| to be or not to be | hamlet, soliloquy |
| a touch, a touch, I do confess it | laertes to hamlet |
| When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions | Claudius to Gertrude |
| sweet to the sweet | gertrude to dead ophelia |
| Something is rotten in the state of Denmark | Marcellus to Horatio |
| Goodnight sweet prince | Horatio to dead Hamlet |
| The lady doth protest too much, methinks | Gertrude to Hamlet |
| Madness in great ones must not unwatched go | Claudius to polonius |
| Neither a borrower nor a lender be | Polonius to Laertes |
| The plays the thing | Hamlet, soliloquy |
| Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t | polonius, aside |
| Get thee to a nunnery | Hamlet to Ophelia |
| The rest is silence | Hamlet to Horatio |
| He hath, my lord, made many affections towards me | ophelia to polonius |
| Alas, poor Yorick | Hamlet to horatio |
| to thine own self, be true | polonius to laertes |
| Hamlet | Prince of Denmark; -Protagonist-upset that his uncle killed his father to become king and married Hamlet’s mother-pretends to be crazy to give him time to figure out how he can get revenge-struggles with himself about his hesitation to get revenge |
| Claudius | King of Denmark, and Hamlet’s Uncle; Antagonist-secretly murdered his brother to become king and marry the queen-plots with Laertes to poison Hamlet when he thinks that Hamlet may know his secret |
| Gertrude | the Queen; Hamlet’s mom-marries Claudius soon after the king dies-there is no evidence in the play that she knew about the murder but her sudden marriage to Claudius is suspicious-Hamlet thinks she is weak-accidentally drinks the poison that is intended for Hamlet |
| King Hamlet/The Ghost | -murdered by his own brother-appears before three soldiers, who recognize him as the dead king-asks Hamlet to avenge his death-though he is disgusted that his wife Gertrude married Claudius, he asks Hamlet not to hurt her |
| Polonius | advisor to King Claudius-father of Ophelia and Laertes-a windbag and a rambler of wisdom-spies on Hamlet for the king-Hamlet stabs him as he is hiding behind a curtain |
| Laertes | son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia-is given advice by his father about how to behave in France-returns from France when he learns of his father’s death-after Ophelia’s death, he plots with Claudius to stage a sword fight in which Hamlet will be poisoned |
| Ophelia | Hamlet’s girlfriend-daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes-her father tells her not to see Hamlet and her brother tells her Hamlet may not have good intentions toward her-Hamlet insults her when he is pretending to be crazy-she commits suicide after Hamlet kills her father |
| Horatio | loyal friend of Hamlet-promises to help Hamlet throughout the play-watches the king during the play to see if he is guilty-goes to the graveyard with Hamlet-though he wants to drink the poison too at the end of the play, Hamlet asks him not to so that he can live and help fix things in Denmark-the only main character in the play to survive |
| Marcellus | a soldier who is Hamlet’s friend-sees the ghost of Hamlet’s father-swears to Hamlet that he will keep what he sees a secret |
| Fortinbras | Prince of Norway-his father, was killed by Hamlet’s father-Fortinbras wishes to attack Denmark to avenge his father’s honor-Hamlet admires how Fortinbras acts to get revenge for his father |
| Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | -old school friends of Hamlet-Claudius asks them to spy on Hamlet to figure out why he has gone crazy-Hamlet realizes they are spying on him, rather than being his friends-are sent to England with Hamlet, along with a letter from King Claudius instructing the King of England to kill Hamlet-they are killed when Hamlet changes the instructions to read that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are to be killed instead |
| Denmark | a country in Northern Europe |
| William Shakespeare | The playwright who wrote Hamlet |
| Polonius dispatches his servant, _____, to Paris with money and written notes for Laertes, also ordering him to _________ | Reynaldo; inquire about and spy on Laertes’ personal life. |
