| Father of Laertes and Ohpelia, believes Hamlet’s madness comes from neglected love. | Polonius |
| grief causes his madness, wants revenge yet cannot act, overthinks, negative view of women (sees them as weak) | Hamlet |
| kills brother by pouring poison in his ear, can’t repent for sins because | Claudius |
| marries old husband’s brother, more loyal to Claudius than her own son, weak | Gertrude |
| son of Polonius, wants to go to France, blames Hamlet for death of Polonius | Laertes |
| daughter of Polonius, in love with Hamlet, obedient & loyal to her father | Ophelia |
| scholar, diligent, loyal, reacts calmly under pressure | Horatio |
| ” there is something rotten in the state of Denmark” | Marcellus |
| Hamlet calls Claudius this | a Satyr |
| Why does Laertes think that Ophelia killed herself? | death of her father |
| What instructions do the ghost give to Hamlet when talking to his mother? | gives him permission to tell Gertrude the truth about him not being insane |
| What is the ghost wearing when he appears to hamlet? | The armor he wore in the battle with Norway. |
| Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing them end them.” | Hamlet |
| “Such an act…calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose from the fair forehead of an innocent love, and sets a blister there an makes marriage vows false” | Hamlet |
| “My honored lord, you know right well you did, and with them words of sweet breath composed as made the things more rich. Their perfume lost, take these things again” | Ophelia |
| “And I, of ladies most deject and wretched that sucked the honey of his musicked vows” | Ophelia |
| “The harlots cheek beautified with plastering art is not more ugly to the thing that helps it than is my deed to my most painted word” | Claudius |
| “My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent, and, like a man double business bound, I stand in pause where I shall first begin and both neglect.” | Claudius |
| “Speak no more! Thou turnst my eyes into my very soul, and there I see such black and grained spots and I will not leave their tinct” | Gertrude |
| “The lady doth protest too much, methinks” | Gertrude |
| “My lord, he’s going to his mother’s closet. Behind the arras I’ll convey myself to hear the process. I’ll warrant she’ll tax him home.” | Polonius |
| “But yet I do believe the origin and commencement of his grief sprung from neglected love.” | Polonius |
| When the ghost appears the second time, what do Bernardo and Horatio believe causes the ghost to leave? | rooster crows |
| What is Laertes’ request? | to leave and go to France |
| “Seems” Madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.” Of what does Hamlet accuse his mother? | Of SEEMING like she is grieving |
| In his first soliloquy, to what does Hamlet compare the kingdom of Denmark? | An un-weeded garden |
| “Frailty, thy name is woman!” What does frailty mean in this context? | Moral weakness |
| When Act I begins, what time of night is it? | Midnight |
| Hamlet compares his father to Hyperion and his uncle Claudius to a satyr. What is a satyr? | “So excellent a king, that was to this / Hyperion to a satyr;”A satyr=greek mythological creature w/ strong sexual/lustful behaviors |
| “My father’s spirit—in arms!” What does Hamlet believe this visit from the ghost of his father might mean? | That his father is in Purgatory because of his untimely death, he was not able to repent for his sins. Thinks something bad is going to happen |
| What does Claudius want the King of Norway to do about Young Fortinbras? | To stop him from attacking |
| Who says, “A little more than kin, and less than kind”? | Hamlet |
| What does the ghost’s appearance foreshadow? | Norway’s potential attack on Denmark |
| Who says: “to thine own self be true” (1.3.84)? | Polonius |
| How are Hamlet and Fortinbras’ drive for revenge different? | Fortinbras’ revenge=fueled by honor; Hamlet’s revenge=fueled by hate |
| Who says: “Leave her to heaven/And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge/To prick and sting her” (1.5.93-95) ? | The ghost |
| Who says: “from the table of my memory/I’ll wipe away all trivial, fond records” (1.5.105-106) | Hamlet |
| According to Polonius, how do individuals “of wisdom and of reach, . . . find directions out” | Deception and indirect approaches |
| How did Hamlet look when he appeared in Ophelia’s private room? | Disheveled; clothes are a mess |
| What does Polonius believe is wrong with Hamlet? | That he is mad/crazy because of Ophelia’s love |
| Who has Claudius summoned to spy on Hamlet? | Polonius / R & G |
| What does Young Fortinbras get for agreeing to stop his aggression against Denmark? | 3,000 gold coins, permission to make his army official, permission to invade Poland |
