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Horatio and Marcellus, two guards at Elsinore Castle claim to see a Ghost that resembles the previous king of Denmark. The two guards decide to tell Hamlet about the Ghost. Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus being waiting for the Ghost to appear, once it does, the Ghost tells Hamlet about the truth of his death. The Ghost reveals that he was killed by the current king, King Claudius, from being poisoned poured into his ears. Hamlet’s father tells Hamlet that he wants him to get revenge for him and kill Claudius (whilst keeping Gertrude, his mother, alive). Hamlet also points out to Horatio and Marcellus that he will pretend to be mad in order to get the truth and seek his revenge.

“Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” (1, 5, 25)

This quote is said by the ghost of the former King of Denmark after telling Hamlet the truth of his death. He tells Hamlet that he must seek revenge on King Claudius for his murder. This is in the inciting incident in the story because it is the plot element that drives the rest of the story into motion. Over the next 3 acts, Hamlet’s madness builds up inside of him and becomes the driving force of the rest of his actions.

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Polonius finds out from his daughter, Ophelia, that Hamlet has begun to act strangely. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were requested by Claudius and Gertrude to investigate why Hamlet has started to act abnormally. A group of actors arrive to perform a play in front of King Claudius so Hamlet devises a plan to find out if the King is guilty of the murder of his father.

“The play’s the thing

Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.” (2, 2, 565)

Hamlet says this to himself when he gets the idea of the change the ending of the play, The Murder of Gonzago, to resemble the same way King Claudius murdered his father. He plotted this because he thought that seeing Claudius’ reaction to the ending will prove whether he was guilty or not, “Hum, I have heard that guilty creatures, sitting at a play have, by the very cunning of the scene, been struck so to the soul that presently they have proclaimed their malefactions.” (2, 2, 550). This is the rising action because once Hamlet sees Claudius’ reaction, tension starts to build up. Hamlet has confirmed his suspicions and now the audience waits to see what Hamlet will do now. Additionally, the plot starts to escalate further when Hamlet finds Claudius praying and spared his life. The only reason that stopped Hamlet from killing him was that he might go to heaven while confessing his sins. This makes overall makes the entire story much more suspenseful.

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Hamlet begins to debate whether he should commit suicide. While Hamlet is speaking to himself, Polonius and King Claudius and eavesdropping on him. Polonius and the King determine Hamlet is insane and they plan to send him to England. Hamlet gets the group of actors to change the ending to the play to re-enact the death of his Father to see King Claudius’ reaction. After seeing the reenactment of his brother’s death, Claudius leaves the room. Hamlet took his reaction as a confirmation and plans to confront Gertrude about it. Hamlet considers killing Claudius after seeing him praying but decided not to because he could go to heaven. Hamlet goes to speak with Gertrude and hears noises and rustling from behind the curtain. Hamlet stabs the curtain and ends up killing Polonius because he mistook him for Claudius. The Ghost appears and reminds Hamlet that he still hasn’t sought revenge for him.

“You low-life, nosy, busybody fool, goodbye. I thought you were somebody more important. You’ve gotten what you deserve.” (3, 4, 30)

Hamlet says this after he kills Polonius (who was hiding behind the curtain) and mistaking him for King Claudius. This is the climax within the story because this is the turning point in the story where everything changes. Hamlet brings himself into inescapable conflict now that he committed himself to kill seek revenge. The plot from here and out revolves around the event that has transpired here.

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Claudius finds about the murder of Polonius from Gertrude. Claudius determines that Hamlet must be sent off to England and sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find him. After locating him, Hamlet refuses to tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern where Polonius’ body is. Hamlet ends up revealing the location of the body after being questioned by Claudius. Claudius then sends off Hamlet to England but also secretly planned for him to be executed upon his arrival. Ophelia begins to become mad after her father’s murder. Claudius then convinces Laertes to seek revenge on Hamlet after he had just returned from France. Horatio receives news about Hamlet’s ship. Hamlet’s ship was attacked by pirates and Hamlet returned to Denmark. Claudius and Laertes then plotted a trap for Hamlet in a fencing match. Laertes’ sword will be poisoned and if Hamlet wins, he would be given a goblet with poison to drink from.

“The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch but we will ship him hence, and this vile deed” (Act 4 Scene 1 30)

After Gertrude tells Claudius about how Polonius was killed, Claudius decides to send him away to England. This is the falling action because this is the point of the story where things start to end. Hamlet, who was causing the majority of the problems in the story, is being sent away and after finding out Hamlet came back to Denmark, Claudius and Laertes set up a trap in order to finally Hamlet. Things were finally starting to conclude.

