English 10 – Hamlet – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Where does the play take place? (Act 1 Scene 1)
answer
Denmark
question
As the play opens, Horatio joins Marcellus and Bernardo at their night watch. Why has Horatio joined them? (Act 1 Scene 1)
answer
They have seen a ghost of Hamlet's father for two nights. Horatio is a good friend of Hamlet's and brings credence credibility
question
In lines 71-73, how does Horatio interpret the appearance of the ghost? (Act 1 Scene 1)
answer
That it is a bad omen for Denmark - "This bodes some strange eruption to our state"
question
What three questions does Marcellus raise? (Act 1 Scene 1)
answer
Why a night watch? Why weapons? Why are they working day and night? It's all for war.
question
In a long speech (lines 84-111), Horatio answers Marcellus. Summarize as briefly as you can the events that have led to preparations for war. (Act 1 Scene 1)
answer
Fortinbras vs Hamlet Sr.. Hamlet wins and gets everything. Fortinbras Jr. wants his land back and is going to make war for it= prepare for war
question
In lines 133-143, what three reasons does Horatio list as possible reasons of a ghost's returning from the grave? (Act 1 Scene 1)
answer
To complete a good deed Warn of impending danger Reveal a hidden treasure
question
Why do Horatio and Marcellus decide to tell Hamlet about the ghost? (Act 1 Scene 1)
answer
Think the ghost will speak to Hamlet
question
What surprising news does King Clauduis announce at the opening of Scene 2? (Act 1 Scene 2)
answer
His marriage to Gertrude
question
Why does Claudius send Cornelius and Voltimand to Norway? (Act 1 Scene 2)
answer
To talk to Fortinbras Jr's uncle to get him to curb his nephew's military plans, to negotiate
question
What bothers Claudius and Gertrude about Hamlet's dress? (Act 1 Scene 2)
answer
He is still in mourning, wearing black. It is a reminder to their hasty marriage
question
Why does Claudius want Hamlet to remain at court? (Act 1 Scene 2)
answer
Hamlet has more power in the court then he, King Claudius does
question
About how long has Hamlet's father been dead?, (Act 1 Scene 2)
answer
About 2 months
question
Explain why Hamlet says, "Frailty, thy !"(line 146) (Act 1 Scene 2)
answer
Because his mother married so quickly
question
At the end of scene 2, what is Hamlet's plan. (Act 1 Scene 2)
answer
To stand watch and see if the ghost will appear to talk to him
question
Why does Laertes warn his sister Ophelia not to place too much hope in Hamlet's attentions to her? (Act 1 Scene 3)
answer
His choices may not be his own, so his attention may not last long
question
What does Laertes say must govern Hamlet's marriage choice? (Act 1 Scene 3)
answer
He must make one to benefit his country, Denmark. Possibly an arranged marriage with someone of his own stature for more power
question
What advice does Ophelia in turn give to Laertes? (Act 1 Scene 3)
answer
Practice what you preach and don't be a hypocrite
question
In lines 58-80, Polonius gives a great deal of advice to his son Laertes. In this speech Polonius covers nine items of advice. In your own words, explain what the following means: a-(lines 59-60)"Give thy thoughts no tongue./Nor any unproportioned thought his act." b-(line 68)"Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;" c-(line 75-77)"Neither a borrower nor a lender be;/For loan oft loses both itself and friend,..." (Act 1 Scene 3)
answer
a- Do not say what you are planning, think before you speak b- Listen to many, talk to few;Listen to everyone, confide in few c- Do not lend money to friends;Don't lend or borrow money; it may ruin friendships
question
What are Polonius's instructions to Ophelia about Hamlet? (Act 1 Scene 3)
answer
Do not fall in love with Hamlet; Don't believe Hamlet's vows. Stay away from him
question
What is happening at the court while Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus are on the platform? (Act 1 Scene 4)
answer
Claudius is having a party and drinking
question
Why does Hamlet denounce the custom of drunken celebration? (Act 1 Scene 4)
answer
It opens Denmark to criticism to other countries and those countries will look down on Denmark
question
What happens at the end of Scene 4? (Act 1 Scene 4)
answer
The ghost beckons Hamlet to join him alone, and he does. His friends follow
question
What does the Ghost reveal about the manner of his death? (Act 1 Scene 5)
answer
That he was poisoned by Claudius;He was murdered by Claudius not stung by a serpent
question
In lines 82-89, what tasks does the Ghost tell Hamlet to undertake? (Act 1 Scene 5)
answer
Free Denmark from incest Maintain his integrity Leave his mother to the Heavens, don't take revenge on her, don't become corrupt by what she tells him
question
In lines 178-181, what does Hamlet imply he may decide to do? (Act 1 Scene 5)
answer
He is going to pretend to go crazy,insane
question
