Hamlet (character)

## Hamlet

* Illustration
* 1948
* 1969
* 1990
* 1996
* 2000
* 2009

*Hamlet* (2009)

David Tennant (2009)

My Lord

Horatio (friend)

### Personalities

Insane, cynical, reflective, brooding, calm, enigmatic, lively, emotional, hesitant, sensitive, brave, determined, inconclusive, hateful, suicidal, bitter, lively, intelligent, noble, moody, daring, theatrical, dark, witty, guilty, reckless, furious, tragic, impulsive, cunning, depressed, vengeful, loyal, appreciative, self-aware, ambitious

### Allies

Horatio
King Hamlet

Ophelia

### Enemies

Claudius
Gertrude
Polonius

Laertes

### Likes

Lamenting about revenge, fantasizing of killing Claudius

### Goal

To avenge his father's murder by killing his uncle responsible for the king's death and seizing the throne
To win in a sword duel with Laertes (all succeeded)

### Fate

Wounded by the poison on Laertes' blade, he kills Claudius before dying himself

### Famous quotes

"To be or not to be, that is the question."

> "*Why, then, ’tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. To me it is a prison.*"
> ― Act 2 Scene 2
>
>

Prince Hamlet of Denmark, or Hamlet, is the main protagonist, the titular character and anti-hero in William Shakespeare's play of the same name. He is the son of King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude and the nephew of Claudius.

Hamlet is driven by insanity and revenge when he learns that his father was murdered by his uncle Claudius, but he ends up being caught up in various problems he can't solve.

He is among one of Shakespeare's most famous characters and the most dramatic character in theatre.

## Description

Prince Hamlet is a young man whose attitude and quotes have fascinated and inspired readers and audiences for centuries. Some don't know that he is different even when he speaks out his monologues and soliloquies that offer an analyzed meaning in his soul and mind. He questions himself about the difference between his belief and whether his revenge should be justified.

He is a beloved prince adored by the people of Denmark and attended Wittenberg University before he was abruptly called home after hearing the news of his father's sudden death. Then, he found himself in a different environment that he had to adjust to. His father, the King of Denmark, is dead, and his mother, Queen Gertrude, has remarried. As a result, he experiences fits of depression and insanity, while at the same time, those close to him suspect him of being deeply in love with Ophelia. But when King Hamlet's ghost confronts him and reveals how Claudius killed him and seized his throne, Hamlet is so consumed with his ambition to kill Claudius that he indirectly causes the deaths of those closest to him. They weren't careful enough not to get in his way.

## Storyline

### Death of Father

Prince Hamlet is in a stateroom at Elsinore Castle, along with other courtiers, as his uncle Claudius holds court. He listens as Claudius gives a speech about his brother's sudden death and recent marriage to Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude. Claudius talks about how while the kingdom mourns their dead king, he declares that life must go on and that he is willing to bring balance to Denmark by marrying the king's widow and thanks the courtiers for the advice that they had given him. He then talks about how the Norwegian prince Fortinbras, who thinks that the new king is weak or that the previous king's death has left chaos in the country, won't stop pestering him on surrendering his land that was lost to his predecessor.

Claudius then explains that he has written to Fortinbras' bedridden, elderly uncle, who is unaware of his plans, asking him to stop his plans as he has the right to do so since all the troops are Norwegian and under his control. He gives the letter to the courtiers Voltemand and Cornelius and asks them to deliver it to Norway. After they leave, Claudius asks Laertes, the son of the court chamberlain Polonius, what he would like to tell him. Laertes wants to return to France and wants his permission since he had come to Denmark for Claudius' coronation. Claudius asks him if he has his father's permission, and Polonius says that Laertes kept questioning him until he consented.

Claudius agrees to let Laertes return to France. He then turns to his nephew and stepson, Hamlet, and asks him while he still looks miserable. Hamlet comments that he is "covered in the sun." Gertrude tells her son to stop wearing his black mourning clothes and be more friendly to the king. He cannot spend all his time thinking about his dead father, and it is common for everyone to pass on from this life eventually.

