Act 1 scene 1
Its midnight, dark and bitterly cold om the gun platform of Elsinore castle.
Bernardo arrives to relieve Francisco.
Horatio and Marcellus arrive, horatio is a scholar and is sceptical when told a ghost has
been seen. But he is amazed when the ghost appears. He thinks it signals some danger to
the state of denmark.
Horatio explains why Denmark is preparing for war. Old Fortinbras, king of Norway, had
been killed by the late king hamlet in personal combat. Now, young Fortinbras wants to
avenge his dead father.
Bernardo too thinks the spirit foretells a coming catastrophe, possibly a war with norway
When the ghost appears, Horatio demands that is speak. But when a cock crows, heralding
the dawn, the spirit disappears but not before Marcellus has slashed in vain at the
apparition with his sword.
Horatio decides they must tell young Hamlet.
Act 1 scene 2
Everyone has gathered in the throne room to hear announcements by die new king,
Claudius.
He says that this is a time for both mourning and celebration. His brother, king Hamlet is
dead but he happily married Queen Gertrude.
Young Hamlet is dressed in black, is a brooding presence and clearly unhappy with the
marriage
The king celebrates how young Fortrinbras of Norway has been threatening Denmark.
Claudius sends ambassadors, cornelius and voltemsand, to Norway to deal with the
situation.
Claudius grants permission to Leartes, son of his Counsellor, Polonius, to return to France.
Gertrude and Claudius urge Hamlet to stop his excessive mourning
Hamlet insists that he is not playing a part, his grief is genuine
Claudius announces that Hamlet is next in line to the kingship of Denmark but that he will
not allow Hamlet to return to his studies at the university of Wittenberg.
Claudius orders that preperations be made for a great celebration that night.
Left alone, Hamlet, in a long soliloquy, contemplates suicide and reveals his shocked
disgust with the way his mother betrayed his father. Although heartbroken he must keep
silent. He despises his uncle, Claudius is a lust filled animal.
Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo arrive and Hamlet welcomes them heartily.
Horatio describes the events of the pervious night, of their encounter with the Ghost and its
likeness to the late king Hamlet.
Hamlet questions them closely and resolves to join the watch the same night to see if the
ghost will appear. He urges the men to keep the matter a secret.
, Act 1 scene 3
This scene consists of 3 sermon-like lectures
Laertes warns his sister not to take Hamlet’s vows of love seriously because is not free to
marry whom they please.
Laertes urges Ophelia not to allow herself to be seduced by Hamlet. She retorts that
Laertes should practise what he preaches and heed his own advice about moral behaviour.
Polonius arrives and gives Laertes a sermon on social behaviour.
After Laerstes departs, Polonius cross-examines Ophelia about her relationship with
Hamlet, lecturing her on young men’s lustful intentions.
He insists that Hamlet’s motives are not honourable and orders her to end the relationship.
Ophelia promises to obey her father.
Act 1 scene 4
It is after midnight as Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus arrive on the gun platform of the castle.
They hear sounds of feasting and drunken celebrating down below.
Hamlet says the king is giving Denmark a bad name by practising these outmoded
traditions. He says one character flaw can infect the whole being and bring about the
complete corruption of a person.
Suddenly the ghost appears and Hamlet is unsure whether it’s a demon from hell or an
actual spirit of his dad but then addresses it as his dead father.
When the apparition beckons Hamlet to follow it, Marcellus and Horatio try to prevent him
but Hamlet threatens their lives and breaking free, follows the ghost.
Act 1 scene 5
The ghost describes how Claudius murdered him by pouring poison into his ear while he
slept in his orchard.
He demands that his son avenge his death but is not to harm adulterous mother – her own
conscience must punish her.
The ghost says he is suffering torments in the hearafter as he was given no chance to
confess his sins before he died.
The ghost pleads to be remembered before returning to his sufferings. Hamlet is still unsure
whether this is a genuine visitation from his father’s spirit or an even demon from hell to
tempt him.
A shocked Hamlet vows to replace all trivial memories with the determination to exact
revenge.
The thought of what his mother has done is unbearable
When Horatio and Marcellus enter, Hamlet in an unbalanced and puzzling manner, almost
as if he has lost his wits.
Hamlet forces the other 2 to swear by his word not to reveal what they have seen and
heard while the ghost echoes the word “swear”
Its midnight, dark and bitterly cold om the gun platform of Elsinore castle.
