Hamlet
(William Shakespeare)

Act 1

Act One Scene One

In the royal castle in Elsinore, Denmark, two sentinels appear on the gun terrace. These are Barnardo and Francisco. They are frightened by one another and demand to know who stands there. Once they have realized who the other is, Barnardo tells Francisco he should go to bed as it is almost midnight. He is there to take over from Francisco. Francisco is relieved to be going as it is cold, but at least it has been a quiet night. Barnardo tells Francisco if he sees Horatio and Marcellus on his way to bed to tell them to hurry as they are meant to be on watch duty with him. The two guards appear and startle the others. After verifying that they are friends, Francisco leaves to go to bed.

Barnardo, Horatio and Marcellus ask one another if they have seen “the thing” yet tonight. They haven't. Horatio thinks it is nothing but their imagination playing tricks on them, and that the spirit will not appear to them, which is why Marcellus has asked him to stay up with them so he can see it with his own eyes. Horatio doesn't believe it will appear to them. Barnardo tells him to sit down so he can tell them a bit about what they have seen. He begins by telling them that last night when the bell struck one, a spirit appeared to them, but Marcellus tells him to be quiet. The Ghost has entered! Barnardo and Marcellus ask Horatio if he thinks that the Ghost looks like the dead King of Denmark. He agrees and starts to question the Ghost under encouragements from the other men. He asks the Ghost what he is and why he stalks the hallways like the King once did. But the Ghost starts to move away and leaves.

Horatio is stunned and has gone white as a sheet. He didn't think that this was possible. They agree that the Ghost looks exactly like the King of Denmark, and wears the armor he wore when he fought the King of Norway. Marcellus has seen the Ghost twice now at the same time of the night. Horatio thinks this means something awful will happen to them and the country because of this terrifying vision. Marcellus asks Horatio why the nightly watching of guards has been so strict lately, and why they seem to be readying for a war by building many bronze cannons. Marcellus wonders what is about to happen. Horatio can only relay rumours he has heard. As Marcellus already knows the late King of Denmark was an enemy to Fortinbras, the King of Norway, who challenged him to a battle. Hamlet, the King's son, killed Fortinbras, and his lands were left to the conqueror, Denmark. However, the King of Norway had a son, also called Fortinbras, who has collected followers willing to fight for food who are going to help him take back the territories his father once ruled over. He thinks that this is the reason why they are on guard and why Denmark is in chaos. Barnardo agrees—it could even explain why the dead King's Ghost has been roaming the halls as he created the wars.

Horatio thinks the Ghost is something to worry about and likens it to the fall of Rome. Just before Julius Caesar was killed by his most trusted men, corpses rose from their graves and ran through Rome squeaking and talking nonsense. Shooting stars, bloodied dew, warning signs from the Sun and a total eclipse from the Moon were other things observed during this time, as well. Considering they have had similar visions, Horatio thinks that Heaven and Earth are trying to warn us what is about to happen.

The Ghost re-enters. Horatio tells it to stay still—he wants to talk to it. He tells the Ghost to speak if it can make sounds. He wants to know if there is anything he can do for the Ghost to give it peace, or if the Ghost knows what is going to happen to Denmark. If he does, then maybe they can avoid it! If he doesn't know any of this, then Horatio wonders if he knows about some buried treasure which is keeping him from being at peace. A rooster crows, signalling the coming of dawn. Horatio tells Marcellus to stop the spirit from leaving. Marcellus asks if he should strike it with his spear. Horatio agrees if it doesn't stand still for long enough. The Ghost leaves.

Marcellus thinks they were wrong to threaten the Ghost as it looks like the King. He doesn't think he would have been able to hurt it anyway because spirits aren't solid. Barnardo thinks the Ghost was about to speak when the rooster interrupted. Horatio agrees—he has heard that the rooster wakes the God of Day up who then warns all spirits to hide. They've just seen that in action. Marcellus agrees that the Ghost faded when the rooster crowed. He adds that he has heard that the rooster crows all night around Christmas so that no spirits rise up and the fairies and witches have no power over man. This proves how holy the night is around this time. Horatio sort of believes that theory. He tells them to look to the horizon as the sun is rising. They decide to find young Hamlet to tell him what they have seen. It is their duty. Marcellus knows where to find him. They all leave.

Act One Scene Two

At the royal castle in Elsinore Claudius, the King of Denmark, Queen Gertrude his wife, Hamlet, Polonius and his son, Laertes, and daughter, Ophelia, and many Lords gather. They all attend to Claudius, the King. He wants life to go on, despite how sad he still feels that his brother—the older Hamlet—has died. Claudius believes that mourning while taking care of oneself is the best and proper way to do it, so he has married his former sister-in-law. The marriage was both joyous and sad, but they went along with it because their advisers suggested it. He now wants to talk about business: Young Fortinbras has underestimated Denmark's armies and has mistakenly assumed that everyone would still be mourning the death of the late King. Fortinbras has been repeatedly demanding that Claudius surrender all of his late father's territories back to him.

Voltemand and Cornelius, two ambassadors for Norway, enter. Claudius tells them that he has written to Fortinbras' Uncle who is the present King of Norway. The Uncle does not know what Fortinbras has been planning because he is old and bedridden. Claudius has told the Uncle to stop Fortinbras. Cornelius and Voltemand's job is to deliver the letter to the Uncle. He tells the two to leave quickly. They pledge they will do their duty to Claudius and then leave.

Claudius turns to Laertes and asks what news he has and what favour he needs. He tells him not to hesitate as both Laertes and his father are as closely related as the head and heart, and hand and mouth are. Laertes asks for permission to return to France. He came to Denmark for Claudius' coronation but now his duty is done he wishes to return. Claudius asks Polonius, Laertes' father, if he has given his permission. Polonius admits that he has only agreed because Laertes has asked him so many times. He begs Claudius to let him go. Claudius agrees—Laertes can leave when he like and spend his time how he wants to.

Claudius then turns to Hamlet. Hamlet, speaking in an aside, mutters that he has more family now than any real kindness or feeling from them after his mother's marriage to his uncle. Claudius doesn't understand why Hamlet is still depressed. Hamlet disagrees—he is happy. Gertrude joins in and asks Hamlet to stop wearing dark clothing and to look with a friendly eye on Claudius. He can't spend his entire life thinking about his father. Death happens all the time. Hamlet agrees that death is common. Gertrude wonders why it seems so hard for him this time. Hamlet disagrees with her use of the word “seems”. It is hard for him. His dark clothes, crying, or any other grief he shows can accurately represent how grieved he is to have lost his father. He agrees that it might “seem” that way to some people, especially if a person is faking their grief but Hamlet is not faking it—he is actually not even showing the full extent of his grief. Claudius compliments Hamlet for his commendable attitude towards mourning his father, but reminds him that all fathers have lost their own fathers, and those sons have mourned for a certain amount of time. Mourning beyond that period is stubborn and unmanly. Everyone knows that they will eventually die, so why take it to heart? It is against heaven and nature to continue to be absurd and mourn the death of a father as all fathers must eventually die. Claudius asks Hamlet to now think of him as his new father as everyone knows that Hamlet is the closest man to the throne. Claudius loves Hamlet like he would love any son. He doesn't want Hamlet to go back to school in Wittenberg and wants him to stay as the top member of the court and as his son. Gertrude repeats Claudius prayers and wants him to stay. Hamlet will obey her as much as he can. Claudius commends him on his answer as it shows how much Hamlet loves them. Claudius is now happy enough to drink, and every toast he makes will be heard and echoed by the heavens. Everyone but Hamlet leaves.

Hamlet wishes he could kill himself and that there wasn't a law against it. Life is weary and stale for him: he thinks of it like an unweeded garden gone to seed. His father has been dead for not even two months and was an excellent King—much better than his Uncle, Claudius is. And he was loving to Hamlet's mother, who kept the wind from blowing too hard on her face. She always wanted to be with him. However, within a month of his father's death, before she had even worn in the shoes she wore to his funeral, she was set to marry his brother and Hamlet's Uncle. He calls women frail and weak for it. She was so quick to jump into bed with him! Hamlet concludes that he must keep his heart silent because he can't talk about it.

Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo enter. They greet Hamlet. Horatio calls himself Hamlet's poor servant, but Hamlet will have none of that. He only wants to be Horatio's friend. He wonders what Horatio is doing so far from Wittenberg, and then notices Marcellus and greets him too. Horatio tells Hamlet he felt like skipping school. Hamlet doesn't believe him: he would never skip school. He asks again what Horatio is doing in Elsinore and promises to teach him how to drink heavily before he leaves. Horatio admits he came to see Hamlet's father's funeral. Hamlet thinks Horatio is making fun of him—he came to see his mother's wedding instead. Horatio agrees that it followed quickly behind. Hamlet jokes it was to keep things cheap: leftovers from the funeral furnished the wedding tables with a feast. He would rather have met his enemies in Heaven than see that day. He thinks he sees his father. Horatio asks where, and Hamlet replies in his imagination. Horatio admits he saw the good King once. Hamlet will never meet another man like him again.

