Act I

scene 1

1. Whose ghost appears in scene 1?

2. The late King Hamlet (Prince Hamlet's father) killed King Fortinbras of Norway in a battle over land, some time ago. What is young Fortinbras (the son), now planning? (see lines beginning w/ Horatio: "As thou art to thyself...")

3. Who is there to try to speak to the ghost? Does he succeed? What happens?

scene 2

4. Read carefully King Claudius' speech at the beginning of scene 2. Does he seem grieved by his brother's (King Hamlet's) death? How can you tell? What is "odd" about the line, "our sometime sister, now our queen"?

[Note: Claudius was elected King by the other Danish nobility, after King Hamlet's death. Thus, he and Gertrude would have had equal claim to the throne anyway ("jointress to this warlike state"), even without marriage.]

5. What does Hamlet mean by "A little more than kin, and less than kind"?

6. In her lines beginning, "Good Hamlet, cast off . . .," what counsel does Gertrude give to Hamlet?

7. What is his reply? ("Seems, madam? . . .")

8. In the lines beginning "Tis sweet and commendable . . .," Claudius calls Hamlet's show of grief "unmanly." Do you agree with Claudius or not? Is Hamlet's reaction improper or unreasonable because it comes from a man, or is it unreasonable for anyone to act as Hamlet is acting? Remember that his father has been dead less than two months, and think of what has happened in the family since the death.

9. How does Claudius want Hamlet to think of him?

10. In the soliloquy beginning, "Oh that this too solid flesh . . ., " Hamlet contemplates suicide. What stops him from killing himself? What does this tell us about his character?

11. In this same soliloquy, Hamlet describes his mother's actions (". . . But two months dead . . .").

What does he say here about her feelings/actions towards his father when he was alive? For what reason, does he imply, did she marry Claudius?

12. What does Hamlet say here about women in general? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

13. How does Hamlet feel in the last line of this speech, before Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo enter?

When have you felt this way yourself?

14. What do Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo come to tell Hamlet ? What is Hamlet's reaction?

scene 3

1. With whom is Ophelia in love?

2. Laertes is off to France. Before he goes, he gives some brotherly advice to Ophelia. What does he say (in your own words)?

3. Before Polonius enters, what does Ophelia tell Laertes to be sure he doesn't do?

4. Laertes is still packing. Polonius comes in and gives him some fatherly advice ("Yet here, Laertes?. . .").

In your own words, recap Polonius' counsel.

5. Poor Ophelia is getting it from all sides. After Laertes finally gets off to France, what advice does Polonius give to Ophelia?

What does Polonius' opinion of Hamlet seem to be? Do you think he is a good judge of character in this case? Why?

scenes 4 + 5

6. What does Hamlet think Claudius is doing to Denmark's reputation? How is he doing it?

7. What happens between the ghost and Hamlet?

8. What does the Ghost demand Hamlet do? (sc. 5, around line 30)

9. How does everyone think King Hamlet died? (Ghost: "I find thee apt. . .")

10. Who really was "the serpent that did sting thy father's life"?

11. How was the murder accomplished?

12. What issue does the Ghost have with Gertrude (it's NOT murder)? Does he want Hamlet to punish her?

13. Look at Hamlet's soliloquy after the Ghost's exit. Does Hamlet seem to have a problem with his mother's actions? Which line indicates this?

14. What is Hamlet's plan of action? ("And therefore as a stranger give it welcome . . .")

Whom does he tell about the plan? What do they have to agree not to do? Do they know about the murder?

15. How does Hamlet feel about having to follow the Ghost's instructions?

Act II

scene 1

1. What does Polonius want Reynaldo to find out about Laertes in Paris?

How will he go about gaining this information?

2. When Ophelia enters, what does she tell her father? Describe how Hamlet has been acting. Do you think this is for real, or is it just part of his plot for revenge against Claudius?

