Hamlet Act 1 &2

What exposition is provided in this scene? Include an explanation of the quarrel norway? Denmark fears attack by Norway b/c King Hamlet killed K. Fortinbras over a piece of land-Princel.F wants revenge
What atmosphere is created by this scene? How? Negative. Cold-Winter-Death
How does the reader know this ghost is not a hallucination? Both characters are talking and responding from eath other’s reactions.
Why has Horatio been asked to join the soldiers on the midnight watch? What has he decided to do? He’s educated and speaks Latin- perhaps the ghost will speak to him.
How could this ghost be explained as a warning of coming evil? Omen
Old Hamlet Former King of Denmark
Fortinbras Norwegian prince. His father died making a bet with King Hamlet.
Horatio Hamlet’s closest friend
Hamlet is upset for two reasons. What are they? 1. Hamlet is upset because his father died.2. Hamlet is also upset because his mother married his Uncle very quickly after his father died, less than a month.
Why did Hamlet not become king after his father died? Hamlet was at school when his father died and Claudius convinced the council. Also not mentally stable.
what is your opinion of the marriage of Gertrude and Claudius? Consider the customs of the time. Suspicious because her husband died not even two months after.
Describe Claudius’ personality and attitude. Claudius seems to be one who doesn’t care much about anything but having the power, Hamlet wants to go back to school but he doesn’t want him to, arrogant, manipulative, snobby, wants to take over the kingdom, does not seem to care that Hamlet’s father has passed away because everybody has a father passes away.
How does Hamlet describe his father? As a man, the best king, God of light, had a very good relationship with his father, had nothing but respect for the man.
What are Hamlet’s feelings about his mother and new father Claudius? Consider this line “Frailty, the name is woman!” Hamlet is not happy whatsoever with the new marriage. He speaks of how it has been such a short time period since his father’s funeral and how his mother jumped at the chance to marry his uncle when she used to hang on his father constantly. Hamlet states that his mother was lustful and weak for remarrying so quickly.
Explain Hamlet’s state of mind. Consider the following quote:”O, that this too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!” Hamlet clearly doesn’t seem very stable right now with all the big news and he is very depressed. He wants to commit suicide but he knows God would not approve.
What does the King Claudius want Hamlet to do? Why does Hamlet give up his plan to return to Wittenberg (school) so easily? King Claudius does not want Hamlet to return to school so that he could keep an eye on Hamlet. Hamlet agrees because he wants to obey his mother.
Describe the attitudes and values that Laertes gives to Ophelia and those which Polonius gives to Laertes. Polonius wants to make sure that the kids behave so that their family name is not tarnished.
Explain the reasons that Laertes and Polonius give Ophelia to convince her not to trust Hamlet’s love. Don’t be a target of lust. Don’t always say what you’re thinking. Don’t be too quick to act on what you think. Be friendly but not too friendly. Listen to many people but speak to few. Reserve your own judgment. Don’t be quick to pick a fight but when you do hold your own.They stated that even the purest maid can find her reputation ruined. Worms can ruin flowers before they have a chance to blossom. Hamlet is of noble birth and because of this he can not make choices for himself (marry of non-noble name).
Evaluate Polonius’ advice to his son, what does it mean? “To thine own self be true” Polonius wanted his son to make sure that he was always staying true to himself. Contradicting himself- he’s worried about what everyone thinks of his family
What is comical about Polonius? Polonius is a hypocrite, he wants his son to be true to himself but he does not want his family name to be tarnished.
What is the point of Hamlet’s long speech: To be or not to be 1.Denmark has deteriorated since Claudius has been the king. 2. The parties and the drunkeness of Denmark are giving them a bad reputation.
Why do Hamlet’s friends fear for him? Hamlet’s friends fear that he won’t come back, worried for his safety because they do not know if the spirit is evil.
Marcellus states, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” What might this quote signify? This might foreshadow the coming plots, the uncle killing his father. Claudius is what is rotten about Denmark. Because the king is rotten, its contagious.
What does the ghost want Hamlet to do? He should avenge his death, leave your mom alone (God can take care of her).
Describe Hamlet’s reaction to the ghost. Hamlet is outraged and wants revenge on his uncle. But he is also scared of the outcome.
Discuss the nature of the ghost; devil or angel? Seems more devil like but has good intentions, wants what his right for his son and his kingdom.
In your opinion, is Hamlet mad (crazy)? Hamlet is a bit unstable but because of all of the stuff going on.
List what has occurred between Acts 1 and 2. This all happens within a couple of weeks. Ophelia has rejected Hamlet, she wants nothing to do with him.
What do Ophelia and Polonius decide about Hamlet’s odd behavior? They go talk to the King because they think that Hamlet is lovesick and dealing with the rejection of Ophelia.
How do you think Ophelia treated Hamlet? Was harsh to cut him off so abruptly but she was listening to her father and her brother.
Do you think Polonius follows his own advice regarding his instructions to Reynaldo, considering the values he expresses to his son? Hypocrite, the dad is sleeping around but he doesn’t want his son to do that because he doesn’t want his family name to be tarnished.
How does this scene prepare the reader for future scenes? Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, now the King and Queen’s spies, are instructed to find the cause of Hamlet’s misery.Claudius and Polonius will spy on a meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet to see if Hamlet is lovesick or insane.
Compare and contrast Hamlet and Fortinbras (briefly). Both Hamlet and Fortinbras want to avenge their father’s death (Hamlet- with his dad being killed off and Fortinbras- with his father’s lands taken away, etc.), both had dead fathers.
Why has Fortinbras changed his plan to attack Denmark? Fortinbras swore to never threaten Denmark again, so he changed his plans and planned to attack Poland but wanted to go through Denmark to get there. Fortinbras’s uncle did NOT want him to go attack Denmark
Why does Claudius hire Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (R&G) as spies? Because they were good childhood friends with Hamlet, he feels threatened by Hamlet’s madness.
How does Hamlet feel about R&G? Why? Hamlet knew that they had been sent by the king and queen when he saw the guilty look in their eyes after he had asked if they had come on their own free will. He knew they were honest men, has respect. He was excited when they first arrived, but once he figured out they were sent to spy he felt betrayed.
What is the story of Hecuba and Priam? Explain the story’s significance. What is Hamlet’s reaction to the story? a. The story is significant because it shows that you should be upset over a spouse’s death. But Hamlet was mad that his mother was not upset or grieving at all about her dead spouse. b.Hecuba is grieving over her murdered husband. c.An actor was showing more emotion than his mother was.
Hamlet’s soliloquy explains what? Hamlet makes caustic remarks to Polonius reflecting Hamlet’s scorn for Polonius. He is mad about his father’s death.
What idea does Hamlet get from having the players in town? Hamlet decides to have the actors perform something similar to how his father’s death was so that he could observe his uncle’s reaction and prove his claim, that his uncle killed his father.