| How does Shakespeare begin the play with an immediate sense of suspense? | The guards are speaking of a figure they’ve seen in the night. |
| What probably important exposition is revealed in this scene? | The ghost is the late king, Hamlet. |
| Why has Horatio been asked to join the soldiers in the night watch? What has he decided to do? | Horatio was a scholar, and they wanted him to get the ghost to speak. He wants to tell Hamlet. |
| How does the reader/audience know this ghost is not a hallucination? | They can all see the ghost. |
| What important exposition is revealed at the beginning of this scene? | The return of Old Hamlet and the conflict with Norway. |
| What evidence of wrongdoing or corruption is evident in Claudius’ opening speech? | He admits to the quick marriage and says while he’s a mourning brother, he is also extremely excited for his new marriage. |
| Compare Claudius’ treatment of Laertes with his treatment of Hamlet. | With Laertes he is friendly and kind, while with Hamlet he is often condescending. |
| Why did Hamlet not become King when his father died? | Denmark is an elective monarchy. |
| How is Hamlet physically and emotionally conspicuous in the public portion of this scene? | He is asked why he is so gloomy and he responds extremely cynical and states his grief. |
| What is the significance of Claudius’ denying Hamlet permission to return to Wittenburg? | To watch over Hamlet since he killed his father. |
| What aspect of Hamlet’s concept of death/desire for death is revealed in Hamlet’s first soliloquy? | He wishes to be dead because he believes the world is like an unweeded garden that he doesn’t want to be in. |
| What aspect of Hamlet’s problem seems to bother him the most? | Hamlet’s mother remarried to his uncle. |
| What important metaphor is introduced in Hamlet’s soliloquy that will be developed later in the play? | Denmark is an unweeded garden. |
| Contrast Claudius’ and Laertes’ reasons for being in Denmark. | Claudius was becoming king and Laertes was there for his coronation. |
| Explain the reasons that Laertes and Polonius give Ophelia to convince her not to trust Hamlet’s love. | They say he may not have true intentions, and if he did, he’s a royal so he may not have a choice. |
| What is comical about Polonius? | He tells Laertes that he should be leaving quickly, but rants on and on, stalling him. |
| Other than the fact of the ghost itself, why is this Ghost thought to be an evil omen? | He tells Hamlet a secret about how he died. He made him completely obsessed with seeking revenge. |
| Marcellus states, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” What does he mean? | He’s referring to Hamlet following the ghost and saying how there’s something wrong with the situation. |
| In what region of the universe does the Ghost reside? | Purgatory. |
| What possible theme is introduced by the Ghost’s afterlife? | The theme of death and purgatory. |
| What does the Ghost warn Hamlet about his mother? Why? | He says not to blame her and leave her to heaven when he gets vengeance. |
| What does Hamlet mean when he says, “The time is out of joint”? | It wasn’t his father’s time to die. |
| What is ironic about Polonius’ attempt to learn about Laertes’ life in Paris? | He will ruin his son’s reputation in the process. |
| Why would Polonius immediately jump to the conclusion that Hamlet is mad for Ophelia’s love? | He believed his love was unrequited because of how rash he was. |
| Consider how the episode of Hamlet in Ophelia’s closet promises to contribute to the overall calamity of the tragic plot. | She has sided with those against Hamlet, and both Hamlet and Polonius are exploiting her. |
| Are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern willing spies for CLaudius and Gertrude? | They are good friends with Hamlet. They care about him, and they want Claudius and Gertrude to like them. |
| What effect is created by the scenes between Hamlet and Polonius being in prose? | It changes how the character is portrayed. |
| What are some of the slang expressions and puns Hamlet uses in his first exchange with Polonius? Why are they significant? | Polonius asks Hamlet what he’s reading and Hamlet pretends to be confused. |
| What is Hamlet’s initial reaction to the appearance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? | He says something that suggests that he doesn’t car about them and is already on to them. |
| Why are Rosencrantz and Guildernstern hesitant to admit that they are in Elsinore because the king and queen sent for them? | They don’t want him to realize they are spies. |
| How does Hamlet’s famous “What a piece of work is a man!” passage depart from typical Renaissance humanism? | He doesn’t depict man as if it is the top of the hierarchy of creation. |
| Why does Shakespeare introduce a troupe of traveling players into the action of the play? | The players will be the vehicle by which Shakespeare can evaluate various characters’ reactions t events and characters in the play. |
| What does Hamlet’s expression of concern about the child actors used in the city contribute to the development of his character? | I don’t see how it affects the plot, but it shows how Shakespeare shows his own opinions through Hamlet. |
| What is unusual about the players’ monologue about the Fall of Troy? | It is told from the Trojan’s view. Thus, the roles of good and bad are reversed. |
| What does Claudius admit to himself (and the audience) about his crime? | He admits that he killed the previous king. He says it’s the biggest crime. He wants to pray for forgiveness, but doesn’t want to deal with the consequences. |
| List the personal grievances Hamlet expresses in his “To be or not to be” solilquy and explains what specific events in Hamlet’s life they refer to. | He debates whether or not he wants to live through this pain. Death would be the easiest way out |
| What metaphor does Hamlet use in his “To be or not to be” speech to express his developing understanding of death? How does he further develop this metaphor? | He compares death to a deep sleep. He says it’s crazy to try and live through all the pain instead of taking a long sleep. |
| What information does Ophelia provide about Hamlet’s character before the beginning of the play? | She tells him he came to her dressed sloppily and he grabbed her by the wrist. |
| Explain the ambiguity of the nunnery scene. | Hamlet goes crazy. He makes personal insults at Ophelia. He accuses her of being with other men. |
| What is the main thrust of Hamlet’s diatribe against Ophelia? | He accuses her of being dishonest. |
| How has the play-within-the-play changed Hamlet’s situation and influenced the action of the play? | … |
| How does Polonius’s | … |
Hamlet Act I-V
July 15, 2019