H/W 22nd September 2016
Act 1 - Hamlet
Page 67
1) In note form, record your first impressions of each of the six main characters
(Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Laertes, and Polonius). Identify key quotations
to use as evidence to support your views.
Hamlet: bitter (‘[aside] A little more than kin, and less than kind’ (1.2. 65)); depressed (‘how weary,
stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world!’ (1.2. 133-4)); grieving (‘to
preserver in obstinate condolement is a course of impious stubbornness’ (1.2. 93-4)); angry (‘o god,
a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer – married with my uncle’ (1.2.
150-1)); wants to believe Claudius would do something bad (‘o my prophetic soul! My uncle?’ (1.5.
40-1))
Claudius: anxious that people still don’t like him compared to his brother (1.2. 1-7); is confident/
unintimidated by threats (‘so much for him’ (1.2. 25)); clever, keeps control (‘giving to you no further
personal power’ (1.2. 36)); friendly/ reasonable (‘you cannot speak of reason to the Dane’ (1.2. 44)).
Gertrude: She is fond of her son, and doesn’t want him to leave (‘I pray thee stay with us; go not to
Wittenberg (1.2. 119)); is calm and collected (‘tho know’st ‘tis common, all that lives must die,
passing through nature to eternity’ (1.2. 72-3)).
Ophelia: respects and obeys her father (‘I shall obey, my lord’ (1.3. 136)); believes Hamlet’s feelings
of love are genuine (‘he hath my lord of late made many tenders of his affection to me’ (1.3. 99-
100)); pretends to be innocent/ naïve (‘I do not know my lord what I should think’ (1.3. 104)).
Laertes: protective of his sister (‘fear it my dear sister, and keep you in the rear of your affection, out
of the shot and danger of desire’ (1.3. 33-5)); thinks about the future/ understands that Ophelia
can’t marry Hamlet (‘he may not, as unvalued persons do, carve for himself, for on his choice
depends the safety and health of this whole state (1.3. 19-21)).
Polonius: wise, offering advice to his son (1.3. 55-81); is protective of Ophelia, doesn’t want to see
her reputation ruined (‘‘Tis told me he hath very oft of late given private time to you, and you
yourself have of your audience been most free and bounteous (1.3. 91-3)); thinks Ophelia is innocent
and naïve (‘you speak like a green girl unsifted (1.3. 101-2)); is close with Laertes (‘have you your
father’s leave? What says Polonius? (1.2. 57))
2) Look closely at Hamlet’s first encounter with the Ghost in Act one. How does the
Ghost to persuade Hamlet to accept the role of revenger?
Hamlet and the Ghost first meet in scene 5, where he first describes why he is there and why he is
not in either Heaven or Hell, but rather Purgatory (‘When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames’
(1.5. 3)). He then also describes what Purgatory is like (1.5. 13-20), which makes Hamlet incredibly
distraught and angry by what has happened to his father, and how because of his sudden death he
, H/W 22nd September 2016
was unable to confess and cleanse himself of the sins he committed, resulting in the Ghost going to
Purgatory (‘Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin, unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled, not
reckoning made, but sent to my account with all my imperfections on my head’ (1.5. 76-9)).
After, Ghost tells him the story of how he was murdered. The Ghost says ‘the serpent that did sting
thy father’s life now wears his crown’ (1.5. 39), which not only confirms to Hamlet that it was
Claudius who killed his father, but it also proves that his suspicions of Claudius plotting something
correct. The Ghost then goes on to describe how ‘That incestuous, that adulterate beast’ (1.5. 42)
seduced Hamlet’s mother using his ‘traitorous gifts’ (1.5. 42-6). This continues to anger Hamlet, but
makes him almost happy, because he now has reason to hate his uncle, and to try and take the
crown away from him – Hamlet wants to avenge his father, and kill Claudius for not only murdering
his father but also seducing his mother (who he believes should still be grieving) (‘a beast that wants
discourse of reason would have mourned longer’ 1.2. 150-1)).
Overall, the Ghost persuades Hamlet to become the revenger, because he tells him of his horrid
time trapped in Purgatory due to not being able to confess his sins, and how Claudius has
orchestrated all of it to gain the power of the crown, along with Gertrude.
Act 2 – Hamlet
Keying it in – Hamlet’s second soliloquy (553-612)| This comes after the Player’s
demonstration of visible emotion as he describes the death of Priam and Hecuba’s grief.
What has Hamlet actually been doing since he vowed to avenge his father?
Hamlet has been acting as if he was mad, which has worried his mother and uncle and Ophelia who
discusses this with her father – this is the first time we hear of Hamlet going insane (2.1. 78-85). He
also blames himself for not killing his uncle already, calling himself a coward for not sticking to his
word (2.2. 571-5); he does say that as time has passed he didn’t want to take action as it could have
been the devil who ‘out of [his] weakness and [his] melancholy’ wanted to use Hamlet to damn him
to hell (2.2. 606-10).
What state of mind is he in during this part of the play?
In this part of the play Hamlet looks rather sane, however his words suggest that perhaps he may be
going insane from his anger and grief (2.2. 589-98), and how he has yet to complete the task set by
the Ghost to kill Claudius. However he still seems sane enough to devise a plan to be completely sure
that the Ghost wasn’t an evil spirit trying to deceive him, and to ensure it really was Claudius (2.2.
611-2).
Does he seem to have a clear focus on revenge?
Hamlet has been incredibly focused on revenge, however he also has been thinking about the death
of his father and his grief, and how he is such a coward for not revenging him earlier, when the
Ghost originally spoke to him about it.
Does he have any clear plan at this stage of the action?