Horatio reveals he saw the King last night. Hamlet asks for excitedly asks for clarification. Horatio tells him to calm down while he tells his tale about the vision he saw with the other men. Hamlet begs him to tell all. Horatio reveals that for two nights Marcellus and Barnardo encountered a figure like Hamlet's father march slowly and stately past them. He did this three times while the two men stood shaking and unable to say anything. They then told Horatio who agreed to stand guard and see for himself. On this night, the spirit appeared. Horatio knew what Hamlet's father looked like, and the Ghost looked like him as much as his two hands look alike. Hamlet asks where it happened. Marcellus tells him it happened on the platform where they stand guard. Hamlet asks if they spoke to the Ghost. Horatio did, but it didn't answer back. He thought the Ghost was about to speak, but the rooster crowed, and the sounds made it disappear from sight. Hamlet thinks this is all strange. Horatio swears it is true; he just thought Hamlet should know about it. Hamlet agrees, but it still troubles him. He asks if they stand on guard that night too. Marcellus and Barnardo are. Hamlet asks if the Ghost was armed from head to toe. The two men confirm it was. Hamlet wonders if they couldn't see the Ghost's face then. Horatio could—the visor on the helmet was up. Hamlet asks how he looked—if he frowned or was pale or stared. Horatio tells him that he looked more sorrowful than angry, was pale and stared at them quite a bit. Hamlet wishes he was there and asks if the Ghost stayed long. Horatio thinks it would have taken someone counting slowly to a hundred to pass the time the Ghost was present. Marcellus and Barnardo disagrees—it was longer. Horatio disagrees. Hamlet asks if the Ghost's beard was gray. Horatio tells him it was like it was in real life: black mixed with silver hairs. Hamlet will stand guard tonight to see if the Ghost will come. If it does look like his father, he will speak to it. He asks them all to keep it a secret if they have been doing so and to not talk about what might happen that night either. He makes plans to meet them later. Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo pledge their duty to Hamlet. He gives them his love. Everyone but Hamlet leaves. Hamlet thinks there is something wrong for his father to appear as a Ghost. He tells himself to remain calm until night. He concludes that bad deeds will rise and be revealed even though people try to hide them from other people's eyes. He leaves.

Act One Scene Three

Within the castle, Laertes and his sister, Ophelia, enter. Laertes tells her his belongings are already on the ship and tells her to write to him as long as winds are blowing. Ophelia asks if he would doubt her writing to him. Laertes ignores her question and tells her not to worry about Hamlet's flirting with her. He thinks it is just a temporary infatuation Hamlet has with her and won't last more than a minute. Ophelia asks him if he's sure. Laertes tells her that as a man gets bigger and grows up, his mind and soul also grow bigger. Hamlet might love her now, but she needs to be careful. He is a member of the royal family and, therefore, has no control over his own future. He can't make choices for himself as the entire country depends on him. He has to meet the general needs of the nation. So if Hamlet tells her that he loves her, she should remember that what the state of Denmark says has more power over him. She needs to be chaste and not give into him. She will be safe if she fears him as young people usually lose their self control. Ophelia promises to remember his wisdom and advice. She adds that he should practice what he preaches and be as virtuous as he expects her to be. Laertes agrees.

Polonius enters. Laertes wants to leave, but sees his father approaching. He is overjoyed to have his blessing to leave not just once, but twice. Polonius is amazed that Laertes hasn't left yet as the ship is ready to go. He gives Laertes some advice: he is to think before he speaks and to not act too quickly on his thoughts, to be friendly to people but not vulgar about it and to hold onto his friends once he's tested who are his real ones. He is also to avoid getting into a fight too quickly, but to fight bravely once he's in one, to listen to everyone's opinion but only follow the best judgement, to spend all he can on clothes but not buy rich or gaudy clothes. Clothes make the man, after all, especially in France. He is not to borrow or lend money to anyone as this can lead to a loss of money and friendship. And he is to be true to himself. He blesses Laertes once more and hopes his blessing will help him. Laertes says goodbye to Polonius and Ophelia and then leaves.

Polonius asks Ophelia what advice Laertes has given her. Ophelia tells him it was something about Hamlet. Polonius is pleased that he did as he has heard Hamlet has spent a lot of time alone with Ophelia lately. He doesn't think Ophelia is conducting herself properly around him. He asks for the truth over what is happening between them. Ophelia tells her father that Hamlet has been affectionate towards her lately. Polonius chastises her for sounding like an innocent girl who doesn't understand the nature of her circumstances. He asks her if she believes in Hamlet's affections. Ophelia doesn't know what to think. Polonius will tell her: she is a baby for thinking that his affections mean anything at all, and she should have more respect for herself. He wants to make sure she doesn't turn him into a foolish looking man.

Ophelia defends Hamlet. She believes he has been honourable towards her. Polonius thinks it is a passing infatuation. Ophelia tells him Hamlet has made holy vows to her, but Polonius counters: any man can make oaths and vows when he is filled with lust. The fire of his passion will be out soon enough, even before he is finished making his promises. She is not to think of this as true love. Ophelia is to spend less time with him and make herself a harder conquest. Hamlet is still young and can still have the freedom to play around, so she is not to believe in his vows. Ophelia must do as her father says. Ophelia agrees, and they both leave.

Act One Scene Four

On the gun terrace of Elsinore Castle, Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus enter. Hamlet comments that it is cold and then asks what time it is. Horatio tells him it is just before twelve. Marcellus thinks it is after twelve as he heard the clock strike. Horatio didn't hear it. He tells the two that this is when the Ghost is likely to appear. Trumpets suddenly sound offstage and two cannons are fired. Horatio asks Hamlet what that means. Hamlet tells them that the King is up and drinking. As he drinks his wine, the musicians play to celebrate him finishing another cup. Horatio wonders if that is a tradition. Hamlet reveals it is, but it isn't one that he appreciates. Even though it is a custom and tradition, it gives them a bad name among other nations for their loud parties. They are called drunks and are insulted. And the drinking does lessen their achievements, even if they are great ones. Hamlet compares this situation to that of a person born with a birth defect which they can't help because it is in their nature, or to a habit that changes them. Men who carry only one defect can have all their talents and virtues seen as nothing. In fact, they can also be seen as evil to other people which totally ruins their reputations even if they have done nothing wrong.

The Ghost returns. Horatio tells them to look. Hamlet calls on angels to defend them. He wants to talk to the Ghost whether or not it is a good or bad spirit. He decides to call it Hamlet, King, Father and royal Dane to try and get it to talk to him. He asks the Ghost not to drive him mad with ignorance, but to answer his question: why has he returned after they have so quietly buried him? What has made him put his armor on again and come back to stare at the moon, make the night terrifying and scare humans. He asks what they should do to help him. The Ghost waves to Hamlet to come with him. Horatio thinks the Ghost wants to tell Hamlet something alone. Marcellus thinks the Ghost is quite polite, but doesn't want Hamlet to go. Horatio agrees, but Hamlet wants to follow it if the Ghost will not speak. He wonders what the danger is when he doesn't value his life one bit. The Ghost cannot harm his soul as it is just as immortal as the Ghost itself. The Ghost waves again. Horatio worries that the Ghost will tempt Hamlet to jump into the sea or will take on a horrible form that will drive him into madness. Hamlet is resigned to go. Marcellus and Horatio try to hold Hamlet back, but Hamlet tells them to let go of him. Hamlet thinks that this is fate. He draws his sword and threatens to make a Ghost out of anyone who tries to stop him from going. The Ghost and Hamlet leave.

Horatio thinks his imagination has driven him into desperation. Marcellus suggests they should follow him and not obey his orders to leave them alone. Horatio wonders what will happen now. Marcellus suggests that it means something is rotten in Denmark. Horatio wants to let God take care of it if that is true. Marcellus disagrees—they should follow Hamlet. They leave.

Act One Scene Five

Hamlet and the Ghost enter. Hamlet asks where they are going. He tells it to speak or he won't go any further. The Ghost tells him to listen. Hamlet will. The Ghost has to return to purgatory soon, but doesn't want Hamlet's pity. He needs him to listen carefully. Hamlet must also be ready for revenge too. The Ghost reveals that he is the ghost of his father and is doomed to walk the night for a certain amount of time. During the day, he is confined in fire until the crimes he committed in life are purged and his penance is complete. He could tell Hamlet things that would freeze his soul if he were not bound to secrecy about his imprisonment. Mortals like Hamlet are not allowed to hear it. He tells Hamlet to listen if he ever loved his father. The Ghost wants Hamlet to take revenge for his murder. Hamlet is shocked: murder? The Ghost reveals that this murder in particular was strange and horrid. Hamlet wants him to hurry up and tell him about it so he can take revenge quickly. The Ghost is glad Hamlet is eager and not as lazy as a fat weed rooted itself on the shores of Lethe. Although everyone was told that a snake bit the King when he was sleeping in the orchard, it is a lie. The real snake that killed him is now wearing the crown. Hamlet knew it. His Uncle murdered his father!

The Ghost goes on: his wife, the Queen Gertrude, allowed herself to be seduced by Claudius. She has fallen from far. She went from a legitimate marriage to the elder Hamlet who she loved dearly to becoming a wretch. She is a lustful person. The Ghost thinks he can smell the morning air and decides to be brief in telling his tale. He was sleeping in the orchard, as he always does in the afternoon. Hamlet's Uncle crept up behind him and poured a vial of hebenon—a poison—into his ear. This poison moves quickly through the veins and curdles the blood like drops of milk. And this is how his own brother took his life, his crown and his queen at once and cut him off in the middle of his sinful life. He had not chance to redeem himself or repent his sins before he died. He begs Hamlet to not let the King's bed be an incestuous one, but if he takes his revenge to not corrupt his own mind or hurt his mother. He must leave Gertrude to her own guilt and to God. Morning is approaching, so the Ghost bids Hamlet good-bye and asks him to remember his father. The Ghost leaves Hamlet alone.

Hamlet calls to Heaven and Earth and even Hell that he will remember his father, the poor Ghost, as long as he can command his own memory in his distracted head. He will wipe his memory clean of trivia and facts, or books and other memories and only remember the Ghost's commands and requests in their place. He wonders where his notebook is so that he can write down that people like his mother can smile away and still be villainous. He writes it down. It is now time to see to the vow Hamlet made his father.

