Hamlet has a reflective personality and struggles with philosophical questions and moral doubt. Prince Hamlet is the son of Queen Gertrude and the recently deceased King Hamlet, and nephew and stepson of the new King Claudius. Laertes, Hamlet, and the King all die within a few minutes of one another. Laertes absolves Hamlet of guilt in his and Polonius' murder. When Hamlet perceives that he, Laertes, and Gertrude have been poisoned, he stabs Claudius with the poisoned blade and makes him drink the rest of the poisoned drink.

They scuffle and accidentally exchange swords, and then Hamlet wounds Laertes. Queen Gertrude drinks to his success and is killed by the poisoned cup. Back at the castle, the sword-fighting match begins between Laertes and Hamlet. Shortly after returning to Denmark, Hamlet chances upon Ophelia's funeral and is stricken with grief, insisting that he always loved her. If Hamlet wins, the King will supply a poisoned cup for Hamlet to drink from. Together they scheme to arrange a fencing match between Laertes and Hamlet however, Laertes will switch his dull fencing sword for a sharp, poisoned sword, so he can kill Hamlet during the match. Claudius convinces Laertes to seek his revenge against Hamlet. His heartbreak and anger intensifies when Ophelia drowns shortly after his return. Her brother Laertes returns from France, determined to avenge the death of his father Polonius. Scorned by Hamlet and orphaned by Polonius' death, Ophelia loses her mind. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern continue sailing for England, unaware that Hamlet has switched out the sealed letters they carry with orders that they be put to death instead. Hamlet manages to escape and return to Denmark. Shortly after setting sail, they are attacked by pirates. However, the King has also secretly arranged for Hamlet to be put to death in England, by sending sealed letters with his escorts Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. After accidentally killing Polonius, Hamlet is sent away to England immediately. He hears a noise and immediately stabs the intruder to death, believing it to be the King. He tells her about his suspicions and scolds her for her disloyalty to his father, not realizing that Polonius is hiding behind the curtain. Soon after, Hamlet and his mother Gertrude talk in her private room. Meanwhile, Claudius has decided that Hamlet is a threat and should be sent away to England. Hamlet plans to kill Claudius, but when he finds him praying, he changes his mind and decides to wait and kill him later. True to Hamlet's expectations, Claudius jumps up when the murder is shown, and quickly leaves the room. He directs the actors to enact a play depicting the supposed events of King Hamlet's murder, as told by the ghost. Hamlet decides to use the players to discover if Claudius is truly guilty. Claudius and Polonius decide to spy on Hamlet while he talks to Ophelia, but he is cold and scornful toward her, and women in general.Īn acting troupe arrives at the castle. Since Hamlet was previously interested in Ophelia, the daughter of King Claudius' right-hand man Polonius, Polonius suspects that Hamlet may be mad with denied love. His mother, Queen Gertrude, and his stepfather, King Claudius, enlist two of Hamlet's friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to discover what's wrong. However, he is mired in self-doubt and philosophical reflection, and decides to pretend to be insane. Claudius is currently the king, having married the former King Hamlet's wife Gertrude and taken the throne.

King Hamlet's ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered by his brother Claudius, and begs Hamlet to avenge his murder. The watchmen who discover the ghost show Horatio, a friend of Prince Hamlet's, who suggests that the watchmen show the prince. The ghost bears a striking resemblance to King Hamlet, who has recently died. Examples of emotional baiting.Outside Elsinore Castle in Denmark, a ghost has begun haunting the night.

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