| What request does Norway make of Denmark? | To let Norway’s army pass through on their way into Poland |
| Having presented his theory about Hamlet’s madness to Claudius, how does Polonius plan to prove his theory is correct? | Spy on Hamlet and Ophelia |
| Of what does Hamlet accuse his friends? | Of trying to play him like a musical pipe; being sent by the king |
| What does Hamlet tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that Denmark is like? | A prison |
| Why does Pyrrhus kill Priam? | Pyrrhus’ father died in the Trojan war and he wants to avenge that death by killing Priam, the king of Troy |
| Queen of Troy during reign of Priam | Hecuba |
| What does Pyrrhus want to do to Priam? | Disfigure him and make Hecuba watch |
| In his third soliloquy, why does Hamlet refer to himself as “a rogue and peasant slave”? | He is so angry with himself because he has not done anything to avenge his father’s unjust death |
| “Thus ____ does make cowards of us all” | conscience |
| How many times does Hamlet have to ask Guildenstern and Rosencrantz for the truth? What is this an allusion to? | 3 times; allusion to the Bible |
| Who says: “I am but mad north-north-west. When the/wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw” (2.2.402-403). | Hamlet |
| What name does Hamlet use for Polonius? What does this foreshadow? | Jephthah; foreshadows Ophelia’s death |
| What does Hamlet call Polonius? | A fishmonger |
| What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern fail to report to the King and Queen about their visit with Hamlet? | They fail to report that Hamlet knows the king & queen sent them |
| When Hamlet asks Ophelia, “Are you honest?” what two possible meanings are being suggested? | Truthful or chaste (a virgin) |
| Hamlet tells Ophelia to go to a “nunnery” five times in his conversation with her. What two meanings does the word nunnery have in this context? | A brothel (***** house) or a convent |
| After listening to the exchange between Hamlet and Ophelia, what does Claudius conclude about Hamlet’s madness? | That Ophelia is not the cause and that he might not be mad at all |
| What action does Claudius plan to take regarding Hamlet? | Send him to England |
| To whom is Hamlet referring when he says “A man that Fortune’s buffets and rewards / Hast ta’en with equal thanks; and blessed are those / Whose blood and judgment are so well commeddled”? | Horatio |
| In what play does Polonius say he once performed? | Julius Caesar |
| According to the play, under what circumstance does the Queen “kill her husband dead” a second time? | By sleeping with her new husband |
| What is the name of the play that reenacts the murder of Hamlet’s father? | The Murder of Gonzago |
| When Claudius asks Hamlet for the name of the play, Hamlet replies ____ | The Mousetrap |
| In the play, what is the relationship between Lucianus and the King? | Lucianus is the king’s nephew |
| How does the King react to the play? (First he does something and then he asks for something.) | Stands up and asks for the lights to be turned on |
| Guildenstern tells Hamlet that the King has retired, suffering from choler. What are the two meanings given for choler? | Nausea and anger |
| Complete the proverb. “While the grass grows, _________.” | The horse starves |
| According to Hamlet, what is “as easy as lying”? | Playing the recorder |
| In his fifth soliloquy, Hamlet says “Now I could drink hot blood / And do such business as the day / Would quake to look on.” What is Hamlet ready to do? | Kill Claudius |
| This character sees “black and grained spots” on their soul | Gertrude |
| “I must be cruel only to be ___” | kind |
| “I will speak ____ to her, but use none” | daggers |
| Hamlet equates ____ to an endless sleep | Death |
| Who says: “…I am essentially not in madness,/ But mad in craft” | Hamlet |
| This term can either mean chaste or truthful. | honest |
| This character is described as being someone who “abuses” Hamlet to “damn” him | The ghost |
| Who does Claudius ask to escort Hamlet to England? | Rosencrantz & Guildenstern |
| Claudius says his crime has “the primal eldest curse upon it.” Explain the allusion. | Cain & Abel; Cain=murdered his brother-1st murderer |
| Why does Claudius believe he cannot be forgiven for the murder he committed? | Because he is still reaping the rewards of the murder |
| Hamlet finally has an opportunity to kill Claudius. What is Claudius doing? | praying |
| Why does Hamlet refrain from killing Claudius at this time? Please be specific. | Doesn’t want Claudius to be able to go to Heaven (because he has just confessed his sins) |