Marcellus and Horatio enter. They ask Hamlet if he is alright. He replies that he is. They ask what happened, but Hamlet is worried they might talk about it. He asks them if they can keep it a secret. They can. He tells them that a villain in Denmark is still a villain. Horatio doesn't think that he would need a Ghost to tell him that. Hamlet agrees with him. He decides that it would be best if they shook hands and parted ways. He tells the two men to go and take care of their own business while Hamlet goes to pray. Horatio thinks he is talking in a crazy way. Hamlet is sorry if he has offended them. He tells them the Ghost they saw was a real one, but he can't tell them anything that happened between them. He asks his friends to do him a favour: to not tell anyone what they have seen. Horatio and Marcellus swear to it. Hamlet then asks them to swear on his sword, but they've already sworn it. The Ghost cries out from beneath the stage to swear on it. Hamlet laughs—even the man in the cellar wants them to swear. Horatio asks what they are to swear. Hamlet wants them to swear they will never mention what they've seen. The Ghost repeats it. Hamlet asks them to put their hands on the sword and swear. He keeps moving them away from the Ghost's voice to try and get them to swear on the sword. No matter how strange or oddly Hamlet acts, neither of the men are to say or gesture or intimate that something is wrong with him. They must never hint to another person that they know something more.

Hamlet tells the Ghost he can rest now. He tells the two that he loves them and their friendship. He suggests they go back to court together but to keep quiet. There is so much wrong at the moment, and Hamlet damns the fact that he has to put everything right again. They all leave.

Act 2

Act Two Scene One

Within Elsinore Castle, Polonius and his servant, Reynaldo, enter. Polonius tells Reynaldo to give Laertes money and letters. His servant agrees to do this. Polonius also asks him to see what Danish people are in Paris, who they are, what they do and who they are friends with. During this general questioning, Reynaldo may find out more about Laertes than he would by asking straight questions. If they ask, he can tell them that he sort of knows Laertes, is a friend of his father's, or something similar. Reynaldo understands. Polonius suggests he can ask if Laertes is a party animal and so on as leading questions. Reynaldo is worried that his would hurt Laertes' reputation, but Polonius thinks this will only happen if Reynaldo asks the questions in the wrong way. He is to mention his faults lightly so that he seems that he has only gone a little too far. Polonius asks if Reynaldo wants to know why he is doing this. He does. Polonius is quite proud of his plan. When Reynaldo talks to someone about Laertes' faults and sins he can watch for the reaction of the other person. If that person agrees with what Reynaldo says, then he will know Laertes is guilty of these things. Polonius loses track of where he was in the plan and asks Reynaldo what he was saying. Reynaldo reminds him. Polonius goes on: whoever Reynaldo speaks to will then be willing to say something about the things he has seen Laertes doing, like gambling or fighting or going into a brothel. Reynaldo's little lies will bring out the truth. And this is how Reynaldo will find out what Laertes is up to in Paris. Reynaldo agrees.

Polonius reminds him not to rely on gossip only, though. He is to go and see Laertes with his own eyes. Polonius hopes that Laertes is studying music. Reynaldo leaves.

Ophelia enters. She is frightened. Polonius asks her what the matter is. Ophelia tells him that while she was in her room sewing, Hamlet came in with no hat, shirt undone, dirty stockings undone and as pale as his undershirt. He came up to her. Polonius asks if he was mad for her love. Ophelia isn't sure, but it could possibly be so. Polonius asks what he said. Hamlet grabbed her hard around the wrist and then backed away at an arm's length and stared at her like an artist stares at something they are about to draw. He stayed like this for a long time. He sighed, and then finally let her go. He left the room with his eyes on her. Since then, she has felt his eyes were still on her.

Polonius decides they will tell the King about this as he is convinced Hamlet has gone mad with love. It is a violent emotion which sends people to desperate actions. Polonius wonders if Ophelia has said anything recently to hurt his feelings. Ophelia hasn't, but she has turned him away and sent his letters back as Polonius has asked her. Polonius concludes this must have sent him into his madness. He wishes he had better judgement as he thought Hamlet was just toying with her emotions. Polonius blames his old age which leads him to assume he knows more than young people do. They leave to tell the King as it could cause more trouble and grief if they keep it a secret.

Act Two Scene Two

Trumpets play. Claudius, Gertrude—the King and Queen of Denmark—and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter, followed by attendants. Claudius welcomes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Elsinore Castle. He wishes that he has long needed to see them, but quickly sent for them when they saw Hamlet's transformation. Hamlet is so unlike what he was before, and Claudius can only conclude that it was his father's death that has made him the way he is. Since Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have grown up with Hamlet and know him well, Claudius asks them to stay for a while and spend some time with Hamlet. They should try and get Hamlet to have some fun and find out what afflicts and torments him so that they can try to fix the problem. Gertrude adds that Hamlet has talked much about the two gentlemen and that they are probably the two Hamlet loves most. If they do agree to stay for a while to help, they will have a royal thanks.

Rosencrantz points out that they could have ordered them to stay instead of asking so nicely. Guildenstern adds that they will obey though, and will provide all of their services and help that they can. Claudius and Gertrude thank them. She asks them to visit Hamlet right away and calls for servants to lead them to Hamlet. Guildenstern echoes this hope and leaves with Rosencrantz, following servants.

Polonius enters. He announces that the ambassadors are back from Norway. Claudius believes that he has brought good news. Polonius wonders if he has. He assures Claudius that he is only doing his job and duty to his King. He believes that he has discovered why Hamlet has turned mad. Claudius orders him to speak immediately. Polonius tells him he will as soon as the ambassadors have given their news. Polonius leaves to bring them in.

Claudius tells Gertrude that Polonius has discovered the reason for Hamlet's madness. Gertrude is sure it is just because of Hamlet's father's death and their quick marriage to one another.

Polonius enters with the ambassadors Voltemand and Cornelius. Claudius asks them what news they have brought from Norway. Voltemand reports that as soon as they told the King of Norway, he sent messengers out to stop his nephew's preparations for war. He had originally thought this preparation was against Poland, but discovered that it was against Denmark. He was upset that his nephew, Fortinbras, had taken advantage of his age and sickness in order to deceive him and has ordered Fortinbras' arrest. He has vowed to never threaten Denmark again. The King of Norway was made so happy by these vows that he gave young Fortinbras an annual income of three thousand crowns and a commission to lead his army into Poland. He has sent a letter asking to allow Fortinbras' troops to pass through Denmark on their way to Poland and has assured them of Claudius' safety. Voltemand hands the letter to Claudius. Claudius likes this news: he will read the letter at another time and think about how to reply to it. He thanks them for their efforts and tells them to go and rest. Voltemand and Cornelius leave to do exactly that.

Polonius is pleased that everything has turned out alright in the end. Instead of making speeches he will launch right into what he has to say. Their son is mad. He's calling it madness because what else is madness but madness? Gertrude asks him to get on with it. Polonius assures her he is: it is common knowledge that he is crazy, even if it is a shame. He decides to get right to the point instead of sound foolish. Now the next step is work out why Hamlet has turned mad. Polonius tells them he has a daughter who was given a letter by Hamlet. She has given it to Polonius out of her daughterly duty. He reads the letter to them. Hamlet addresses Ophelia as “beautified” which Polonius dismisses as a vile phrase. He goes on: Ophelia with her excellent white bosom—. Gertrude interrupts to confirm that Hamlet wrote the letter to Ophelia. Polonius asks her to be patient and to wait until he has read the entire letter to her. It is a love note full of poetry, which Hamlet claims he is poor at writing. He tells her he loves her. Polonius adds that Ophelia has told him Hamlet has been courting her.

Claudius wants to know how Ophelia reacted. Polonius wants to know what Claudius thinks of him. Claudius thinks him a faithful and honourable man. Polonius wonders what Claudius might have thought about him had he not kept quiet about Hamlet's actions prior to the letter. He thought that Hamlet was lusting after his daughter, not that he was in love with her. He wonders what the Queen would have thought of Polonius had he turned a blind eye to what was happening between Hamlet and Ophelia. He told Ophelia that Hamlet is a Prince, and that they would never be together, and then ordered her to stay away from him. She did as she was told, and immediately Hamlet fell into sadness, stopped eating and sleeping and became dizzy and weak. This led to his madness, which they are all worried about. Claudius wonders if this is the reason Hamlet is depressed. Gertrude thinks it might be. Polonius asks them if he has ever been wrong. Claudius doesn't think so. Polonius tells them to chop off his head if he is wrong. He will uncover the truth. Claudius wonders how they will do that. Polonius suggests that while Hamlet walks in the lobby for four hours, which he does often, Ophelia will approach him. Claudius and Polonius will hide and watch what happens. If Hamlet is not in love with her and this isn't the reason for his madness, then Polonius can be fired and will go to work on a farm. Claudius agrees to try.

Hamlet enters, reading a book. Gertrude tells the men gathered to look how sad Hamlet looks. Polonius tells them to both go away so that he can speak to Hamlet alone. Claudius and Gertrude leave. Polonius asks Hamlet how he is. Hamlet is fine. Polonius wonders if Hamlet knows who he is. Hamlet thinks he is a fishmonger. Polonius is not, but Hamlet wishes Polonius were as honest as a fishmonger is. Polonius wonders what he means by this. Hamlet laments that there is only one honest man in the world out of ten thousand. Polonius agrees. Hamlet asks if Polonius has a daughter. He suggests that the daughter should never walk around in public just in case she should become pregnant.

