Hamlet
Movie Questions
1) Where does the opening scene take place?
2) Who has died?
3) What does Hamlet’s mom (Gertrude) ask of him?
4) How long has Hamlet’s father been dead?
5) What does Hamlet mean when he says, “frailty thy name is woman?”
6) What does Ophelia’s father (Polonius) forbid her to do?
7) What “marvel” does Horatio tell Hamlet?
8) What reasons is Hamlet given to not follow his father’s ghost?
9) What does Hamlet’s father’s spirit tell him about his death?
10) What does he ask Hamlet to do?
11) What is assumed to be the cause of Hamlet’s lunacy / madness?
12) Summarize Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech.
13) What does Hamlet claim Denmark is to him?
14) Why have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to visit Hamlet?
15) Is Hamlet crazy or just pretending?
16) What does Hamlet plan to do with the players? Why?
17) What is the name of the play?
18) Why does Hamlet tell Ophelia to “Get thee to a nunnery?”
19) What is the Claudius’s reaction to the play?
20) Why doesn’t Hamlet kill Claudius when he is praying? When does he think will be a better time?
21) What does Hamlet say to his mother that provokes her to slap him?
22) Who does Hamlet kill? Who was he intending to kill?
23) How does Hamlet’s mother react to his confrontation?
24) Why does Hamlet’s father’s spirit appear to him again?
25) Where is Hamlet being sent?
26) What is supposed to happen to him there?
27) How does Hamlet escape being killed?
28) How does Ophelia die?
29) What two purposes does the scene with the gravediggers serve?
30) What does Claudius suggest Laertes do in order to avenge his father’s death with out any repercussion to either of them?
31) How does the queen die?
32) What are Laertes’ dieing words?
33) How does Hamlet kill Claudius?
34) What is Hamlet’s dieing wish?
35) What is the cause of Hamlet’s death?
Hamlet - Key
Movie Questions
- Where does the opening scene take place?
Elsinore, a Royal Castle in Denmark
- Who has died?
King of Denmark, Hamlet’s Father
- What does Hamlet’s mom (Gertrude) ask of him?
To remain in Denmark
- How long has Hamlet’s father been dead?
Not 2 months
- What does Hamlet mean when he says, “frailty thy name is woman?”
He’s pissed that Mom married after only a month since dad’s death. He means women are WEAK.
- What does Ophelia’s father (Polonius) forbid her to do?
Speak to Hamlet
- What “marvel” does Horatio tell Hamlet?
He has seen the ghost of his father
- What reasons is Hamlet given to not follow his father’s ghost?
The ghost may draw him into madness
- What does Hamlet’s father’s spirit tell him about his death?
He was murdered by Hamlet’s uncle/King’s brother
- What does he ask Hamlet to do?
Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder
- What is assumed to be the cause of Hamlet’s lunacy / madness?
He is in love with Ophelia
12. Summarize Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech.
- What does Hamlet claim Denmark is to him?
His prison
- Why have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to visit Hamlet?
They were summoned by the King and Queen
- Is Hamlet crazy or just pretending?
Pretending (there’s more here, but this will do.)
- What does Hamlet plan to do with the players? Why?
Have them play the king’s betrayal
- What is the name of the play?
“The Mouse Trap”
- Why does Hamlet tell Ophelia to “Get thee to a nunnery?”
So she won’t breed sinners/have children. (Hamlet now hates all of mankind.)
- What is Claudius’s reaction to the play?
He freaks out and yells for some light
- Why doesn’t Hamlet kill Claudius when he is praying? When does he think will be a better time?
He does not want him to go to Heaven. He prefers to kill him when he is in the act of some sin, like in bed with Gertrude.
- What does Hamlet say to his mother that provokes her to slap him?
He basically called her incestuous.
- Who does Hamlet kill? Who was he intending to kill?
Polonius; Claudius
- How does Hamlet’s mother react to his confrontation?
She begs him to stop.
- Why does Hamlet’s father’s spirit appear to him again?
To remind Hamlet to finish his request so he can “rest in peace”
- Where is Hamlet being sent?
To England
- What is supposed to happen to him there?
He is supposed to be put to death
- How does Hamlet escape being killed?
Movie: he switches the notes and has R & G killed.
(What about a reading bonus and having students ascertain the reason in the original text?)
- How does Ophelia die?
She drowns in a brook
- What two purposes does the scene with the gravediggers serve?
1. Comic element
2. Informs us of what has happened to Ophelia
- What does Claudius suggest Laertes do in order to avenge his father’s death with out any repercussion to either of them?
Make it look like a fencing accident
- How does the queen die?
She drinks the poison Claudius had intended for Hamlet.
- What are Laertes’ dying words?
“Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me!”
- How does Hamlet kill Claudius?
He dumps the poison down him and makes him drink.
- What is Hamlet’s dying wish?
He asks Horatio to tell his story.
- What is the cause of Hamlet’s death?
The venom from Laertes’ sword