| Where and at what hour does act 1 scene 1 take place? | -midnight-guard platform |
| What does the ghost look like? (S1) | The dead king |
| Why are the soldiers on guard? What military concerns do they discuss? | King hamlet conquered part of NorwayFortinbras angryVerge of war |
| How did king fortinbras of Norway lose his lands? (S1) | In a duel with king hamlet; king hamlet killed king fortinbras |
| Why is prince fortinbras becoming aggressive (s1)? | – wants land back- King hamlet is dead |
| 3 signs which occur before the murder of Caesar. Why is this relevant to the play? (S1) | – meteor shower, lunar eclipse, rising dead-czars murder went against the natural order and so did king hamlets |
| Why and when does the ghost disappear? (S1) | When the rooster crows signifying morning |
| How does hamlet feel about the king and queen? (S2) | -they got married too soon after his father’s death-they should still be grieving not celebrating a marriage |
| How does Claudius deal with the threat of aggression from fortinbras? Who are his messengers? (S2) | -sends a letter to the king/ uncle of young fortinbras -messengers: Cornelius and Voltemand |
| What does Laertes want and why is the king willing to grant it? | -he wants to return to France-his father Polonius gives him permission |
| Which images are used to suggest appearance and reality aren’t the same (2)? | Even his black clothes, crying, and sighing can’t convey how he feels on the inside |
| 3 things Claudius asks of hamlet (2) | – think of him as a father-don’t go back to school-stop mourning his father |
| What will accompany each toast drunk in Denmark that day (2)? | A cannon |
| Garden imagery (2) | Unweeded garden= Denmark |
| Why is hamlet depressed (2) | His father died and his mother and uncle married soon after |
| Appearance of the ghost (2) | – wearing armor-sorrowful expression-very pale-fixed eyes upon them-stayed longer than 100 seconds |
| What does laertes think of hamlets attentions to Ophelia? (3) | Merely temporary |
| Why is hamlet unlikely to marry Ophelia? (3) | -his birth/ political marriage-choice must depend on the safety and health of the whole state |
| What advice does polonius offer laertes about his clothing? (3) | Buy something expensive but not fancy/gaudy |
| Why is it ironic that polonius gives laertes lengthy advice? (3) | He doesn’t give good adviceHe gives contradictory adviceEx/ be true to yourself Ex/ listen more than you speak |
| 4 ways that polonius uses tender | -currency-vulnerable-innocent-make look like |
| How does polonius instruct Ophelia to act towards hamlet? | Don’t spend time with himDon’t believe himDon’t talk to him as much |
| Will Ophelia obey her father | She says yes |
| What is the season of year and time of night (4) | Midnight, fall |
| What is hamlets explanation about the sound they hear while waiting for the ghost | -trumpets and 2 pieces go off-the king will drink through the night-of makes other nations think poorly of them |
| Two divergent explanations of ghosts | Evil (from hell) goblinGood (from heaven) |
| What does horatio fear the ghost will do | Kill hamlet or make him insane |
| What provokes Marcellus to say something is rotten in the state of Denmark? | They see the ghost of the dead kingChain has been disrupted |
| Where is the ghost confined when he isn’t wandering? Why? | -confined in fire until the crimes done while he was alive are purged |
| What does the ghost want hamlet to do | Revenge his murder |
| What account of king hamlets death has been given at the time of his death | A snake bit him |
| How did king hamlet really die | His brother killed him |
| Did Claudius seduce Gertrude before king hamlet died? | Yes |
| What is it meant by cut off even in the blossom of my sin | He didn’t get to confess his sins before his death |
| What warning does the ghost give hamlet about his mother | Don’t trust herShe’s under his uncles spell |
| What does leave her to heaven mean | Don’t ruin yourself trying to punish her |
| Why do horatio, hamlet, and Marcellus keep moving around the stage to sera on hamlets sword | They won’t tell anyone what they have seen |
| Antic disposition | “Bizarre tendencies”He will pretend to act mad |
| Why does hamlet say oh cursed spite that ever I was born to set it right | He will have to revenge his fathers murder |
| I that this too too solid flesh would melt | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: himselfSituation: after meeting with his mother and uncleMeaning: he wishes he would die |
| Frailty, thy name is woman! | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: himselfSituation: hamlet is mourning his father and cursing his mother for marrying again so soon to his uncle no lessMeaning: all women are weak and delicate in nature |
| Foul deeds will rise, though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: himselfSituation: horatio just told hamlet that he saw his father’s ghost and hamlet is desperate to meet with his fatherMeaning: cladius’ guilt will not be kept hidden |
| Do not as some ungracious pastors do, show me the steel and thorny way to heaven whiles, like a puffed and reckless libertine, himself the primrose path of dalliance treads | Who spoke: Ophelia To whom: laertesSituation: laertes just offered her advice about hamletMeaning: don’t lecture me on how to behave while ignoring your own advice |
| Neither a borrower nor a lender be | Who spoke: polonius To whom: laertes Situation: he is giving him advice before he leaves to France Meaning: lending money is dangerous and borrowing money is frowned upon |
| This above all, to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man | Who spoke: poloniusTo whom: laertes Situation: he is giving him advice before he leaves to France Meaning: if you are loyal to yourself than you can’t be borrowing money, loaning money, etc |
| You speak like a green girl | Who spoke: polonius To whom: Ophelia Situation: when he asks what is between her and hamletMeaning: she’s gullible |
| Giving more light than heat | Who spoke: poloniusTo whom: Ophelia Situation: he is referring to hamlets words as blazesMeaning: they seem pretty but don’t have substance/meaning |
| …it is a custom more honored in the breach than the observance | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: horatioSituation: horatio is asking about the trumpets and two piecesMeaning: breaking the tradition is more honorable than observing it would be |
| And for my soul… being a thing immortal as itself? | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: horatio and MarcellusSituation: they are trying to talk hamlet out of following the ghostMeaning: the ghost can not harm my soul so what is there to fear |
| Something is rotten in the state of denmark | Who spoke: MarcellusTo whom: horatio Situation: hamlet had just walked away with the ghostMeaning: the chain has been disrupted |
| Murder most foul | Who spoke: the ghostTo whom: hamletSituation: the king is explaining the circumstances of his deathMeaning: this murder is worse than other murders |
| There are more things in heaven and earth, horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: horatio Situation: they have just sworn that they I’ll never speak about the ghost and horatio remarks how strange it isMeaning: even the most educated people can’t explain everything |
| As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: his friends- Horacio and Marcellus Situation: they just heard the ghost ask hamlet to get revenge for him and made a vow of secrecyMeaning: hamlet might act crazy in the process of getting revenge |
| The time is out of joint. I cursed spite that I was ever born to set it right! | Who spoke: hamletTo whom: to himselfSituation: he has just agreed to get revenge on his uncle for his fatherMeaning: he feels resentment that he must enact his father’s revenge |
Hamlet Act 1
July 25, 2019