| Who is on guard duty? Where? | Bernardo and Francisco, Marcellus, and Horatio; the entrance to the border between Denmark and Norway |
| How many times has the Ghost previously appeared? | 2 times |
| After failing to get any information from the Ghost, what action does Horatio propose? | tell Hamlet |
| Why has Horatio been asked to keep watch with the guards? | he is a scholar; to make sure they aren’t lying |
| What is the political situation in Denmark and Norway that has caused the present state of national unrest? | Old King Hamlet killed the King of Norway –> the son is planning revenge |
| What superstitions about ghosts are revealed in the behavior and conversation of Horatio and the guards? | they are a bad omen; they mean that there is unrest in the country, a disruption in nature |
| What three matters of business does King Claudius take up at his first Council session? | he announces his marriage to Gertrude and explains why is was fasthe allows Laertes to return to France and holds Hamlet backHe dispatches ambassadors to Norway to stop Fortinabras’ attack |
| After Horatio and the guards tell him they have seen his father’s ghost, what further action does Hamlet propose? | he wants to speak to it; don’t tell anyone |
| How does Claudius word his speech to the court so as to win approval for his hasty marriage and takeover of the throne? | he tries to balance the sadness with happiness |
| Why is Laertes, but not Hamlet, permitted to leave Denmark? | he wants to keep an eye on Hamlet; keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer |
| Why are Claudius and Gertrude critical of Hamlet’s dress and behavior? What is Hamlet’s response? | they see that he is always wearing black and they think that his mourning is inappropriate; “I’ve been in the sun too much” |
| How does Hamlet show contempt for Claudius? | he refuses to recognize their marriage |
| A soliloquy is a dramatic convention in which a character voices thoughts while alone on stage. What does Hamlet’s first soliloquy reveal about his state of mind and the real reasons for it? | He is sad and hopeless; he hates that his mother remarried two months after his father’s death |
| What is Hamlet’s reaction to the news brought to him by Horatio and the guards? | he wants to speak to the ghost; he is excited |
| What event brings the family of Polonius together in this scene? | they are seeing Laertes off on his voyage |
| What command does Laertes give Ophelia concerning Hamlet? | Be careful around Hamlet, he has a right to court anyone he likes, he owes his duty to the state |
| The main action in Scene 3 is the giving of advice. What is Laertes’s advice to Ophelia? | stay on your guard |
| What is Ophelia’s advice to Laertes? | follow your own advice |
| Judging by his words and actions in Scene 3, what kind of person does Polonius reveal himself to be? | he is mainly concerned with reputation and appearances |
| What is going on in the castle while Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus await the ghost? | Claudius is drinking and partying |
| What do Horatio and Marcellus fear will happen to Hamlet if he follows the Ghost? | it will lead him into destruction |
| Explain Hamlet’s comparison between the state and an individual. What motivates him to make these remarks? | he says that Denmark’s people ar drunkards – a tiny spot of evil ruins reputations; Claudius’ drinking |
| How does Hamlet manage to break away from his companions in order to be alone with the Ghost? What is his emotional state? | he threatens to kill anyone who tries to stop him |
| What does the Ghost reveal to be the true circumstances of his death? | Claudius killed him to be king |
| What is Hamlet told about Gertrude’s past behavior with Claudius? | she has been seduced by Claudius |
| What does Hamlet make Horatio and Marcellus promise? | don’t tell anyone what they saw |
| How does Shakespeare establish a supernatural aura about the figure of the Ghost? | he describes how miserable and unnatural it is |
| List the three specific commands of the Ghost to Hamlet. | seek revenge, don’t corrupt his mind, don’t harm his mother |
| Overall, how does Hamlet regard the Ghost and the tasks he has been assigned? | he takes it seriously and has an intense passion to follow it through |
| What reasons might there be for Hamlet’s humorous treatment of the Ghost once he has been rejoined by his companions? | he doesn’t want them to worry about him |
| What change in behavior in the future does Hamlet prepare us to expect? | he will act strange (crazy) |
| A great deal happens in Act 1. What is the actual timespan of this act? | 1 day |
| What does Hamlet promise the Ghost? | he will remember the ghost |
| Hamlet is surrounded by people who habitually mask their true selves. Which characters are clearly not what they seem to be? | Claudius and Gertrude |
| What dramatic effect is created by having the Ghost appear first to the soldiers, then to Horatio and then finally to Hamlet? | suspense |
| What future events does Act 1 prepare us to anticipate? | Hamlet’s revenge; Claudius’ death |
Hamlet Act 1 Study Guide
July 5, 2019