Scene By Scene Synopsis

Question 1

1.1

Answer 1

Guards ask Horatio to confirm their concerns about old Hamlet’s ghost

Question 2

1.2

Answer 2

Claudius’ first speech and talks about his ‘dear brother’ and his new wife, the queen. He forbids hamlet to go to school, hamlet contemplates suicide

Question 3

1.3

Answer 3

Laertes leaves for school and warns Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet. Polonius interrogates Ophelia further about her and Hamlets relationship.

Question 4

1.4

Answer 4

Hamlet hears Claudius celebrating, despises his joy.

The Ghost appears, Hamlet asks why it is here and proceeds to follow it despite Horatio and marcellus’ warning.

Question 5

1.5

Answer 5

Now alone with Hamlet, the ghost tells him how he died and explains how he is now in purgatory and urges Hanlet to seek revenge for his murder. Hamlet seems willing

Question 6

2.1

Answer 6

Polonius pays Reynaldo money to give to his son and asks him to spy on Him too. Ophelia explains how Hamlet frightened her

Question 7

2.2

Answer 7

Claudius sends for R+G to spy on Hamlet. hamlet is suspicious about their arrival. Polonius presents a letter sent from Hamlet to Ophelia and thinks his madness is as a result of Ophelia rejection of him.
He investigates and Hamlet teases him.
Players arrive and Hamlet is annoyed at their natural displays of passion.

Question 8

3.1

Answer 8

R+G report that Hamlet won’t speak about his madness. Claudius and Polonius plan to investigate themselves. To be or not to be soliloquy.

Question 9

3.2

Answer 9

Play proceeds. Ha,let makes sexual puns which make Ophelia uncomfortable. Claudius leaves the play and Hamlet is pleased that he now has proof that Claudius is guilty.

Question 10

3.3

Answer 10

Hamlet plays with the idea of the body politic. Claudius prays for divine forgiveness. Hamlet try’s to kill him but backs out as Claudius is praying and he wants him to suffer in the afterlife.

Question 11

3.4

Answer 11

Gertrude try’s to speak to Hamlet but he gets aggressive. Hamlet finds Polonius spying behind the arras and kills him.

Question 12

4.1

Answer 12

Gertrude tells Claudius that Hamlet killed polonius. Claudius fears that he will be blamed for his death. Claudius then sends Hamlet away to England.

Question 13

4.2

Answer 13

Hamlet won’t share the location of polonius’ body. Claudius feels he can’t badly punish Hamlet because he’s popular in Elsinore.

Question 14

4.3

Answer 14

Claudius must use desperate measures. Hamlet proceeds to taunt him with symbols of death. Claudius reveals that he’s organised Hamlets death in England.

Question 15

4.5

Answer 15

Gertrude refuses to see Ophelia but eventually agrees to do so.ophelia sings about love and loss. Claudius and Laertes plot Hamlets death.

Question 16

4.6

Answer 16

By doing a deal with pirates Hamlet returns to Denmark and wants to see Horatio.

Question 17

4.7

Answer 17

Claudius claims Hamlet meant to kill him. Laertes and him secure the plan to kill Hamlet in a fencing match

Question 18

5.1

Answer 18

Gravedigger scene. Gravediggers talk about Ophelia’s death and Hamlet discovers the skull of a man who he knew growing up. Hamlet and Laertes argue about who’s love for ophelia was greater.

Question 19

5.2

Answer 19

Hamlet tells Horatio how he ordered the death or R+G. Fencing match proceeds. Basically everyone dies and Fortinbras takes the throne.