Ghost (Hamlet Sr.)

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Hamlet (Jr.) ghost (Hamlet Sr.) Queen Gertrude King Claudius

Ophelia Laertes Polonius

Horatio Rosencrantz Guildenstern Reynoldo Voltemand Cornelius Osric Francisco Barnardo Marcellus

Fortinbras (Jr.) captain (Fortinbras’ army) gentlemen rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet lord ambassador player king (a.k.a. first player) player queen Lucianus prologue messengers sailor gravedigger other (gravedigger’s companion) Yorick Doctor of Divinity narrator

I.i central conflict =

1. What did Barnardo see last night? ______

2. What is the relationship between Norway and Denmark? ______

3. Horatio’s speech (I.i 124-137) exhibits a metaphor describing ______, an allusion to ______

4. What is the mood when the ghost appears the second time? ______

5. Why do they think the ghost leaves? ______

I.ii central conflict =

6. What is the relationship between the King and Gertrude? ______

7. Why does Claudius send a letter to Norway? ______

8. Where does Laertes want to go contrasted with Hamlet? ______

9. Hamlet uses alliteration and a pun. What is his meaning?

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 10. Who goes? Who can’t? ______

11. Hamlet’s ______(long speech alone on stage) includes allusions to ______, ______, and ______plus the famous phrase ______.

12. Why is Hamlet upset by the coronation? ______

13. Extra footnote: Henry VIII divorced his first wife to marry Queen Elizabeth’s mother. He used her marriage to his elder brother as grounds for divorce.

14. How does Hamlet react to news of the ghost? ______

15. What does Hamlet request? ______

16. What does Hamlet believe the ghost’s appearance foreshadows? ______

I.iii central conflict =

17. What is Laertes’ advice to Ophelia regarding Hamlet? ______

18. What can we infer about Laertes based on his advice? ______

19. What is Shakespeare’s purpose in this scene considering he had many daughters? ______

20. What are three pieces of advice Polonius gives his son? ______

21. What is your opinion of Polonius’s advice? ______

22. What is Polonius’s advice [two pieces] to Ophelia regarding Hamlet? ______

23. Why do Hamlet’s friends persuade Hamlet to stay with them? ______

24. If Hamlet’s tragic error is in this scene, what is it? ______

I.v motivation is? author’s craft: how can this play out?

25. What major emotion is a likely theme of this scene? ______

26. Summarize Hamlet (Sr.)’s death ______

27. What does Hamlet make his men swear? ______

28. Predict why Hamlet requires this promise ______

1. Inference: why does Polonius send Reynaldo to Paris?

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 2. Contrast Laertes’ behavior with his advice from I.iii.

3. Describe how Hamlet comes to see Ophelia.

4. Do you believe Hamlet is lovesick, mad, or faking madness? Why?

II.ii elements of comic relief

5. Why do Guildenstern and Rosencrantz arrive?

6. What does Gertrude believe caused Hamlet’s madness?

7. Do you think Gertrude is correct? Explain.

8. What is Voltemand’s full report from Norway? (3 parts)

9. What does Polonius tell Claudius and Gertrude?

10. What can you infer about Polonius’ character by how he tells this?

11. How did Ophelia betray some of Hamlet’s trust?

12. Why did Ophelia betray some of Hamlet’s trust?

13. What was Polonius’s advice to Ophelia?

14. What is the effect of this advice on Hamlet?

15. What is Polonius’s plan to provide proof?

16. What is Hamlet’s meaning when he plays on Polonius?

17. What is Hamlet’s double meaning in regards to Ophelia?

18. In his first aside, what concern does Polonius express?

19. Hamlet’s repetition lets the audience know what?

20. Hamlet’s aside reveals what about his character?

21. What do Hamlet’s puns with Guildenstern & Rosencrantz reveal (think of foreshadowing)?

22. How does this scene provide comic relief?

23. In his metaphor, Hamlet calls Denmark what?

24. G&R suggest Hamlet is too ______

25. Why does Hamlet deduce Guildenstern and Rosencrantz visit?

26. What does Hamlet admit to them?

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 27. Based on Hamlet’s comment on the portraits, what can we infer about the Danes?

28. How can Hamlet’s comments on the theater be interpreted?

29. What does the allusion to Jephthah foreshadow?

30. What does the allusion to Aeneas and Dido foreshadow?

 Additional footnote: Dido fell in love with Aeneas and killed herself when he left her.