| how does hamlet behave when he invades ophelia’s personal bedroom? | Is dirty, silent, violent, leaves without a word |
| Polonius feels that hamlet is ______ | “mad for her love” |
| the king and queen have summoned Rosencratz and Guidenstern to Elsinore in the hope that they might be able to _________ | cheer Hamlet out of his melancholy, or at least discover the cause of it. |
| the Norwegian king rebuked Fortinbras for _______, and Fortinbras swore he would never again attack the Danes. | attempting to make war on Denmark |
| The Norwegian king urged Fortinbras to attack the ____ instead of the Danes | Poles |
| what must they do to reach Poland? | pass through denmark |
| Polonius shares Hamlet’s______ with Claudius and Gertrude | love letters to ophelia |
| what will Polonius and Claudius do to see for themselves whether Hamlet’s madness really emanates from his love for ophelia | eavesdrop on Hamlet |
| what does hamlet call polonius? | “fishmonger” and an old man who walks backwards |
| Hamlet considers Denmark a______ | prison |
| how does hamlet let the readers know he is not completely mad? | North by northwest – knows his directionDiscern a hawk (bird) from a handsaw (tool) |
| hamlet insults polonius, calling him a ____ | jephthah – Old Testament father who sells his daughter into slavery |
| hamlet welcomes the players and entreats one of them to give him a speech about the __________. (their audition) | fall of Troy and the death of the Trojan king and queen, Priam and Hecuba |
| He announces that the next night they will hear ______ performed | “The Murder of Gonzago” |
| Hamlet will add _____ lines to this play | 16 |
| what trap did hamlet design for Claudius? | will force the king to watch a play whose plot closely resembles the murder of Hamlet’s father; if the king is guilty, he thinks, he will surely show some visible sign of guilt when he sees his sin reenacted on stage. |
| where and what season does the beginning of the play take place? | Denmark during winter |
| at the opening of the play, _______ is the watchman at the ____ castle | Francisco; Elsinore |
| Denmark rules _____ because of war that King Hamlet won | Norway |
| who is hamlet’s best friend? | horatio |
| why do Bernardo and Marcellus tell Horatio to stay at watch with them? | because for the past two nights they have seen the apparition of king hamlet |
| how long has king hamlet been dead for? | 2 months |
| how does Horatio connect the apparition to king hamlet? | wears the armor King Hamlet wore when he battled against the armies of Norway, and the same frown he wore when he fought against the Poles |
| what does Horatio think this apparition means? | must bring warning of impending misfortune for Denmark, perhaps in the form of a military attack. |
| Horatio and Marcellus attempt to stop the ghost with _____ | swords |
| who does horatio predict is seeking revenge? | Fortinbras, the young Prince of Norway, now seeks to reconquer forfeited lands. |
| what will the ghost not do that they believe he will do with prince hamlet? | communicate with him |
| how long after the death of King Hamlet did his wife, Gertrude, marry Claudius, her brother-in-law | one month |
| what did king hamlet receive from young fortinbras? | a letter, rashly demanding the surrender of the lands King Hamlet won from Fortinbras’s father |
| Laertes expresses his desire to return to______, where he was staying before his return to Denmark for Claudius’s coronation. | France |
| why is hamlet still upset? | depressed about the sudden death of his father and hasty marriage between his uncle and mother |
| gertrude wants him to take off his _____ | “nighted colors” |
| Claudius tells Hamlet to stop _____ | “unmanly grief” |
| how does Claudius console hamlet? | he tells him that all fathers die and that he can look to him as a father |
| Claudius says that he does not wish for Hamlet to return to school at ______ | Wittenberg |
| Alone, Hamlet exclaims that he wishes _______ | he could die |
| Laertes cautions Ophelia against _______ | falling in love with Hamlet because he is too far above her by birth to be able to love her honorably. |
| Polonius tells Laertes above all: _______ | “to thine own self be true” |
| how is this ironic? | Polonius is not true to himself |