Gertrude questions him on why it is such an issue for him. Hamlet explains that his mourning clothes and his fit of grief won't show how he feels. He states anyone can fake their grief, but he is far too great underneath the surface, and his clothes hint at it. Claudius says that it is sweet for him to mourn his father but claims that his father lost his father, and the other one lost his own before him and that it was the custom for each of their sons to mourn their deaths. While everyone will die eventually, he states that Hamlet is committing a crime against Heaven and nature and urges Hamlet to stop grieving and accept his uncle as his new father. Since Hamlet is the heir to the throne, Claudius would love him as his own son. He then decides he won't return to his school in Wittenburg and stay in Denmark to be his courtier and stepson. Gertrude also convinces her son to stay in Denmark and not return to Wittenburg. Hamlet replies that he will obey her as much as he can.

Claudius seems to be proud of Hamlet for deciding to stay home and tells Gertrude to come with him and celebrate with festivities. Everyone leaves the court, and Hamlet is left on his own. He laments how worthless his life is and wishes God had not made suicide a sin so that he could cease to exist. He also laments these new changes in his life: his father being dead for two months and how he was so loving to his mother. Less than a month after King Hamlet's death, Gertrude marries Claudius. Hamlet curses women for being so weak.

His friend Horatio and the Elsinore guards Marcellus and Barnardo enter the courtroom. Hamlet welcomes the guards and Horatio. He asks Horatio why he is far away from their school. Horatio says he feels like skipping class and has also come for King Hamlet's funeral, but Hamlet tells him not to make fun of him and that he has just arrived for his mother's wedding. Horatio admits that the marriage happened shortly after the funeral.

Hamlet tells his friend how it was to save money and that the leftover food from the funeral feast was used in the wedding banquet. He wishes he would meet his worst enemy and even thinks he has met his father in his imagination. Horatio says he once met the king, and he looked so noble. Hamlet laments that he is the perfect human being and will never see the lights of it again.

Horatio says he just saw the king last night, which excites Hamlet, but he calms him down and asks him to listen carefully as he explains what he has seen, with Barnardo and Marcellus being the witnesses. Hamlet is eager to listen.

Horatio explains that for the past two nights at midnight, Marcellus and Barnardo spotted a figure resembling King Hamlet and wearing a full armour suit. It walked past the guards three times, leaving them shocked and frightened. After they inform Horatio about this, he agrees to accompany them on the third night to see the figure himself. When the ghost appeared, Horatio confirms it looked like Hamlet's father. Marcellus says it was seen on the platform where he and Barnardo stand guard. Hamlet asks Horatio if he spoke to the ghost, and he replies that he did, but the ghost doesn't respond. He is about to say something until the rooster starts crowing, then it disappears.

Hamlet finds it strange, and Horatio insists it is true and that he should have known about it. Hamlet says he is disturbed to learn about it and asks the guards if they are on duty tonight. They reply yes, and Hamlet asks if the ghost is armed from head to toe, and they answer it is. Next, the prince questions if they saw its face, and they say they saw its face with its helmet visor up, and he looked sad rather than angry. Horatio says it was pale and stared at him the whole time. Hamlet wishes he was there to see the ghost, and Horatio tells him he would have been shocked. Hamlet admits he would have been anyway and questions if the ghost had been there for a long time. Horatio replies that it stayed long enough for someone to count to a hundred. The guards say it was longer than that, while Horatio insists it wasn't.

He then asks if the ghost has a gray beard, and Horatio says it has a brown beard with gray whiskers, just like it had in life. Hamlet says he will join them guarding tonight and hopes it will return. Horatio agrees it may come back as well. Hamlet says that if it does look like his father, he is willing to speak to it. He asks the men to keep this a secret and not discuss it tonight. He will see them later tonight between 11 o'clock and midnight. Horatio and the guards promise to do their duty, and Hamlet bids them farewell as they leave.

Hamlet immediately suspects foul play if his father's ghost is spotted armed. He wishes night would come already but knows he must stay calm.