3. What does Polonius think is the reason for Hamlet's behavior? How does his opinion of Hamlet seem to have changed by now (end of sc.1)?

scene 2

4. What does Gertrude think is the cause of Hamlet's actions? ("I doubt it is no other ...")

5. How did Fortinbras' uncle stop him? What does Norway want now from Denmark? (Voltemand: "Most fair return of greetings...")

6. According to Polonius, what is the cause of Hamlet's "insanity"?

7. How do Claudius, Gertrude, and Polonius plan to determine if Polonius' theory is correct?

8. While speaking to Hamlet, Polonius has several asides. What does he say in them about Hamlet's madness?

9. When speaking with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, what does Hamlet say about Denmark? Why do you suppose he feels this way? What do R & G think is the reason?

What does Hamlet say about men and women?

10. Who sent for R & G? Why?

11. Who will be providing entertainment soon?

12. Look at Hamlet's soliloquy beginning "Now I am alone." [A fitting start for a soliloquy, no?]

What does he think about his own character at this point?

13. What will be the plot of the play that Hamlet has requested? What does he hope to accomplish ?

Act III

scene 1

1. In Hamlet's soliloquy from, "To be or not to be ...," to "to die --", what are the first two options that he considers? Specifically, what two courses must he himself choose between in his own life right now?

2. From "to die --" to the end of the soliloquy, Hamlet considers suicide. Where before in the play has he considered this? How can we tell that he's more serious about it here? What stops Hamlet from going through with it this time (see line 86 especially)?

3. Hamlet says "conscience does make cowards of us all." In other words, we think too much and don't DO anything. Do you agree? Why or why not?

What do you think would be the most cowardly thing for Hamlet to do now? What would be the least cowardly? Explain!

4. Hamlet treats Ophelia pretty badly. What are his reasons for doing so -- in terms of what Ophelia has done to him and how Hamlet looks at women in general because of his mother's actions?

5. In the lines beginning "Oh what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!...," -- which basically means, "Hamlet's gone NUTS, NUTS, NUTS!" -- how does Ophelia feel during and after witnessing Hamlet's behavior? Is it herself or Hamlet that she is most concerned about? How do we know?

6. Where does Claudius want to send Hamlet? Why? What did he think of the scene between Ophelia and Hamlet?

scene 2

7. Before the play-within-a-play, Hamlet enlists Horatio's help in watching for Claudius' reaction for signs of guilt. In Hamlet's lines beginning, "Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man ...," and for the next twenty lines, what is Hamlet in essence telling Horatio?

Why might he have chosen this particular time to say all this? (It isn't because he wants a favor from Horatio, which Horatio would have done anyway.) Think of what could happen to Hamlet if Claudius realizes that Hamlet suspects the truth about the murder.

How does Horatio react to Hamlet's words?

Why do you suppose Hamlet said, "Something too much of this," and then abruptly changed the subject?

8. How does this scene relate thematically to the earlier advice that a person should take "Those friends thou hast, and… grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel"?

How does all of this form a contrast with the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia?

9. What does Hamlet tell Horatio about the play? What should Horatio do? What information will Hamlet gain about Claudius? About the Ghost? About his mother?

10. Before the show begins, how does Hamlet act with Ophelia?

11. Does Claudius react to the play?

12. How does Hamlet regard Rosencrantz and Guildenstern now? Why does he feel this way?

13. What is Hamlet planning in his soliloquy at the end of scene 2?

scene 3

14. What does Claudius try to do in this scene?

15. Why doesn't Hamlet take this opportunity to kill Claudius?

scene 4

16. What subject does Hamlet take up with his mother at the beginning of the scene?

17. Who is killed? How? Why?

18. Does Gertrude admit that she knows she did wrong in marrying Claudius?

19. What does Gertrude think when Hamlet starts talking to the ghost? Why does she think this?

20. What does the ghost tell Hamlet?

21. What does Hamlet demand his mother do (or not do) from now on?

What does he make her promise not to speak of?

Act IV

scenes 1 + 2

1. What does Claudius tell Gertrude he is going to do about Hamlet's madness and murder of Polonius?

How does he pretend to feel about Hamlet here?

