Hamlet: Characters, Places, Names

Hamlet Son of dead king, protagonist, filled with melancholy but also considered heroic
Horatio Hamlet’s friend from Wittenberg, called upon to speak to ghost, feels as if he has to classify his sense of perception with words (“tis strange”), captain obvious
Prince Fortinbras son of dead king of Norway, wants to regain land lost to his father
King Claudius Hamlet’s uncle and stepfather, murderer of the late Hamlet
Queen Gertrude Hamlet’s mother
Ophelia loves Hamlet, goes crazy and commits suicide (or just drowns)
Laertes Ophelia’s brother, avenges his father’s death
Polonius Ophelia’s father, speaks very eloquently and too much, comic character, filled with aphorisms he doesn’t live up to
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Childhood friends of Hamlet
Denmark Homeland of Hamlet (and setting of play)
Norway Homeland of Prince Fortinbras
Barnardo and Marcellus guards who see ghost with Horatio
Francisco guard who leaves during A1S1
Cornelius and Volemand Messengers sent by Claudius who give the letter to Fortinbras’ uncle
France Laertes’ homeland
Wittenburg Hamlet and Horatio’s school
Frailty Characteristic Hamlet compares all women to
Hyperion mythical character Hamlet compares his father to (the sun god)
Niobe mythical character Hamlet compares his mother to; she wept endlessly for the death of her children
hebona name of poison used to kill the late Hamlet
Horatio and Marcellus Swear to Hamlet never to speak of the ghost to anyone
auxesis growing emotion/power over successive lines
tricolon three balanced phrases
August 13, 2019