Scene by scene
"Revenge should know no bounds" - Claudius
Hamlet was a college student at Wittenberg when his father died. The monarchy went to his father's brother, Claudius. Hamlet's mother,Gertrude,married Claudius within less than a month.
Old Hamlet died during his after-lunch nap in his garden. The public was told that Old Hamlet died of snekebite.
The truth is that Claudius murdered Old Hamlet by pouring poison in his ear. Old Hamlet died fast but gruesomely.
Young Hamlet is very well-liked. He is a soldier, a scholar and a diplomat. We learn that he's "the glass of fashion and the mould of form".
The play opens on the battlements of the castle. It's midnight. Francisco has been keeping watch, and Bernardo comes to relieve him. The fact that each guard suspects the other of being an intruder indicates all is not well.
Francisco leaves, and Marcellus arrives to share Bernardo's watch. Bernardo is surprised to see also Hamlet's school friend Horatio.
Marcellus and Horatio think they have seen the ghost of "old Hamlet". Horatio is Skeptical.
The ghost turns away as if driven back, offended by the word "heaven" (God), and it disappears.
Claudius present are the queen, Hamlet, the royal counselor Polonius. Polonius's son Laertes, and the "council". Hamlet is still wearing mourning back, while everybody else is dressed festively.
Claudius wants to show what a good leader he is.He reminds "The Council" that they have approved his marriage. Claudius announces that Fortinbrass of Norway is raising an army to try to take back the land his father lost to Old Hamlet.
Claudius calls Hamlet "cousin" and "son" and asks why he is still sad. His mother asks him why he is sad. Hamlet replied he's not acting, just showing how we really feels.
Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo come in. Hamlet is surprised to see his school buddy. Horatio says he's truant (not true),and that his mother's wedding followed so quickly that they served the leftovers from the funeral dinner.
The friend tell Hamlet about the ghost. Hamlet asks what the ghost looked like and agrees they match his father. Hamlet asks the men to keep this a secret and to let him join them the next night.
When Laertes leaves, Polonius questions Ophelia about her relationship with Hamlet and demands to see his love letters to her. Contemporary readers who are puzzled by this should remember that in Hamlet's era, a father would probably get less money from his future son-in-law if his daughter was not a virgin.
Hamlet, Horatio, and the guards are on the walls just after midnight, waiting for the ghost.
The ghost enters. He asks whether it is good or evil. His real father or a devilish deception. He asks why it has returned
The ghost beckons Hamlet. Horatio warns him not to follow, because the ghost might drive him insane. Hamlet is determined to follow the ghost.
Marcellus says, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark"
Horatio says God will take care of Hamlet.
Hamlet and the ghost are higher up. Hamlet demands that the ghost talk, he claims to be Old Hamlet. Because he died with uncoffessed sins. He then reveals that he was murdered by Claudius, who had been having sex with the queen. Claudius poured poison in his ear.
The ghost calls on Hamlet to avenge him by killing Claudius. He also tells him not to kill his mother.
The ghost has to leave because morning is approaching.
Polonius, in private, sends his servant Reynaldo to spy on Laertes.
Polonius announces that the ambassadors from Norway have returned and that after their report he will tell them why Hamlet is acting strange. Gertrude thinks that Hamlet is simply distressed over his father's death.
Fortinbras was indeed mounting an army to attack Claudius's Denmark.
The king sends the queen and the spies away. Polonius gives his daughter a book,plants her where Hamlet will find her.
Hamlet sees Ophelia, reading a book, he asks her to pray for the forgiveness of his sins. Instead, she tries to give him back his love letters. Hamlet immediately asks where her father is, and must know that she is lying. He wants Ophelia to remain good, she would have an opportunity to renounce the world by joining a convent.
The king comes out and says that he thinks that Hamlet is neither in love, but very upset about something.
Horatio and
Hamlet are genuine friends who know they can trust each other.
Hamlet tells Horatio to watch the king as the players re-enact the murder of Old Hamlet:
The king and the queen profess love, the king falls asleep, and the villain pours poison in the king's ear and seduces the queen. If Polonius is a sinister old man and Claudius's accomplice, he can see the king when the poison is poured in the ear. While Hamlet cracks dirti jokes and the king mentions that the story is "offensive"
Rosencrantz and Guildentern come back in looking for Hamlet, telling him the king is very angry and that his mother wants to see him. Polonius comes in, and Hamlet, still talking crazy.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are back with the king, who says Hamlet is dangerous.
Hamlet enters, sees the king unguarded. Hamlet spares him, since if he's killed during prayer his soul might end up going to heaven.
Polonius hides behind a curtain in the bedroom. Hamlet comes in. The queen yells "Help!".
But Hamlet is so focused on his mother that he complicity in the murder of his father. When Polonius's body falls out from behind the courtain, Hamlet remarks he tought it was the king.
He turns immediately back to his mother, realizing herself that Claudius is a murderer.
Hamlet kill Polonius. Now he has become himself a mureder and the object of Laertes's just quest for revenge.
The queens tells the king what has happened to Polonius, and that Hamlet is insane. The king says he will need to send Hamlet off immediately.
Hamlet has hidden Polonius's body, and when the spies question him he talks crazy.
The king says
he cannot arrest Hamlet for fear of riots, the king tells Hamlet he just go
to England, and gives sealed letters to the two spies.
The king explains to Laertes that he couldn't arrest or prosecute Hamlet because the queen loves him and he's popular with the common people.He's about to tell Laertes that his revenge is imminent.
Laertes have a fencing match with Hamlet. Laertes will choose a weapon with whitch he'll kill Hamlet.
Laertes mentions that he has some blade poison.
The queen comes in, crying. Ophelia fell into the river, and drowned.
The king drops the poison in the cup. On stage, Hamlet disarm Laertes with his sword, Hamlet puts his foot on the sharp poisoned sword. Hamlet gives his own sword to Laertes, fights again, and inflicts a deeper wound on him, which is why Laertes dies quicker.
The queen announces the drink is poisoned and drops dead. Hamlet stabs the king with the poisoned blade. Hamlet drinks the poison instead, to ensure Horatio won't.
In the final scene Fortinbras has gotten his land back, calls for miltary honors to be shown Hamlet's body.