1. Briefly retell the plot.

The ghost of the death king appears on the walls. The guards and Horatio - Hamlets best friend are frightened
and decided to tell about it to Hamlet, the son of the death king. Hamlet wanted to see it on his own eyes and
the ghost told him that the king was killed by Claudius. Hamlet started to plan revenge. He changed his
behaviour and seemed to be mad. Everybody including his mother, ueen !etrude, his step-father Claudius,
lover "phelia and her father #olonius, who was the Claudius head advisor thought that his mad behavior is
caused by his love to "phelia.
Hamlet was not sure if the ghost told him the truth and he wanted to prove the fact. $hen the actors came to the
castle, Hamlet told them to play something special for him. %ing and ueen are invited to the performance and
Horatio is asked to watch the king&s behavior. Claudius finds his own act of a murder in the story and cancels it.
'fter the performance, during the dialogue between Hamlet and his mother, Hamlet kills #olonius who was
listening their dialogue.
This was (ust enough for the king and he decides to send Hamlet to England, not to cause more damage in
kingdom. He also encloses a secret letter in which he asks to kill Hamlet.
This effort does not go well and prince of )enmark is returning home. *eanwhile, Claudius and +eartes, son of
death #olonius are preparing a murder of prince. The sorrowing "phelia becomes mad as well and during the
accident is drown in the river.
Hamlet with Horatio, right at the day when Hamlet is returning, are visiting a cemetery and talking to
a gravedigger who tells them that he is digging a grave for "phelia. 't the same time, the king, ueen, +eartes
and other lieges are coming to "phelias funeral. Here Hamlet is confronted for the first time with +eartes after
#olonius death.
The last part talks about the ,game- in which Hamlet should fight +eartes as a bet. This is that mentioned plan
of Claudius and +eartes. $hen the fight begins, Hamlet is doing well and the ueen drinks a poisoned wine.
.he dies. +eartes slightly hits Hamlet with poisoned cord. 'fterwards, they e/change their swords and Hamlet
hits +eartes. +eartes, before he dies, tells Hamlet about his and %ings plan to kill Hamlet. Hamlet, before his
death kills Claudius. Horatio, Hamlets best friend wants to die as well but Hamlet asks him to live and retell
the story and the truth to everyone...
't the end, 0ortinbras, the prince of 1orway comes from his campaign in #oland. 't the beginning, he wanted
to conuer )enmark but now, when he sees all those death grant2, he asks his men to burry Hamlet with highest
honour and calls for appeasement.
2. Characterize the main characters.
Hamlet - #rince of )enmark 3rightful, clever, depressed, philosophical, postpones every action4
Hamlets father - the dead king
Claudius - Hamlets uncle 3greedy, vengeful, murderer4
!ertrude - Hamlets mother 3peaceful, obedient, very enigmatic 5 $hy she married Claudius so early6
$as she involved in the murder6 )id she have an affair with Claudius when Hamlet&s father was still alive6 4
#olonius - "phelias father 3crafty, suspicious, sly4
"phelia - #olonius daughter 3loving, sad, obedient4
+aertes - "phelias brother 3handsome, revengeful, impulsive, temperament4
3. What is the main conflict of the play?
#rince Hamlets father was murdered and Hamlet tries to revenge his death. However, not being sure whether
the ghost is real and tells him the truth, Hamlet waits for a final evidence against Claudius before acting.
4. Provide a personal characteristic of Hamlet, the prince.
Hamlets personality is primarily reflected in his relationships with the female characters in the story. He is an
introspective, intelligent, loyal and unpredictable person. He is a very thoughtful person 5 has moral problems
with killing somebody that is why he need a proof that Claudius is the murderer.
He is very angry at his mother since he does not understand her decision to marry Claudius so early. He
displays sings of *7."!818 9 hatred of women. 3His famous uotation: -0railty, thy name is woman.;4
't the beginning he agrees to punish his father&s murder. He pretends he is mad because he wants to find the
truth and wants to be sure. He tried to persuade "felia to go to nunnery.
. What is the !enre of the play?
<evenge ragedy
". #$plain the term %solilo&'y( and apply it to the )or*. Choose one of Hamlet(s speeches and
analyze it.
7f a character is performing a monologue being alone on a stage, such monologue is called solilouy 3usually
the most important ideas of a play are presented through solilouies4. 7t is a device supposed to establish the
contact with the audience since the character discloses his=her thoughts, emotions, motivations, plans>.