| Hamlet explains that the new king is spending the night ________ | carousing, as is the Danish custom |
| what happens after hamlet follows the apparition? | it disappears into the darkness |
| Horatio and Marcellus, stunned, declare that the event bodes ______ | ill for the nation. |
| “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” | Marcellus |
| how did king hamlet supposedly die? | bitten by a snake in his garden |
| how did the ghost say he die? | Claudius poured poison in his ear |
| what does the ghost encourage hamlet to do? | The ghost exhorts Hamlet to seek revenge, telling him that Claudius has corrupted Denmark and corrupted Gertrude` |
| the ghost urges Hamlet not to act against _____ in any way | his mother; “leave her to heaven” |
| Hamlet makes Horatio and Marcellus swear on his _____ that they will tell no one about the ghost | sword |
| how old is hamlet? | 30 |
| why do the gravediggers resent digging this grave? | they think she killed herself |
| what skull does the first grave digger identify? | yorick (king’s jester) |
| Hamlet compares Yorick’s skull to _______ | Alexander the Great |
| what does the priest should be thrown on Ophelia’s grave? | pebbles and stones |
| why does hamlet feel he must fight this duel? | the readiness is all |
| Claudius will bet __________ on Hamlet to win the duel | horses, swords, and rapiers |
| who dies first in the duel? | gertrude |
| in what two ways does Claudius die? | poisoned sword and wine |
| who becomes the next king of Denmark? | fortinbras |
| why does Horatio remain alive at the end of the play | to tell hamlet’s story |
| what does the ambassador from England tell the court? | r&g are dead |
| how is hamlet buried? | royal funeral |
| what does Gertrude tell Claudius? | that hamlet is mad and he killed polonius |
| hamlet tells r&g that polonius’ body is where? | “The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body” |
| hamlet accuses r&g of being _____ in the service of Claudius, calling rosencratz a ______ | spies; sponge |
| what does Claudius want to do with polonius’ body? | bury it |
| Hamlet reveals to Claudius that Polonius’s body is _______ (location) | under the stairs near the castle lobby |
| what did Claudius plan for hamlet? | to be put to death |
| Claudius writes to _______ to kill Hamlet immediately | the king of england |
| ______ carry the letters about the death of Hamlet | R&G |
| Fortinbras orders his captain to go and ask the King of Denmark for _______ | permission to travel through his lands to attack Poland |
| the captain tells hamlet that the basis of the conflict with the poles is _______ | the armies will fight over “a little patch of land / That hath in it no profit but the name” |
| how does hamlet react to this? | Astonished by the thought that a bloody war could be fought over something so insignificant, Hamlet marvels that human beings are able to act so violently and purposefully for so little gain. |
| how does he compare this to his situation? | Hamlet has a great deal to gain from seeking his own bloody revenge on Claudius, and yet he still delays and fails to act toward his purpose |
| what does hamlet promise himself? | Hamlet declares that from this moment on, his thoughts will be bloody. |
| Claudius says that Ophelia’s grief stems from _______ | her father’s death |
| Ophelia has lost her mind – sings of _________ | her dead father and having illicit sex |
| ophelia says “Good night ladies”, meaning _______ | goodbye to the lady she once was |
| polonius’ funeral is described as ______ | “hugger mugger” |
| Laertes arrives with a mob of commoners stating that _______ | “Laertes shall be king” |
| Horatio is introduced to a pair of sailors giving him ______ | a letter from Hamlet. |
| In the letter, Hamlet says that _________ | his ship was captured by pirates (thieves of mercy), who have returned him to Denmark. |
| why did Claudius decide not to punish hamlet? | because both the common people and the queen love Hamlet very much |
| A messenger enters with the letter from Hamlet to Claudius, which informs the king that _______ | Hamlet will return tomorrow with no weapons or armor |
