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Summary of Hamlet
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Summary of Hamlet and overview of the characters
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KEY BITS OF CONTEXT FOR HAMLET
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EnglischHamlet
?
Characters
Name: Hamlet
Age: 16/17 years
Profession: Prince of Denmark
Behavior: protagonist, contemplative, philosophical, irrational, melancholic, intelligent, revengeful
Relationships: son of King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude, nephew of King Claudius, loved Ophelia,
Horatio’s best friend
Values/feelings: strives to avenge his father‘s murder
Additional information: suicidal, poisoned by Laertes
?
Name: King Hamlet (Ghost)
Profession: former King of Denmark
Outward appearance: ghost
Behavior: vengeful, tormented, manipulative
Relationships: Hamlet‘s father, Gertrude‘s former husband, Claudius‘ brother
?
Name: Claudius
Profession: King
Behavior: power-focused, corrupt, manipulative, deceitful, ambitious, guilt-ridden
Relationships: poisened King Hamlet (brother), Hamlet‘s uncle and antagonist, Gertrude’s husband
?
Name: Ophelia
Age: 16ish
Behavior: innocent, little autonomy, obedient, fragile
Relationships: Polonius‘ daughter, Laertes‘ sister, formerly beloved by Hamlet
Values/feelings: driven to madness by her father‘s death and Hamlet
Additional information: drowns (probably suicide)
?
Name: Gertrude
Profession: Queen
Environment: royal, dependent on Claudius
Behavior: charming, naive, weak-willed, conflicted
Relationships: mother of Hamlet, widow of King Hamlet, married to King Claudius
Values/feelings: desire for high status
, Englisch
Hamlet
?
Name: Laertes
Behavior: loyal to his family, temperamental, impulsive, revengeful
Relationships: Polonius‘ son, Ophelia‘s brother
Values/feelings: holds grudges against Hamlet
?
Name: Polonius
Profession: Chief counselor
Behavior: foolish, unwise, tedious, hypocritical, meddling
Relationships: father of Laertes and Ophelia, chief counselor to Claudius
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Osric Reynaldo
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Fortinbras‘ father Horatio Players
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Marcellus & Bernado Voltemand & Cornelius Francisco 2 Clowns
Summary
Act I Scene I
• agitation in Denmark
• King Hamlet (Denmark) won war against Fortinbras (Norway) -> died soon after, got lands
• Young Fortinbras wants to recapture those lands (war preparation)
• Denmark arms as well (fear), castle is guarded
• at night Ghost appears to the guards (doesn’t speak) -> Horatio wants to inform Hamlet
Act I Scene II
• Claudius and Gertrude announce their engagement
• Claudius sends Voltemand & Cornelius to Norway -> hopes to avert the war diplomatically
• Talk with Laertes -> sends him back to France
• summons Hamlet to stop grieving King Hamlet‘s death and not to go back to Wittenberg -> agrees
• Hamlet is desperate, despises Gertrude
• Horatio tells Hamlet about the Ghost -> Hamlet wants to see it
Act I Scene III
• Laertes says goodbye to Ophelia -> warns her about Hamlet, doubts that Hamlet‘s love is serious
• Polonius comes -> says goodbye to Laertes, warns Ophelia as well, demands that she rejects Hamlet
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