Hamlet Act 1 questions
Why do the trumpets and cannons sound, according to Hamlet? What does Hamlet think of the custom?
According to Hamlet, the sounds signify the beginning of drinking the night away in celebration of King Claudius' and Queen Gertrude's recent marriage. Hamlet has a negative attitude towards it.
What happens when Francisco and Bernardo meet at the beginning of Scene I? Where are they, and what time of day is it? Why is there confusion over which guard is supposed to challenge the other by asking "Who's there"? Why is Horatio with Bernardo and Marcellus? Who is Horatio?
In the beginning of the play, Hamlet, begins with Francisco, one of the guards, who is waiting for Bernardo to take over for him after midnight. Bernardo calls wondering who is there, in which Francisco replies that Bernardo should tell him who he is first. There is confusion of who should be asking who the other is because both are equally ranked guards, and it would be Bernardo's turn to be guarding the castle, and perhaps both are suspicious of the other. Horatio is with Bernardo and Marcellus because they want Horatio to see the ghost that they have been seeing. Horatio is a friend of Hamlet.
What do we know so far about the nature of the ghost? Do we know yet if it is a "good" ghost (i.e., "really" the spirit of the person it appears to be) or a "damned" ghost (a devil or evil spirit in the shape of the person it appears to be)?
So far, we know that the ghost appears almost every night around midnight, and we don't know if it is a good or evil spirit.
How seriously do you take Polonius' precepts? Consider especially the last one.
The advice that Polonius gave to Laertes was actually very good advice
What does the Ghost tell Hamlet to do about his mother?
The ghost tells Hamlet to leave his mother alone and the guilt will deal with her.
What is Horatio's initial response to the story of the apparition (ghost)? What happens when the ghost appears for the first time?
At first, Horatio was skeptical about the ghost, and when he saw it, he was surprised and immediately saw that it resembled the dead King.
Why does Claudius want to celebrate? In what way will he do so?
Claudius wants to celebrate because he is marrying Gertrude by the night of partying and drinking.
How did Claudius murder Old Hamlet?
Claudius poured poison into his ear when he was sleeping.
How does Hamlet respond to the ghost? If it is a "damned ghost," is he as safe as he thinks he is earlier? Why don't the others want him to go? Why can't/don't they stop him? What does Marcellus still think the nature of the problem is?
Hamlet agrees to go with the ghost despite the others not wanting him because they think the ghost will make hamlet kill himself.
What does Hamlet think of the custom being kept by Claudius? According to Hamlet, what can happen as a result of a person's being born with one personality defect, or "mole of nature"?
Hamlet does not agree with the custom that Claudius keeps in Denmark. Hamlet believes that a person can be cursed at birth with a personality defect which can prolong a person for the rest of their life.
How seriously do you take Claudius' argument against Hamlet's "prolonged" mourning? How long has Hamlet been mourning? (The normal mourning period of a noble or gentle woman for a dead husband at this time [ca. 1600] was a year or more.)
Hamlet had only been mourning for a little over a month, so I think Claudius was being a little harsh on Hamlet, knowing that his father just passed away not long ago.
When Hamlet uses the word "sun," he is making a pun. In light of what he says, how does the pun help explain Hamlet's feelings about Claudius?
Hamlet is being sarcastic in regards to his new relationship with Claudius.
Is Hamlet surprised when the Ghost asks him to revenge his father's murder? Is he surprised when he learns who the murderer is?
Hamlet promised that he would get revenge on Claudius even though he doesn't know the full story. And Hamlet was not surprised when he found out that Claudius was the one who killed his father.
What is Hamlet's response to the news from Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo? Notice the way Hamlet questions them. How much do we know about how his mind works at this point of the play? What does he suspect as the reason for the ghost's appearance?
Hamlet responded by asking a lot about the ghost including its appearance. Hamlet is an idealist. - won't see the bad in people unless he is forced to.
Read Hamlet's second soliloquy carefully. What does Hamlet say he has learned? In other words, what general piece of wisdom does he want to save from this encounter? Is this shockingly new information to us? Or is Hamlet just becoming "grown up"? (When did you first learn that you couldn't always trust people?) Notice how quickly Hamlet moves from the specific (Claudius) to the general ("one"). Compare the same movement he makes from the specific person Gertrude to "frailty, thy name is woman." Given this soliloquy, how soon would you expect Hamlet to go for his revenge?
