Hamlet – Shakespeare A Revenge Tragedy

Act 1 Scene 2 revision questions: In Claudius’s speech in the beginning of Act 1, scene 2, what does it mean when he says: “Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death the memory be green.” What is young Fortinbras after and why? What does Gertrude mean when she says: “Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off, and let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark...all that lives must die...” Sum up in just a few lines what Claudius tells Hamlet on page 19-20 Read Hamlet’s soliloquy. What is Hamlet contemplating? What do the concluding lines of the soliloquy say about his character?

Act 1 scene 3 revision questions: Laertes tells Ophelia: “For Hamlet, and trifling of his favour, hold it a fashion...not permanent, sweet, not lasting” what does this mean-what is Laertes telling Ophelia? Laertes goes on to say to Ophelia, “...but you must fear, his greatness weighed, his will is not his own.” Why is Hamlet’s will “not his own”? What does Laertes mean? List the advice (in modern English) that Polonius imparts to Laertes before he returns to school in France. Tell the kind of relationship that Ophelia says she has with Hamlet.

Act 1 scene 4 revision questions: What does Claudius do some nights that seems to bother Hamlet? Why? Horatio says “What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord...and draw you into madness?” what is Horatio worried about? What is Marcellus’s most famous line in the play?

Act 1 scene 5: After Hamlet has talked to the ghost, he says: "As I perchance hereafter shall think meet, To put an antic disposition on" (1.5. 179-180). This quote is very important because Hamlet reveals that from now on, he will have an "antic deposition" on. When his friends see him he will be acting crazy but will actually be pretending. The antic disposition is part of Hamlets brilliant plan to see if Claudius did kill his father, and take revenge. Hamlet is very smart, because for someone who just recently lost his father, acting crazy, or a bit "off" would seem normal, and no one will think he is actually preparing to take vengeance on the king

Hamlet’s Soliloquy in Act 1 Scene 2 Find the quotations in Hamlet’s soliloquy that mean the following: He thinks of life as foul and tedious He thinks of his father’s powerful love for his mother He remembers how passionately his mother loved his father He is disgusted by his mother’s speedy marriage to the inferior Claudius so shortly after his father’s death He condemns the marriage but vows silence He remembers his father as infinitely superior to Claudius He wishes to die, but the law of god forbids suicide