In an aside, Polonius wonders what he meant by that, but notices that Hamlet is still going on about his daughter. Polonius thinks he is crazy for mistaking him for a fishmonger and thinks he is almost as crazy for love as he was when he was younger. Polonius asks what Hamlet is reading. Hamlet replies with only: “words.” Polonius asks again. Hamlet tells him he is reading lies. The writer has written that all old men have gray beards, wrinkled faces and poor intellect. Hamlet believes this, but he doesn't think that it is nice to have written it down. Polonius could grow as young as Hamlet if he could go backwards like a crab. Polonius thinks that there is some method to his madness. He asks Hamlet if he could step outside for a moment. Hamlet will into his grave. Polonius comments to himself that Hamlet's answers are full of meaning, which is often a condition mad people have and sane people have no talent for. He will leave Hamlet now so he can arrange a meeting between him and Ophelia. To Hamlet he says goodbye. Hamlet tells Polonius that he cannot take anything from him that he cares less about except for his life.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter. Polonius points them in the direction of Hamlet, and then leaves. Guildenstern and Rosencrantz greet Hamlet, who asks them how they are both doing. Guildenstern is happy that they're not too happy or lucky. Hamlet jokes that they are in the middle, around a lady's waist. They exchange jokes about sexual favours and call Fortune a whore. Hamlet asks what news they have for him. Rosencrantz reports that the world has grown more honest. If that is true, Hamlet thinks that the apocalypse is coming. Their news can't be true, though. He asks them what crimes they have committed to be sent to this prison. Guildenstern doesn't know what he means by this. Hamlet calls Denmark a prison. Rosencrantz concludes that the entire world must be a prison, then, but Hamlet thinks if that is so then Denmark is the worst one. Rosencrantz disagrees. Hamlet insists that a thing can either be good or bad depending on someone's personal view of it, and so to him Denmark is a prison. Rosencrantz thinks it is his ambition that has made Denmark a prison to him, as it is too small for his goals. Hamlet could live in a nutshell and still think of himself as a King if he didn't have bad dreams. Guildenstern thinks dreams are a sign of ambition. They debate whether or not a dream is a shadow of ambition or if ambition is a shadow of dreams. Rosencrantz thinks that ambition is so light and airy that it can only be considered a shadow's shadow. If that is true then Hamlet thinks beggars are the ones with actual bodies and the monarchs and heroes are the beggar's shadows.

Hamlet wonders if they should go to court. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern will wait on him. Hamlet doesn't want that: his servants are terrible. He asks them as friends why they are at Elsinore Castle. Rosencrantz admits they are there to visit Hamlet and for no other reason. Hamlet thanks them, but wonders if they came by themselves or were sent for by someone. Guildenstern wonders what they should say in response. They can say anything they like as long as they answer Hamlet's question. He thinks they look guilty, which means that they were sent for. They are too honest to hide it from him. Rosencrantz wonders why they would call for them to come. Hamlet wants them to admit it themselves: he reminds them of their friendship and the duties of their love for one another, and whatever will make them answer honestly. Rosencrantz asks Guildenstern what he thinks they should say. To himself, Hamlet admits he has his eye on them, and then asks Guildenstern to be honest if he truly cares about Hamlet. Guildenstern admits that they were sent for.

Hamlet won't make them tell him why they were sent for in case they have to give up the secrecy they have with the King and Queen. He knows why they are here: recently he has lost all sense of joy and has stopped doing everything he used to do. The entire world feels sterile to him. The sky and sunlight are boring and diseased. He marvels at how delightful a construction man is, but can take no delight or interest in them, or women for that matter.

Hamlet asks Rosencrantz why he laughed. Rosencrantz thinks that if he has no interest in men, then he will be bored by the actors on their way to entertain Hamlet. Hamlet thinks the actor who plays the King will be the most welcomed. Hamlet will treat him like a real King. The Knights shall wave his sword, the lover rewarded for his sighs, the clown shall make people laugh, and the lady can say whatever she wants to. He asks which company of actors are on their way. The company is the one from the city. Hamlet enjoys this company a lot. Hamlet wonders why they are on the road and touring as they made so much more money in the city. Rosencrantz thinks that it is easier for them on the road now as the city has changed so much. Hamlet asks if they are as popular as they used to be in the city. They are not. Hamlet asks why this is and if they are not as talented as they were. Rosencrantz thinks that they are as wonderful as they ever have been, but they have to compete with a group of children who yell out their lines during performances and receive applause for it. The child actors are in fashion now on the stage and have scared off most of the upper class audiences. Hamlet wants to know more: he asks who takes care of them and pays them, and what will happen to the actors when they grow up. He thinks the playwrights might be hurting the child actors by encouraging them to upstage the adult actors. They will have no future in acting. Rosencrantz reveals that there has been a huge debate about this. For a long while no play was sold to a theatre without an argument between the adult actors and the childrens' playwright. Hamlet is surprised at first, but then concludes it is not so strange if they think about the state of Denmark. Many people pay up to a hundred ducats for a little portrait of Hamlet's Uncle, the King. It is unnatural.

Trumpets play offstage, announcing the arrival of the Players. Hamlet welcomes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Elsinore and shakes their hands. He wants to go through all of these polite customs to make sure that they don't think Hamlet is happier to see the actors. Hamlet still thinks that the King and Queen have the wrong idea, though. Hamlet is only crazy at times.

Polonius enters. He hopes that everyone is well. Hamlet quietly jokes to Guildenstern and Rosencrantz that Polonius still wears diapers. Rosencrantz agrees—many old people become children again. Hamlet thinks that Polonius has come to tell him about the actors' arrival. Polonius does, in fact, announce the actor's arrival, but Hamlet is bored by the news. Polonius insists that the actors are the best for any genre. Hamlet calls Polonius by the name Jephthah and sings about his treasured daughter. Polonius admits he has a daughter. Hamlet doesn't think that is logical. Polonius wonders what is logical then. Hamlet sings again about things happening as they would expect but has to stop because the Players have entered.

Hamlet welcomes them all. He talks to some of them personally and marvels out how this one has grown, at someone's beard, and how they look well. Hamlet requests that they give a passionate speech to start the festivities with. The First Player asks which speech Hamlet would like. Hamlet would like a speech that was never performed before, or only once if it had been because the play was not popular. The critics and Hamlet found the play to be excellent, but the rest of the populace did not. One critic wrote that there was no vulgar language for the playwright to show off with and called it an excellent play. Hamlet loved the part when Aeneas told Dido about Priam's murder. He recites the beginning to the Players. Polonius congratulates Hamlet on his excellent pronunciation. The First Player carries on with the tale of Priam's murder. Polonius thinks the speech is far too long. Hamlet asks them to continue—he thinks Polonius can only like the dancing or sleeps through the rest of it. The First Player continues, but Hamlet stops him at the “veiled” queen to question the word. Polonius likes it. The First Player goes on until Polonius stops him because of the actor's tears. Hamlet will have him recite the rest of it later.

Hamlet asks Polonius to make sure the actors are comfortable, especially as they could talk if they are mistreated. They would be better to have a bad epitaph on their graves than the insults of these men while they are still alive. Polonius will give them what they deserve. Hamlet disagrees: Polonius should treat them better than they deserve. If everyone was treated this way, then no one would ever escape a whipping. If the Players deserve less, the more Polonius' generosity will be worth. Hamlet asks the First Player if he composed an extra speech for the play tomorrow whether they could learn it. He can. Hamlet tells the Players to follow Polonius in. They leave.

Hamlet welcomes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Elsinore once more and then sends them away. They leave. Hamlet is finally alone. He thinks it is monstrous that an actor could work himself up to feel sorrow in a made-up situation. He shed real tears for nothing. What could Hecuba mean to him to cry that much? He wonders what the actor would do if he felt the same way Hamlet does. He would probably drown the stage with tears and appal everyone with his words. But, what does Hamlet do? Nothing but mope around. He hasn't even taken his revenge or planned for it, and can say nothing against the King who stole the crown. He wonders if he is a coward and if there is anyone out there who could push him to do his task. He has heard, however, that guilty people have been driven so mad by their guilt and affected by the sentiments of a play that they have confessed to their sins. Hamlet will have a similar murder scene to his father's played out to see what his Uncle might do or look like. If he turns pale, Hamlet will know what to do. The spirit could have been the devil in disguise tempting Hamlet and using his weaknesses against him, so Hamlet needs more evidence before he takes revenge. He leaves.

Act 3

Act Three Scene One

Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter. Claudius can't understand why they can't think of a reason why Hamlet acts so confused and ruins peace with madness. Rosencrantz tells them Hamlet has admitted he feels distracted but has not told him the reason for it. Guildenstern adds that Hamlet doesn't want to be questioned. He dances around the questions when they try to get him to talk. Gertrude wonders if Hamlet treated them kindly. He did, but Guildenstern thinks Hamlet had to force himself to be nice. Gertrude asks if they tried to tempt him with a fun activity. They admit they have invited a group of actors which seems to have made Hamlet happier. They have been asked to perform that night. Polonius adds that the King and Queen have also been invited by Hamlet. Claudius is happy about this. He hopes the play will do him good and sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to increase his interest in the play.

Claudius tells Gertrude that they have arranged for Hamlet to bump into Ophelia by “accident”. He and Polonius will hide themselves and spy on them to see if it is Hamlet's love for her that makes him suffer so much. Gertrude will leave them to it. She hopes that Ophelia's beauty is the reason for Hamlet's madness, and that she will return Hamlet to himself. Gertrude leaves.

Polonius tells Ophelia to read from her prayer book so that she looks lonely. Polonius concludes that most people do this anyway to hide from their sins. In an aside, Claudius agrees with Polonius. He feels terribly guilty for the murder of the former King. Polonius hears Hamlet coming and tells the King to hide. They do.

Hamlet enters. He wonders to himself if it would be better to be alive or dead, if it is nobler to put up with all the nasty things the world throws your way or to just put them to an end by dying? Dying is like sleeping, after all, and sleep reduces the amount of heartache a person has. He wonders and worries what kind of dreams death might bring, and that this might be the reason why people tend to avoid death and continue putting up with suffering and sadness for so long. Fear of death makes people cowardly.

He sees Ophelia and asks her to remember him when she prays. Ophelia asks him how he has been. She has some things of Hamlet's to hand back to him. Hamlet didn't give her anything. Ophelia tells him off—he knows he gave her letters and trinkets to go with them. The gifts aren't so valuable to her anymore now that Hamlet has been unkind to her. Hamlet asks her if she is honest and good and beautiful. Ophelia doesn't understand the questions. Hamlet explains that if she is good, her goodness must have nothing to do with her beauty. Ophelia doesn't understand how anything beautiful could not be related to goodness. Hamlet tells her it can be: beauty can turn a girl into a whore more easily than goodness can turn a beautiful girl into a virgin. He used to love her. Ophelia agrees that he made her think she did. Hamlet insists she shouldn't have believed him. He didn't love her. Ophelia was misled, then. Hamlet tells her to go to a convent. He doesn't know why she would want to give birth to more sinners. He is a slightly good man himself, but even he is guilty of sins; it might have been better if he'd never been born at all. Hamlet calls himself arrogant, ambitious and filled with the need for vengeance. Hamlet doesn't think people like him should be on Earth.