| how does Claudius plan an attempt for Laertes to kill hamlet? | if Hamlet could be tempted into a duel with Laertes, it might provide Laertes with the chance to kill him |
| Laertes proposes to _____ his sword, so that even a scratch from it will kill Hamlet. | poison |
| what backup plan does the king propose? | if Hamlet succeeds in the duel, Claudius will offer him a poisoned cup of wine to drink from in celebration. |
| what news does Gertrude bring about ophelia? | climbed the willow tree and the branch had broken and dropped Ophelia into the river |
| did ophelia attempt to save herself? | no |
| Laertes will not ______ for his sister | weep |
| why do Claudius and Gertrude agree to see the play? | R & G tell the king and queen about Hamlet’s enthusiasm for the players |
| Claudius and Polonius intend to spy on Hamlet’s confrontation with ______. | Ophelia |
| Hamlet enters, speaking thoughtfully and agonizingly to himself about the question of ________ | whether to commit suicide “to be or not to be” |
| in his soliloquy, he compares death to ____ | sleep |
| why does hamlet decide he would rather live? | Because he does not know what to expect in the afterlife and would rather “bear those ills we have” |
| Having received her orders from Polonius, ophelia tells hamlet that she wishes to return the ______ | love letters |
| what is hamlet’s response? | he urges Ophelia to enter a nunnery rather than become a “breeder of sinners” |
| how does ophelia respond to this? | she prays |
| how does he criticize women? | He criticizes women for making men behave like monsters and for contributing to the world’s dishonesty by painting their faces to appear more beautiful than they are |
| Claudius declares that he will send Hamlet to ______, in the hope that a change of scenery might help him get over his troubles. | England |
| polonius still believes that Hamlet’s agitation comes from ______ | loving Ophelia. |
| Hamlet asks ______ to observe Claudius during the play tonight | Horatio |
| at this point king hamlet has been dead for ___ months. what is his death compared to? | 4; compared to a hobby horse forgotten by a child |
| Hamlet has renamed the play “_________” | The Mousetrap |
| how does Claudius react to the play? | stands up and calls for light – irony – he brings darkness to Denmark |
| R&G cannot play the ______ yet, they want to “play” Hamlet | recorder |
| Hamlet will speak _______ to Gertrude but not use them | daggers |
| why does hamlet choose not to kill Claudius while he is praying? | if he kills Claudius while he is praying, he will end the king’s life at the moment when he was seeking forgiveness for his sins, sending Claudius’s soul to heaven |
| when does hamlet decide he will kill Claudius? | when he is drunk, angry, lustful, gambling, swearing, etc. |
| Claudius attempts to ask for forgiveness but fails because _________ | his heart is not in the prayer |
| _______ plans to hide in order to eavesdrop on Gertrude’s confrontation with her son, in the hope that doing so will enable him to determine the cause of Hamlet’s bizarre and threatening behavior. | Polonius |
| How does hamlet respond when Gertrude tells him that he has offended his father (Claudius)? | says that she offended his father (king hamlet) by marrying claudius |
| Hamlet kills _____ as he hides behind the arras, thinking it was _______ | Polonius; Claudius |
| hamlet calls polonius a “________” | intruding fool |
| hamlet shows her two pictures of King Hamlet and Claudius and calls Claudius a _________ | “mildewed ear” |
| hamlet calls the ghost __________ | “a king of shreds and patches” |
| can Gertrude see the ghost? | no |
| hamlet tells Gertrude not to _____ | sleep with Claudius again |
| Auspicious | Prosperous fortunate |
| Impotent | Lacking power or ability |
| Beseech | Ask someone urgently and fevently to do something |
| Dejected | Sad and depressed |
| Commendable | Deserving praise |
| obsequious | Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree |
| Obstinate | Stubbornly refusing to change ones opinion or chosen course of action |
| Vulgar | crude or indecent |
| Truant | a student who stays away from school without leave or explanation |
| Tenable | Capable of being held, maintained |
Hamlet
August 8, 2019