### Meeting King Hamlet's Ghost

At nightfall, Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus stand guard outside the castle. They notice how cold the evening air is, and Hamlet asks about the time. Marcellus says it is just after midnight as he hears the clock strike. Horatio didn't listen to it and thought the ghost would appear at any moment. They hear trumpets and two cannons firing, and Horatio is curious about what was it about. Hamlet says the king stays up late, drinking and dancing while the musicians make a loud commotion.

Horatio asks if this is a tradition, and Hamlet says it is a custom in the royal family. Even if he was supposed to participate in it, he chose to ignore it, and other countries have criticized the Danish royals for their loud partying by calling them drunkards and insulting their titles. Hamlet brings up how someone was born with a birth defect or had strange, compulsory behaviours that will make them bad to others, no matter how talented they are. As such, this casts a harsh reputation on their achievements and good qualities.

The ghost suddenly appears, and Horatio persuades Hamlet to address it. Hamlet tells the ghost that whether it is good or cursed, he begs the spectre to let him speak to it and explain why he has returned from the dead; he would even address him as his father. He also asks the ghost why he is wearing his armour, making the night terrifying to the living, and wonders what the ghost wants or what Hamlet should do. The ghost then motions Hamlet to follow him, and Horatio tells him it wants him to come with him as if he has something to say. Marcellus notices the ghost pointing somewhere far away, but he and Horatio urge Hamlet not to follow it.

Hamlet says the ghost won't speak so he will go with it. Again, Horatio tells him not to, but Hamlet says he doesn't value his life one bit and that it looks like it won't be a danger to him as it continues to wave at him. Horatio is worried that the ghost will persuade him to jump into the sea or lead him to the cliff that hangs over the water, where it will take on a hideous form that will drive him mad. Hamlet still wants to follow it, but Marcellus and Horatio try to hold him back. Hamlet orders the men to release him, and when they don't listen, he draws his sword and demands they do not follow him where it takes him.

Hamlet follows the spirit to another part of the castle until he is tired and asks where it is taking him. The ghost urges him to listen and reveals he doesn't have much time left before returning to Purgatory. Hamlet expresses his sorrow, but the ghost tells him not to pity him and urges him to listen carefully to him. Hamlet is ready to listen, with the ghost reminding him to prepare for revenge once he hears him out.

Hamlet is confused for a moment, and the ghost explains that he is his father, King Hamlet. During the night, he roams around the earth, but in the day, he is forced to burn in the fires of Purgatory until he has atoned for his past sins. He wishes he could describe the horror of Purgatory to his son, which will horrify him. Since mortals are prohibited from learning the details of the afterlife, he demands his son if he ever truly loves his own father. Hamlet cries out, and the ghost orders him to take revenge for the murder, which leaves him confused. The ghost laments about this horrible crime committed, and Hamlet wants to know about it so he can use his revenge immediately.

The ghost is glad he is determined to know. He explains to his son that everyone was told that a poisonous serpent had bitten him while he was asleep in the orchard, but it had been all a lie that fooled the entire kingdom. He reveals that the real serpent who killed him is now wearing his crown, and Hamlet instantly knows about it and asks if it is his uncle, Claudius. The ghost confirms that his brother murdered him and seduced his wife, Gertrude. He laments how his beloved wife went from being suitable to a corrupted, lustful woman who easily fell under Claudius' manipulation. He also reveals that a virtuous person cannot be easily corrupted, but someone like Gertrude with sexual desires can have a peaceful union before it turns to trash.

The ghost then smells the morning air and decides to make this quick. He reveals to Hamlet that while asleep in the orchard, Claudius snuck up behind him and poured a vial of henbane poison into his ear, which quickly curdled his blood, suffered from a deadly rash and then died. The ghost laments that he cannot atone for his sins or receive any last rites and urges Hamlet not to stand for it. He begs Hamlet not to let Claudius get away with his crime or turn Denmark into a "*couch for luxury and damnéd incest*." He reminds him not to become too corrupted by his revenge and wants him to spare his mother so she can deal with her own guilt. After the ghost says goodbye, he vanishes.

