This document provides a brief but informative insight into the main characters in Hamlet and their key scenes, with key information to remember. This helped me immensely in my exam especially for section B, so I highly recommend!
1. Key scenes for: Gertrude
● The Court Scene: In Act 1, Scene 2, Gertrude’s marriage to Claudius shortly after the
death of King Hamlet is revealed. This scene establishes her as a character caught in the
middle of political intrigue and family drama.
● The Closet Scene: In Act 3, Scene 4, Gertrude’s confrontation with Hamlet in her chamber
exposes her conflicted loyalties between her son and her new husband. This scene also
hints at Gertrude’s possible complicity or ignorance regarding King Hamlet’s murder.
● The Bedroom Scene: In Act 4, Scene 7, Gertrude reports to Claudius about Ophelia’s
tragic drowning, displaying her emotional state and her relationship with Claudius.
● The Death Scene: In Act 5, Scene 2, Gertrude’s death by poisoning during the duel
between Hamlet and Laertes is a critical moment. It underscores the tragic consequences
of the political and personal conflicts in the play.
2. Key scenes for: Ophelia
● The Court Scene: Ophelia’s interactions with Hamlet in Act 1, Scene 3, where he
expresses his affection for her and gives her gifts, reveal her innocence and vulnerability.
● The Nunnery Scene: In Act 3, Scene 1, Ophelia’s encounter with Hamlet, where he berates
her and urges her to go to a nunnery, marks a turning point. This scene shows her
confusion and distress as she becomes a pawn in the power struggles around her.
● The Mad Scene: In Act 4, Scene 5, Ophelia’s descent into madness is depicted through
her fragmented and disjointed speech, as she distributes flowers with symbolic meanings.
This scene highlights her mental and emotional breakdown following the death of her
father and Hamlet’s rejection.
● The Death Scene: Ophelia’s death by drowning, reported in Act 4, Scene 7, serves as a
tragic culmination of her suffering. Although the scene itself does not feature Ophelia, it
underscores the devastating consequences of the turmoil surrounding her.
3. Key scenes for: Claudius
● The Court Scene: In Act 1, Scene 2, Claudius addresses the court after the death of King
Hamlet and his marriage to Queen Gertrude. This scene establishes Claudius’s political
skill and manipulative nature.
● The Prayer Scene: In Act 3, Scene 3, Claudius attempts to pray for forgiveness for his
sins, particularly for the murder of King Hamlet. This scene reveals his guilt and inner
turmoil.
● The Play-Within-a-Play Scene: In Act 3, Scene 2, Claudius’s reaction to the play “The
Murder of Gonzago,” which mirrors his own crime, exposes his guilt. This scene is pivotal
in Hamlet’s plan to confirm Claudius’s guilt.
● The Closet Scene: In Act 3, Scene 4, Hamlet confronts his mother, Queen Gertrude, about
her marriage to Claudius. Claudius’s reaction to this confrontation reveals his fear and
paranoia.
● The Duel Scene: In Act 5, Scene 2, Claudius’s attempt to kill Hamlet through a rigged duel
demonstrates his ruthlessness and desperation to maintain power.
4. Key scenes for: Hamlet
● The Ghost Scene: In Act 1, Scene 5, Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father, who
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