Mental Health
What tragic event triggers Hamlet’s deep sadness at the start of the play?
The death of his father
What ghostly figure urges Hamlet to take revenge?
The ghost of King Hamlet
Who says “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”?
Marcellus
What motivates Fortinbras to invade Poland despite the land being worthless?
Honor and action
What does Hamlet call life in his “To be or not to be” soliloquy?
“A sea of troubles”
Why does Hamlet pretend to be mad (“antic disposition”)?
To buy time while he plans
What crime did Claudius commit to become king?
Murdering his brother
How does Hamlet’s final act (killing Claudius) show leadership or lack of it?
It’s justice but comes too late
Which character’s mental breakdown mirrors Hamlet’s inner pain?
Ophelia
What stops Hamlet from killing Claudius during prayer?
He fears Claudius’s soul will go to heaven
What metaphor does Hamlet use to describe Denmark under Claudius?
“An unweeded garden”
What makes Fortinbras a better leader than Claudius?
He acts with integrity and discipline
What does Gertrude say about Ophelia’s death that shows denial or repression?
She says Ophelia drowned “as one incapable of her own distress”
What event convinces Hamlet the ghost is truthful?
“The Mousetrap” play
What does Polonius’s spying on Laertes and Hamlet reveal about the state?
Distrust and manipulation spread through the court
What lesson about power does the play end on?
True power lies in restoring order and truth
What symbol represents madness and grief when Ophelia distributes it before her death?
Flowers
What phrase shows Hamlet’s awareness of his hesitation?
“Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.”
What larger idea does Claudius’s confession scene (“O, my offence is rank”) show?
Corruption can’t be hidden from conscience or heaven
How does Hamlet’s dying request for Horatio to tell his story show responsibility?
He wants truth and legacy preserved