Hamlet tells his father that he will never forget what he said to him and vows revenge. He condemns Claudius and Gertrude, then takes out his notebook and writes down his vow to the ghost. Marcellus and Horatio finally catch up with him and ask Hamlet what has happened. Hamlet refuses as he is afraid they will expose his secret, and the two men promise they won't tell. Hamlet makes them promise to keep this a secret, and they reply that they will. Hamlet says that anyone can be a villain in Denmark, and Horatio assures him he doesn't need a ghost to remind him of that. Hamlet agrees and thinks it's best to shake hands and go their separate ways so he can be alone and pray.

Horatio tells him he is talking nonsense, and Hamlet apologizes if he has offended him. Hamlet says there is an offence as he just saw a real ghost and wants this to be kept secretive. He tells them never to talk about what happened tonight to anyone. Horatio and Marcellus say they will keep his promise, but the prince makes them swear by it. The men pledge to swear it by God, and Hamlet wants them to swear it on his sword. Marcellus says they already swore, and Hamlet insists they do it again on his sword.

The ghost's voice calls for the men to obey and swear by the prince's commands. Hamlet urges the ghost to settle down, making the men agree to the swearing. Horatio asks how they would do it, and Hamlet declares they will swear never to mention what they have witnessed and will swear it by his sword. The ghost repeats for the men to swear, and Hamlet comments on how the ghost is everywhere. For the third time, the ghost repeats them to swear, and Hamlet remarks on how busy the ghost sounds in his grave and invites them to touch the blade.

Horatio finds this strange, and Hamlet assures him there will be more things on heaven and earth than he'll ever dream of. He then makes them listen and says that no matter how strange he acts and may be acting even more strangely in the coming days, they must never know anything that has happened tonight or tell anyone about the situation. He demands them to swear by it, and when he hears the ghost's voice again, Hamlet tells him he can rest now. He thanks the men for their vows and decides they should return to court, with him reminding them for the final time to keep quiet about this.

### Hamlet's Plan

Inside the castle, Hamlet is busy reading a book. At the same time, Gertrude, Claudius and Polonius discuss the prince's odd behaviour and assign two of his Wittenburg friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on him. He walks in on them, and Polonius urges the royal couple to leave so he can talk to them alone. After Claudius and Gertrude leave, Polonius greets Hamlet and asks him if he knows who he is. Hamlet retorts that he is a fishmonger.

Hamlet asks the Lord Chamberlain if he has a daughter, and Polonius replies. Hamlet tells him he should keep a close eye on her and gives him a warning if she becomes pregnant. Polonius mutters about the prince's strange response that he mistook him for a fishmonger. He then asks him what he is reading, and Hamlet replies that he is reading words but is confused when asked what the subject is. He says there are lies about how old men have repulsive faces with gray beards, wrinkles and no wisdom. He believes in what he reads but disagrees with it written down, and how Polonius could be as young as he is if time went backwards.

Polonius remarks that he won't deny that this is a method of his madness. He asks Hamlet if he would go outside and replies, "*Into my grave*." The Lord Chamberlain is shocked that he is insane enough to have a way of words and how "pregnant" his replies are. He plans to arrange a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia and tells him he is leaving now. Hamlet says he cannot take anything from him he doesn't care about except his life and calls him a "tedious old fool." Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive, and Polonius points them out to Hamlet before he leaves.

Hamlet greets his old friends and asks how they are doing. They are well but not overly happy. Hamlet asks them if they have been down on their luck lately, and they say they have only been in the middle. Hamlet jokes about them being in the middle of the secrets part of Fortune before asking them what they are doing there. The two friends claim the world is being more honest, but Hamlet asks them what they had done to be sent to his prison, referring to Denmark.