Hamlet wonders where Polonius is. Ophelia insists he is at home. Hamlet tells her to lock him up so he can only be a fool in his own home. He tells her good-bye. Ophelia begs God to help Hamlet. Hamlet ignores her. He tells her that if she marries, he will curse her that even if she is a pure as snow, she will still have a lousy reputation. She must get herself to a convent or marry a fool as wise men will know she will cheat on them. Hamlet goes on to question a woman's need to put make-up on. They hide their face given to them by God with another face. They plead ignorance to sex and pretend to be innocent. Hamlet declares that they will have no more marriage—everyone he knows by one person will stay married, but everyone else will remain single. He tells her once more to get herself to a convent, and then leaves her alone.

Ophelia is sad that Hamlet is so changed. He used to have admirable qualities and was the one everyone admired and imitated. His madness has ruined him.

Claudius and Polonius come forward. Claudius doesn't think he was in love, and his words were not crazy, just disorganized in form. Claudius suspects that his sorrow is hatching something dangerous and so he will send Hamlet to England to get the debt back that they owe Denmark. He hopes that a different setting will clear the thoughts in his head. Polonius still believes his madness was caused by unrequited love. He suggests that Claudius can do what he wants as long as Gertrude has a moment with him to try and get him to open up. Polonius will hide and listen in. Claudius agrees: when someone is mad they must be watched closely. They all leave.

Act Three Scene Two

Hamlet and the Players enter. Hamlet tells them to perform the speech that he has taught them. They are to not use too many hand gestures and to keep their passion moderate. He hates it when actors go over the top. The First Player promises not to do that. Hamlet goes on: the acting should not be tame either. The actors should let their good sense guide them and fit the actions to the words. They must be natural as theatre is meant to hold a mirror to reality and represent it. If they handle it badly, this could offend people in the audience who are the ones they need to keep happy. He has seen actors who are highly praised but can't act like normal people. The First Player thinks they've corrected those faults already in their company. After a few more corrections from Hamlet to make sure the important question of the play is highlighted, the Players leave to get ready.

Polonius, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz enter. Hamlet asks them if the King and Queen are attending. They are. Hamlet tells Polonius to get the actors to hurry up. He leaves to do so. He asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to help. They leave.

Horatio enters. Hamlet calls him the best man he has ever known, but to not think Hamlet is flattering him. Why would he flatter a poor person? He would have nothing to gain from it as Horatio is poor. He has picked Horatio for his friend because he takes everything life throws at him with acceptance and grace. Hamlet tells him there is a scene that comes close to describing his father's death. When Horatio sees it, he must watch for Claudius' reaction to see if the Ghost was right or a devil. Horatio will watch him closely.

Trumpets play. Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and other attending Lords enter with Guards carrying torches. Claudius asks how Hamlet is. Hamlet tells him he eats a lot of air. He is stuffed full of it. Claudius doesn't know what Hamlet is talking about—he hasn't answered the question. Hamlet doesn't think he's answered his question either. Hamlet asks Polonius if he has acted before and what role he played. Polonius played Julius Caesar who was killed by Brutus.

Gertrude asks Hamlet to sit by him, but he wants to sit by Ophelia because it's a more attractive place. Polonius asks Claudius if he saw that. Hamlet wonders if he should lie with his head in her lap. She allows him to do so. Ophelia comments that Hamlet is in a good mood that night. He wonders what else he could do but be happy. After all, his father has only been dead for two hours and his mother has remarried and is happy for it. Ophelia corrects him: it's been four months. Hamlet is surprised it has been that long. He will shed his mournful clothes soon. But, as he hasn't forgotten his father yet, he concludes that there is hope a man's memory will live on for many months.

Trumpets play and the show begins. The King and Queen enter and embrace. The King lies down on a bank of flowers and sleeps. The Queen leaves him. Another man comes in, takes his crown off and pours poison in the King's ears and leaves. The Queen returns to find the King dead. The Poisoner comes in again and woos the Queen with gifts. She accepts him after a while. The Players leave.

Ophelia asks Hamlet what the play means. He replies that they are causing mischief. The Prologue enters. Ophelia wonders if this man will tell them what the play is about. The Prologue asks the audience to be patient while they watch their tragedy and then leaves. Ophelia thinks the speech was quite short. Hamlet compares its length to a woman's love.

Actors playing the King and Queen enter. The King tells his Queen that he will have to leave her soon for death and hopes that she will find another husband. The Queen cannot remarry—she wouldn't be able to find another husband. Anyone who marries a second husband has killed off the first. Every time she would kiss her second husband, it would be like killing her first husband over again. The King thinks she will change her mind like people do over time. Promises lose their emotional power over time and people are no longer motivated to act by them. People can have their dreams, but fate decides their future and her refusal to marry again will die with her first husband. If the Queen does become a wife again, after being a widow, she hopes the earth will refuse to give her food and the heavens to go dark. She hopes she will be thick in despair and depression and have no joys. The King accepts her vow and asks the Queen to leave him alone while he sleeps. The Queen wishes him well and leaves.

Hamlet asks Gertrude if she is enjoying the play. Gertrude thinks the actor playing the Queen is overdoing it. Claudius wonders if anything offensive is in the play. Hamlet assures them that the play is a joke and not offensive at all. Claudius asks for the name of the play. Hamlet tells them it is called The Mousetrap, which is a metaphor. It is about a murder in Vienna. The Duke is called Gonzago and his wife is called Baptista. Hamlet tells them not to care too much for the play because they have free souls and no guilt. Lucianus, the King's nephew, appears on stage.

Hamlet and Ophelia tease one another. Hamlet tells the Players that they are waiting for the revenge and to get on with it. Lucianus pours poison into the Player King's ears. Hamlet tells the audience that they will see how the murderer wins Baptista's love soon. Claudius stands up. Polonius orders the play to be stopped. Claudius tells them to give him light and get him away from this space. Everyone leaves aside from Hamlet and Horatio.

Hamlet thinks he could get work as an actor in a company if he ever has bad fortune thrust on him. They joke about the level of profit Hamlet might get. Hamlet asks Horatio if he noticed the King. He bets that the Ghost was right. He wonders if Horatio watched while the actors talked about poison. Horatio watched closely.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter. They want a word with Hamlet. The King is upset and in his chambers. Hamlet wonders if the King has an upset stomach from too much alcohol. The King is angry. Hamlet keeps changing the subject, and Guildenstern asks him to stick with the topic at hand. The Queen has sent for Hamlet. Rosencrantz adds that the Queen thinks Hamlet's behaviour is shocking and admiring. Hamlet is overjoyed he can still impress his mother. Gertrude wants to see Hamlet in her bedroom before he sleeps. Hamlet will obey. Rosencrantz asks Hamlet why he doesn't tell his friends what is wrong with him. Hamlet believes he has no future ahead of him. Rosencrantz doesn't understand that: Hamlet is the heir to the throne.

The Players re-enter with instruments. Hamlet takes one, and then asks why Guildenstern is standing so close to him. Guildenstern apologizes. He is worried about Hamlet which makes him forget his manners. Hamlet begs Guildenstern to play the instrument. Guildenstern has no idea how to. Hamlet tells him he only needs to play his fingers and thumb over the holes and breath into the recorder to make music. Guildenstern doesn't have the ability to play. Hamlet is amazed—he can play Hamlet but not a recorder? He seems to know exactly how to play Hamlet, but Hamlet is no fool.

Polonius enters and reiterates Gertrude's wish to see him. Hamlet points to the clouds. They discuss what animals they see in them. Hamlet knows that they are all trying to fool Hamlet. He will go to see his Mother soon, and asks them all to leave him.

Hamlet is left alone. He talks about the night: how hell escapes from graveyards, witches roam and other terrible things happen. Hamlet could do terrible things, but he has to go see his mother. He tells himself to be cruel but not unfeeling. He might speak as sharp as a dagger, but he won't use one on her. Hamlet leaves.

Act Three Scene Three

Claudius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter. Claudius doesn't like the way Hamlet is acting. He doesn't want to allow his madness to get out of control. He is sending the two men to England with Hamlet. Guildenstern vows to take care of him. It is their duty to keep people safe from the madness of others. Rosencrantz agrees: when a King dies many other people are affected by it too. Claudius tells them to be prepared for the trip. They leave.

Polonius enters. He reports that Hamlet is going to visit Gertrude's room. He will hide behind the tapestry in the room so that he can listen in on what they say. He is sure that Gertrude will tell Hamlet off. It is good, he thinks, for someone else to be listening in as well because a mother is the most favourable to her child. He will come back to Claudius to tell him what was said before he goes to bed. Claudius thanks him and Polonius leaves.

Claudius is sorry for his crimes. His guilt is strong, but at the same time he doesn't care: this is what God's mercy is for. To provide him with forgiveness when he has sinned. He will pray, but he's not sure what to pray for. He can't ask for forgiveness for the murder as he still has the rewards from it: the crown and Gertrude. He wonders what he can do and asks the angels to help him. He kneels and begins to pray, hopeful that things will be okay.

Hamlet enters. He draws his sword. He could kill Claudius now while he prays, but then he would go off to Heaven which wouldn't be much of a revenge plot. He would be doing him a favour, especially as Claudius killed Hamlet's father before he could pray for forgiveness for his own sins. Hamlet puts away his sword. He will wait for a better time to kill Claudius: when he is committing some kind of sin. While Claudius prays, he is only keeping himself alive a little longer. Hamlet leaves.

Claudius stands up. He has tried to pray, but he can't put his thoughts into his words properly, and they will never reach Heaven. He leaves.