At the opening of this scene, to where is Polonius sending Reynaldo and why is he sending him there? (Act 2 Scene 1)
answer
to Paris to spy on Laertes and to take him money and messages
question
By what trick is Reynaldo supposed to get information about Laertes? (Act 2 Scene 1)
answer
To socialize and spread rumors about him
question
What does this reveal about Polonius's character? (Act 2 Scene 1)
answer
That he is conniving and cunning;He doesn't trust even his own son. He is suspicious, sneaky, dishonest, and untrustworthy. He cares only for himself and his own reputation
question
How does Ophelia describe Hamlet's appearance to her? (Act 2 Scene 1)
answer
She describes him as being mad, like he had just returned from Hell. His shirt was unbuttoned; he wore no hat; his stockings fell around his ankles; he was pale; his knees were knocking together. He acted very strangely and left without saying a word
question
What is Polonius's conclusion about Hamlet? (Act 2 Scene 1)
answer
Polonius tells everyone that he thinks Hamlet is madly in love with Ophelia and that is what is causing him to act so strange
question
What is humorously ironic about Polonius saying, "Brevity is the soul of wit"? (Act 2 Scene 2)
answer
The fact that he says "brevity is the soul of wit" is an ironic self-indictment--he's not brief, so he lacks wit
question
What causes Hamlet to exclaim, "O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" (Act 2 Scene 2)
answer
He feels he is inadequate at portraying himself as insane
question
In the passage beginning with line 563, what plan does Hamlet devise? (Act 2 Scene 2)
answer
He is going to make a play where the king murders someone to see if King Claudius feels guilty
question
What plan do Polonius, Claudius, and Ophelia now put into action? (Act 3 Scene 1)
answer
They tell Ophelia to observe what Hamlet says to her and spy on him; Polonius, Claudius, and Ophelia put spying into action, trying to see if Hamlet suffers from unrequited love, or if he is just stark raving mad, with Ophelia talking to Hamlet and the other two spying on the conversation and Hamlet's daily life.
question
Explain Hamlet's soliloquy (to be or not to be)? (Act 3 Scene 1)
answer
Is it better to be alive or dead?
question
How does Hamlet treat Ophelia in the section? Why do you think he does this? (Act 3 Scene 1)
answer
He is mean to her to show her that he is insane
question
At the end of this scene, what does the King decide to do with Hamlet? (Act 3 Scene 1)
answer
to send Hamlet to a different country, that will ease the king's mind
question
What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do? (Act 3 Scene 2)
answer
Watch the King
question
Summarize what happens in the play-within-a-play. (Act 3 Scene 2)
answer
There is a king and queen sleeping and the queen gets up and then someone puts poison in the king's ear
question
What is the King's reaction to the play? (Act 3 Scene 2)
answer
He feels guilty
question
As Hamlet goes to his mother at the end of the scene, what does he admonish himself to do? (Act 3 Scene 2)
answer
That he is going to speak to her not kill her
question
What does Claudius ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do? (Act 3 Scene 3)
answer
Claudius wants Rosencrantz & Guildenstern to try to find out whether Hamlet is a physical danger to Claudius. Claudius is worried Hamlet might try to get the crown the same way he did, by murder
question
In lines 11-23, what do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern say in support of Claudius? (Act 3 Scene 3)
answer
by telling Hamlet that a king does not stand alone, he stands with his people. They support him because if a King falls, it affects the entire country and all of it's people. In supporting the King they are supporting themselves, and their country and fellow citizens
question
In lines 39-40, what does Claudius find nearly impossible to do? (Act 3 Scene 3)
answer
Claudius finds it impossible to pray and find repentance. He knows what he did was wrong, and is marked with "Cain's" grief", but he can't bring himself to fixing it. It's ironic because he is not praying and can't pray for himself, yet Hamlet does not kill him at that time, believing that he is praying. It is ironic being that he could have killed him right then and there.
question
Why doesn't Hamlet kill Claudius when he discovers him in an attitude of prayer? (Act 3 Scene 3)
answer
Hamlet does not kill Claudius when he has the chance because he sees him praying. He rationalizes it would not be fair because if he killed him then he would go straight to heaven, whereas Claudius killed Hamlet's father when he was vulnerable and when his sins were in "full bloom" and had no chance to go to heaven
question
What does Polonius urge the Queen to do? (Act 3 Scene 4)
answer
Polonius urges the queen to be harsh with Hamlet when he arrives, saying that she should chastise him for his recent behavior. Gertrude agrees, and Polonius hides behind an arras, or tapestry.
