Hamlet abbreviated

Synopsis


The play opens high on the walls of the castle at Elsinore when on a very cold night the ghost of the recently deceased King Hamlet returns to his castle, and is seen by the guards. Horatio, Prince Hamlet’s classmate and good friend, also sees the ghost but is unable to coax him into a conversation and, figuring correctly that the late king’s ghost will talk to his son, having ignored him and the guards, decides to contact the prince. (Observation, Act 1, Scene 1) It’s here where Marcellus, a guard, famously says, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”

Within a month of the late king’s death, Claudius, King Hamlet’s brother, marries the late king’s widow, Gertrude. Gertrude is Prince Hamlet’s mother and the prince is not at all happy with his mother’s marriage to his uncle. Claudius had succeeded his brother as king and Gertrude is now once again Denmark’s queen, all of which, as we say, seriously dismays the young Hamlet. Meanwhile, young Fortinbras, nephew to Norway’s current king, is thought to be making mischief in Denmark, King Claudius thinking he may be trying to re-take the lands his father lost to King Hamlet. (Disclosure, Act 1, Scene 2) Separately, clearly sensing that young Hamlet is out of sorts, King Claudius does his best to try and draw Hamlet closer to him and his court, assuring the young prince that he will be the successor king. (Grief, Act 1, Scene 2) Young Hamlet lets us know his mental state of affairs. (Introspection, Act 1, Scene 2) Later Hamlet has a one-on-one talk with the Ghost, who makes it clear (clear as a ghost can) that Claudius killed his father, instructing Hamlet to avenge the murder.

One of the late king’s best friends, Polonius, has a son, Laertes, and the young man is about to leave for France. As he is about to leave Denmark, Laertes gives his sister Ophelia some wise counsel, Ophelia being Hamlet’s girlfriend. (Brother to Sister, Act 1, Scene 3) With Laertes about to leave for Paris and with Ophelia engaged in a high risk romance with Denmark’s prince, Polonius offers his son and then his daughter some timeless thoughts on a number of issues, such as “to thine own self be true.” (Father to Son, Act 1, Scene 3) (Father to Daughter, Act 1, Scene 3)

Later, concerned for his son who has been in Paris for some time, Polonius dispatches his servant to see how the boy is doing, worried that his son may be spending too much time gaming, drinking, womanizing, fencing and playing tennis. Oh my. Focusing on his daughter, Polonius lets us know that he believes that Hamlet’s unusual conduct, his “madness,” is the result of his daughter having “denied him her love.” It’s here where Hamlet offers his friend Horatio some insight on elements of leadership and responsibility to the governed; the two of them biding their time waiting for the return of the ghost of Hamlet’s father. (Observation, Act 1, Scene 4) While listening to “the flourish of trumpets,” a signal that “the king stays awake tonight drinking,” the ghost of Hamlet’s father does appear to the two young men, and he does talk with his son. (Father to Son, Act 1, Scene 5) Separately, back to Norway’s Fortinbras, Ambassadors Voltemand and Cornelius report to Claudius that the Norwegians have their sights set on a small portion of Poland and only want to travel through Denmark. Meanwhile, the king and queen instruct Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, two of Hamlet’s classmates at Wittenberg, to help identify the cause of Hamlet’s “transformation,” but Hamlet is wise to the king and queen’s ruse. (Disillusionment, Act 2, Scene 2) Separately, a group of actors arrives to provide some Lenten entertainment for the king and his court. Hamlet inquires if the players have “The Murder of Gonzago” in their repertoire. They do. Hamlet says, “We’ll have it tomorrow night.” (Revenge, Act 2, Scene 2)

Later, entering the stage alone and thinking aloud, Hamlet asks himself the famous question “To be or not to be,” trying to decide whether weathering life’s ills is better than “flying blindly alone to that we know not of.” (Introspection, Act 3, Scene1) Ophelia enters. It’s here where Hamlet suggests to her that they go their separate ways, saying to her: “to a nunnery, go.” Hamlet exits as Polonius enters; Polonius still believing the “neglected love” from Ophelia is the cause of Hamlet’s professed madness.

Meanwhile the troop of players is ready to perform and the royal audience is seated. (Friendship, Act 3, Scene 2) The play, The Murder of Gonzago, quickly develops along the lines of how the ghost of Hamlet’s father described his death: where a king’s brother poisons the king, marries the king’s queen and becomes king himself. (Insight, Act 3, Scene 2) Soon after the play begins, an anxious King Claudius exits; most of the others follow him out. Horatio and Hamlet remain, having earlier decided to observe all details. An infuriated Claudius instructs Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to escort Hamlet to England, where the king hopes Hamlet can be cured of his purported madness, or be killed. But Hamlet sees the trip to England as the king’s plan to get rid of him. Separately, a remorseful Claudius recounts to himself his “foul murder.” (Disclosure, Act 3, Scene 3) Meanwhile, the queen has called Hamlet to her chambers to counsel him. Polonius has decided to hide in the queen’s chambers behind the drapes, but when Polonius gasps, thinking Hamlet might harm his mother, Hamlet stabs him dead, right through the drapes, not knowing who was there gasping. Hamlet severely criticizes his mother over her marriage to his uncle. (Son to Mother, Act 3, Scene 4) The Ghost re-enters, not seen nor heard by the queen, to remind the young prince, “Do not forget.”

