Hamlet Week One Questions

Hamlet Week One Questions

Hamlet Homework Reading Questions

Hamlet Week One Questions

Act 1, Scene 1

  1. What is the setting?
  2. Why do the guards want Horatio to come on the watch?
  3. How does the Ghost appear?
  4. How was the last conflict with Norway resolved?
  5. What is the name of the former leader of Norway? The current leader of Norway? The former King of Denmark?

Act 1, Scene 2

  1. What relationship does the current King (Claudius) have to the former King?
  2. What is Fortinbras planning?
  3. How is Hamlet the King’s (Claudius’) cousin (in this case, nephew) and son? [line 64]
  4. To where is Hamlet supposed to be returning?
  5. About how long has the previous King been dead?
  6. What is Hamlet’s opinion of his mother’s remarriage?
  7. What is Horatio’s relationship to Hamlet?

Hamlet Week 2 Questions

Act 1, Scene 3

  1. What is Polonius’ relationship to Laertes and Ophelia?
  2. What is the relationship between Ophelia and Hamlet? How do you think it will progress? Why?

Act 1, Scene 4

  1. What is the setting of this scene?
  2. Why does the trumpet play?
  3. What does Hamlet say that he will do to his friends if they don’t let him see the ghost?

Act 1, Scene 5

  1. Where is the Ghost during the day?
  2. What happened to the former King? What does everyone think happened?
  3. What does the Ghost instruct Hamlet to do to Claudius? To Gertrude?
  4. Do you think that Hamlet will obey the Ghost?
  5. What does Hamlet get Marcellus and Horatio to do?
  6. Does Hamlet trust Horatio and Marcellus?
  7. Does Hamlet have some sort of plan by the end of Act I? If so, what is it? If not, is he forming one?

Act 2, Scene 1

  1. What is Polonius asking Reynaldo to do? Why?
  2. What did Hamlet do when he visited Ophelia? How does Polonius interpret these events?

Act 2, Scene 2

  1. What do Claudius and Gertrude ask of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? Why are they good choices for this assignment?
  2. How does Hamlet treat Polonius in this scene? Compare and contrast this with how he treats Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in this scene.
  3. Who is arriving at court?
  4. What play does Hamlet request? What special instructions does he provide?
  5. What is Hamlet’s plan at the end of this scene?

Hamlet Week 3 Questions

Act 3, Scene 1

  1. What have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern learned about Hamlet? What have they failed to learn?
  2. What is Claudius’ plan in Act 3, Scene 1?
  3. How does Ophelia react to Hamlet in this scene? How does Polonius? How does Claudius?

Act 3, Scene 2

  1. What will Hamlet and Horatio be doing during the play?
  2. Briefly outline the plot of The Mousetrap.
  3. What is Gertrude’s opinion of the play? Why do you think she feels that way?
  4. How does Claudius react to the play? Why?
  5. By the end of 3.2, how does Hamlet speak with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
  6. What will Hamlet be doing the next time he sees his mother?

Hamlet Week 4 Questions

Act 3, Scene 3

  1. What does Claudius ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do now?
  2. What is Claudius unable to do?
  3. What does Hamlet decide not to do in this scene? What are his reasons?

Act 3, Scene 4

  1. What is Polonius doing in this scene? Why do you think he is there?
  2. What does Hamlet do to Polonius? Why?
  3. What does Hamlet show Gertrude? Why?
  4. Why does the Ghost reenter in this scene?
  5. Does Hamlet succeed in what he set out to do? How can you tell?

Act 4, Scene 1

  1. Describe the kind of threat that Claudius claims Hamlet is. Is he accurate? Why or why not?
  2. What does it appear Gertrude has told Claudius? What has Gertrude not told Claudius?

Act 4, Scene 2

  1. What does Hamlet believe Rosencrantz’s (and Guildenstern’s) ultimate fate will be?
  2. What commentary does Hamlet make about the king and the state?

Act 4, Scene 3

  1. Where does Hamlet suggest Claudius is going?
  2. What will happen to Hamlet in England?

Act 4, Scene 4

  1. Provide a brief synopsis (summary) of this scene.

Act 4, Scene 5

  1. What has become of Ophelia? Why?
  2. What does Laertes want?

Act 4, Scene 6

  1. How does Hamlet avoid reaching England?

Act 4, Scene 7

  1. What information has Claudius related to Laertes? Is it totally accurate, in part, or not at all?
  2. Why does Claudius say that Hamlet has not been given to the courts? Are there any other reasons which are not stated?
  3. What is Claudius’ and Laertes’ plan for eliminating Hamlet?
  4. What has happened to Ophelia?
  5. What is Claudius afraid of at the end of this scene?

Week Six Questions

Act 5, Scene 1

1. What happens in the discussion between Hamlet and the Gravedigger? How does the mood differ from the last time Hamlet joked about death (and worms) in Act IV scene iii?

2. The gravediggers scene is placed in between the escalation of the two revenge plots (in Act IV) and the climax of the play (in Act V scene ii). Why do you think Shakespeare has placed a comic scene here?

3. What happens when Hamlet appears to the others? Why is he so angry?

Act 5, Scene 2
1. What new sort of attitude to life do you see in the Hamlet in his conversation with Horatio?

2. What has happened to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? How does Hamlet feel about them?

3. What is Hamlet's reaction to the idea of the match?

4. Summarize the key plot points from the start of the duel to the death of Hamlet.

5. Why doesn’t Horatio commit suicide as he plans?

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