question
Under what misapprehension does Hamlet slay Polonius? (Act 3 Scene 4)
answer
Hamlet kills Polonius because he was talking with his mother secretly and when his mother screamed for help Polonius started yelling from behind the tapestry, then Hamlet thought it might be Claudius, so he thrust his sword through the tapestry and killed Polonius
question
In lines 20-21, Hamlet says to his mother, "You go not till I set you up a glass/ Where you may see the inmost part of you." Beginning with line 55, in what way does he do this? (Act 3 Scene 4)
answer
He turns his attention to punishing Gertrude. He presses contrasting pictures of Claudius and his brother in Gertrude's face. He points out King Hamlet's godlike countenance and courage, likening Claudius to an infection in King Hamlet's ear. He accuses Gertrude of lustfulness, and she begs him to leave her alone. Hamlet interacts strongly with his mother. Beginning at that line, he starts trying to make her see what he sees from the outside in. He shows her what she has done is wrong, and that she will be damned, that she is dirty, and that Claudius is nothing but a thief, a liar, a murderer, a pig, and only a twentieth of a tenth of what Hamlet's father was.
question
Why does the Ghost appear to Hamlet again? (Act 3 Scene 4)
answer
The ghost appears to Hamlet again to keep him on track, and to tell him what to do, and remind him of what is at stake. It's different this time though because only Hamlet can see the ghost, his mother thinks he is talking to thin air, not being able to see or hear the ghost at all. I think that this time the ghost was just in Hamlet's head. It's his inner being coming out and telling him that he has to keep going on, even though his father's ghost did not really appear this time.
question
What does Hamlet ask of his mother? (Act 3 Scene 4)
answer
Hamlet tells her that it is not madness that afflicts him. He begs her to confess her guilt to him and to heaven. At the very least, he begs her, don't sleep with Claudius or let him "go paddling in your neck with his damned fingers."
question
How does the queen protect Hamlet? (Act 4 Scene 1&2)
answer
She doesn't. She goes straight to Claudius and tells him about their encounter and how he killed Polonius
question
What does Claudius ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do? (Act 4 Scene 1&2)
answer
bring Hamlet to him and ask him where Polonius is
question
What does Hamlet mean when he calls Rosencrantz a "sponge"? (Act 4 Scene 1&2)
answer
He calls Rosencrantz a "sponge . . . that soaks up the king's countenance, his rewards, his authorities,
question
What two places does Hamlet tell Claudius that Polonius is? (Act 4 Scene 3)
answer
He is at supper and at heaven.
question
What does Claudius arrange to happen to Hamlet when he arrives in England? (Act 4 Scene 3)
answer
Have executed by the King of England
question
Who does Hamlet meet in this scene? (Act 4 Scene 4)
answer
Fortinbras, leading his troops through Denmark toward Poland
question
What effect does this meeting have on Hamlet? (Act 4 Scene 4)
answer
he ponders, he possesses sufficient reason to take action against his enemy, but remains paralyzed.
question
What has happened to Ophelia? (Act 4 Scene 5&6)
answer
She has gone insane
question
Why does the Queen agree to go see her? (Act 4 Scene 5&6)
answer
Gertrude refuses to see the girl, but Horatio points out that Ophelia's mental state may attract undue attention to herself and the crown. Gertrude then agrees to speak with Ophelia.
question
Why does Laertes break into Claudius's chamber? (Act 4 Scene 5&6)
answer
He wants his father, Polonius, body
question
What does Claudius tell Laertes to do? (Act 4 Scene 5&6)
answer
seeks revenge upon the proper person
question
What happens to Hamlet during his passage to England? (Act 4 Scene 5&6)
answer
his ship was captured by pirates
question
In lines 5-9, what does Laertes ask Claudius? (Act 4 Scene 7)
answer
Do you know who killed my father?
question
What is the King's response? (Act 4 Scene 7)
answer
Claudius explains that he acted as he did, burying Polonius secretly and not punishing Hamlet for the murder, because both the common people and the queen love Hamlet very much.
question
What scheme is planned by Claudius and Laertes? (Act 4 Scene 7)
answer
The king speculates that if Hamlet could be tempted into a duel with Laertes, it might provide Laertes with the chance to kill him. Laertes agrees, and they settle on a plan
question
What is their back-up plan? (Act 4 Scene 7)
answer
The king concocts a backup plan as well, proposing that if Hamlet succeeds in the duel, Claudius will offer him a poisoned cup of wine to drink from in celebration
question
What news does the Queen bring? Recount the scene she describes. (Act 4 Scene 7)
answer
Ophelia has drowned herself. She describes the young woman's death graphically, explaining how she had fallen in the brook while weaving flower garlands; the willow tree branch on which she was sitting broke so that she tumbled into the water. Ophelia's clothing carried her afloat for a time, but eventually she sank to her death
