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Explore the plot, characters, themes, and quotes of Hamlet, Shakespeare's classic revenge tragedy. Find study tools, quizzes, flashcards, and more to help you understand and appreciate the play.
- Act I: Scene I
A summary of Act I: Scene i in William Shakespeare's Hamlet....
- Act V: Scene II
Summary: Act V, scene ii. The next day at Elsinore Castle,...
- Act Iii: Scene IV
A summary of Act III: Scene iv in William Shakespeare's...
- Act Iii: Scene II
Summary: Act III, scene ii. That evening, in the castle hall...
- Hamlet
A detailed description and in-depth analysis of Hamlet in...
- Quick Quiz
Perfect prep for Hamlet quizzes and tests you might have in...
- Sparklet Scene Summaries
Read a full Summary & Analysis of Act V: Scene ii. Next...
- Important Quotes
This quotation, Hamlet’s first important soliloquy, occurs...
- No Fear Translation
Read the Summary of Act 1, scene 1. Hamlet, William...
- Act Iv: Scenes V & VI
A summary of Act IV: Scenes v & vi in William Shakespeare's...
- Act I: Scene I
- Story
- Plot summary
- Synopsis
- Battle
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 kings widow, Queen Gertrude. When Horatio and the watchmen bring Prince Hamlet, ...
Prince Hamlet devotes himself to avenging his fathers death, but, because he is contemplative and thoughtful by nature, he delays, entering into a deep melancholy and even apparent madness. Claudius and Gertrude worry about the princes erratic behavior and attempt to discover its cause. They employ a pair of Hamlets friends, Rosencrantz and Guilden...
Hamlet goes to confront his mother, in whose bedchamber Polonius has hidden behind a tapestry. Hearing a noise from behind the tapestry, Hamlet believes the king is hiding there. He draws his sword and stabs through the fabric, killing Polonius. For this crime, he is immediately dispatched to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. However, Clau...
The sword-fighting begins. Hamlet scores the first hit, but declines to drink from the kings proffered goblet. Instead, Gertrude takes a drink from it and is swiftly killed by the poison. Laertes succeeds in wounding Hamlet, though Hamlet does not die of the poison immediately. First, Laertes is cut by his own swords blade, and, after revealing to ...
Learn about the plot, themes, and characters of Hamlet, Shakespeare's tragedy about a prince who struggles with doubt and revenge. Explore the play's exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution with SparkNotes.
LitCharts offers a comprehensive and modern guide to William Shakespeare's Hamlet, covering plot, themes, characters, symbols, and more. Learn about the historical and literary context, the main points of the play, and the different interpretations of the text.
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