To be, or not to be, that is the uestion: The insolence of office, and the spurns
$hether ?tis nobler in the mind to suffer That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, $hen he himself might his uietus make
"r to ta*e arms a!ainst a sea of tro'+les,
@
$ith a bare bodkin6 who would these fardels bear,
'nd by opposing end them6 To die, to sleep, To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
1o moreA and by a sleep to say we end But that the dread of somethin! after death
C
,
The heart-ache, and the thousand natural shocks The undiscover?d country, from whose bourn
That flesh is heir to, ?tis a consummation 1o traveller returns, pu22les the will,
)evoutly to be wish?d. To die, to sleepA 'nd makes us rather bear those ills we have
To sleep, perchance to dream: ay, there?s the rubA Than fly to others that we know naught of6
,or in that sleep of death )hat dreams may come
C
, Thus conscience does make cowards of us allA
$hen we have shuffled off this mortal coil, 'nd thus the native hue of resolution
*ust give us pause: there?s the respect 7s sicklied o?er with the pale cast of thoughtA
That makes calamity of so long lifeA 'nd enterprises of great pith and moment,
0or who would bear the whips and scorns of time, $ith this regard, their currents turn awry,
The oppressor?s wrong, the proud man?s contumely, 'nd lose the name of action.
The pangs of despis?d love, the law?s delay,
This speech is making Hamlet decide if or not he wants to act on the revenge of his father or (ust let it go, but
he needs to act inside. He swore to his father that he would punish the murderer. He tries to find out whether is
better to suffer in(ustice or to oppose it. The literally uestion -To be, or not to be; means -+ife and )eath.;
-T" BE "< 1"T T" BE; 5 thinking of committing the suicide. Hamlet does not want to suffer any more. He
fears of suffering in heaven 3eternal life4 or in hell. He does not know what will come after death.
@
This passage indicates Hamlet&s personal vendetta
C
Hamlet e/presses his fear of death
-. Why does Hamlet delay any action?
@. Considered against the background of ancient !reek and <oman revenge tragedies, the !host?s
command to Dkill the king, but spare the ueenD
C. Hamlet delays killing others for the same reason he delays killing himself 5 if you kill yourself 3or kill
somebody4 you will go to hell 3inferno4 5 so he has some moral problems with the killing.
E. Hamlet wants to be completely convinced of Claudius?s guilt at first. Hamlet does not know if the !host
was really his father or a demon. He needs a proof.
.. What are the s'+/ect matters of this play?
<evenge, love, friendship, e/istence, life, doubts, certainty, madness, ambitions 3Claudius, !ertrude4, abuse of
power, moral corruption, sense of life and deathA deceit>.
0. Comment on the tone.
)ark, ironic, melancholic, passionate, contemplative, desperate, violent tone
11. Comment on the lan!'a!e 'sed.
#oetic and metaphoric wordsA .hakespearian *iddle English language full of monologues 3solilouies4A noble,
high-diction, high-class language
11. What may +e the theme of this play?
'mbitions can break morality.
*oral corruption in representative royal family and in general in political life.
Parallel ima!es: the play is based on some motifs = images that are used repeatedly but in different conte/ts
murder: Hamlet&s father 3intentionally killed by Claudius4 vs. #olonius 3accidental4
revenge: Hamlet 3delays the actions, uestions his acts, has moral problems with killing somebody
unless he has a proofA4 vs. +aertes 3does not have any moral problems with it, acts impulsively4
madness: Hamlet 3pretends it4 vs. "phelia 3who is really mad4
dependent women: "phelia 3on her father and brother4 vs. !ertrude 3on the husband4
suicide: Hamlet 3only thinks about it -To be or not to be4 vs. "phelia 3really commits it4
poisoning: Hamlet&s father 3by Claudius 5 murder4 vs. !ertrude 3drinks the wine which is not intended
for her4 but also Hamlet 3he is wounded by a poisoned sword4
#ni!matic actions of motives: Fenigma 9 a secret, not e/plained in the te/t4
7s Hamlet mad or does he only pretend it6 5 he behaves like a madman, kills #olonius without checking
who is behind the curtain 3up to that moment, he acted rationally, he wanted an evidence before the
revenge4 but his solilouies are rational
$hy did !ertrude marry so soon6 )id she have an affair with Cladius6 $as she involved in the murder6
7s the !host real or is it a demon = a hallucination6
$hy does the !host not speak to !ertrude6 )oes it mean that he blames her for his murder6 )oes it
mean that she was involved in the murder6 $hy can&t she see him6 37t would help Hamlet.4
)oes Hamlet love "phelia6 7f yes, why is he so cruel to her and why does he send her to a nunnery6
$hy does he not inform her about his plan to pretend madness 3it could have saved "phelia&s life46
12. ,ind fe) eni!matic motives or actions in the play.
Hamlets behavior
The death of #olonius
The identity of ghostly apparation in the first scene
GHn *agdina, Gura( <omer a Gura( .kIivHnek: $. .hakespeare - Hamlet