Hamlet Scene Summary

Question 1

A1, S1

Answer 1

Old Hamlet’s ghost appears to Horatio and the guards

Question 2

A1, S2

Answer 2

The marriage of Claudius and Gertrude shortly after Old Hamlet’s death, Hamlet’s disapproval and grief, Horatio tells Hamlet about the ghost

Question 3

A1, S3

Answer 3

Laertes leaves for France, both he and Polonius lecture Ophelia on her relationship with Hamlet

Question 4

A1, S4

Answer 4

Hamlet critiques Claudius as king and sees the ghost

Question 5

A1, S5

Answer 5

The ghost tells Hamlet how he was murdered by Claudius, Hamlet vows to avenge him and puts on an antic disposition

Question 6

A2, S1

Answer 6

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

Question 7

A2, S2

Answer 7

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

Question 8

A3, S1

Answer 8

Hamlet discusses death, Ophelia and Hamlet’s interaction is observed, Claudius plans to send Hamlet to England

Question 9

A3, S2

Answer 9

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

Question 10

A3, S3

Answer 10

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

Question 11

A3, S4

Answer 11

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

Question 12

A4, S1

Answer 12

Gertrude tells how Hamlet murdered Polonius, Claudius tells R&G to find Hmalet and Polonius’ body

Question 13

A4, S2

Answer 13

Hamlet playfully avoids questions of where he has hidden Polonius’ body

Question 14

A4, S3

Answer 14

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

Question 15

A4, S4

Answer 15

Hamlet sees Fortinbras and laments on his own inaction, he vows to be ruthless and avenge his father

Question 16

A4, S5

Answer 16

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

Question 17

A4, S6

Answer 17

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

Question 18

A4, S7

Answer 18

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

Question 19

A5, S1

Answer 19

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

Question 20

A5, S2

Answer 20

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