2. What does Hamlet say about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and the King? ("Ay, sir, that soaks up ...")

scene 3

3. According to Claudius, why can't he have Hamlet arrested?

4. What is Claudius really planning for Hamlet in England?

scene 4

5. What does seeing Fortinbras make Hamlet think about? What does he resolve at the end of the scene?

scene 5

6. What has happened to Ophelia?

7. Why does Horatio want Gertrude to speak with Ophelia?

8. Look at Ophelia's song, beginning with "Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day ..."

What is she imagining happened between her and Hamlet? How does this relate back to the advice/instructions given to her earlier in the play by Laertes and Polonius? What are the two reasons

for her insanity? What fact does she not know because it has been kept secret?

9. Who is to blame for Ophelia's condition? Is it Hamlet? Laertes and/or Polonius? Gertrude? Claudius? Ophelia herself? Explain.

10. What does Claudius charge Horatio to do? Why?

11. Where is Laertes now? Why? What's he trying to do? Whom does he at first think killed his father?

How does Laertes in this scene form a contrast with Hamlet?

12. How does Ophelia act in sc. 5?

13. What happened to Hamlet on his way to England?

14. What are Claudius and Laertes planning to get rid of Hamlet?

What is Laertes' motivation for participating in this?

15. Why does Laertes have even more motivation by the end of Act IV?

16. What, exactly, finally happened to Ophelia (as the Queen describes it)?

Act V

scene 1

1. What kind of burial is Ophelia being given?

Why is it not more elaborate?

Why is it not less elaborate?

(See, "Will you ha' the truth on't" and the lines later on after King, Queen & Laertes enter.)

2. Who comes upon the Clown as he is digging the grave?

Does the Clown know to whom he is speaking?

3. What is Hamlet's speech about Yorick meant to show? ("Let me see. Alas, poor Yorick...")

4. What does Laertes mean by crying out "What ceremony else?" at the funeral?

What does the priest reply?

5. What does Hamlet realize when Laertes says, "A ministering angel shall my sister be"?

6. In his grief, what does Laertes suddenly do?

7. What does Hamlet then do?

8. What do Hamlet and Laertes do in the grave?

9. Both Hamlet and Laertes claim to love Ophelia very much. Does this really seem to be true? If it is, why did each not do the best things for her while she was alive?

10. In the lines beginning, "'Swounds, show me what thou't do...," what "competition," so to speak, is Hamlet holding with Laertes? How must Hamlet feel at this point? In what way might his present feelings be similar to those of Ophelia when she saw Hamlet act insane?

scene 2

1. What is meant by, "There's a divinity that shapes our ends, / Rough hew them how we will"?

Do you believe that this is true?

2. What had Hamlet taken from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Hence, what did he discover?

3. What does Hamlet do about R & G?

4. About what is Hamlet sorry? ("It will be short...")? Why was he angry with Laertes? What will Hamlet do now and how is this dangerous, considering what Laertes and Claudius are planning?

5. What is Osric's role? What is his manner like when he and Hamlet discuss the weather?

6. Look at the conversation Hamlet and Horatio have in sc. 2, beginning with: Hamlet:"I do not think so..."

and ending when the King, et.al., come in. How does Hamlet feel about the fencing match, even though he's been practicing and feels he'll win? Because of this, what advice does Haratio give him?

What is Hamlet's reply ("Not a whit ...")? Do you agree with him?

7. What does Hamlet tell Laertes ("Give me your pardon, sir ...")? Is he being truthful, do you think?

8. What does Laertes reply? Is he being truthful?

9. During the match, what happens to Gertrude? What is Claudius' reaction?

10. How is Laertes beginning to feel?

11. How does Laertes end up getting poisoned?

12. What happens to Claudius?

13. What does Horatio almost do as Hamlet is dying? Why?

What stops him?

14. Whom does Hamlet want to rule Denmark after his death?

15. What are Horatio's last words addressed to Hamlet?