Hamlet Study Guide - Summary: Act 1

Summary - Act I

Act I | Act II | Act III | Act IV | Act V

Scene 1 A sentry named Francisco is standing guard outside of Elsinore Castle in Denmark on a dark winter night. An officer named Bernardo came to relieve him of his duty and startled Francisco. Once Francisco departs another guard named Marcellus and Horatio, a friend of Prince Hamlet, joins Bernardo. Bernardo and Marcellus invited Horatio to stand watch with them because they claimed to have seen an apparition for the previous two nights. The ghost appears to be the deceased King Hamlet. Horatio was close to the king so the guards assumed that he would be able to identify the King better than them. Suddenly the ghost appears and all of Horatio skepticism vanished, as quickly as the ghost did. Horatio identified the ghost as the deceased King Hamlet because of the battle armor he was wearing. Then the ghost reappeared and Horatio attempted to communicate with him, however the ghost keeps his silence and disappeared as the first sign of dawn came. Horatio decides that it may be a sign of impending military attack from Norway because that old enemy now wants to regain lands lost to the now deceased King of Denmark. They decided to tell Prince Hamlet about the ghost, in hopes that if it is the ghost of King Hamlet it will not hesitate to talk to his son Hamlet.
Scene 2 The next day King Claudius is giving a speech to his royal court explaining his reason for marrying his late brother's (King Hamlet) wife (Gertrude). Which also happens to be Hamlet's Mother. He claims to be attempting to put an end to the mourning of the King's death with a celebration of new royal marriage. The King's death occurred only two months prior to the wedding. Once his speech finished Laertes, the son of Polonius, expresses his wish to return to France where he was before the King's death. Both Polonius and Claudius agree completely to let Laertes return to France. The King and Queen try to speak to Hamlet about his unhealthy mourning. They tell Hamlet that they do not want him to return to school in Wittenberg like he requested. They say they want him to remain in Denmark with them. Hamlet honors their wishes. Hamlet expresses his feelings of depression wishing that he could commit suicide and have it not be a sin. He looks back to the past at how much his parents loved each other, then the reality of the hasty marriage at hand, to his inferior uncle, sinks in. Horatio, a close friend of Hamlets, enters with Marcellus and Bernardo. They tell him of the sighting of his father's ghost. Hamlet consents to keeping watch with the three men that night in hopes of being able to communicate with the apparition.	King Hamlet and Gertrude talk to Hamlet in the royal court
Scene 3 As Laertes prepares to leave for France he bids farewell to, his sister, Ophelia. He warns her against falling in love with Hamlet. He says that Hamlet is above her class and can't truly love her. Since Hamlet is the Prince his royal obligations come before her. Ophelia takes his advice to heart but reminds him not to give advice that he doesn't practice himself. Laertes promises to take care of himself. Polonius comes to hurry his son up but then proceeds to slow him down by giving him advice. Polonius tells Laertes "This above all: to thine self be true…"(I. III.82). Then Laertes leaves. Once Polonius is alone with his daughter he inquires about what Laertes said. Ophelia says "Something touching the Lord Hamlet" (I. III.94-95). Polonius asked what is the relationship between you and Hamlet about? Ophelia says that Hamlets says he loves her. Polonius advice mirrors Laertes'. Ophelia promises to obey.

Scene 4 The scene opens with Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus keeping watch outside the castle on another dark coldnight. Just after midnight the three watchmen hear a trumpet sound and cannon fire. Hamlet explains how they are part of a custom in which the king spends the night drinking and carousing. Hamlet expresses his disgust with the custom explaining that it would be more honorable to breakthe tradition than to observe it. He believes it brings the Kingdom of Denmark shame and criticisms from neighboring nations.Suddenly, in the early morning hours, the ghost appears to the guards. Hamlet calls out to it saying "I'll call thee Hamlet, King, Father, Royal Dane."(I.IV.48-49). The ghost beckons to the Prince for him to follow. However Horatio and Marcellus protest arguing that it may be trying to lead him into peril. Hamlet ignores them saying that he has nothing to fear because he doesn't value his life highly enough to be worried. He then tells the ghost to "go on, I'll follow thee."(I.IV.87). Hamlet and the ghost depart to a yet unknown location. After a brief debate on whether or not to leave Hamlet's fate to heaven or to follow him, Horatio and Marcellus decide the latter, and leave in search of their prince.	Hamlet is restrained when he tries to run after the ghost of his father
Scene 5 The ghost reveals to Hamlet that it is indeed the spirit of the deceased king. Its goal is to send Hamlet into action to avenge its death. The King's ghost reveals that he was not killed by a snakebite but by a murderer. He says, "The serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown."(I.V.44-45). The ghost scolds Claudius calling him an incestuous adulterous beast. It is revealed to Hamlet that while the late king was sleeping in his garden, his brother poured a poison into his ear. Thus depriving him of his crown, his life, and his queen. Worst of all, his murder made it so the King never had a chance to reconcile for his sins, which meant he was sentenced to an eternity of damnation in the pits of Hell. His final plea for Hamlet to take action was in telling him to "let not the royal bed of Denmark be a couch for luxury and damned incest."(I.V.86-88). The ghost also instructs his son not to plot against his mother but rather to "leave her to Heaven."(I.V.91). As the ghost leaves, Hamlet promises to obey its wishes. Horatio and Marcellus approach Hamlet after the apparition leaves and inquire as to what they discussed. Hamlet refuses to discuss the confrontation, but makes them swear by his sword to not speak a word of what they have seen to any other soul. Both Horatio and Marcellus momentarily hesitate but the voice of the ghost booms out ordering to do as Hamlet says, and they both immediately obey. The three men then exit the scene together.	Hamlet speaks with the ghost of his father about his murder