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Hamlet - A Mad Prince's Journey to Death

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Hamlet - A Mad Prince's Journey to Death

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Act 1:
“O God, God!
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!” (Act 1 Scene 2 130)"

Analysis:

This quote is showing that Hamlet becomes suicidal after feeling tired and sick of being alive because of his mother remarrying his uncle, Claudius, and dealing with the mourning of his dead father. Even before hearing the true story of the murder of his father from his ghost, he was already feeling conflicted within himself and didn’t know if his life was worth it.

“Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, how strange or odd soe'er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on)” (Act 1 Scene 5 170)

Analysis:
This quote gives us the first hint of Hamlet’s transition to madness.  Hamlet tells Horatio and Marcellus that he was going to “pretend” to be insane and also told them not to pay any attention to it and what the Ghost said. As the story continues, Hamlet displays more and more of this “mad” personality. At this point, it didn’t seem like Hamlet was still putting on an “antic disposition” act on, but instead, he has genuinely transitioned to insanity.

Act 2:

“I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.” (Act 2 Scene 2 350)

Analysis:
This shows that Hamlet does occasionally become “mad” because Hamlet openly admits that he is occasionally hit by madness. In the quote, Hamlet refers to his sudden bursts of madness to that of how wind periodically blows north-north-west. However, this quote also shows that Hamlet is still able to control his judgement properly if need be. Hamlet tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he would still be unable to distinguish between two, unlike things, “I know a hawk from a handsaw.” (Act 2 Scene 2 350). Bringing up this sort of caution means he’ll be able to pick apart between an ally and a foe with his own judgement.

Act 3:

“To be, or not to be? That is the question—” (Act 3 Scene 1 55-60)

Explanation:
This quote shows that Hamlet is conflicted with whether he should commit suicide or conitnue living. This can be seen because of the fact he is questioning whether or not it is better to exist or not to exist. Hamlet ultimately decides it is better if he continues to live because he is conflicted with uncertainty. His uncertainty went from deciding whether or not he should exist and now of whether it is better or not to live his life. Ultimately, Hamlet decided on continuing with his life because he was uncertain about what will happen after death,   “To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come” (Act 3 Scene 1 65).  Hamlet’s decisions up to this point have been heavily influenced by the conflict of uncertainty built up within himself.

Act 4:

“The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing—” (Act 4 Scene 2 25)

Explanation:
When Hamlet was being confronted by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about the whereabouts of Polonius’ body, he only answers in confusing riddles. This is another trace of Hamlet’s madness. Instead of telling them straight or being mysterious about it, he’s telling “riddles” almost as if he’s having fun with toying with them. In this specific quote where he was asked once again, by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern where the body was, Hamlet is speaking with reference to his dead father with the first half of the line. He’s implying that Polonius is dead alongside his father (who Hamlet views as the true king). The latter half of the quote refers to how King Claudius is not with Polonius’ body physically. These riddles Hamlet is constantly presenting is a clear indication of his madness.

Act 5:

“When our deep plots do pall, and that should teach us there’s a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will—” (Act 5 Scene 2 10)

Explanation:
After suddenly deciding to sneak in and swipe the King’s letter that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet tells Horatio this. He was trying to prove to Horatio that acting irrationally or impulsive can result in positive outcomes. Knowing this, you can see how much of a character development Hamlet had. At the beginning of the story, he was more of a cunning and indecisive person. He focused more on what is and isn’t the truth and then plans the best course of action. Hamlet started embodying a “go-with-the-flow” type of attitude in the latter half of the play as he begins to act much more carelessly after murdering Polonius. This attitude ultimately leads to his death because he recklessly fell into Laertes and King Claudius’ fencing match trap as he was most likely hoping for it all to have a positive outcome in his favour.

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Hamlet and Horatio at the graveyard waiting for Ophelia’s funeral to commence. Laertes finds Hamlet there and they start to fight. Laertes ends up dying to his own poisonous sword from the fight. After, Gertrude drinks the poisoned chalice and dies. Hamlet finally meets his end and dies from the poison from Laertes’ sword. Hamlet receives an honourable burial at the orders of Prince Fortinbras.