Bernardo arrives to relieve Francisco.
Horatio and Marcellus arrive, horatio is a scholar and is sceptical when told a ghost has
been seen. But he is amazed when the ghost appears. He thinks it signals some danger to
the state of denmark.
Horatio explains why Denmark is preparing for war. Old Fortinbras, king of Norway, had
been killed by the late king hamlet in personal combat. Now, young Fortinbras wants to
avenge his dead father.
Bernardo too thinks the spirit foretells a coming catastrophe, possibly a war with norway
When the ghost appears, Horatio demands that is speak. But when a cock crows, heralding
the dawn, the spirit disappears but not before Marcellus has slashed in vain at the
apparition with his sword.
Horatio decides they must tell young Hamlet.
Act 1 scene 2
Everyone has gathered in the throne room to hear announcements by die new king,
Claudius.
He says that this is a time for both mourning and celebration. His brother, king Hamlet is
dead but he happily married Queen Gertrude.
Young Hamlet is dressed in black, is a brooding presence and clearly unhappy with the
marriage
The king celebrates how young Fortrinbras of Norway has been threatening Denmark.
Claudius sends ambassadors, cornelius and voltemsand, to Norway to deal with the
situation.
Claudius grants permission to Leartes, son of his Counsellor, Polonius, to return to France.
Gertrude and Claudius urge Hamlet to stop his excessive mourning
Hamlet insists that he is not playing a part, his grief is genuine
Claudius announces that Hamlet is next in line to the kingship of Denmark but that he will
not allow Hamlet to return to his studies at the university of Wittenberg.
Claudius orders that preperations be made for a great celebration that night.
Left alone, Hamlet, in a long soliloquy, contemplates suicide and reveals his shocked
disgust with the way his mother betrayed his father. Although heartbroken he must keep
silent. He despises his uncle, Claudius is a lust filled animal.
Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo arrive and Hamlet welcomes them heartily.
Horatio describes the events of the pervious night, of their encounter with the Ghost and its
likeness to the late king Hamlet.
Hamlet questions them closely and resolves to join the watch the same night to see if the
ghost will appear. He urges the men to keep the matter a secret.
, Act 1 scene 3
This scene consists of 3 sermon-like lectures
Laertes warns his sister not to take Hamlet’s vows of love seriously because is not free to
marry whom they please.
Laertes urges Ophelia not to allow herself to be seduced by Hamlet. She retorts that
Laertes should practise what he preaches and heed his own advice about moral behaviour.
Polonius arrives and gives Laertes a sermon on social behaviour.
After Laerstes departs, Polonius cross-examines Ophelia about her relationship with
Hamlet, lecturing her on young men’s lustful intentions.
He insists that Hamlet’s motives are not honourable and orders her to end the relationship.
Ophelia promises to obey her father.
Act 1 scene 4
It is after midnight as Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus arrive on the gun platform of the castle.
They hear sounds of feasting and drunken celebrating down below.
Hamlet says the king is giving Denmark a bad name by practising these outmoded
traditions. He says one character flaw can infect the whole being and bring about the
complete corruption of a person.
Suddenly the ghost appears and Hamlet is unsure whether it’s a demon from hell or an
actual spirit of his dad but then addresses it as his dead father.
When the apparition beckons Hamlet to follow it, Marcellus and Horatio try to prevent him
but Hamlet threatens their lives and breaking free, follows the ghost.
Act 1 scene 5
The ghost describes how Claudius murdered him by pouring poison into his ear while he
slept in his orchard.
He demands that his son avenge his death but is not to harm adulterous mother – her own
conscience must punish her.
The ghost says he is suffering torments in the hearafter as he was given no chance to
confess his sins before he died.
The ghost pleads to be remembered before returning to his sufferings. Hamlet is still unsure
whether this is a genuine visitation from his father’s spirit or an even demon from hell to
tempt him.
A shocked Hamlet vows to replace all trivial memories with the determination to exact
revenge.
The thought of what his mother has done is unbearable
When Horatio and Marcellus enter, Hamlet in an unbalanced and puzzling manner, almost
as if he has lost his wits.
Hamlet forces the other 2 to swear by his word not to reveal what they have seen and
heard while the ghost echoes the word “swear”
