Hamlet – Shakespeare
A Revenge Tragedy
Act 1 Scene 2 revision questions:
1.
In Claudius’s speech in the beginning of Act 1, scene 2, what
does it mean when he says: “Though yet of Hamlet our dear
brother’s death the memory be green.”
2.
What is young Fortinbras after and why?
3.
What does Gertrude mean when she says: “Good Hamlet, cast
thy nighted colour off, and let thine eye look like a friend on
Denmark...all that lives must die...”
4.
Sum up in just a few lines what Claudius tells Hamlet on page
19-20
5.
Read Hamlet’s soliloquy. What is Hamlet contemplating? What
do the concluding lines of the soliloquy say about his
character?
Act 1 scene 3 revision questions:
1.
Laertes tells Ophelia: “For Hamlet, and trifling of his
favour, hold it a fashion...not permanent, sweet, not
lasting” what does this mean-what is Laertes telling
Ophelia?
2. Laertes goes on to say to Ophelia, “...but you must fear,
his greatness weighed, his will is not his own.” Why is
Hamlet’s will “not his own”? What does Laertes mean?
3. List the advice (in modern English) that Polonius imparts
to Laertes before he returns to school in France.
4. Tell the kind of relationship that Ophelia says she has
with Hamlet.
Act 1 scene 4 revision questions:
1. What does Claudius do some nights that
seems to bother Hamlet? Why?
2. Horatio says “What if it tempt you
toward the flood, my lord...and draw you
into madness?” what is Horatio worried
about?
3. What is Marcellus’s most famous line in
the play?
Act 1 scene 5:
• After Hamlet has talked to the ghost, he says: "As
I perchance hereafter shall think meet, To put an
antic disposition on" (1.5. 179-180). This quote is
very important because Hamlet reveals that from
now on, he will have an "antic deposition" on. When
his friends see him he will be acting crazy but will
actually be pretending. The antic disposition is part
of Hamlets brilliant plan to see if Claudius did kill
his father, and take revenge. Hamlet is very smart,
because for someone who just recently lost his
father, acting crazy, or a bit "off" would seem
normal, and no one will think he is actually preparing
to take vengeance on the king
Hamlet’s Soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 2
• Find the quotations in
Hamlet’s soliloquy that mean
the following:
• He thinks of life as foul and
tedious
• He thinks of his father’s
powerful love for his mother
• He remembers how
passionately his mother loved
his father
• He is disgusted by his mother’s
speedy marriage to the
inferior Claudius so shortly
after his father’s death
• He condemns the marriage
but vows silence
• He remembers his father as
infinitely superior to Claudius
• He wishes to die, but the law
of god forbids suicide