Charac- Key Quotes
ter
Prince A1S2: Claudius tells Hamlet not to be melancholy, Gertrude wants him to stay rather than return A3S2: hamlet tests & confirms Claudius’ guilt with performance. R & G and Polonius de-
Hamlet studies liver message Gertrude wants to see him in her bedroom.
“A little more than kin and less than kind” - aside. Disgusted at new relationship to uncle/ Ophelia: “Tis brief my Lord” “As woman’s love” - to Ophelia, obsession with mother’s
step-father Claudius “o’er hasty marriage” affects his view of all women, particularly cruel to Ophelia
“I shall in all my best obey you, madam” - to Gertrude “Lady shall I lie in your lap?” “did you think I meant country matters?” - to
“His canon against self-slaughter” - suicide Ophelia. Sexual innuendo suggests she’s the one fixed on sex.
“Frailty, thy name is woman” - Hamlet’s soliloquy, opinion of women plummeted following “My wit’s deceased” “Do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?” -
mother’s hasty marriage. Hamlet no longer views R & G as friends, refuses to give them straight answers when
“O most wicked speed…incestuous sheets!…break my heart, for I must hold my they try to probe reasons for his madness/melancholy again.
tongue” - soliloquy. “Let me be cruel, not unnatural; I will speak daggers to her, but use none” - so-
A1S5: Hamlet meets father’s ghost, learns truth liloquy resolves not to put feelings into action, promised ghost of father not to punish
“…I with wings as swift…May sweep to my revenge” - to ghost Gertrude for Claudius’ crime. A3S4:
“From…my memory…I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records…And thy commandment all “Mother, you have my father much offended” - To Gertrude, refuses to let her lec-
alone shall live” ture him on correct behaviour
“O most pernicious woman…O villain, villain, smiling damned villain!…One may smile, “You are the queen, your husband’s brother’s wife” - Gertrude shocked by his lack
and smile and be a villain” - himself. blames mother for betrayal & Claudius for crime, reiter- of respect.
ates Marcellus’ “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” “A bloody deed — almost as bad, good mother…As kill a king and marry with
“O cursed spite…That ever I was born to set it right!” - Denmark afflicted with terrible cor- his brother” - to Gertrude. Obsessed with crimes of uncle and mother he feels his own
ruption, laments his destiny to restore it. like killing Polonius is insignificant. Believes mother involved of had knowledge of plot to
A2S2: Claudius sends R & G to discover cause of Hamlet’s madness who dismisses them. They kill father.
introduce group of players to cheer him up, plans to prove Claudius’ guilt. “Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!…I took thee for thy better” - ma-
“My uncle-father, and aunt-mother, are deceived…I am but mad north-north-west” - to jor emotion following Polonius’ disappointment hoping it was Claudius behind arras. Un-
R & G “Oh what a rogue and peasant salve am I…coward…pigeon-livered and lack gall” affected he murdered innocent man suggests Polonius got what he deserved for being a
- soliloquy meddlesome fool.
“the play’s the thing…wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king” - tests Claudius’ “Have you eyes? You cannot call it love” - forces mother to look at 2 portraits of
guilt, makes him face his own crime in play, watch reaction. Procrastination. lovers - father and Claudius. Can’t understand her satisfaction with her pathetic replace-
A3S1: ‘nunnery’ scene opens with meditation on life & death. Ophelia sent by Polonius/Claudius ment.
to speak to Hamlet to test whether his madness is due to unrequited love. Hamlet cruel & cynical “A murderer & a villain…a vice of king…A cutpurse of the empire & the rule” -
to her as he realises she’s in league with Polonius/Claudius or disgusted by idea of love/marriage assessment of Claudius’ character designed to torture mother with guilt. Cutpurse - thief.
after his mother’s betrayal of his father. “I essentially am not in madness…But mad in craft” - reveals to mother his mad-
“To be or not to be, that is the question…nobler in the mind to suffer…” - ponders ness is nothing more than an act, warns her not to reveal fact to husband Claudius.
whether life/death more preferable. Suggests fear of unknown stops us from killing ourselves A4S3: Claudius quizzes Hamlet where Polonius’ body and tells him he’ll be sent to Eng-
“…conscience…make cowards of us all…native hue of resolution…lose the name of ac- land “for his own safety” to avoid punishment for his crime.