The king becomes concerned for himself and for the state when he learns that Hamlet has inadvertently killed Polonius. Hamlet rebuffs the efforts of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find out where Hamlet has taken Polonius‘ body; their effort at the request of the king. Later Hamlet mildly taunts the king, before letting him know where he can find the body. (Tease, Act 4, Scene 3) The king lets Hamlet know that Hamlet needs to be on his way to England. Meanwhile, Fortinbras moves his troops through Denmark on their way to Poland. (Honor, Act 4, Scene 4)

Separately, Ophelia enters singing sad refrains and speaking almost incoherently of lost love. (Fear, Act 4, Scene 5) As the king and queen worry over Ophelia, Laertes enters, having returned as an angry young man from France, upset not knowing the cause of his father’s sudden death. (Proposal, Act 4, Scene 7) Meanwhile, Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet letting him know that he has escaped from the ship, and that the two of them must talk, but that Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are still on board heading for England. The king soon learns to his dismay that Hamlet has returned to Denmark. At about this time the king and Laertes hatch a scheme where Laertes will challenge Hamlet to a duel, Laertes having had fencing lessons in Paris. Laertes will have poison on the tip of his foil and the king will add poison to the wine that will be available to the prince. Separately, we learn that Ophelia has drowned.

Meanwhile, Hamlet and Horatio greet the gravedigger preparing Ophelia’s grave. (Death, Act 5, Scene 1) Hamlet, holding skulls, offers comments, including ones about Yorick, the late king’s jester, asking “Where are your gibes now; your songs?” Hamlet and Horatio step aside as the king, queen, Laertes and others enter, leading Ophelia’s funeral procession. Laertes promptly jumps into the grave to hold Ophelia one more time, angering Hamlet, who rushes forward. Laertes and Hamlet fight a little, Laertes saying “The devil take thy soul.” (Resentment, Act 5, Scene 1) A little later at Elsinore Hamlet brings us up to date on events at sea, when he was on his way to London. (History, Act 5, Scene 2)

Later, Osric, an aide to King Claudius, enters to tell Hamlet that the king would like for Laertes and him to have a friendly duel, including side bets. Hamlet agrees, unaware of the king’s and Laertes‘ plans. The stage is set with a table, chairs, foils and cups of wine. (Acceptance, Act 5, Scene 2) They begin their “playful” duel. The queen has a drink from a cup, but unknowingly drinks from the cup of poisoned wine, the king having cried “Gertrude, do not drink.” But she does, and she dies. Hamlet then forces the king to drink from the same cup of poisoned wine. The king then dies. Meanwhile, Hamlet had been scratched by Laertes‘ rapier, tipped as it was in poison. As Laertes and Hamlet continue their duel, they inadvertently exchange their foils. A few more moments into the heat of the duel, Hamlet scratches Laertes with the poisoned-tipped foil. Both Hamlet and Laertes fall; Laertes soon dies. A dying Hamlet suggests to Horatio that Fortinbras should be named Denmark’s king, his final words. Fortinbras and the English Ambassador enter, reporting that Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are dead. Speaking of Hamlet, Fortinbras says, “He was likely to have proved most royal.”


Principal Characters


Claudius
Throughout the play Claudius is the King of Denmark, having succeeded his brother, King Hamlet, following King Hamlet’s murder, a result of Claudius’ doing, a central theme in the play. Claudius marries the late king’s widow, Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, within a month of King Hamlet’s death, causing a problem throughout the play for Hamlet, her son and only child.

Gertrude
Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother, the queen to two kings, has a major role in the play, most of it being non-speaking. Hamlet and his mother never reconcile or come to peace over her hasty marriage to his uncle.

Hamlet
Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark, the late King Hamlet’s son, the current King Claudius’ nephew. The marriage of Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, to her brother-in-law (King Claudius) soon after the death of her husband (Hamlet’s father) is a major issue that Hamlet wrestles with throughout the play. Hamlet, we think it can be said, has a complex personality. It seems he is always led by events.

Horatio
Horatio remains a close friend and confidant to Hamlet throughout the play.

Laertes
Laertes is the son of Polonius and is Ophelia’s brother. He spends much of the play in France, only to return an accomplished swordsman and angry over the circumstances surrounding his father’s “mysterious” death.

Ophelia
Ophelia is Laertes’ sister and Polonius’ daughter. She is also Hamlet’s girlfriend, who is abruptly late in the play dropped by Hamlet, causing her, it seems, to fall into a depression that leads to her death, by drowning or by suicide. The reader gets to decide.

Polonius
Polonius is the father to both Laertes and Ophelia and was a friend and confidant to the late King Hamlet. He is well-meaning, but not young and not fully engaged in the events that swirl around him. But to his credit he offers wise counsel to his children.

 A portrait of William Shakespeare