ACT I
What is an "antic-disposition"?
Why is Hamlet acting this way?
An antic-disposition means pretending to be a madman.
Hamlet pretends to be mad to keep others from knowing his plan of killing his uncle.
Describe Hamlet's appearance and behviour when he meets with Ophelia.
Hamlet's behaviour and appearance when meeting with Ophelia:
His clothing was loose and dirty,
He held her wrist, stared at her, sighed, and took his frustration out on her.
Why dies Claudius send Hamlet to England?
Claudius decided to send Hamlet to England because he thinks Hamlet is crazy and that something else is wrong with him.
What is Claudius' plan regarding Hamlet?
Claudius' plan regarding Hamlet:
A fencing duel between Hamlet and Laertes, in which one of the swords would not be blunted,
Laertes offers to poison the sharpened foil, so when it scratches Hamlet, he will die and
To make Hamlet's death certain, Claudius proposes to poison Hamlet's drink
How old is Hamlet?
Hamlet is 30 years old.
What are three commands the Ghost gives Hamlet?
Three commands the Ghost gave Hamlet are:
Get revenge on his father's death,
Don't taint his mind and
Don't harm his mother, leave her to heaven
Where is Polonius going at the end of scene 1 and why?
Polonius is going to the King to tell him about Hamlet's "condition".
What favour does Hamlet ask Horatio?
Hamlet wants Horatio to observe Claudius during the play and to help determine if the Ghost was telling the truth about Claudius being the murderer.
Why doesn't Claudius take legal action on Hamlet?
Claudius doesn’t take legal action on Hamlet because Hamlet is very popular with the people of Denmark, which makes it difficult for Claudius to punish Hamlet.
Why is it controversial for Ophelia to have a Christian burial?
It is controversial for Ophelia to have a Christian burial because it is suspected that she committed suicide.
What three promises does Hamlet ask Horatio and Marcellus to make?
Three promises Hamlet asks Horatio and Marcellus to make:
Don't tell anyone what they see and hear,
Stay loyal and
Don't reveal that he is faking his madness
Why did Claudius invite Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to the castle?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were invited to the castle to spy on Hamlet.
Why does the Ghost appear?
The Ghost appears to tell Hamlet to comfort his mother and to remind to him of his purpose of revenge and that he has not killed Claudius yet.
why does Hamlet call Rosencrantz a "sponge"?
Hamlet calls Rosencrantz a sponge because he does not know that Claudius is using him to get information about Hamlet.
He soaks up everything Hamlet says and squeezes it all out to Claudius.
What is Gertrude's fate?
Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup, she falls and dies
How did the King die according to the Ghost?
The King was sleeping in the garden when Claudius poured hebenon into his ear.
What report is delivered by Cornelius Voltemand?
Voltemand reports that the King has punished Fortinbras for his actions.
What promises does Hamlet ask Gertrude to make?
Promises Hamlet asks Gertrude to make:
To not sleep with Claudius and
To not reveal he is faking his madness.
Why is Laertes happy that Hamlet has returned to Denmark?
Laertes is happy that Hamlet returned to Denmark because he welcomes the chance to be revenged on Hamlet.
Who will now rule Denmark? Why?
Fortinbras will rule Denmark because Hamlet declared Fortinbras his choice as King of Denmark
What is Laertes' advice to Ophelia?
What is Polonius' advice Laertes?
What is Polonius' advice to Ophelia?
Laertes' advice to Ophelia is to be cautious about Hamlet because he might be fooling her.
Polonius' advice to Laertes is to talk less and listen more. Polonius also tell his son to dress properly because appearance is important in France.
Polonius advises Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet.
What are the two meanings of "fishmonger"?
The literal meaning of "fishmonger" is someone who sells fish.
The meaning in Hamlet is to sell someone off as a prostitute.
Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Claudius while praying in the chapel?
Hamlet decides not to kill Claudius because he thinks that Claudius will go to heaven if he kills him while he is praying. Hamlet doesn’t want Claudius to go to heaven, he wants Claudius to go to hell and suffer there.
How has Polonius’ death affected Ophelia?
Why is Laertes angry with Claudius?
Ophelia has gone mad in the wake of Polonius’ death.
Laertes is angry with Claudius because he blames Claudius for his father’s death and his sister’s madness.
What four reasons does Hamlet give Horatio as justification for his desire to kill Claudius?
Four reasons Hamlet gave to Horatio as justification for his desire to kill Claudius:
Killing his father,
Sleeping with his mom,
Pushed in front of Hamlet's own claim to the throne and
Plotting Hamlet's death