Rosencrantz admits the whole world is a prison, and Hamlet says Denmark is one of the worst. Rosencrantz insists this isn't true, but the prince laments that others don't think the same; to him, his whole kingdom is his prison. Rosencrantz suggests it is because he has ambitions, and Hamlet claims he suffers from bad dreams. Guildenstern says that dreams are a sign of ambition and are mostly a shadow of a dream. Hamlet believes that a dream itself is just a shadow and thinks the beggars are the ones with bodies and the kings and heroes with ambitions are the shadows of the beggars, but he also thinks he is losing his mind.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern say they will help him in his service, and Hamlet tells them he won't sort them as his servants. He then asks them what they are doing at Elsinore. They say they are only here to visit him and nothing else. Hamlet thanks them for checking up on him but is curious about who had sent them to him or if they came on their own initiative. Hamlet says they can say anything as long as it answers his question and knows the king and queen have sent for them. Rosencrantz wonders why they would do that, and Hamlet replies that is what he wants them to tell him and reminds them about their childhood friendship and duties to each other.

Rosencrantz questions Guildenstern while Hamlet mutters that he'll have his eye on them and then asks Guildenstern to tell him the truth. Guildenstern insists he and Rosencrantz were sent for, and Hamlet delivers a soliloquy on how depressed he is, how the world looks more empty to him, and how both men and women don't interest him. He then notices that Rosencrantz is smiling, and his friend insists he wasn't thinking about those thoughts. Hamlet demands that he laugh when he says he doesn't find men interesting, and Rosencrantz claims that if nobody interests him, he would be bored by the arriving actors. He and Guildenstern had just come across the theatre troupe a while ago, and they were coming to perform a show before him. Hamlet says the actors will be welcomed if they play their roles well; otherwise, he will turn them away.

Rosencrantz says the troupe are the tragic actors from the city Hamlet used to like. Hamlet wonders why they are still travelling despite making good profits in the city, and Rosencrantz says the troupe is on the road again after things have changed for them. Hamlet asks if the troupe is still as popular as it was when he sees them in the city and attracts large audiences. Rosencrantz replies no and explains that the troupe is still busy and popular but is having a hard time after child actors performing on stage are quickly catching the public’s attention. The children have already dominated the theatres, and many people stopped attending the shows for fear of being mocked by the playwrights who write for the children.

Hamlet asks if they are children and wonders who looks after them, pays for them and if they would stop working once they mature. He also asks if the children are adult actors and if they’ll be hurt by their playwrights doing them wrong. Rosencrantz says there has been a debate on this, as none of the shows would be sold unless there was a fight scene between the children’s playwright and the actors playing the adult roles; in addition, there has been much fighting and the boys carry the entire theatre on their backs. Hamlet finds this strange since his uncle is the king, and the same people who mocked him when his father was alive are now paying gold coins apiece to have miniature portraits of him painted, and there’s something unnatural about it.

Trumpets are then heard playing, signalling the arrival of the actors. Hamlet pretends to greet the actors and urges his friends to follow the customs and shake hands with him. He tells them he is glad they are here, but the king and queen may be confused. Guildenstern asks him in what way they are confusing, and Hamlet replies that he is insane sometimes, but he knows what is happening most of the time. Polonius arrives, and Hamlet gathers his two friends and tells Polonius that he is still a big baby in swaddling clouts, and he whispers to them that Polonius is only here to talk to him about the actors. He then tells Polonius he has already heard about the news on Monday morning, and Polonius wants to tell him some news. Hamlet brings up Roscius being an actor in Rome, but Polonius cuts him off by informing him that the actors are here. They are among the greatest actors in the world and have appeared in everything from tragedies to comedies, and they are the ideal actors for him.

Hamlet calls him Jephthah and starts singing. Polonius wonders if he still has feelings for Ophelia and tells him he has a daughter he loves. Hamlet says he doesn't understand and should learn more from the song's verses. The actors come in, and Hamlet greets them warmly and notices how one actor has grown a beard since he last saw him and meets another actor dressed as a woman. He then tells the group they are all welcome at Elsinore and convinces them to give a speech. One actor asks what speech they should do, and Hamlet replies that he once heard them recite a speech never performed on stage. He remembers the play didn't impress audiences, but he and other critics enjoyed it. One critic said the play lacked any jokes or fancy speech, but other than that, the show was well-played. Hamlet recalls that his favourite scene is the death of Priam in Aeneid and describes it after putting it together from his memory. In the scene, Pyrrhus, the son of the Greek hero Achilles, hides inside the Trojan horse and then kills dozens of people around him before setting the city of Troy on fire and finding King Priam. Hamlet pauses and urges the actor to recite the rest.