He doesn’t have a clear plan on how he wants to kill Claudius, however as he has come to the
conclusion that the ghost may have been a devil in disguise, he will use the play the Player’s will act
Act 1 - Hamlet
Page 67
1) In note form, record your first impressions of each of the six main characters
(Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Laertes, and Polonius). Identify key quotations
to use as evidence to support your views.
Hamlet: bitter (‘[aside] A little more than kin, and less than kind’ (1.2. 65)); depressed (‘how weary,
stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world!’ (1.2. 133-4)); grieving (‘to
preserver in obstinate condolement is a course of impious stubbornness’ (1.2. 93-4)); angry (‘o god,
a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer – married with my uncle’ (1.2.
150-1)); wants to believe Claudius would do something bad (‘o my prophetic soul! My uncle?’ (1.5.
40-1))
Claudius: anxious that people still don’t like him compared to his brother (1.2. 1-7); is confident/
unintimidated by threats (‘so much for him’ (1.2. 25)); clever, keeps control (‘giving to you no further
personal power’ (1.2. 36)); friendly/ reasonable (‘you cannot speak of reason to the Dane’ (1.2. 44)).
Gertrude: She is fond of her son, and doesn’t want him to leave (‘I pray thee stay with us; go not to
Wittenberg (1.2. 119)); is calm and collected (‘tho know’st ‘tis common, all that lives must die,
passing through nature to eternity’ (1.2. 72-3)).
Ophelia: respects and obeys her father (‘I shall obey, my lord’ (1.3. 136)); believes Hamlet’s feelings
of love are genuine (‘he hath my lord of late made many tenders of his affection to me’ (1.3. 99-
100)); pretends to be innocent/ naïve (‘I do not know my lord what I should think’ (1.3. 104)).
Laertes: protective of his sister (‘fear it my dear sister, and keep you in the rear of your affection, out
of the shot and danger of desire’ (1.3. 33-5)); thinks about the future/ understands that Ophelia
can’t marry Hamlet (‘he may not, as unvalued persons do, carve for himself, for on his choice
depends the safety and health of this whole state (1.3. 19-21)).
Polonius: wise, offering advice to his son (1.3. 55-81); is protective of Ophelia, doesn’t want to see
her reputation ruined (‘‘Tis told me he hath very oft of late given private time to you, and you
yourself have of your audience been most free and bounteous (1.3. 91-3)); thinks Ophelia is innocent
and naïve (‘you speak like a green girl unsifted (1.3. 101-2)); is close with Laertes (‘have you your
father’s leave? What says Polonius? (1.2. 57))
2) Look closely at Hamlet’s first encounter with the Ghost in Act one. How does the
Ghost to persuade Hamlet to accept the role of revenger?
Hamlet and the Ghost first meet in scene 5, where he first describes why he is there and why he is
not in either Heaven or Hell, but rather Purgatory (‘When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames’
(1.5. 3)). He then also describes what Purgatory is like (1.5. 13-20), which makes Hamlet incredibly
distraught and angry by what has happened to his father, and how because of his sudden death he
, H/W 22nd September 2016
was unable to confess and cleanse himself of the sins he committed, resulting in the Ghost going to
Purgatory (‘Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin, unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled, not
reckoning made, but sent to my account with all my imperfections on my head’ (1.5. 76-9)).
After, Ghost tells him the story of how he was murdered. The Ghost says ‘the serpent that did sting
thy father’s life now wears his crown’ (1.5. 39), which not only confirms to Hamlet that it was
Claudius who killed his father, but it also proves that his suspicions of Claudius plotting something
correct. The Ghost then goes on to describe how ‘That incestuous, that adulterate beast’ (1.5. 42)
seduced Hamlet’s mother using his ‘traitorous gifts’ (1.5. 42-6). This continues to anger Hamlet, but
makes him almost happy, because he now has reason to hate his uncle, and to try and take the
crown away from him – Hamlet wants to avenge his father, and kill Claudius for not only murdering
his father but also seducing his mother (who he believes should still be grieving) (‘a beast that wants
discourse of reason would have mourned longer’ 1.2. 150-1)).
Overall, the Ghost persuades Hamlet to become the revenger, because he tells him of his horrid
time trapped in Purgatory due to not being able to confess his sins, and how Claudius has
orchestrated all of it to gain the power of the crown, along with Gertrude.
Act 2 – Hamlet
Keying it in – Hamlet’s second soliloquy (553-612)| This comes after the Player’s
demonstration of visible emotion as he describes the death of Priam and Hecuba’s grief.
What has Hamlet actually been doing since he vowed to avenge his father?
Hamlet has been acting as if he was mad, which has worried his mother and uncle and Ophelia who
discusses this with her father – this is the first time we hear of Hamlet going insane (2.1. 78-85). He
also blames himself for not killing his uncle already, calling himself a coward for not sticking to his
word (2.2. 571-5); he does say that as time has passed he didn’t want to take action as it could have
been the devil who ‘out of [his] weakness and [his] melancholy’ wanted to use Hamlet to damn him
to hell (2.2. 606-10).
What state of mind is he in during this part of the play?
In this part of the play Hamlet looks rather sane, however his words suggest that perhaps he may be
going insane from his anger and grief (2.2. 589-98), and how he has yet to complete the task set by
the Ghost to kill Claudius. However he still seems sane enough to devise a plan to be completely sure
that the Ghost wasn’t an evil spirit trying to deceive him, and to ensure it really was Claudius (2.2.
611-2).
Does he seem to have a clear focus on revenge?
Hamlet has been incredibly focused on revenge, however he also has been thinking about the death
of his father and his grief, and how he is such a coward for not revenging him earlier, when the
Ghost originally spoke to him about it.
Does he have any clear plan at this stage of the action?
He doesn’t have a clear plan on how he wants to kill Claudius, however as he has come to the
conclusion that the ghost may have been a devil in disguise, he will use the play the Player’s will act
