Hamlet Act I: Questions for Class Discussion

Hamlet I, i

1) What is the mood of the first scene? How does Shakespeare put theaudience in that mood?

2) What’s ironic about Bernardo’s line “Long live the King!”?

3) Why is Horatio invited? Does he believe in the ghost?

4) How many times has the ghost appeared?

5) Who do they think the ghost is?

6) After the ghost’s appearance, the Marcellus talks about three otherstrange circumstances; what are they?

7) Horatio gives them an answer, but he prefaces it with “the whispergoes so.” What does he mean by that?

8) What does Horatio say is the cause of the strange circumstances?

9) What do the guards & Horatio decide to do about the ghost’sappearances?

10) Shakespeare considered shortening this rather long opening scene. Can you see any point in which it

falters?

11) Why might we describe the dialogue as “jerky” & “tense”? What is the dramatic impact of that?

12) How is the idea that it is difficult to know anything with certainty (which will become a major theme in the

play) introduced at this early point in it?

Hamlet I, ii – it’s helpful to consider this scene in 5 sections

  • Hamlet I, ii, 1-16 (Part A) – Explanation for marrying Gertrude
  • Hamlet I, ii, 17-41 (Part B) – Dealing with Fortinbras
  • Hamlet I, ii, 42-86 (Part C) – A favor for Polonius
  • Hamlet I, ii, 87-128 (Part D) – “Keep your friends close . . .”
  • Hamlet I, ii, 129-159 (Part E) [Hamlet’s 1st soliloquy] & news from a friend

1) From the headnote, it’s obvious that the Danish court is in session for the 1st time with a new king. Why did Shakespeare make this a “public” scene? What does a public scene do for us, the audience, and for the characters?

2) What is the first matter of court business that Claudius brings up? Why that matter first? Why might that matter be relevant to the Elizabethans in Shakespeare’s time?

3) How well do you think Claudius handles the matter in Norway?

4) In what way do we begin to see comparisons between Fortinbras and Hamlet?

5) Given that there is a possible war coming, and young men such as Laertes, like all young men of his class, would be trained in the art of warfare (knightly training), why would Claudius allow him to leave to go to France.

6) What links are established between Laertes and Hamlet?

7) Whatpossible reasons could there be for Claudius and Gertrude to notlet Hamlet return to Wittenberg to school when they let Laertes go to France for pleasure?

8) What does he say to Hamlet about Hamlet’s grief?

9) Why did the King say it then/there?

10) In the eyes of the audience, what do the Claudius’ words do forClaudius? What do they do to Hamlet?

11) How does the Queen respond in this scene? Where are her loyalties? [Note the word “seems”]

12) What does Hamlet want to do?

13) How does he see the kingdom of Denmark?

14) How does he see his

  • Father?
  • Stepfather?
  • Mother?

15) What is evident in Hamlet’s greeting to Horatio?

16) What news does Horatio bring?

17) How is Hamlet’s uncertainty about events paralleled by an uncertainty about himself?

18) How does pretense figure in this scene?

Hamlet I, iii

1) What is the relationship between Laertes and Ophelia like?

2) In discussing her relationship with Hamlet, what are Laertes’ thoughtsabout Hamlet’s motives?

3) How does Ophelia respond to her brother?

4) Polonius offers Laertes advice. What is it concerning?

5) What do Polonius and Ophelia discuss? [note various definitions of “tender”

6) How is the discussion similar to and different from Ophelia’s discussion withLaertes?

7) What does the scene have to say about the different ways a gap can appear between appearance and reality?

8) How does Hamlet dominate the scene even though he doesn’t appear in it?

Hamlet I, iv

1) What’s the setting? What’s the relationship between this and thefirst scene of the act?

2) Hamlet hears carousing below them. What does he say about this?

How is it different from the previous ruler’s behavior? What does itimply about the current ruler and his

court?

3) At the appearance of the ghost, Horatio begins to question the wisdom of letting Hamlet know about the ghost. What are his concerns?

4) Who says the famous line “Something is rotten in the state ofDenmark”?

5) How does Hamlet demonstrate his power to compel?

Hamlet I, v

1) During the daylight, where is the ghost? Why?

2) After hearing about his father’s murder, how does Hamlet respond?

What does that reveal about Hamlet’s character?

3) What story has been broadcast about King Hamlet’s death? What is the truth?

4) What does it reveal to us when Hamlet says “O my prophetic soul!”?

5) The ghost says his brother is an “adulterate beast” and that Gertrudewas a “seeming-virtuous queen.” Is he commenting on what happenedprior to his death? Or on what happened immediately after his death?

6) How do those comments feed Hamlet’s beliefs?

7) What 3 things does the ghost demand of Hamlet?

  • Are theyall possible?

8) Now how does Hamlet feel about the ghost’s news? Is this the same as he first felt?

9) What is the first thing Hamlet and the ghost make the others swear to?

10) What is the second thing? Why? What purpose might that serve?

11) What is an “antic disposition”? How might that help Hamlet get revenge?

12) How has revenge represented here as a means by which an imbalance caused by unnatural acts can be restored?