Meet the Cast
Hamlet would never call this loyal friend a sponge.
Who is Horatio?
Before her nunnery or insanity eras, Ophelia's family doubt her judgement and command her to make this decision.
What is to stop spending time with Hamlet?
The first casuality in Act 5, courtesy of Claudius.
Gertrude (by poisoned drink)
A character whose traits contrast with another character to highlight specific important qualities.
This nation mentioned in Hamlet just qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.
What is Norway?
Hamlet sees right through them, and guiltlessly sends them to their death.
Who are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
Rotten! These are the two main problems affecting Denmark at the start of the play.
What are political instability (new king, old king's death) and Norway's military threat?
Polonius gets it all wrong when he assumes Hamlet's madness is about this.
What is Love / Heartbreak / Ophelia's denial?
A long uninterrupted speech where a character reveals their inner thoughts to the audience
What is a soliloquy?
The definition of a sympathetic character.
Who is a character that readers care about, feel compassion for, and may relate to?
Not algebraic or aluminum, these three are all foils for Hamlet (100 each).
Who are Laertes, Ophelia, and Fortinbras.
This dramatic plot by Hamlet confirms Claudius' guilt.
What is his re-created scene for the play (aka Mousetrap)?
Not quite a mousetrap, this action leads to Ophelia's death and Laertes' return to get revenge on Hamlet.
What is Hamlet killing Polonius? (Tis a rat!)
A brief comment a character makes that only the audience (or one other character) can hear
What is an aside?
Seeing 20,000 men ready to fight and die for a plot of land worth "not 5 ducats" changes Hamlet this way.
What is recognizes his own inaction, motivating him to get on with revenge?
A person of infinite jest! This character (or, part of them at least) from Hamlet's past helps him better understand death as an equalizing force.
Who is Yorrick or Yorrick's skull?
Woe is him! These are Hamlet's conflicts before he even meets with the ghost of his father (100 points each).
What are (1) grief for his dad, (2) disgust at Gertrude, (3) feeling misunderstood by the King and Queen, (4) being ordered to stay instead of going back to school?
Which characters' deaths demonstrate the theme that revenge often destroys both the guilty and the innocent (3 x 100 each, +100 bonus for perfect).
Who is Ophelia, Gertrude, Laertes
DAILY DOUBLE: Team that chose may wager total point amount they currently have. All other teams may wager 400.
When Gertrude goes to drink from the cup in the final scene, this literary device is why the audience already feels bad about her imminent, unknown death.
The parenthetical citation for lines 23-24 of Act 5, scene 1.
What is "(Shakespeare.V.i.23-24)." ?
It's a bloodbath: these main characters all died by the end of the play.
Who is Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Laertes, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.
Hamlet knew Claudius was guilty and had him alone, yet walked away. Describe Hamlet's conflicted characterization (adjectives). Up to 500 points!
What is overthinking and indecisive?
Right place, right time: Fortinbras walking into a bloody palace battlefield and becoming ruler is best be described by this theme. Write away! (Up to 500 points).
Cliche (so, not a good theme): A house divided cannot stand.
Corruption/Greed/Unchecked ambition...
leads to destruction
A Latin named literary device that describes Hamlet's highly unlikely return to Denmark rather than fish, chips, and death in England.
What is Deus Ex Machina?
The fate of Ophelia could best be described by this theme. Write away! (Up to 500 points).
What is corruption can harm innocent people?