Hamlet Flashcards
Act by Act
Act 1, Scene 1
The play opens with two watchmen, Marcellus and Barnardo, speaking about a ghost they have seen on the ramparts of the castle. Horatio, a scholar and a friend of Prince Hamlet, joins them and also sees the ghost. The ghost disappears without speaking, leaving them puzzled.
Act 1, Scene 2
The scene shifts to the court of King Claudius, where he addresses the courtiers and announces his marriage to Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude. Prince Hamlet is present, still grieving the death of his father. Claudius urges Hamlet to stop mourning and advises him to think of him as a father. After the court leaves, Hamlet laments his father’s death and his mother’s remarriage.
Act 1, Scene 3
Laertes, a nobleman and son of Polonius, is about to leave for France. He advises his sister Ophelia to be cautious of her relationship with Hamlet. Polonius enters and gives his son some advice before he leaves. He then speaks to Ophelia and forbids her from seeing Hamlet, suspecting that Hamlet’s love for her may be insincere.
Act 1, Scene 4
On the castle ramparts, Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus wait for the ghost to appear again. When the ghost appears, Hamlet follows it, leaving his friends behind. Horatio and Marcellus decide to follow him to make sure he is safe.
Act 1, Scene 5
In another part of the castle, the ghost tells Hamlet that he is the spirit of his father, who was murdered by Claudius. The ghost urges Hamlet to seek revenge and to spare his mother from punishment. The scene ends with Hamlet swearing to avenge his father’s death.
Act 2, Scene 1
Polonius sends his servant, Reynaldo, to spy on his son Laertes in Paris. Ophelia enters and tells Polonius that Hamlet has been acting strangely, which Polonius attributes to his love for Ophelia. Polonius and Claudius plan to secretly watch a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia.
Act 2, Scene 2
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two of Hamlet’s childhood friends, arrive at Elsinore. Polonius brings them to Claudius, who asks them to spy on Hamlet and figure out why he has been acting strangely. A troupe of actors also arrives, and Hamlet begins to plot a plan to use them to expose his uncle’s guilt.
Act 2, Scene 3
Polonius gives Reynaldo instructions on how to spy on Laertes in Paris, telling him to insinuate false accusations about Laertes to his acquaintances. Polonius then reads a love letter from Hamlet to Ophelia, which he has intercepted, and concludes that Hamlet is truly lovesick.
Act 2, Scene 4
Hamlet teases Polonius and speaks in riddles to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who fail to understand his true feelings. The players arrive, and Hamlet delivers a famous speech about the power of theater to hold a mirror up to reality.
Act 2, Scene 5
The players perform a play for the court, which Hamlet has modified to include a scene that mirrors his father’s murder. Claudius becomes visibly uncomfortable and storms out of the room, convincing Hamlet of his guilt.
Act 2, Scene 6
Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet telling him that he will stage a performance the next night that will reveal the truth about his father’s death. Hamlet also reveals that he has escaped a plot to have him killed in England and is now on his way back to Denmark.
Act 2, Scene 7
Claudius speaks with a group of courtiers, revealing his fear of Hamlet and his suspicion that he knows of his guilt. He also learns that Hamlet has returned to Denmark and is on his way to the castle.
Act 3, Scene 1
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern attempt to learn the cause of Hamlet’s melancholy. Polonius reports to King Claudius and Queen Gertrude that he believes Hamlet is lovesick for Ophelia. They agree to test this theory by setting up a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia. Hamlet enters, delivering his famous soliloquy, “To be or not to be.” He then sees Ophelia and behaves erratically, telling her to go to a nunnery and suggesting that all women are deceitful.
Act 3, Scene 2
Hamlet arranges for a group of actors to perform a play, “The Murder of Gonzago,” which reenacts the killing of a king by his brother. Hamlet plans to watch Claudius’s reaction to see if he is guilty of killing Hamlet’s father. Polonius informs Gertrude and Claudius of the play and advises Gertrude to speak with Hamlet.
Act 3, Scene 3
Claudius attempts to pray for forgiveness for his sins but is unable to do so sincerely. Hamlet enters, intending to kill Claudius, but hesitates when he sees him praying. Hamlet decides to wait for a more opportune moment to kill Claudius.
Act 3, Scene 4
Gertrude summons Hamlet to her chamber to scold him for his behavior. Hamlet accuses her of being involved in his father’s murder and of being unfaithful to his father. He then hears a noise and stabs Polonius, thinking he is Claudius.
Act 3, Scene 5
Hamlet confronts his mother and accuses her of being complicit in his father’s murder. The ghost of Hamlet’s father appears to remind Hamlet of his mission to avenge his death. Gertrude is unable to see the ghost and believes Hamlet to be mad.
Act 3, Scene 6
Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet explaining that he has escaped from the ship taking him to England and is now back in Denmark. The letter also reveals that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern will be executed instead of Hamlet.
Act 3, Scene 7
Claudius orders Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s execution and informs Laertes that he will help him avenge his father’s death. They plan to poison Hamlet during a fencing match.
Act 4, Scene 1
Gertrude informs Claudius of Polonius’s death, and Hamlet’s erratic behavior. Claudius decides to send Hamlet to England, with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as his escorts.
Act 4, Scene 2
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern try to figure out the reason for Hamlet’s madness, but he outwits them. Hamlet is brought to Claudius, who orders him to depart for England immediately.
Act 4, scene 3
Hamlet reveals to Horatio that he has discovered a plot by Claudius to have him executed in England. Hamlet devises a plan to switch the execution order with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s, and escape back to Denmark.
Act 4, Scene 4
Fortinbras, the Prince of Norway, and his army march through Denmark en route to Poland. Hamlet meets Fortinbras and his army, and is struck by their bravery and determination.
Act 4, Scene 5
Ophelia enters the scene, singing and acting strangely. Laertes returns from France and is furious with the news of his father’s death. He blames Claudius for the murder, and decides to take revenge.
Act 4, Scene 6
Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet, explaining his escape from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and his return to Denmark.
Act 4, Scene 7
Claudius and Laertes discuss the situation, and Claudius convinces Laertes to take revenge on Hamlet during a fencing match. They plan to use a poisoned sword, and also poison a cup of wine as a backup plan.
Act 4, Scene 8
Hamlet meets with Horatio and explains that he has switched the orders for execution. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern will be executed instead of him. Hamlet also reveals that he knows about the plot to kill him during the fencing match.
Act 5, Scene 1
Hamlet, Horatio, and a gravedigger engage in a humorous conversation while digging Ophelia’s grave. Hamlet finds the skull of Yorick, a jester he knew as a child, and reflects on the inevitability of death. Ophelia’s funeral procession arrives, and Laertes jumps into the grave in grief. Hamlet and Laertes argue and are separated. Hamlet reveals to Horatio that he has switched the orders for his and Laertes’ swords, making Laertes’ sword poisoned.
Act 5, Scene 2
Hamlet and Laertes face off in a fencing match, but Laertes manages to wound Hamlet with the poisoned sword. The queen drinks from a poisoned cup meant for Hamlet and dies. Laertes confesses to Hamlet that Claudius is responsible for their plan. Hamlet kills Claudius, fulfilling his revenge, and dies from the poison in his wound. Fortinbras, the prince of Norway, arrives and takes control of the kingdom.
