Characters
Gertrude
Hamlet’s mother, Queen of Denmark, concerned about Hamlet’s mental state, Sends his friends to find out the reason's for his madness
"Therefore, since brevity the soul of wit, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief. Your noble son is mad."
Polonius to King and Queen, He's noticed Hamlet is acting crazy and he knows why.
Hamlet's mother suspects his madness
He is upset about his fathers death and her hasty marrying of Claudius.
Hamlet to his friends "You were sent for, and there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties have not craft enough to color."
Hamlet knows that the King and Queen sent for them, it is obvious because they are terrible liars
What type of Shakespearan play is Hamlet?
Tragedy
Polonius
Advisor to King, Father to Ophelia and Laertes, Believes he knows the root of Hamlet’s madness, Sends servant to spy on Laertes in Paris
"Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, And with look so piteous in purport, as if he had been loosed out of hell To speak of horror-he comes before me."
Ophelia to Polonius, she is distraught after Hamlet entered her room acting crazy
Fortinbras has "given up" his plan to invade Denmark
His uncle found out and punished him. But then forgave him, rewarded him, and allowed him to keep the army
Hamlet in soliloquoy "The plays the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."
Hamlet will use the play as a means to see if Claudius is guilty or not.
What popular animated Disney movie's story was based on Hamlet?
Lion King
Guildenstern
Friend of Hamlet, sent by King along with Rosencrantz to try and figure out Hamlet’s reason for madness, goes to see actors with Hamlet
"Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth And thus do we of wisdom and of reach, With windlasses and with assays of bias, By indirections find directions out."
Polonius to servant, he wants him go see Laertes, but to first try and trick people into telling him what Laertes has been doing
Polonius suspects Hamlet has gone mad due to love for Ophelia
Ophelia told him about Hamlet's craziness in her room at night after he had told her to withhold herself from Hamlet
Polonius to King and Queen "Hath there been such a time, I would fain know that, That I have positively said 'Tis so,' When it proved otherwise? Take this from this, if this be otherwise."
Polonius has never steered them wrong before, he is so sure that if he is wrong they can cut off his head.
What is the longest scene in Hamlet?
Act II, Scene II
Reynaldo
Servant to polonius, sent to spy on Laertes
"Some little time, so by your companies To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather So much as from occasion you may glean, Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus, That opened lies within our remedy."
King to Hamlet's friends, he and the queen are concerned by Hamlet's actions and want his friends to find out why, and report back to them
Hamlet says “These tedious old fools” after talking to Polonius
He has been faking his madness, and he is annoyed with polonius and the king and queen as they are trying to find out why
Voltemand to Claudius "So levied as before, against the Polack, With an entreaty, herein further shown, That it might please you to give quiet pass Through your dominions for his enterprise
The King of Norway wants to send Fortinbras through Denmark to invade Poland
Name any actor who has played Hamlet
Ethan Hawke, David Tennant, Kenneth Branagh, Laurence Olivier, Mel Gibson
Voltemand
King’s messenger, returns with message that Fortinbras promised not to invade and would like to travel through Denmark to get Poland
"I am but mad north-north west. When wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw."
Hamlet to his friends, he is only pretending to be crazy and can turn it on and off at will
Hamlet is upset with himself after watching the play
Hamlet to friends "I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all customs of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory."
Hamlet does not know why but he has lost his excitement for life and his will to live.
Hamlet is set in medieval times (1300-1400 AD). Name any king or queen of Denmark from that time period.
Eric, Christopher, No king, Valdemar, Olaf, Margaret