Act Three Scene Four

In Gertrude's bedroom, Polonius tells her what she should say to Hamlet. She needs to let Hamlet know his pranks have caused too much trouble, and that it has upset the King. Polonius will be hidden and silent. Hamlet calls offstage for Gertrude. Gertrude assures Polonius she will do as he has asked and tells him to hide. Polonius hides behind the tapestry.

Hamlet enters. He asks why she has called for him. She tells him that he has insulted his father. Hamlet retorts: she has insulted his father. She asks if he's forgotten who she is. Hamlet has not: she is the Queen, her husband's brother's wife and Hamlet's mother, although he wishes she were not. Gertrude will call someone else in who can speak to him, then. Hamlet tells her to sit down. She is not allowed to leave until he has shown her her true reflection. Gertrude worries that he will kill her. She cries out for help. Polonius echoes the cry from behind the tapestry. Hamlet stabs his sword straight through the tapestry and kills Polonius. Gertrude asks him what he has done. Hamlet doesn't know—he wonders if it was the King. Gertrude calls the murder a senseless act. Hamlet calls what she has done an equally senseless, horrible act. Gertrude doesn't understand what he means by killing a King. Hamlet pulls back the tapestry to discover Polonius. Hamlet thought it might have been someone more important, but is still glad to see the back of Polonius.

Hamlet tells Gertrude to stop wringing her hands and sit down so that he can wring her heart too if it hasn't been hardened by her evil. Gertrude doesn't know what she's done for Hamlet to talk to her like this. Hamlet tells her that her deed has made marriage a sinful act. Even Heaven is angry for what she has done. Gertrude presses him to tell her what she has done. Hamlet tells her to look at a picture of two brothers. He points out how kind and gentlemanly one is. This was her husband, Hamlet's father. The other brother is her present husband, Claudius, who is so low. Hamlet asks her if she has eyes to not see how low she has stooped. He doesn't know why she would have married this man. Gertrude begs him to stop. He is forcing her to look into herself, and she can see black spots of sin. Hamlet agrees: she lies in her corrupted bed making love to a villain. Gertrude begs him to stop.

The Ghost enters. Hamlet addresses it and asks what it wants. Gertrude thinks Hamlet has gone totally crazy now to be talking to the air. Hamlet wonders if the Ghost has come to tell him off for not taking revenge fast enough. The Ghost orders Hamlet to talk to his mother. Hamlet asks her how she is. Gertrude doesn't reply and asks him instead why he talks to the air. She demands to know what he is looking at. Hamlet tells her to look on the Ghost. Gertrude still can't see anything. Hamlet is amazed she can't. The Ghost leaves. Gertrude thinks that the Ghost is only a figment of Hamlet's imagination and madness. Hamlet challenges her assessment. There's nothing mad about him. He will repeat every word he just said to prove he isn't crazy. He asks Gertrude not to use his madness as an excuse and to confess her sins to Heaven so she can avoid going to Hell. Gertrude is sure he has broken her heart in two. Hamlet tells her to throw away the bad part of it and to live a purer life with the other half. He tells her to go to bed, but not to his Uncle's bed. She must try to be virtuous even if she is not. Eventually saying no to sleeping with him will become a habit and she will be a better person for it. When she wants to repent he will ask for her blessing. He is sorry for killing Polonius, but Heaven and God wanted him to do it to punish him with the murder. It will only get worse from here.

Hamlet again asks Gertrude to make sure she doesn't let Claudius persuade her into his bed and ply her with kisses until she admits that Hamlet's madness is faked. Gertrude can't breathe a word of this to anyone. It has almost killed her.

Hamlet reminds her that he is off to England with two friends he trusts as much as poisonous snakes. He is pleased that Polonius, the man who prattled away in life, is now silent and still. He wishes Gertrude a good night and drags Polonius off.

Act 4

Act Four Scene One

**Note: in some editions this scene is part of Act Three Scene Four, which renders Act Four Scene Seven non-existent.

Claudius, Gertrude, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter. Claudius wonders what Gertrude's sighs mean. He knows she knows something and asks where Hamlet is. Gertrude asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to leave so she can talk to Claudius privately for a while. They leave. Gertrude doesn't think Claudius will believe what has just happened. Hamlet is as mad as a storm in a rage. She tells him about Polonius' murder. Claudius is sorry. He thinks this wouldn't have happened if he had been there. Hamlet is a threat to them all and Claudius will be blamed for not restraining and controlling him when the damage is done. His love for Hamlet stops him from doing what he has to do, and now Hamlet is beyond dangerous. He asks Gertrude where he has gone. Hamlet has gone to remove Polonius' body. She sees this as evidence of his morality still shining through his madness as he cries for what he has done. Claudius vows to ship him off to England as soon as the Sun sets, especially as it will take all of his skill to explain and excuse Polonius' murder.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern re-enter. Claudius tells them to find others to help as Hamlet has killed Polonius. They are to find Hamlet, speak nicely to him and bring the body to the chapel. They leave to do just that. Claudius asks Gertrude to come with him. They will talk to their wisest friends and tell them what they are going to do and what has been done. He hopes that they will not end up with a bad reputation. They leave.

Act Four Scene Two

Hamlet enters. He has hidden the body. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter. They ask nicely what Hamlet has done with Polonius' body. Hamlet answers in nonsense. Rosencrantz asks again so they can take it to the Chapel. Hamlet doesn't believe that he will take Rosencrantz's advice over his own. He calls Rosencrantz a sponge which soaks up the King's rewards and decisions. Hamlet doesn't understand. Hamlet is glad as clever words are never understood by fools. Rosencrantz tells Hamlet that he has to tell them where the body is and then go with them to see the King. Hamlet orders them to take him to the King right away. They all leave.

Act Four Scene Three

Claudius enters with two or three attendants. He tells them that he has sent men to find Polonius' body. It is dangerous to have Hamlet on the loose, but they can't lock him up because he is loved by too many people. They judge on appearance rather than reason, and they'll pay attention to the punishment more than the crime itself. They have to be calm. Hamlet being sent to England must seem a deliberate plan. Rosencrantz enters and tells Claudius they can't find out where the body is. Hamlet stands outside the room under guard, waiting for Claudius' orders. Claudius orders Hamlet brought before him. Rosencrantz yells to Guildenstern to bring Hamlet in, which he does.

Claudius asks Hamlet where Polonius' body is. He is at dinner, Hamlet replies. Claudius pushes for a better answer than that. Hamlet tells him that Polonius is being eaten by worms. Such is the way of life. They fatten animals to eat, and then they fatten themselves for the worms to eat. Hamlet insists that a beggar can end up eating a King. Claudius asks Hamlet again. Hamlet tells him that Polonius is in Heaven and that Claudius should send a messenger to find out for certain. If the messenger can't find him, then Claudius can check Hell himself. If he can't find him still, then in a month they will be able to smell him in the main hall. Claudius tells his attendants to check there. Hamlet jokes that they don't need to rush out as Polonius isn't going anywhere.

Claudius tells Hamlet that he must send him away to England for his own protection. He must get ready as the ship sails the next day with the favourable wind. Hamlet is pleased to go. Hamlet says goodbye to Claudius, who he calls mother. Claudius corrects him: he is Hamlet's father. Hamlet disagrees for when he married Gertrude they became one and, so he is both father and mother. Hamlet leaves.

Claudius tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to follow Hamlet and make sure he gets on the ship tonight. Everyone leaves but Claudius. He hopes that the King of England will follow his orders and kill Hamlet immediately upon arrival to cure Claudius of the affliction from Hamlet. He leaves.

Act Four Scene Four

At the border, Fortinbras and a Captain enter with an army. Fortinbras tells the Captain to go and send the Danish King his greetings and ask for permission to cross Denmark. If they need anything else doing, they only have to ask. Everyone except the Captain leaves.

**Note: in some editions the rest of this scene is omitted.

Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and others enter. Hamlet asks the Captain who the army belongs to and what they are doing there. The Captain tells Hamlet they are on their way to attack Poland. The Captain admits that they're actually fighting for a pitiful bit of land which won't increase profits for either country. Hamlet concludes that the Polish won't defend it then, but the Captain reports troops are already stationed there.

Hamlet thinks that this is the problem with war, and why nations should not have too much money and peace. An argument could start for a small reason like an abscess and then grow until it bursts and kills them with no one knowing why the man has died. He thanks the Captain for his information. The Captain leaves.

Rosencrantz asks Hamlet to come with him. He will in a moment. Everyone except for Hamlet leaves. Hamlet wants to get on with taking his revenge, but is still afraid to do so. He wonders what a man is if he just sleeps and eats. Little more than an animal. He has been given the power of thought and reason, and so he must use them. He has the means to do it, so why hasn't he acted yet? An entire army is on the march to fight for nothing while he has all of the motivation for revenge and still hasn't acted on it. If his thoughts aren't bloody and violent from now on, they will be worth nothing. He leaves.

Act Four Scene Five

Back at Elsinore Castle, Horatio, Gertrude and a Gentleman enter. Gertrude won't speak to Ophelia. The Gentleman feels sorry for her. She genuinely wants to speak to Gertrude and talks about her father a lot. Ophelia talks nonsense and beats her chest and gets upset for small reasons. Horatio thinks it might be a good idea to speak with her because a dangerous mind can lead to horrifying and evil conclusions. Gertrude tells them to let her in. The Gentleman leaves.

Gertrude curses her guilt. It makes a person full of suspicion and gives them away even while they're trying not to. Ophelia enters. She is distracted and quite insane. Ophelia sings about a dead true love in a grave. Gertrude tries to stop her. Claudius enters. Ophelia continues with her song.

Claudius asks Ophelia how she is. Ophelia hopes God will be at his table. She tells them that they can know what they are now, but not what they will become. Claudius tells them she's talking about her dead father, Polonius. Ophelia doesn't want to talk about that and goes on singing about a virgin losing her chastity to a man who refuses to marry her after they've slept together. Ophelia hopes that everything will be fine in the end, but she can't help weeping at the thought of him lying cold and dead in the ground. She will tell her brother about this. Ophelia wishes them a goodnight and then leaves.

