes?
4. Describe Laertes’ attitude when he appears.
5. Note the symbolic significance of the flowers Ophelia hands out (check the glossary).
To whom do you believe she gives each one and why?
6. What particularly bothers Laertes about his father’s death?
Act 4, scene 6
1. What do we learn about Hamlet’s journey?
Act 4, scene 7
1. What two reasons does Claudius provide for not punishing Hamlet earlier?
2. How does Laertes plan to kill Hamlet? What is Claudius’s back-up plan?
3. How does Ophelia die? What is strange about Gertrude’s report of the death?
Act 5, scene 1
1. What do the grave-diggers debate at the beginning of the scene?
2. What point is Hamlet trying to make about the “skull of a lawyer,” Yorick, and
Alexander?
3. What do the “maimed rites” of Ophelia’s funeral suggest?
Act 5, scene 2
1. What does Hamlet mean when he says “there’s a divinity shapes our ends”? (10). What
are the implications of this statement for Hamlet?
2. What does Hamlet do when he finds the death order Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
are carrying to England?
3. Honest question: why does Hamlet even bother to accept the challenge? Is doesn’t
seem to bring him any closer to his goal.
4. Explain Hamlet’s speech in lines 215-220 (“Not a whit. We defy augury…”)
5. Outline the events of the duel and how they lead to the death of Laertes, Hamlet,
Claudius, and Gertrude.
6. Why does Horatio consider drinking the “liquor” (the poison)?
Note: Hamlet nominates Fortinbras for the role of king. Denmark was an elective monarchy, in which the previous
king had to nominate the next; the citizenry would then decide whether to ratify the nominee.