| “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below; / Words without thoughts never to heaven go.” What do these words reveal about Claudius? | That his words are without meaning and therefore do not reach heaven |
| What happens to Polonius as a result of his spying on Hamlet? | he dies |
| Hamlet tells Polonius, “I took thee for thy better.” Who did Hamlet believe was behind the arras spying on him? | Claudius |
| To what does Hamlet compare his father’s image? | Hyperion the Greek Sun God; commander of war |
| During Hamlet’s angry discussion with his mother, who enters the room? | The ghost |
| What does Hamlet ask his mother NOT to do? | Tell Claudius that Hamlet’s madness is fake |
| What does Gertrude fail to report to Claudius about what happened when Hamlet killed Polonius? | That Hamlet thought it was Claudius |
| When questioned by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about the location of Polonius’ body, to what does Hamlet compare Rosencrantz? | A sponge |
| Why does Claudius say that he cannot “put the strong law on [Hamlet]”? | Because the people of Denmark love him and judge him based on appearance rather than reason |
| When questioned by Claudius about the location of Polonius’ body, Hamlet offers three Different answers. Where does he say the body is? | At supper, in heaven, in the lobby |
| In his short soliloquy at the end of scene 3, what does Claudius reveal he is asking England to do with Hamlet? | Kill him |
| In his short soliloquy at the end of scene 3, to what does Claudius compare Hamlet? | Fever in his blood |
| According to Fortinbras’ Captain, how much is the Polish land worth that Norway is going to war over? | 5 ducats |
| At the beginning of his 7th soliloquy, why does Hamlet compare himself to “a beast”? | Because he only “eats and sleeps” |
| Hamlet says, “Rightly to be great / Is not to stir without great argument, / But greatly to find quarrel in a straw / When ______ at stake.” | honor |
| At the beginning of scene 5, Horatio, Gertrude, and a gentleman of the court discuss Ophelia. What has happened to her? | She has gone mad |
| Ophelia sings a song about St. Valentine’s Day. About whom does she seem to sing? | Hamlet |
| According to Claudius, what is the cause of Ophelia’s ailment? | grief |
| What do “the rabble” want Laertes to be? | Lord |
| Ophelia hands out flowers and herbs. What is rosemary for? Pansies? | Rosemary=for remembering; Pansies=for thoughts |
| Ophelia gives herself only one of the flowers/herbs. Which one is it? | Rue |
| flower that symbolize flattery and deceit | Fennel |
| Flower that symbolizes lying | Daisy |
| Besides the manner of Polonius’ death, what else is Laertes incensed about regarding his father? | That he did not receive a proper burial |
| On his way to England, who takes Hamlet prisoner? | pirates |
| When Laertes asks why Claudius has not proceeded against Hamlet’s criminal acts, what TWO reasons does he give? | Queen loves her son and he doesn’t want to hurt the queen & the public loves Hamlet |
| From whom does Claudius receive a disturbing letter? | Hamlet |
| What TWO things will the King and Laertes do to the rapier Laertes will use in the fencing match against Hamlet? | Make it sharp & add poison |
| According to Gertrude, what has happened to Ophelia? | She drowned |
| What specific action is Laertes willing to take “to show indeed [he is his] father’s son? (“No place indeed should murder sanctuarize.”) | Kill Hamlet in a church |
| “Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter?” | grave-maker |
| Whose grave is being prepared as Hamlet and Horatio walk through the graveyard? | A woman who died |
| According to the gravedigger, why will the corpse of a tanner decay more slowly than other corpses? | Because it does not have water (grief) |
| In whose skull does Hamlet take a special interest? | Yorick |
| What does Hamlet reveal about his feelings for Ophelia? | That he was in love with her |
| When Hamlet announces himself to the group in the graveyard, what title does he give himself | Dane |
| How does Hamlet send Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths? | Writes a letter to the king of England |
| What does Hamlet say is his reason for wanting to kill Claudius? | Save Denmark from the corruption of Claudius Before they begin to fence |
| What does Laertes mean when he tells Osric, “Why as a woodcock to mine own springe”? | He has been caught in his own traps/evil tricks |
| As he is dying, what does Hamlet ask Horatio to do? | Tell his story |
| What animal does Hamlet compare himself to when he accepts fate? | A sparrow |
| what does Hamlet ask of Laertes? | Forgiveness |
Hamlet study guide
August 31, 2019