tion” - soliloquy. Reflection on procrastination. Natural passion & drive diminished due to over- “In heaven. Send hither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek i’ th’
analysis. other place yourself” - threatening comment convinced Claudius Hamlet is a threat to
“I did love you once” “You should not have believed me…I loved you not” “Get thee be disposed of.
to a nunnery…if thou dost marry, I’ll give thee…dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as “What is a man…but to sleep and feed? A beast no more…I have cause, and
pure as snow” - to Ophelia. Bitterness towards women. Ridicules her rejection of him, suggests will, and strength, and means to do it…a father killed, a mother stained…Ex-
to go to nunnery to guard virginity forever, a.k.a. whore-house, different interpretations com- citements of my reason and my blood…And let all sleep? While to my shame…”
pletely change insult. Suggested Hamlet knows father hides behind arras, suspects sudden - more to life than serving one’s bodily desires, no better than animals. Realises no ex-
change of heart motivated by Polonius’ accusation he only wanted her to take her virginity, in- cuse for lack of action. Argues true sign of greatness in a man like Fortinbras who fights
sulted she thought little of him. over a trifle when honour at stake. Comparatively. Hamlet sees own inaction with every
“If thou wilt marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you reason to seek revenge = pathetic. Ashamed.
make of them” - to Ophelia, further critiques women “O from this time forth…My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” - Fortin-
bras’ action leads to further resolution to get revenge once and for all.
A5S2: fencing match between Hamlet & Laertes, ultimately leads to completion of Ham-
let’s revenge and death of all major characters in play.
“He hath killed my king, and whored my mother” - Claudius’ crimes: killed father,
turned mother into slut, prevented Hamlet inheriting throne, attempted to have him
killed.
“How does the queen?…O villainy. ..let the door be locked…The point enven-
omed too?…Then venom to thy work.” Hamlet stabs the King, then forces him
to drink poison. - mother's death finally provokes Hamlet to action. Fitting Claudius
killed with weapons he himself poisoned in order to kill Hamlet.
“I do prophesy th- election lights…on Fortinbras…” - final words reveal noble con-
ter
Prince A1S2: Claudius tells Hamlet not to be melancholy, Gertrude wants him to stay rather than return A3S2: hamlet tests & confirms Claudius’ guilt with performance. R & G and Polonius de-
Hamlet studies liver message Gertrude wants to see him in her bedroom.
“A little more than kin and less than kind” - aside. Disgusted at new relationship to uncle/ Ophelia: “Tis brief my Lord” “As woman’s love” - to Ophelia, obsession with mother’s
step-father Claudius “o’er hasty marriage” affects his view of all women, particularly cruel to Ophelia
“I shall in all my best obey you, madam” - to Gertrude “Lady shall I lie in your lap?” “did you think I meant country matters?” - to
“His canon against self-slaughter” - suicide Ophelia. Sexual innuendo suggests she’s the one fixed on sex.
“Frailty, thy name is woman” - Hamlet’s soliloquy, opinion of women plummeted following “My wit’s deceased” “Do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?” -
mother’s hasty marriage. Hamlet no longer views R & G as friends, refuses to give them straight answers when
“O most wicked speed…incestuous sheets!…break my heart, for I must hold my they try to probe reasons for his madness/melancholy again.
tongue” - soliloquy. “Let me be cruel, not unnatural; I will speak daggers to her, but use none” - so-
A1S5: Hamlet meets father’s ghost, learns truth liloquy resolves not to put feelings into action, promised ghost of father not to punish
“…I with wings as swift…May sweep to my revenge” - to ghost Gertrude for Claudius’ crime. A3S4:
“From…my memory…I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records…And thy commandment all “Mother, you have my father much offended” - To Gertrude, refuses to let her lec-
alone shall live” ture him on correct behaviour
“O most pernicious woman…O villain, villain, smiling damned villain!…One may smile, “You are the queen, your husband’s brother’s wife” - Gertrude shocked by his lack
and smile and be a villain” - himself. blames mother for betrayal & Claudius for crime, reiter- of respect.
