Act I Notes

Day 1: I.i.
- begins w/question from common men
– showing discomfort of ppl - guards watch w/o reason & on edge
- they’ve seen a ghost
o Horatio (Hor.) is brought to confirm sight § he's doubtful until it appears
- King Hamlet’s ghost (KHG) appears
o leaves when ordered to speak
- Hor. reveals reason for watch
o KH fought K. Fortinbras of Norway
o K.Fort. died & Denmark gained land
o KF’s son builds an army to attack & regain land
- Hor sees this & possible doom ahead as reason for KHG (cites Caesar – other Sh. Play)
- KHG reenters
o Hor tries to make it speak
o guards try to stop it
o KHG leaves when rooster crows
- guards turn to superstition
- Hor only partially believes
– as scholar - he represents audience’s view
– progression into suspension of disbelief
- they will inform Hamlet (H) hoping KHG will speak to him

Day 2: I.ii.
- K. Claudius (KC) speaks (he uses king’s “we”)
o honors bro’s death
o brings joy in marriage 2 queen
o thanks ppl for acceptance of shift
o notes Y.Fort’s plans
– assumed advantage by him § has letter 4 uncle to stop him (uncle’s ppl used)
- Laertes (L) requests & is granted leave to France
- 2 H – KC & Queen Gertrude (QG) question his mourning period
o they seek acceptance for dad’s death
- H fights to show his pain
- KC tries to dissuade him from this and plans to return to Wittenberg (school)
– H agrees 2 stay @ mom’s urging
- H speaks 1st soliloquy (character speaks mind alone on stage)
o wishes he were dead as world is poisoned
o amazed @ shift in mom
o time passed shifts from 2 months to w/in 1
o considers incest b/c of KC’s relation to husband
- he can’t share w/anyone

Day 3: I.ii.160
- Hor. & guards enter
- H & Hor toy w/reasons 4 visit
– highlighting pain w/time & circumstance
- on mention of KH ghost is revealed
- KHG described in detail
- Hor sticks to fact (shows honesty)
- H will join watch & orders their silence
- wonders alone of foul play

I.iii
- Laertes says goodbye 2 sis. – Ophelia (O)
- warns her to be careful w/relationship w/H b/c he is bound by position & she must guard her chastity
- O retorts that he must follow his own advice

Day 4: I.iii.55
- Polonius (P) rushes L, yet gives advice: * see handout
- L leaves
- O is questioned regarding H by P
- P also belittles his “tenders” of love & toys w/the word in his warning
- O tries to defend honor of it
- P warns of the nature of passion & H’s status vs. hers
- O gives in to stay away from H

I.iv.
- H joins watch
- cannon & trumpet spurn discussion
- KC’s partying makes bad name 4 nation
- H speaks of 1 flaw that may destroy all (tragic?)
- KHG enters
- H (though unsure of angel or demon) urges him to reveal why he’s here
- KHG waves for H 2 follow
- men warn of possible death or madness from following & try to stop him
- H takes the risk & follows

Day 5: I.v.
- KHG opens up:
- hints @ pains of “life” in purgatory
- orders H to revenge his murder (H is ready)
- tale of death from snakebite is a lie
- KC killed him w/poison in his ear while sleeping
- KHG is pained watching QG with his murderer
- repeats that H must act, but not against QG
- wants to be remembered
- H reacts - knows it’s a sin, but swears to remember & act
- Hor & guards arrive & ask for news
- ritual oath taken by men to keep secret
- implies that he’ll change his personality, but they can’t let on of knowing this