The actor recites the following scene on how Pyrrhus kills the old king unable to fight against the Greeks. Hamlet urges the actor to recite the next scene about the queen Hecuba, also known as the muffled queen. The scene describes how the widowed queen is seen running barefoot through the fiery streets of Troy, her crown stripped, and anyone who saw her would have angrily screamed against the goddess Fortune. Her crying after witnessing her husband's murder would have brought sympathy to the gods. Polonius notices how pale and teary-eyed the actor looks and orders him to stop.

Hamlet praises the actor and tells him he will perform the rest later. He then asks Polonius to ensure the actors have comfortable rooms and treat them well. Polonius assures him he will give them everything they deserve, but Hamlet wants him to offer them more than that and orders him to show them their rooms. He tells the actors to follow Polonius, says they will watch a play tomorrow, and asks the first actor if he knows the play *The Murder of Gonzago*. The actor replies yes, and Hamlet says they will manage that play tomorrow night and asks him if he wrote 12-16 additional lines into the play's script, he could memorize it before the performance. The actor replies that he will, and Hamlet urges him to follow Polonius. After Polonius and the actors leave, Hamlet bids goodbye to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and they go, too.

As soon as he is alone, Hamlet curses himself and laments how the actor recites a fictional story and forces himself to feel the passion to the point when he turns pale and emotional; these were supposed to be emotions for Hecuba. He wonders what Hecuba means to him, or him to her, and what he would do if he had the same passion as the prince. He would openly weep on stage and speak furiously, which may result in the guilty turning insane, horrifying the innocent, confusing the ignorant, and shocking everyone in the audience. He calls himself a fool and a coward for not having a plan to avenge his father's murder, and who will call him a villain and a liar. He would accept it since he wants nature when he responds to his wrong decisions by making the evildoer's life worse; otherwise, he would feed the birds the organs of his uncle, Claudius. But he sees what a treacherous, villainous man Claudius is and how his father's ghost told him to take revenge, but all he did was lament his problems and curse himself.

After he pulls himself together, Hamlet remembers when guilty people watch a play performance and are so affected by the actions that it drives them to confess their crimes and sins. He comes up with a plan by having the actors perform a scene similar to his father's murder in front of his uncle. He would monitor Claudius for his reaction and see if his guilt is proven. However, he worries the ghost may lie to him and exploit his emotions. He knows the performance is the only solid evidence, and he is more determined to have the play make Claudius confess.

### Hamlet and Ophelia

Hamlet ponders whether he could commit suicide and if he should fight against whatever life throws at him or end his troubles for good.He compares death to sleep, but nobody knows what they will dream of in death's sleep. He talks aloud about who would face life’s struggles when it’s easy to end their own lives and how everyone’s fear of death weakens them from their boldness. He then spots Ophelia reading her prayer book and concludes his speech by asking her to absolve him of his sins through her praying. She greets him and says she has some mementos she would like to give him.

Hamlet denies he gave her anything, and Ophelia knows she did by sending letters and his gifts. He laughs and asks her if she is honest and beautiful, leaving her confused about what he is talking about. Hamlet assures her that honesty has nothing to do with her beauty, and Ophelia asks him if beauty could be related to anything better than honesty. He suggests beauty can change an honest woman into a “bawd” instead of honesty, changing a beautiful woman into a pure virgin. He tells her he loved her once, and she retorts that he only made her believe he did. He recants that she should have believed in him, but she was right, and he never really loved her. Ophelia thinks she was misled, and Hamlet tells her she should go to a convent right away, as she cannot bring more sinful people into the world. He declares himself proud, revengeful and ambitious and claims everyone is a criminal. He urges Ophelia to hurry to the convent and asks her where her father is. Ophelia replies that he is home, and Hamlet says he should be locked away.

