Hamlet Character List

Hamlet The prince of Denmark, the title character, and the protagonist,. About thirty years old at the start of the play. The son of Queen Gertrude and the late King Hamlet, and the nephew of the present king, Claudius.
Claudius The king of Denmark, Hamlet’s uncle, and the play’s antagonist.
Gertrude The queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, recently married to Claudius.
Polonius The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius’ court, a pompous, conniving old man. Polonius is the father of Laertes and Ophelia.
Horatio Hamlet’s close friend, who studied with the prince at the university of Wittenberg. He is loyal and helpful to Hamlet throughout the play. After Hamlet’s death, he remains alive tell Hamlet’s story.
Ophelia Polonius’s daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. She is a sweet, innocent young girl, who obeys her father and her brother, Laertes.
Laertes Polonius’s son and Ophelia’s brother, a young man who spends much of the play in France. Passionate and quick to action, Laertes is clearly a foil for the reflective Hamlet.
Fortinbras The young prince of Norway, whose father the king (also named Fortinbras) was killed by Hamlet’s father (also named Hamlet). Now he wishes to attack Denmark to avenge his father’s honor, making him another foil for Prince Hamlet.
The Ghost The specter of Hamlet’s recently deceased father. He claims to have been murdered by Claudius, calls upon Hamlet to avenge him.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former friends of Hamlet from Wittenburg, who are summoned by Claudius and Gertrude to discover the cause of Hamlet’s strange behavior.
Osric The foolish courtier who summons Hamlet to his duel with Laertes.
Voltimand and Cornelius Courtiers whom Claudius sends to Norway to persuade the king to prevent Fortinbras from attacking
Marcellus and Bernardo The officers who first see the ghost walking the ramparts of Elsinore and who summon Horatio to witness it. Marcellus is present when Hamlet first encounters the ghost.
Francisco A soldier and guardsman at Elsinore
Reynaldo Polonius’s servant, who is sent to France by Polonius to check up on and spy on Laertes.
August 8, 2019