Hamlet Scene Summary Flashcards
A1, S1
Old Hamlet’s ghost appears to Horatio and the guards
A1, S2
The marriage of Claudius and Gertrude shortly after Old Hamlet’s death, Hamlet’s disapproval and grief, Horatio tells Hamlet about the ghost
A1, S3
Laertes leaves for France, both he and Polonius lecture Ophelia on her relationship with Hamlet
A1, S4
Hamlet critiques Claudius as king and sees the ghost
A1, S5
The ghost tells Hamlet how he was murdered by Claudius, Hamlet vows to avenge him and puts on an antic disposition
A2, S1
Polonius asks Reynaldo to watch over Laertes in France, Ophelia tells Polonius how Hamlet entered her bedroom in a maddened state, Polonius believes Hamlet’s madness is due to Ophelia’s rejection of him
A2, S2
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive and asked to determine whether Hamlet is mad, Polonius suggests to the King and Queen an observation of a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia to determine the cause of his madness, Hamlet mocks Polonius, Hamlet is reunited with R&G but soon finds they were sent for, the Players arrive and Hamlet asks them to act the ‘Murder of Gonzago’ with his inserted lines
A3, S1
Hamlet discusses death, Ophelia and Hamlet’s interaction is observed, Claudius plans to send Hamlet to England
A3, S2
Hamlet asks Horatio to watch the King and Queen for their reactions to the play, Claudius leaves the play offended, R&G tell Hamlet he has upset the King and Queen, Hamlet tells R&G that they cannot manipulate him, Polonius asks Hamlet to speak with the Queen
A3, S3
Claudius tells of his plans to ship R&G to England with Hamlet as he is a threat, Claudius admits to the murder and struggles to pray, Hamlet comes across him but cannot kill him for fear Claudius will go to heaven
A3, S4
Hamlet confronts his mother about his father’s death and her remarriage, he compares his father and Claudius, Hamlet kills Polonius thinking he is Claudius, the ghost appears again to tell Hamlet to take vengence but Gertrude cannot see it
A4, S1
Gertrude tells how Hamlet murdered Polonius, Claudius tells R&G to find Hmalet and Polonius’ body
A4, S2
Hamlet playfully avoids questions of where he has hidden Polonius’ body
A4, S3
Claudius admits that Hamlet is loved by the people, Hamlet wittily explains where Polonius’ dead body is and insults the king, Claudius tells Hamlet he is going to England and once alone reveals he plans to have Hamlet killed once he arrives
A4, S4
Hamlet sees Fortinbras and laments on his own inaction, he vows to be ruthless and avenge his father
A4, S5
Ophelia has gone mad with possible references to her father and Hamlet in her speech, Laertes enters the court determined to kill Claudius for his father’s death, Laertes witnesses Ophelia’s madness, Claudius convinces Laertes to side with him
A4, S6
Hamlet sends a letter to Horatio explaining that his ship was attacked by pirates but he bargained with them to be dropped on Danish soil
A4, S7
Claudius discusses Hamlet with Laertes, Claudius receives the letter of Hamlet’s return, Claudius and Laertes plot a poisoned sword fight between Laertes and Hamlet, Gertrude tells the men that Ophelia has drowned
A5, S1
Gravediggers joke about death, Hamlet considers a skull and death, Hamlet learns the funeral is for Ophelia, Hamlet and Laertes fight over their love for Ophelia
A5, S2
Hamlet details how he found Claudius’ letters instructing England to kill him and changed them to order the deaths of R&G, Osric tells Hamlet of the duel between him and Laertes, Hamlet follows through with the fight and apologises to Laertes for killing Polonius, the Queen drinks the poisoned wine and dies, both Hamlet and Laertes are wounded by the poisoned sword, Laertes reveals his and the king’s plot, Hamlet and Laertes forgive each other, Hamlet forces Claudius to drink the poisoned cup, Hamlet hopes that Fortinbras becomes King of Denmark, Horatio tells of what happened in the court
