Shakespeare: Hamlet synopsis
The ghost of King Hamlet of Denmark is seen haunting the battlements of Elsinor Castle
King Claudius grieves for the death of the former King Hamlet, his brother.
He hastily marries Gertrude, the dead King's widow
and sends messages to Norway, Denmark's feuding neighbours
to prevent an invasion by the Norwegian Prince Fortinbras
Gertrude's son, Hamlet is also grieving for King Hamlet, his father.
Horatio, a companion, informs Hamlet that the ghost of his father has appeared on the battlements at night
and takes Hamlet to see for himself.
The ghost tells Hamlet he was murdered by King Claudius
And makes Hamlet swear  to avenge his fathers' murder.
"If thou did'st ever thy dear father love, revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
Unsure if he can believe the ghost Hamlet feigns madness to distract
his peers whilst he discovers the truth
The courtier, Polonius, interprets Hamlet's strange behaviour as a symptom of love for Ophelia, his daughter
After she informs him that Hamlet visited her in a state of undress
The King and Queen send for two of Hamlet's university friends
Rosencrantz and Gilderstern
supposedly to help assuade his grief
In reality they have been recruited by the King to spy on Hamlet
Hamlet becomes suspicious of them.
I will trust them as I will adders fang'd.
Polonius and claudius use Ophelia to entrap Hamlet
So that they can find out if he is in love with her. Hamlet guesses what she is doing
and cruelly denies any affection for her.
Hamlet has ordered a travelling troop of actors to perform a play
in which a King is murdered by his brother.
The function of the plays is: to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature
to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.
With this logic he claims the play will capture the conscience of the King.
Hamlet sees that King Claudius is affected by the play and takes this as proof of guilt.
On his way to Gertrude's chamber Hamlet hears the King in prayer confessing to the murder.
But O, what form of prayer can serve my turn?
Forgive me my foul murder? That cannot be, since I am still posessed. Of those effects for
for which I did the murder- my crown, mine own abition, and my Queen. May one be pardoned and retain th'offence?
Polonius hides behind a tapestry in Gertrude's chamber to eavesdrop on Hamlt
Hamlet berates his mother for marrying Claudius
Polonius calls for help and Hamlet, believing the voice to be King Claudius', stabs at the tapestry
and kills Polonius.
The Kind punishes Hamlet by sending him to England with Rosencrantz and Gildernstern
with the intention of having him killed on arrival
On the journey they are attacked by pirates
Rosencrantz and Gildernstern are killed but Hamlet escapes and returns to Denmark
After arriving in Elsinor Laertes, Polonius' son, demands vengence for the murder of his father.
The King agrees to help Laertes to kill Hamlet
Grief-stricken by her Fathers' murder Ophelia loses her mind and drown in a brook
Fuelling Laertes  hatred fro Hamlet.
And so have I a noble father lost. A sister driven into desparate term, whose worth
if praises may go back again, stood challenger on mount of all the age
for her perfections. But my revenge will come.
Hamlet returns to Denmark, discovers the skull of his Fathers' jester, Osric, and is reminded of mortality.
Horatio and Hamlet witness Ophelia's burial
Hamlet reveals himself to the mourners and challenges Laertes to a duel.
Hamlet and Laertes are both fatally injured, with a poisoned blade, during the duel.
Gertrude drinks poisoned wine intended for Hamlet and dies.
Hamlet stabs King Claudius and forces the remaining wine down his throat
before he himself dies in the arms of Horatio.
Fortinbras  and his troops arrive to take away the bodies
