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Read the full plot summary, an in-depth analysis of character of Hamlet , and explanations of important quotes from Hamlet. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Hamlet Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays.
On a dark winter night, a ghost walks the ramparts of Elsinore Castle in Denmark. Discovered first by a pair of watchmen, then by the scholar Horatio, the ghost resembles the recently deceased King Hamlet, whose brother Claudius has inherited the throne and married the king’s widow, Queen Gertrude.
Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most popular, and most puzzling, play. It follows the form of a “revenge tragedy,” in which the hero, Hamlet, seeks vengeance against his father’s murderer, his uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. Much of its fascination, however, lies in its uncertainties.
Act 1, Scene 1. Literary devices: Genre. Mood. Setting. Style. Tone. View all. A ghost resembling the recently-deceased King of Denmark stalks the ramparts of Elsinore, Denmark’s royal castle, over the course of several nights, setting all the castle’s guardsmen on edge.
Intro. Plot. Summary & Analysis. Themes. Quotes. Characters. Symbols. Lit Devices. Quizzes. Theme Viz. Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Hamlet makes teaching easy. Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions. Get instant explanations to your questions about anything we cover. Powered by LitCharts content and AI. Learn More.
Jun 2, 2020 · Synopsis: On the guards’ platform at Elsinore, Horatio waits with Barnardo and Marcellus to question a ghost that has twice before appeared. The Ghost, in the form of the late King Hamlet of Denmark, appears but will not speak. Horatio decides to tell his fellow student, Prince Hamlet, about the Ghost’s appearance.
Act II. According to his plan, Hamlet begins to act strangely. He rejects Ophelia, while Claudius and Polonius, the royal attendant, spy on him. They had hoped to find the reason for Hamlet's sudden change in behaviour but could not. Claudius summons Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, old friends of Hamlet to find out what's got into him.
