Characters of Hamlet Flashcards
Overview of the characters
After the death of their king, the characters are deeply suspicious of one another, as it becomes clear that the king may have been murdered—and by his brother Claudius no less.
Hamlet is a tragedy, each character carries within themselves a tragic characteristic that contributes to their own downfall.
Hamlet 1
The protagonist of the tragedy, Hamlet is a beloved prince and a thoughtful, melancholy young man. Distraught by his father’s death, Hamlet is only made more depressed by his uncle Claudius’ succession to the throne and his subsequent marriage to his mother.
Hamlet 2
And so, When the ghost of the king, Hamlet’s father, tells him that he was murdered by his brother Claudius and that Hamlet must avenge him, Hamlet becomes almost suicidal and obsessed with revenge. He is slowly driven mad by his inability to act on this instruction.
Hamlet 3
Very intelligent, Hamlet decides to fake madness in order to fool his uncle and those loyal to him while he uncovers whether Claudius is guilty for his father’s death—although often his mental health is genuinely in question.
Hamlet 4
Worried about his own guilt, Hamlet also becomes hateful, despising his uncle, voicing anger at his mother, frustrated with his traitorous friends, and alienating Ophelia (whom he once courted). His anger borders on ruthlessness and he is responsible for numerous deaths throughout the play, but he never loses his reflective and melancholy traits.
Claudius 1
Claudius, the play’s antagonist, is the king of Denmark and Hamlet’s uncle. According to the ghost of Hamlet’s father, Claudius is his killer. Claudius is a conniving strategist who poisoned his own brother in cold blood. He remains calculating and unloving throughout the play, driven by his ambition and lust.
Claudius 2
When he realizes that Hamlet is not mad as he originally believed, and in fact poses a threat to his crown, Claudius quickly begins to plot Hamlet’s death. This plan ultimately leads to Claudius’s death at Hamlet’s hands at the end of the play.
Claudius 3
When Hamlet has a travelling troupe put on a play(the dumb show) for the court that emulates the murder of a king, Claudius reveals his sense of guilt.
Polonius
Polonius is the main advisor to the king, also known as the Lord Chamberlain. Pompous and arrogant, Polonius is also the overbearing father of Ophelia and Laertes.
Polonius
As Laertes sets off for France to continue his studies, Polonius gives him paradoxical advice, including the famous quotation, “to thine own self be true”—an ironic line from a man who cannot keep his advice consistent.
Polonius
When Hamlet goes to his mother’s bed-chamber, attempting to confront her about his father’s murder, he kills Polonius, who is hiding behind a tapestry and whom Hamlet mistakes for the king.
Ophelia
Ophelia is Polonius’s daughter and Hamlet’s lover. She is obedient, agreeing not to see Hamlet anymore at her father’s suggestion and spying on Hamlet when asked by Claudius.
Ophelia
She believes that Hamlet loves her, despite his inconsistent courtship, and is devastated during a conversation in which he seems not to love her at all.
When Hamlet kills her father, Ophelia goes mad and drowns in the river. Whether this is suicide is left ambiguous. Ophelia is feminine and almost maidenly throughout the play, though she is able to counter Hamlet’s wit.
Horatio
Horatio is Hamlet’s best friend and confidant. He is cautious, scholarly, and a good man, known for giving sound advice. As Hamlet lies dying at the end of the play, Horatio considers suicide, but Hamlet convinces him to live on to tell the story.
Laertes
Laertes is Polonius’s son and Ophelia’s brother, as well as a clear foil to Hamlet. Where Hamlet is contemplative and frozen by emotions, Laertes is reactive and quick to action.
