Hamlet

• Who joins Bernardo, the watchman, on his watch of the castle?

• What do Marcellus and Bernardo want to show Horatio?

• What proves to Horatio that the ghost is that of King Hamlet?

• How does Horatio explain the appearance of King Hamlet?

• Who is Fortinbras?

Who is now married to King Hamlet's wife?

What does King Claudius say he is mourning over?

What does Prince Hamlet contemplate doing because he is so upset?

What does Fortinbras want from Claudius?

What does Claudius and Gertrude want Prince Hamlet to do?

• What does Laertes warn Ophelia about?

• What is Laertes' main objection to Ophelia's feelings?

• What does Polonius say about Ophelia's relationship with Hamlet?

• What does Hamlet overhear while waiting for the ghost to appear?

• Why do Horatio and Marcellus follow after Hamlet and the ghost?

• How did Hamlet's father die?

• Who does the ghost of Hamlet's father say killed him?

• What does the ghost of King Hamlet say about Gertrude, his wife?

• What does Hamlet tell Horatio and Marcellus about his plan?

• What does Hamlet do to upset Ophelia?

• Who are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

• Whom does Fortinbras swear he will not attack?

• How does Polonius plan to prove Hamlet's love for Ophelia?

• What play does Hamlet want the players to perform?

• How will Claudius react to the play, according to Hamlet?

• Why does Claudius want to be left alone?

• What do Polonius and Claudius hear him talking about with Ophelia?

• What does Ophelia give Hamlet?

• Why does Hamlet call women dishonest?

• What does Claudius say he will do about Hamlet?

• What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do during the Play?

• How does Hamlet tease Ophelia?

• What does Hamlet do during the performance?

• What is Claudius's reaction to the play?

• Who sends for Hamlet after the play?

• What does Claudius want Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do with Hamlet?

• Who plans to spy on Gertrude and Hamlet?

• What does Claudius feel guilty for?

• Why does Hamlet refrain from killing Claudius when he has the opportunity to?

• When does Hamlet plan to kill Claudius?

• Why does Polonius want to eavesdrop on Hamlet?

• What does Hamlet accuse his mother of?

• Why does Hamlet kill Polonius?

• Why does Gertrude think Hamlet is mad?

• What message does the ghost bring to Hamlet?

• Whom does Gertrude rush to see after Polonius is killed?

• What does Gertrude compare herself to?

• What is Claudius's main concern?

• What does Hamlet accuse Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of?

• What does Hamlet allow Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do?

• Who reveals the location of Polonius's body?

• What orders does Claudius send to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

• What is Fortinbras doing when he comes across Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern?

• Why is Hamlet surprised by the nature of the conflict between Poland and Norway?

• What does Hamlet resolve to do after meeting Fortinbras?

• How does Ophelia handle the news of Polonius's death?

• What does Horatio urge Gertrude to do?

• How do the peasants feel about Laertes upon his return?

• What advice does Claudius give to Laertes?

• What does Hamlet's letter to Horatio say?

• Why doesn't Claudius punish Hamlet?

• Why is Laertes happy about Hamlet's return to Denmark?

• When does Laertes plan to kill Hamlet?

• What does Laertes and Claudius plan to do if Hamlet wins the duel?

• How does Ophelia die?

• Why are the gravediggers arguing about Ophelia?

• What does the gravedigger say to Hamlet when he asks whose grave he is digging?

• What does Hamlet notice about the funeral procession?

• What does Hamlet say to Laertes upon realizing that it is Ophelia's funeral?

• What finally appeases Laertes at Ophelia's funeral?

• What does Hamlet tell Horatio about death?

• How does Gertrude die?

• How does Hamlet find out about Claudius's plan?

• What does the dying Hamlet tell Horatio to do?

• Who rules Denmark at the end of the play?

Prince of Denmark, title character, protagonist.

King of Denmakr, Hamlet's uncle, antagonist. Villain of the play. driven by his sexual appetites and his lust for poer but occasionally shows signs of guilt and human feeling

Queen of Denmark, Hamlet's mother. Loves Hamlet but is a shallow, weak woman.

The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius's court, a pompous, conniving old man. the father of Laertes and Ophelia.

Hamlet's close friend, who studied with the prince at the university in Wittenberg. loyal and helpful to Hamlet throughout the play. After Hamlet's death, remains alive to tell Hamlet's story.

Polonius's daughter, a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has been in love. Even in her lapse into madness and death, she remains maidenly, singing songs about flowers and finally drowning

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.

The young Prince of Norway, whose father the king was killed by Hamlet's father. Now wishes to attack Denmark to avenge his father's honor, making him another foil for Prince Hamlet.

The specter of Hamlet's recently deceased father. Hamlet speculates that the ghost might be a devil sent to deceive him and tempt him into murder, and the question of what the ghost is or where it comes from is never definitively resolved.

Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg, who are summoned by Claudius and Gertrude to discover the cause of Hamlet's strange behavior.