Hamlet quick notes free#

Hamlet quick notes free#

Claudius questions Hamlet if he thinks the play is in good taste, and Hamlet replies that the play is make-believe, that any spectator whose conscience is free would take no offense. The play begins with a prologue that depicts a king and a queen in love which love is cut short by the poisoning of the king by the king’s rival who then proceeds to woo the widowed queen. By and by the king and queen emerge and with them Ophelia, Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They will both keep a close eye on the king for how he reacts to the play will determine the credibility of the ghost and of its claims.

Hamlet takes a moment to confide in Horatio. Hamlet is making final preparations for the play that he had conceived for the express purpose of provoking the king when Polonius appears to announce that the king and queen would be in attendance soon. Queen-the actor's role depicting the queen in Hamlet's play within the play King-the actor's role depicting the king in Hamlet's play within the play P. His wish is granted.Īdditional character(s): P. However, Polonius, who still believes that unrequited love is the source of Hamlet’s distemper, despite all the evidence to the contrary, dissuades Claudius, insisting that he-Polonius-should be allowed to spy on Hamlet one more time before the decision is acted upon. The trap is sprung, but what follows-a scathing diatribe of humankind in general-is so far off from what Polonius believes to be the source of Hamlet’s distemper, that Claudius, fearing for his own safety, decides to send Hamlet to England at once, arguing that a change of scenary would do his nephew good. This time Ophelia is to confront Hamlet and to dissimulate a spurned lover.

Distressed to hear, that despite their best efforts, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern had failed to get at the source of his nephew’s distemper, Claudius eagerly becomes an accessory to another one of Polonius’ spying schemes.