“Let four captains bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage, for he was likely, had he been put on, to have proved most royally. And, for his passage” (Act 5, Scene 2, 395-400)

This is said by Fortinbras after deciding that they’d like to give Hamlet an honourable burial. Fortinbras believed that Hamlet could have been an exceptional king if he only had the chance to prove himself. This quote represents the conclusion in the plot because it’s representing the end of Hamlet. Hamlet, who was mainly driving the plot of the story, was killed after confronting Laertes at Ophelia’s funeral. Not only that, Gertrude and Laertes also both meet their end in the story. Thus, the royal family, where all these conflicts have ensued, have finally met their end.

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Act 1:

“Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, how strange or odd soe'er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on)” (Act 1 Scene 5 170)

Explanation:
This relates to the theme of Madness because after finding out the murder of his father ( the last King of Denmark) Hamlet tells Horatio and Marcellus that he will be pretending to be mad. He also told them to act nothing of it when he does.

Act 2:

“I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.” (Act 2 Scene 2 350)

Explanation:
This relates to the theme of Madness because Hamlet is openly admitting to the fact that he is mad. Hamlet tells Guildenstern and Rosencrantz that he occasionally has bursts of madness just like the win periodically blowing north-north west.

Act 3:

“How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!” (Act 3, Scene 4, 23)

Explanation:
This quote shows madness because of how Hamlet is acting. While Hamlet was confronting Gertude, he heard rustling behind the curtain and stabbed Polonius who was hiding there. Hamlet made the decision to kill him implusivley without thinking about it. His instinctive commitment to such a violent action like murder makes you question if Hamlet is truley just “pretending” to be mad.

Act 4:

“The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing—” (Act 4 Scene 2 25)

Explanation:

After killing and hiding the body of Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come to question Hamlet about the body’s whereabouts. Hamlet only responds in statements that sound like madness and is taken as such by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Act 5:

“Was ’t Hamlet wronged Laertes? Never Hamlet. If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, And when he’s not himself does wrong Laertes, then Hamlet does it not. Hamlet denies it. Who does it, then? His madness.” (Act 5, Scene 2, 215 - 225)

Explanation:
Hamlet realizes the pain he’s caused Laertes by killing his father and acknowledges it. However, he goes on to blame his madness for killing him. Hamlet is implying that when madness takes him over, he isn’t himself. This is also why he starts referring to himself in third-person as he’s reinforcing the fact Hamlet and Hamlet’s madness are two different entities.

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“A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark is by a forgèd process of my death rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.“ (Act 1, Scene 5, 40)

Context:
The Ghost of the former king of Denmark tells Hamlet the truth of his death. The Ghost speaks about how everyone believes he died to a serpent but in reality, was murdered by his brother, King Claudius.

Analysis:
What this quote shows us about King Claudius’ character is that he is a very cunning and scheming person. You can see this with how perfectly executed his plan was. Claudius manages to kill his brother quickly with the poison and also has a seamless cover story that everyone in Denmark believed. King Claudius had successfully concocted a murder in order for him to usurp the throne and marry Gertrude.

“And what’s in prayer but this twofold force, to be forestallèd ere we come to fall

Or pardoned being down? Then I’ll look up. My fault is past. But oh, what form of prayer can serve my turn, ‘Forgive me my foul murder’?” (Act 3, Scene 3, 55)

Context:
In this scene, King Claudius is confessing his sins and crimes. He just saw the revised ending of the play The Murder of Gonzago (which was schemed by Hamlet) and felt an enormous amount of guilt for his actions.

Analysis:
This quote resemblance an interesting twist on this character. King Claudius seems like he is the main antagonist of the story and yet, he seeks forgiveness. Claudius seeking forgiveness during the rising action portion of the story makes you question if he’s actually being genuine with his feelings or is he just scheming another plan. King Claudius’ challenges the audience’s perception of him.

“Laertes, was your father dear to you? Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, a face without a heart?” (Act 4, Scene 7, 105)

Context:
Laertes returns from Paris after hearing news about his father, Polonius’, murder and King Claudius asks this to him.

Analysis:
This quote shows King Claudius’ cunning personality to a big extent. Claudius asks these questions to Laertes questioning if he truly feels sorrow for his father. Claudius is manipulating Laertes by invoking his drive for revenge and using it to help kill Hamlet. We know his plan was successful when Laertes tells Claudius afterwards that he would cut the throat of his father’s murderer, “I’ll cut Hamlet’s throat in church.” (Act 4, Scene 7, 120-125). Unlike Hamlet who acts impulsive and uses rage as a driving factor, King Claudius is more calculated and devious with his actions.