Claudius tells Horatio to keep an eye on her. He leaves.

Claudius sees Ophelia's madness as an outcome of the grief that has poisoned her mind. He is sorry that everything happens at once: Polonius was killed, and then Hamlet left, and there are rumours everywhere about the death. Ophelia has been robbed of her sanity, and this leaves her no better than the animals. And last but not least, Laertes has returned from France and is surrounded by people gossiping about his father's death. He will undoubtedly blame Claudius for it.

A noise sounds off stage which startles Gertrude. Claudius orders the bodyguards to the door. A Messenger enters who tells them that Laertes is leading a rebellion against Claudius. He must save himself. The crowd are shouting and calling for Laertes to be King. Gertrude is upset that they have the wrong conclusion. Another noise off stage indicates the doors of the Castle have been broken through.

Laertes and others enter. Laertes asks his followers to wait and go outside while he talks to the false King. He demands Claudius give him his father. Claudius doesn't understand why Laertes has brought a rebellion to the Castle. He doesn't worry about being hurt as God protects the King. He asks again why Laertes is so angry. Claudius tells him Polonius is dead. Gertrude adds that it was not by Claudius's hand that he is dead, but Claudius tells her he can ask what he wants to. Laertes demands to know what happened. He throws off any vows he had for the King. He doesn't care if he is damned and goes to Hell. He just wants revenge for his father's murder. Claudius wonders what is stopping him. Laertes' free will stops him. Claudius wonders if Laertes would like to know who were his father's friends and enemies, and if he would treat them the same. Laertes will only hurt his enemies. Claudius will prove that he is innocent of Polonius' death.

A voice offstage cries to “let her in”. Ophelia enters carrying flowers. Laertes is upset over Ophelia's madness. He will get revenge for it. He wonders how it was possible that a young woman's mind could disappear as quickly as an old man's life. A thoughtful and fine person will send a part of themselves after the thing it loves most, which is what Ophelia has done here. Ophelia sings a song about her father's grave, and then points out which flowers are for what purpose. She has rosemary for remembering and pansies for thoughts. She hands fennel and columbines to Gertrude for her adultery and rue for repentance to Claudius. Laertes thinks she almost makes suffering beautiful. She sings once more and then leaves.

Laertes and Claudius share their grief for Ophelia's madness. Claudius sends him to fetch his wisest friends so that they can listen to both of them and decide which person is right. If Claudius is wrong, then he will give up his life, crown and everything he calls his own as payment, but if he is innocent then Laertes must be patient while Claudius assists in his revenge. Laertes agrees. His father's death, the secret funeral and no formal rites call into question the way he died. Claudius agrees with him. They leave.

Act Four Scene Six

Horatio and a Servant enter. The Servant tells him Sailors want to speak to them. They have letters for Horatio. The Servant leaves and Sailors enter. A Sailor hands Horatio a letter from Hamlet, which Horatio reads aloud. He must get the Sailors to the King as they have letters for him. When they were at sea, a pirate ship attacked, and they had to fight. Hamlet ended up on board the pirate ship and left the ship behind. The pirates want Hamlet to do something for them. He needs Horatio to come as quickly as he can. The Sailors will take Horatio to Hamlet, and then he has much to say about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They all leave.

Act Four Scene Seven

Claudius and Laertes enter. Claudius tells him he has to acknowledge his innocence and put him in his heart as a friend as he now knows the man who killed Polonius was trying to kill Claudius himself. Laertes doesn't understand why he didn't do anything against the criminal when he was threatening Claudius's own life. Claudius couldn't for two reasons: Gertrude is devoted to him and the public loves Hamlet. Anything he would say against Hamlet would end up hurting Claudius, not Hamlet. Claudius will soon reveal what he has planned.

A Messenger arrives with letters from Hamlet for Claudius and Gertrude. The Messenger tells Claudius that Sailors delivered them. The Messenger leaves, and Claudius reads the letters aloud. Hamlet is returning to Denmark to look into Claudius' eyes and reveal why and how he has returned. Laertes and Claudius have no idea what it means, but Laertes is pleased he will be able to look Hamlet in the eyes and accuse him of Polonius' murder. Claudius has plans for Hamlet's undoing if he returns. When he dies, no one will know it was a murder, and even Gertrude will call it an accident. Laertes only wants to know the plans so that he can be the one who kills Hamlet. Claudius is okay with this as the people have been talking about a good quality of his: that his good qualities didn't arouse envy in the people like Hamlet's good qualities have done. Laertes wonders what quality that is. Claudius reports it is his little ribbon of youth. He talks about a skillful horseman from Normandy he saw who had fantastic abilities riding his horse and performing tricks. Laertes knows the horseman too. The horseman mentioned Laertes to Claudius and admired his fencing skills. Hamlet was extremely jealous of these compliments and talked of nothing at all but having a match against him.

Claudius asks if Laertes loved his father or if his grief is just a painting for his face. Laertes is shocked that he could ask such a question. Claudius has seen some people's love go out over time. He thinks that people should do what they intend to do when they think of it as intentions can be watered down by delays and time. Claudius wonders what proof will Laertes offer in actions rather than words that he is Polonius' son. Laertes will cut Hamlet's throat in Church. Claudius thinks revenge should have no limits, but asks Laertes to stay in his room. They will let Hamlet know he has returned home and let him hear compliments about Laertes' fencing skills. Hamlet won't examine the swords before they fight so Laertes can choose one with a sharp point and avenge Polonius' father. Laertes will do it and place a little poison on the point, as well. No medicine will be able to save anyone pricked with this poison. Claudius will let Laertes know which way would be the best because if people found out about it it would have been best not to try it. Claudius decides that they should get Hamlet to jump around. When he needs a drink, Claudius will have a cup ready for him in case Laertes isn't struck with the sword.

Gertrude enters. She announces that Ophelia has drowned in a brook shadowed over by a willow. Ophelia made wreaths of flowers and fell into the brook. She sang old hymns and lay there like someone who didn't quite realize the danger she was in. Her clothes, heavy with water, pulled her down to the bottom of the brook where she drowned. After Laertes has stopped crying, he will be finished acting like a woman. Laertes leaves.

Claudius thinks they should follow him to try and calm him down. They leave.

Act 5

Act Five Scene One

A Gravedigger and the Other gravedigger enter. One asks the other if they're seriously going to give Ophelia a Christian burial. They don't understand how this is possible considering that she killed herself. The Gravedigger concludes that she must have known that she was killing herself because she made the decision. The Other wants to argue that point, but the Gravedigger won't have it. The only way she couldn't have drowned herself was if the water came to her, not the other way around. The Other wonders if that is law. It is the Coroner's law. The Other thinks if the girl hadn't been rich, then she wouldn't have been given a Christian burial. The rich have much more freedom to hang themselves if they want or not.

The Gravedigger refers to Adam as a digger. He was the first person with arms. The Other is confused by this because he thought Adam didn't have any arms, and the Gravedigger is amazed he can call himself a Christian and not remember that the Bible said Adam dug in the ground. He couldn't dig in the ground without his arms.

The Gravedigger asks the Other what they could call a person who builds stronger things than other workers. The Other replies that it is the people who build the gallows to hang people as these frames live out a thousand people.

Hamlet and Horatio enter from the distance. The Gravedigger replies that the answer to his question is a gravedigger as he makes houses that will last for forever. He tells the Other to go and get some alcohol. The Gravedigger sings and digs. Hamlet wonders if the Gravedigger knows what he is doing digging a grave while singing. Horatio thinks that he must be so used to graves that he is used to it. Hamlet insults the Gravedigger for his awful singing. As the Gravedigger digs graves and toss skulls, he sings. Hamlet wonders who he could be burying. One of the possibilities is a lawyer who has lost his abilities and legal jargon now that he is dead. He wonders who killed him. He asks the Gravedigger whose grave it is. It is the Gravedigger's. Hamlet thinks it must be as he is lying in it, but is still telling a lie because he's alive and not dead yet. Hamlet pushes the question: who is it that the grave is being dug for? The Gravedigger digs it for someone who is no man, and no woman but used to be a woman. Hamlet is amazed at how precise he has to speak when in conversation with this man. He wonders how long the Gravedigger has been working. He has been working since the day the late King Hamlet defeated Fortinbras. Hamlet wonders how long ago that was. The Gravedigger is amazed he doesn't know: it was the day that young Hamlet was born—the one that turned mad and was carted off to England. The Gravedigger doesn't think it will even matter if he'll recover his sanity in England anyway because everyone in England is mad! Hamlet asks the Gravedigger how Hamlet lost his sanity. He lost it by losing his mind, the Gravedigger answers.

Hamlet asks how long it takes for a man to start rotting in his grave. If he is not rotten before he dies, then the body will last eight or nine years. A leathermaker will last longer because he is leathery from his trade. He shows Hamlet a skull that has been there for twenty three years. It was the skull of Yorick, the king's jester. Hamlet picks up the skull. He is sad because he knew the man. He used to carry Hamlet on his back. He wonders where the man's jokes are now.

Hamlet wonders if Alexander the Great looked like and smelled like Yorick when he was buried. Horatio agrees that he would have. Great men can be reduced to dust and ash. Hamlet is sad for this.

Claudius, Gertrude, Laertes and a coffin, with a Priest and attending Lords enter. Hamlet tells Horatio to be quiet. He wonders whose coffin they are following as it looks like it came from a wealthy family. He decides to stay and watch for a while. Hamlet and Horatio step aside. They notice Laertes is there.

Laertes asks the Priest what rites he will give Ophelia. He has performed as many as he has been permitted to do. If it weren't for the King, Ophelia would have been buried far outside the church graveyard in unsanctified ground. The body deserves to have stones thrown on her, but here Ophelia is dressed like a virgin while the bell tolls for her. The Priest refuses any other rites to be performed as it would be insulting to the other dead buried there. Laertes is convinced that Ophelia will be an angel in Heaven despite what the Priest says. Hamlet overhears this and is amazed that the beautiful Ophelia has died.