Hamlet said he has put aside all distraction so he can remember this visit and the task at hand.
What happens when the others find Hamlet? What does he ask them to swear? What does his mention of an "antic disposition" suggest about his future plans? How might you expect Hamlet to be acting when next we see him?
Hamlet's attitude changed from anxious to peaceful. Hamlet told them to never speak a word of that night or seeing the ghost at all.
What two terms does Claudius use to describe young Hamlet? How does Hamlet feel about Claudius right now?
He called Hamlet his cousin and his son. Hamlet is furious
What does Horatio first assume the appearance of the ghost means? Why are there such intense war preparations in Denmark? What does Horatio suggest by his discussion of Julius Caesar's death? Why does he choose the example of Rome?
He first assumes that there is something wrong with the government and that something bad is going to happen in the future. He connected Julius Caesar and the fall of Rome to the dead king and the fall of their kingdom. He used Caesar as an example because him and the dead Kind are similar.
What is Claudius telling the court in the first part of his speech? What does he say about young Fortinbras and his uncle the king of Norway? How is Claudius responding to the threat? (You may also want to keep in mind that the name "Claudius" appears only in the opening stage direction for 1.2. The name is never spoken in the play. He is simply "the King.")
He says how is sad that his brother died, but how he got something good out of it, which was marrying his ex sister in law. He responds to the threat by sending a message to the Kind of Fortinbras.
What is the purpose of the two discussions of the crowing of the cock, Horatio's pagan one and Marcellus' Christian one?
Horatio's pagan story says the crowing rooster symbolizes " the god of daylight comes and the ghost are forced to hide." Marcellus christians story say it symbolizes "christ resurrected, which caused no evil to roam during that time." They are trying to find a reason as to why the ghost disappeared.
What does Laertes want from the King? How does Claudius respond to him? Based on his first 64 lines in office, how would you rate Claudius as a ruler? In what ways does he already differ from Old Hamlet as king?
Laertes ask the king if he can move back to France. Claudius asked if Laertes father approved of it first and then told Laertes yes. Claudius is different because he is trying to be everyone's friend and wants everyone to like him, and it seems like he doesn't like confrontation.
What does Laertes warn Ophelia about? What, apparently, has been the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia since his return from Wittenberg?
Laertes warns Ophelia about Hamlet's affection, and that their relationship will ultimately end in a heartbreak.
What do we know about Laertes, Polonius, and Ophelia by the end of Scene 3? What sort of people are they? What sort of family are they? Who is missing from this family? How strong-willed is Ophelia?
Laertes, Polonius, and Ophelia are a family, and both Laertes and Polonius are pretty protective of Ophelia. They seem like a pretty close family, but the one person missing in this family is a mother figure. Ophelia is very strong minded, but if her father tells her not to do something, then she has to listen.
How willing is Ophelia to discuss with her father what she has discussed with Laertes? What is his response to Hamlet's interest in her and her response to him? How seriously should she take their warnings about Hamlet's lack of seriousness and his inability to choose his own wife?
Ophelia seems kind of hesitant to talk to her father about her and Hamlet.
Do father and son have the same opinion of Claudius? Would others in the court, not knowing about Claudius' crime, see Claudius as this much below his dead brother?
They both describe him as incestuous and wicked.
What do Claudius and Gertrude want Hamlet to do that he doesn't want to do? What won't they let him do it? How does he respond to them? How do they respond to the way he responds to them?
They want Hamlet to stay in Elsinore instead of going back to university, and he responded with I'll try my best to obey them, but only responded to his mother. They don't want Hamlet grieving anymore over his dead father, and Hamlet responds by saying that he can grieve as much as he wants since that his dad just died.
Read Hamlet's first soliloquy carefully. What is it that is really bothering him about what has happened since his father's death? How would you describe the tone of his feelings: detached, impassioned, rational, ironic, or what? (on test)
Throughout the soliloquy, Hamlet seemed more upset that he has to hold his tongue and couldn't say anything
What happens when the ghost appears for the second time? Why does it leave so abruptly? According to the thought of the time, provide reasons why a ghost could appear.
When the ghost appears for the second time, Horatio tries to speak to it, and as soon as Horatio started to speak to it, it started to leave without saying a word. He left abruptly because of the crow.