ates Marcellus’ “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” “A bloody deed — almost as bad, good mother…As kill a king and marry with
“O cursed spite…That ever I was born to set it right!” - Denmark afflicted with terrible cor- his brother” - to Gertrude. Obsessed with crimes of uncle and mother he feels his own
ruption, laments his destiny to restore it. like killing Polonius is insignificant. Believes mother involved of had knowledge of plot to
A2S2: Claudius sends R & G to discover cause of Hamlet’s madness who dismisses them. They kill father.
introduce group of players to cheer him up, plans to prove Claudius’ guilt. “Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!…I took thee for thy better” - ma-
“My uncle-father, and aunt-mother, are deceived…I am but mad north-north-west” - to jor emotion following Polonius’ disappointment hoping it was Claudius behind arras. Un-
R & G “Oh what a rogue and peasant salve am I…coward…pigeon-livered and lack gall” affected he murdered innocent man suggests Polonius got what he deserved for being a
- soliloquy meddlesome fool.
“the play’s the thing…wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king” - tests Claudius’ “Have you eyes? You cannot call it love” - forces mother to look at 2 portraits of
guilt, makes him face his own crime in play, watch reaction. Procrastination. lovers - father and Claudius. Can’t understand her satisfaction with her pathetic replace-
A3S1: ‘nunnery’ scene opens with meditation on life & death. Ophelia sent by Polonius/Claudius ment.
to speak to Hamlet to test whether his madness is due to unrequited love. Hamlet cruel & cynical “A murderer & a villain…a vice of king…A cutpurse of the empire & the rule” -
to her as he realises she’s in league with Polonius/Claudius or disgusted by idea of love/marriage assessment of Claudius’ character designed to torture mother with guilt. Cutpurse - thief.
after his mother’s betrayal of his father. “I essentially am not in madness…But mad in craft” - reveals to mother his mad-
“To be or not to be, that is the question…nobler in the mind to suffer…” - ponders ness is nothing more than an act, warns her not to reveal fact to husband Claudius.
whether life/death more preferable. Suggests fear of unknown stops us from killing ourselves A4S3: Claudius quizzes Hamlet where Polonius’ body and tells him he’ll be sent to Eng-
“…conscience…make cowards of us all…native hue of resolution…lose the name of ac- land “for his own safety” to avoid punishment for his crime.
tion” - soliloquy. Reflection on procrastination. Natural passion & drive diminished due to over- “In heaven. Send hither to see. If your messenger find him not there, seek i’ th’
analysis. other place yourself” - threatening comment convinced Claudius Hamlet is a threat to
“I did love you once” “You should not have believed me…I loved you not” “Get thee be disposed of.
to a nunnery…if thou dost marry, I’ll give thee…dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as “What is a man…but to sleep and feed? A beast no more…I have cause, and
pure as snow” - to Ophelia. Bitterness towards women. Ridicules her rejection of him, suggests will, and strength, and means to do it…a father killed, a mother stained…Ex-
to go to nunnery to guard virginity forever, a.k.a. whore-house, different interpretations com- citements of my reason and my blood…And let all sleep? While to my shame…”
pletely change insult. Suggested Hamlet knows father hides behind arras, suspects sudden - more to life than serving one’s bodily desires, no better than animals. Realises no ex-
change of heart motivated by Polonius’ accusation he only wanted her to take her virginity, in- cuse for lack of action. Argues true sign of greatness in a man like Fortinbras who fights
sulted she thought little of him. over a trifle when honour at stake. Comparatively. Hamlet sees own inaction with every
“If thou wilt marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you reason to seek revenge = pathetic. Ashamed.
make of them” - to Ophelia, further critiques women “O from this time forth…My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” - Fortin-
bras’ action leads to further resolution to get revenge once and for all.
A5S2: fencing match between Hamlet & Laertes, ultimately leads to completion of Ham-
let’s revenge and death of all major characters in play.
“He hath killed my king, and whored my mother” - Claudius’ crimes: killed father,
turned mother into slut, prevented Hamlet inheriting throne, attempted to have him
killed.
“How does the queen?…O villainy. ..let the door be locked…The point enven-
omed too?…Then venom to thy work.” Hamlet stabs the King, then forces him
to drink poison. - mother's death finally provokes Hamlet to action. Fitting Claudius
killed with weapons he himself poisoned in order to kill Hamlet.
“I do prophesy th- election lights…on Fortinbras…” - final words reveal noble con-