31. What does the allusion to Priam’s slaughter foreshadow?

32. Aside from foreshadowing, what is another effect of these allusions?

33. Which character(s) are likely to be compared to Hecuba?

34. Why does Hamlet propose additions to the “Murder of Gonzago”?

35. Considering his soliloquy, is Hamlet mad? Explain.

36. What plan does Hamlet reveal in this soliloquy?

37. What Elizabethan theme/controversy does Hamlet debate?

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet III.i trap

1. Why are the king, queen, and others spying on Hamlet?

2. What are the famous lines early in this scene?

3. What decision(s) is Hamlet thinking through in his soliloquy?

4. How would you feel if someone/Ophelia returned “remembrances”?

5. Compare/contrast your reaction with Hamlet’s

6. Why does Hamlet tell Ophelia to live in a nunnery?

7. What is the effect of this on Ophelia?

8. What does the king suspect after listening to Hamlet’s conversation?

9. Contrast the king’s suspicion with Polonius’s suspicion

III.ii trap

10. What is Shakespeare’s purpose behind Hamlet’s advice to the player?

11. What plan does Hamlet reveal to Horatio? Why?

12. What does Hamlet tell Ophelia about his mother?

13. What action in the play bothers Gertrude?

14. What do we learn from Hamlet’s answer?

15. What action does Gertrude take after the play?

16. What does Rosencrantz want to know? Why (really)?

17. What does Hamlet compare himself to? Explain why.

18. What should Guildenstern understand now?

19. Hamlet’s soliloquy reveals what?

20. What does the allusion to Nero reveal?

III.iii

21. What is Claudius’s plan for Hamlet? Why?

22. Is it a wise decision for Polonius to eavesdrop? Why?

23. What do we learn about King Claudius in his soliloquy?

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 24. Why would it be efficient if Hamlet overheard this?

25. Why doesn’t Hamlet kill Claudius here?

III.iv nature of two potential tragic errors (Poe vs. the daddies)

26. What does Gertrude know when Hamlet enters the room (that Hamlet doesn’t know)?

27. What “tragic error” does Hamlet make?

28. What does Hamlet finally tell Gertrude?

29. How does Gertrude feel after finally hearing Hamlet’s thoughts?

30. Which lines are the most potent?

31. What event makes Hamlet lose credibility with Gertrude?

32. What advice does Hamlet give Gertrude as he departs?

33. Hamlet trusts Guildenstern and Rosencrantz as much as ______

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet IV.i complicated reading of mother’s intentions

1. What evidence shows Gertrude is following Hamlet’s advice?

2. What evidence shows that Gertrude isn’t following Hamlet’s advice?

3. What does Claudius send Guildenstern and Rosencrantz to do?

4. What metaphor does Hamlet use to describe Rosencrantz?

5. Why is this an apt comparison?

IV.iii

6. What is the author’s purpose behind Hamlet’s puns?

7. What is Claudius’s plan for Hamlet?

8. Why will Fortinbras visit Claudius?

9. What military campaign is Fortinbras waging?

10. What is to gain by winning this battle?

11. In this soliloquy, what is Hamlet’s main concern?

IV.v Ophelia’s scene/sons and fathers

12. What reasons does Ophelia have for being “distracted?” (3 parts)

13. What meaning can we get from Ophelia’s song?

14. Who does Laertes blame for Polonius’ death?

15. Why does Claudius change Laertes’ mind?

16. What adventures did Hamlet have?

17. What is/are effect(s) of Hamlet’s adventure?

IV.vii

18. What two reasons kept Claudius from killing Hamlet?

19. Why is Claudius stunned to receive a letter from Hamlet?

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 20. What plan does Claudius contrive for Laertes’ revenge?

21. How does Laertes plan to cheat?

22. How does Claudius plan to cheat?

23. What is Claudius’s true reason for wanting Hamlet dead?

24. What news does Gertrude bring?

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet V.i comic relief

1. What question does the gravedigger raise about Ophelia’s death?

2. What social commentary does the other man make?

3. Why do the gravedigger’s actions bother Hamlet?

4. Who does the gravedigger insult? (2 parts)

5. Hamlet seems mesmerized by the thought that Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar ______

6. Why is Laertes angry with the doctor of divinity (priest)?

7. What is news to Hamlet?

8. What information could have prevented many conflicts if it was known in Act II?

9. What emotions are the basis for the fight between Hamlet and Laertes?

V.ii cause and effect and effect and…

10. What plot did Hamlet uncover and what did he do to reverse it?

11. What happens to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

12. What do we learn about Oscric by the way Hamlet treats him?

13. What is the real reason Claudius bets against Laertes?

14. Hamlet apologizes, but why will they fight?

15. Summarize the scene’s deaths.

rev. 4 October 2016 William Shakespeare’s Hamlet 16. Who is in charge of Denmark?

rev. 4 October 2016