SUMMARY ACT 1

SUMMARY ACT 1

1. SCENE 3

   • Laetres warns Ophelia about Hamlet and her own sexuality
   • Polonius gives Laetres advice on how to act while away in Paris
   • Polonius orders Ophelia to reject Hamlet and the dangers of getting involved with him. She agrees to obey him

2. SCENE 4

   • Hamlet joins Horatio and Marcellus to keep watch and wait for the ghost to reappear
   • The Ghost beckons Hamlet to follow it- Hamlet does despite warnings from his companions

3. SCENE 5

   • The Ghost claims to be Hamlets father and tells him to seek revenge for his murder
   • Hamlet agrees to take revenge on Claudius and the ghost disappears
   • Hamlets suspicions about Claudius are confirmed- his uncle seized the throne by killing King Hamlet
   • Hamlet tells his companions what happens and vows their secrecy
   • Hamlet hatches a plan to pretend to be mad

4. SCENE 1

   • Fortinbras wants to reclaim land that his father lost in battle with King Hamlet
   • The men decide to tell Prince Hamlet what they have seen
   • The Ghost appears and it resembles King Hamlet. It reappears and Horatio questions it. Ghost remains silent
   • Barnardo and Marcellus tell Horatio about the Ghost that has been seen
   • Barnardo, Horatio and Marcellus take over the watch from Francisco

5. SCENE 2

   • Hamlet reveals he is disgusted with his mothers hasty marriage and this has led him to lose faith in the world
   • Horatio tells Hamlet that he believes he has seen his fathers Ghost and agrees to keep watch with him
   • Claudius sends ambassadors to negotiate with the King of Norway about Fortinbras and lets Laetres return to France
   • New king addresses the court about brothers death, marriage to Gertrude and threat of Fortinbras invasion