Ophelia begs for God to help him, and Hamlet says if she gets married, he will curse her, ruining her reputation. He tells her she should marry a fool if she does marry, as many men would be wise enough to know she would cheat on them. He then urges her again to go to the convent and bids her farewell. Ophelia again begs God to help Hamlet, and he says women are monstrous and they would paint over their faces. They would then frolic around men to impress them, but they would actually ruin them. He declares that everyone married should stay with their spouses, while others should remain single before storming out.

### Claudius Proves his Guilt/Hamlet Confronts Gertrude

Hamlet meets with the actors and instructs them to repeat the speech he gave to them.He says he would rather have the town crier say their lines if they mess it up and reminds them to make small gestures. He also hates it when one of the actors gets too excited and speaks loudly, reminding them not to do that. He advises them to let their judgement guide them, use discretion to build suspense in their performance, and not overact. It may upset the audience if they do overact or have bad timing. He also urges the actors who play the clowns to speak their lines to make the audience laugh and assures them that an important, evil part of the play is approaching. Afterwards, he urges them to get ready.

After the actors leave, Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern appear. Hamlet asks them if the king is watching the performance, and Polonius replies that he is with Gertrude. Hamlet urges him to have the actors hurry up, and Polonius leaves. Hamlet asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern if they will help actors get ready faster, and they reply yes. After they leave, Horatio comes in, and Hamlet tells him he is among the best men he has ever known. He says he isn't flattering him and praises him for being his friend and expressing his affection for his manners and qualities. He then tells him a play is about to be performed tonight, featuring a scene where it reenacts his father's murder. He asks him to watch closely to Claudius's reaction, but if he doesn't express his guilt, then Hamlet will think the ghost is a demon and his ideas on his uncle are wrong. He again urges him to watch him closely while he watches him, too, and then they will meet to discuss if he's guilty. Horatio agrees to watch him and detect any signs of his guilt. At that moment, the trumpets play and Claudius arrives, along with Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Also accompanied with them are lord attendants and Claudius’s guard carrying a torch.

Hamlet responds strangely to Claudius by saying “ *Excellent, i’ faith; of the chameleon’s dish: I eat the air, promise-crammed*.” He then turns to Polonius and asks if he has acted before. Polonius replies he once played Julius Caesar and was killed by Brutus. Rosencrantz tells Hamlet that the actors are ready and Gertrude invites her son to sit beside her, but he sits next to Ophelia instead and torments her with elicit sexual puns, which delights him. He notices how cheerful his mother looks after losing her husband two months ago. Ophelia reveals it was four months ago. Hamlet sarcastically hopes he can get rid of his mourning clothes and wear a fur-trimmed suit.

The play begins. Two actors playing a king and queen lovingly embrace before the queen leaves after she sees the king falling asleep on a bank of flowers. Another man arrives, takes the king’s crown, pours poison into the king’s ear, and leaves. The queen then returns to find the king dead and becomes hysterical until the killer and three others calm her down. As soon as the king’s body is carried away, the killer presents the queen with gifts and woos her until she falls in love with him. While the actors recite the prologue, Hamlet teases Ophelia with more sexual references. The actors playing the king and queen appear on stage, with the king remarking they have been married for 30 years. However, the queen notices they have been miserable but they still love each other. The king tells her that he’s growing old and he will die soon, and hopes she will remarry. The queen laments that a second marriage is more about money than love, and if she has to kiss her second husband, she would kill her first one all over again. He urges her to be open-minded as her feelings might change after his death. The queen stubbornly insists that she will cursed to live a life of “lasting strife” if she must remarry again.

Hamlet wonders if she will break her vow, and the king dismisses the queen so he can have a nap alone. Gertrude thinks that the queen is protesting too much, but Hamlet assures his mother that she will keep her word. Claudius thinks the play is offensive, and Hamlet reminds him the play is just pretend.

## References

1. ↑ *Hamlet,* Act 1, Scene 2
2. ↑ Act 1, Scene 4
3. ↑ Act 1, Scene 5
4. ↑ Act 2, Scene 2
5. ↑ Act 2, Scene 2
6. ↑ Act 3, Scene 1
7. ↑ Act 3, Scene 2