Plot Points
Who becomes king?
Claudius
Who is Hamlet?
The Prince of Denmark and the son of the late King Hamlet.
What is one central theme introduced in Act I?
Revenge.
What does “Hark” mean?
Listen.
Who says, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”?
Marcellus
What shocking revelation does the Ghost tell Hamlet?
That Claudius murdered him by pouring poison in his ear
Who is Hamlet’s uncle?
Claudius.
What does Hamlet’s loyalty to his father drive him to do in Act I?
Promise to seek revenge against Claudius.
What does “Fie” mean?
For shame!
Finish this line: “Frailty, thy name is ______.”
Woman.
How does Act I begin?
With the watchmen seeing the Ghost on the battlements of Elsinore Castle.
Who is Hamlet’s closest friend?
Horatio.
To whom is Hamlet most loyal by the end of Act I?
The Ghost of his father.
What does “Soft” mean?
Stop, wait, or hold on a moment
Who says, “Frailty, thy name is woman,” and why?
Hamlet; he is criticizing Gertrude for marrying Claudius so soon after King Hamlet’s death.
How does Act I end?
Hamlet swears to remember the Ghost and avenge his father’s death.
What is Polonius’s role in the court?
The advisor to Claudius
What motif in Act I symbolizes corruption in Denmark?
The appearance of the Ghost.
What does “Betwixt” mean?
Between.
What does Hamlet mean when he says, “The time is out of joint”?
He believes the world is in chaos, and it’s his responsibility to set it right.
What warning does the Ghost give Hamlet about Gertrude?
Not to harm her and to leave her to heaven.
Who is Ophelia’s father?
Polonius.
What tragic flaw does Hamlet begin to show in Act I?
His tendency to overthink and hesitate.
Translate this line: “’Tis now the very witching time of night.”
It is now the darkest time of night.
Interpret this line: “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.”
The Ghost tells Hamlet to avenge his unjust and unnatural death caused by Claudius.