Gertrude scatters flowers across Ophelia's grave. She had hoped that Ophelia would be Hamlet's bride and that she would be throwing flowers on their wedding bed, not on her grave. Laertes jumps into the grave and demands that they throw dirt on him and Ophelia so he can die with her.

Hamlet steps forward and jumps into the grave. He and Laertes fight. Hamlet begs him not to fight. Claudius orders them pulled apart. Attendants help pull them apart. Hamlet will fight him until he has no strength left: he loved Ophelia and no love could have matched his. Anything dramatic that Laertes can do in mourning, Hamlet will do tenfold. His grief is far greater. Gertrude thinks him insane.

Hamlet doesn't know why Laertes treats him like he does. He always loved Laertes. He leaves. Horatio goes with him on Claudius' request. Claudius' reminds Laertes about their talk the previous night. Guards will keep watch over Hamlet. And a monument will be erected for Ophelia. In the meantime, they must proceed. They all leave.

Act Five Scene Two

Hamlet and Horatio enter. Hamlet tells him about the conflict in his heart that wouldn't let him sleep and kept him captive. He thinks that sometimes it is crucial to act on impulse as this shows people that God and fate watch over them and guide them in the right direction even if they are messing up. Hamlet was brave enough to gather the document and letters to the King of England from Claudius and read them. They contained orders for Hamlet's immediate execution. Horatio doesn't think this could be possible. Hamlet shows Horatio a document so he can read the words for himself. Hamlet presses on with his story. He sat down and wrote a brand new letter with new instructions in neat handwriting. He used to think that neat handwriting was only for people of a lower status, but he is glad that he learned how to do it. Hamlet replaced the instructions with a plea to unite England and Denmark in friendships and then as soon as the letter had been read, the people who had delivered it should be executed immediately without time to confess their sins. Horatio wonders how an official seal was put on the letter. Hamlet had his father's signet ring in his pocket which had the Danish seal on it. He folded up the letter and put it back without anyone noticing. The following day the pirates attacked!

Horatio concludes that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are headed to their deaths. Hamlet doesn't care—they deserved it for what they were doing. Hamlet wonders if Horatio finally sees that he has to kill Claudius for his father's death and the trap to kill Hamlet. It is now within Hamlet's moral right to kill Claudius for his actions. Hamlet is, however, upset that things are bad between him and Laertes, especially as they share similar situations. Laertes over-the-top grief annoyed Hamlet.

Osric, a courtier, enters with a hat in his hand. Hamlet asks Horatio if he knows who this man is. He doesn't. Hamlet thinks that is lucky as Osric is a unpleasant man. He owns a lot of land so is treated well despite his poor manners. Osric has a message for them from Claudius. Hamlet asks to hear it and for him to put his hat back on where it belongs. Osric doesn't want to as it is hot. They quarrel for a few moments about the temperature and whether or not Osric wants to wear his hat until Osric reveals Claudius has placed a large bet on Hamlet winning the match.

Osric complements Laertes for his outstanding abilities and gentlemanly manner. Hamlet thinks trying to list all of Laertes' good qualities would be quite difficult. Hamlet thinks that Laertes would not be able to find an equal unless he looked in the mirror at his own reflection, but he doesn't understand why Osric brought up the subject. After a while of back and forth where Osric fails to understand Hamlet, Osric points out Laertes' particular ability in fencing.

Claudius has bet six Barbary horses and has prepared six French swords and daggers for the match. The swords have excellent “carriages”. Hamlet doesn't know what Osric means by this. Osric means the loops to hang swords by. Hamlet would prefer this description as carriage seems to suggest the dragging of cannons. Hamlet asks why the bet has been placed. Osric reveals that Claudius has bet that, in a dozen rounds between Hamlet and Laertes, no more than three hits will be made by Laertes.

Hamlet tells Osric to bring the swords in. He will fight if Claudius and Laertes wants him to. If the King loses his bet, Hamlet will only suffer some embarrassment. Osric leaves to tell the King.

Horatio and Hamlet don't think much of Osric's flowery and ornate way of speaking. Hamlet compares him to other successful people at this time who have collected enough ways to keep him in high esteem without any substance there.

A Lord enters. The King wants to know if Hamlet will play right away or wait. Hamlet will fight anytime. Gertrude wants to talk to Hamlet before he starts the match, however. The Lord leaves.

Horatio thinks Hamlet will lose the bet. Hamlet doesn't think so. He has been practising since Laertes went away to France. Hamlet has a slight doubt, but it doesn't matter. Horatio thinks he shouldn't play if he's not entirely comfortable with the idea. He can tell Claudius he is sick. Hamlet disagrees. Everything will work out as it is meant to. The only thing to do is to be prepared for it.

Claudius, Gertrude, Laertes, Osric and other Lords and attendants enter with trumpets, drums, swords, a table and wine. Claudius asks Hamlet to shake hands with Laertes. They do. Hamlet begs for Laertes' forgiveness as he has done him wrong. When Hamlet insulted him it was because he was mad. If Hamlet wasn't in his right mind, then it wasn't really Hamlet who was insulting him. Instead, it is his madness that is guilty and Hamlet is also a victim of it. Laertes is satisfied by the apology, but he is still unable to forgive Hamlet so quickly for what he did to Polonius and Ophelia. He will not accept any apology until he can do so without harming his name and reputation. He will, however, accept Hamlet's love. Hamlet is grateful for that.

They decide to start the match. Hamlet assures Laertes that he will win as Hamlet is so unskilled at fencing. Laertes thinks he is just making fun, but Hamlet assures him he is serious. Claudius reminds them of the bet. Hamlet thinks he's bet on the weaker man. Claudius isn't worried, but adds that this is the reason for including a handicap for Laertes. He has to outdo Hamlet by three hits to win.

They test the swords. Laertes wants a better sword as his is too heavy. Hamlet likes the one he has and wonders if they are all the same length. Osric assures them they are. Claudius orders the wine to be put on the table. If Hamlet manages to land the first or second hit, then the soldiers can give him a military salute. Claudius will then drink to Hamlet's health and throw a valuable pearl into the cup that cost more than the four last Danish King's crowns. He asks for the trumpets to play and the cannon to fire. This will signal the Heavens who will then tell the Earth that the King drinks to Hamlet's health.

Trumpets play and the fencing match begins. Hamlet makes a hit. Laertes contests it, but Osric calls it a hit in Hamlet's favour. Claudius asks for a goblet, which he places the pearl into. This is for Hamlet. He asks for the goblet to be given to Hamlet, but he won't drink from it just yet. They continue fencing. Hamlet hits Laertes again. Claudius thinks that Hamlet might win. Gertrude thinks he is fat and out of breath. She offers her handkerchief to Hamlet so he can wipe his face. She lifts the cup with the pearl to drink to Hamlet's health. Claudius tells her not to drink it, but it's too late. To himself, Claudius is upset that she has drunk from the poisoned cup. Nothing can save her now. Laertes vows to get Hamlet, but feels guilty for it. Hamlet tells Laertes to get ready for the third hit. He accuses Laertes of treating him like a child. They fence again.

Laertes wounds Hamlet. In a scuffle, they end up with each others' swords and Hamlet wounds Laertes. Claudius orders them separated. Gertrude collapses. Osric calls for help for the Queen. Horatio wonders how the fencers feel as they are both wounded. Laertes feels that he has been caught in his own trap and killed by his own treachery. He falls over. Hamlet wonders how the Queen is. Claudius tells him she fainted at the sight of the blood. Gertrude realizes she has been poisoned by the drink and dies.

Hamlet orders the door locked. He wants to know who did it. Laertes admits that he is the one, and Hamlet is to die too. Nothing can save him, and he has barely a half hour to live. The weapon that caused this is in his hand, sharp and dipped in poison. Laertes' plan has backfired, and he will die. The King is to blame. Hamlet wounds Claudius. Claudius assures everyone he has only been hurt, not killed. Hamlet forces him to drink from the poisoned goblet and follow his mother to death. Claudius dies.

Laertes thinks Claudius got what he deserved as he added the poison himself. He begs for Hamlet's forgiveness and then dies. Hamlet gives him his forgiveness. He tells everyone watching that he could tell them more about what has happened, but he has no time to. He begs Horatio to tell everyone what happened and to set the story straight in Hamlet's name. Horatio refuses: he is more Roman than Danish and will not stay. He will drink the last of the poison from the cup. Hamlet begs him to let go of the goblet. He takes it from him. If Horatio ever loved him, then he would fix Hamlet's wounded name for him and tell the truth.

Military marching can be heard off stage. Hamlet wonders where the noises are coming from. Osric returns to report that young Fortinbras is returning after his victory in Poland. Hamlet will never hear the news from England. He bets that Fortinbras will end up with the Danish throne. Hamlet would vote for him. Hamlet dies. Horatio wishes Hamlet will be sung to sleep by angels.

Fortinbras and the English Ambassador enter with a drummer and attendants. Fortinbras is amazed at what he sees. Horatio calls it a tragedy. The Ambassador is saddened because he will never be able to give them the good news that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. Who will thank the English for their actions now? Horatio admits that Claudius didn't even know about those orders so the Ambassador would not have had any thanks from him. Horatio tells them that these bodies should be displayed on a platform and let him tell the world what happened here. They will hear tales of supernatural and violent acts, accidents, murders, trickery and plots that backfired. Fortinbras will hear the story right away and invite all the noblemen to listen to it.

Fortinbras has claims to Denmark and will carry them out. Horatio has a few things to tell him about that from Hamlet, but first they will talk about other things. Fortinbras orders Hamlet to be carried like a soldier onto the stage. He thinks that he would have been a fine King. Military music and rites will speak for him. He orders the rest of the bodies to be carried out too as the court looks more like a battlefield. The soldiers should shoot outside to honour Hamlet. They leave, carrying the bodies. Cannons are fired.