KEY scenes

Act 1 Scene 5

The Castle. Another part of the fortification 

Father’s ghost was in purgatory but has returned to Hamlet to tell him that Claudius has killed King Hamlet and the Father’s ghost wants Hamlet to take revenge from Claudius. Father’s ghost also tells Hamlet about how he was murdered, he uses metaphor to explain his death. After hearing this Hamlet is shocked and Hamlet also thinks that Gertrude is destructive.

This scene represents the supernatural because in Shakespeare’s society they believed that ghosts don’t belong to Earth but in this scene Hamlet meets the Father’s ghost.

Act 2 scene 1

in a room in the house of Polonius.

Ophelia is afraid about hamlet and tells Polonius that Hamlet came to her in a shocking state. Ophelia expresses this by saying Hamlet had just been loosed out of hell. When Polonius hears about this he thinks that Hamlet is mad for Ophelia’s love.

This scene represents madness because Polonius thinks that Hamlet is mad because Ophelia isn’t talking to him but Hamlet is just acting that he is mad and that’s for revenge.

Act 3 scene 4

In the Queen’s closet.

Polonius tells Gertrude on how to act towards her own son. As this is happening Hamlet enters and Polonius hides behind the curtains.

As hamlet gets aggressive Gertrude gets frightened and calls for help, upon hearing this, Polonius also calls for help, polonius reveals himself like how a rat would do and then Hamlet kills Polonius. Hamlet, didn't know who was behind the curtains but he took a quick action.

This scene represents madness because Hamlet didn’t care who was behind the curtains,he just acted towards his thoughts.

Act 4 scene 7

Elsinore: Another room in the castle

Claudius and Laertes plans to kill Hamlet. they come up with two plans so that if one of the plans fail they would have a back up plan.

Ophelia drowns in the river because she lets the river take her (due to her madness). This shows that Ophelia's own femininity caused of her own death.

This scene represents madness because when Ophelia is drowning she doesn’t call for help, she gives her self to the river.

Act 5 scene 2

Elsinore: A hall in the castle .

In this scene, Claudius arranges a battle for hamlet and laertes and uses the chance to poison hamlet with Laertes's sword/poisoned drink. Gertrude disobeys Claudius by drinking the poisoned drink when Claudius tells Gertrude not to drink from it. Gertrude gets poisoned and dies (by this we can see Shakespeare's own thoughts about what would happen to women if they didn't listen to men - patriarchal mind set). 

Hamlet gets hit by the poisoned sword. Laertes and hamlet accidently swaps swords and hamlet takes a hit on laertes, and before Laertes dies he confesses that he is sorry and that it's all because of Claudius. Hamlet finally stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword (avenges his dead father) and even forces Claudius to drink from the poison cup that killed his mother. Everyone dies except Horatio.

Horatio is shown as a rational and knowledgeable person. he is left to tell the story of Hamlet.