Hamlet Comprehension Questions
Quiz yourself by thinking what should be in
each of the black spaces below before clicking
on it to display the answer.
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| When and where does the opening scene begin? What mood does that setting provide? | show 🗑
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| Explain why the guard has invited Horatio to wait with them that night. Why are they so nervous? | show 🗑
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| show | They are fighting with Norway and their king has just died
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| show | They are convinced it is him because he is wearing his clothes he wore during the war, they think that he needs to tell them something
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| What does the ghost refuse to do? Who does Horatio believe might make it speak? | show 🗑
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| show | Hamlet is upset over his father's death and his mother's marriage to his uncle
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| show | His mother married Claudius within a month of his father's death
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| Why do Claudius and Gertrude think that Hamlet should stop grieving his father's death? | show 🗑
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| show | He is angry with his mother for moving on from his father so quickly and marrying his uncle; he thinks about killing himself
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| What news does Horatio bring Hamlet? What does Hamlet agree he will do that night? | show 🗑
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| show | Never say what you are thinking, be neither a borrower nor a lender
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| Explain why Laertes is concerned about his sister's relationship with Hamlet. | show 🗑
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| Explain why Polonius wants Ophelia to avoid Hamlet's presence. How does she react to her father's demand? | show 🗑
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| When Marcellus says that "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," what is he suggesting about Claudius? | show 🗑
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| show | Because he needs to tell Hamlet a secret, he is afraid that the ghost will make Hamlet go crazy
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| show | That Claudius killed him and he asked Hamlet to revenge his death
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| What does Hamlet do to insure the guard keeps the secret of the ghost from Claudius? | show 🗑
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| show | He is going to act crazy
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| Deep in his heart, how does Hamlet really seem to feel about avenging his father's death? | show 🗑
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| show | Reynaldo is sent to find out what Laertes has been doing and spread a couple of rumors. Polonius isn't very trusting of his son.
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| What story does Ophelia tell her father about Hamlet's encounter with her in her quarter's? | show 🗑
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| show | She still loved Hamlet and knew that she was hurting him.
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| show | Polonius thinks that Hamlet is lovesick and wants to tell the king, Claudius.
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| show | To find out why Hamlet has gone crazy and to spy on Hamlet
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| show | Fortinbras has vowed never to fight Denmark again and is now fighting Poland.
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| Polonius loves to talk. Why is it ironic that he of all people says that "Brevity is the soul of wit,"? | show 🗑
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| show | He informs them that Hamlet is in love with Ophelia; he suggests that they make her go see Hamlet, while they watch, to prove he is lovesick
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| Why is Hamlet uneasy with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's visit? | show 🗑
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| Does Polonius learn anything of value from meeting with Hamlet? How does Hamlet treat him? | show 🗑
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| Why is Hamlet so upset over the actor's description of the death of Priam and the grief of Hecuba? | show 🗑
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| show | He is going to insert a speech into the player's performance to make Claudius admit that he murdered Old Hamlet.
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| show | He can't express his emotions, or reveal that Claudius killed his father, or act on the fact that Claudius killed Old Hamlet.
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| show | Proof that the reason for Hamlet's madness is that he is lovesick
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| In an aside in act III, Claudius for the first time, speaks his inner thoughts. What does he seem to admit to the audience? What in other words is his "Heavy Burden?" | show 🗑
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| Hamlet's fourth soliloquy, occurring in act III, may be the most famous speech written by Shakespeare. What choices does Hamlet see he has at this moment? | show 🗑
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| Why is Hamlet so rude to Ophelia? How does she react to this treatment? | show 🗑
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| show | Polonius concludes that Hamlet's madness is in fact because of his love-sickness for Ophelia. Claudius, on the other hand, thinks that Hamlet isn't in love with Ophelia and that nothing he said sounded crazy
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| show | He tells them not to overdo it and not to have too many gestures.
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| show | The king, Claudius
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| show | Hamlet said that the woman in the play would keep her word not to marry again but that his mother didn't.
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| At what point in the performance does Claudius abruptly stand and leave? Why does Hamlet consider this timing significant and telling? | show 🗑
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| show | He tells them that he won't talk to them and that they can't control him. He is rather rude
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| show | She wanted to talk to him because his behavior offended her.
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| How does Hamlet emotionally prepare himself before going to see his mother? | show 🗑
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| What does Claudius plan to do to protect himself from Hamlet? | show 🗑
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| What role does he ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to assume in his plan to silence Hamlet? | show 🗑
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| show | He offers to listen from behind a curtain
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| Left alone in his chapel, what does Claudius admit in his soliloquy? | show 🗑
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| show | Because then he will go to heaven. Hamlet must kill him while Claudius is sinning.
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| How does Polonius die? | show 🗑
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| How does the queen react to his death? What does Hamlet feel? | show 🗑
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| show | How Old Hamlet was god-like and perfect and how Claudius is disgusting and killed his brother
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| show | The ghost of Old Hamlet
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| show | To remind Hamlet of his task and to tell him to leave his mother alone
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| How does Hamlet react to his father's ghost appearing while arguing with his mother? What does the queen think watching her son? | show 🗑
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| show | That she won't sleep with Claudius and she won't tell him anything Hamlet said
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| show | He's glad that it wasn't him that was killed; Claudius is worried that everyone will blame him and that Hamlet will kill him
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| How does Hamlet treat Rosencrantz and Guildenstern when they arrive looking for Polonius' body? | show 🗑
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| What does Claudius decide to do with Hamlet in England? | show 🗑
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| As he waits to board a boat for England, Hamlet observes Fortinbras' army marching to war. What does the re-arrival of Fortinbras at this point in the play suggest? | show 🗑
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| What clues do Ophelia's ramblings give about the causes pf her madness? | show 🗑
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| show | Because she may make more people more upset about Polonius's death
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| Why has Laertes returned to Denmark? Why might Claudius find his return dangerous as well? | show 🗑
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| show | Claudius is speaking in a way that makes Laertes think he is on his side; he compliments him and tells him that he is not the one who killed Polonius
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| Who sends Horatio a letter? What does the letter say? | show 🗑
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| What excuse does Claudius give Laertes for failing to punish Hamlet directly? | show 🗑
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| How does Claudius trick Laertes into killing Hamlet for him? | show 🗑
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| Where and how does Ophelia die? | show 🗑
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| What kinds of subjects do the gravediggers discuss as the prepare the ground for Ophelia's burial? | show 🗑
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| Who skull does Hamlet examine closely? | show 🗑
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| At what point does Hamlet figure out who is to be buried that morning? | show 🗑
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| Why is Laertes so angry over the manner of Ophelia's burial? | show 🗑
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| Why do Laertes and Hamlet fight over Ophelia's grave? Who stops the fight? | show 🗑
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| How did Hamlet foil Claudius's attempt to have him killed in England? | show 🗑
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| Why is Hamlet embarrassed over his fight with Laertes? | show 🗑
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| Who has replaced Polonius at court? What request does this person bring to Hamlet from Claudius? Does Hamlet agree to the request? | show 🗑
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| show | Hamlet has to beat Laertes by three; Laertes will win six Barbary horses and Hamlet will win six French swords
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| Gertrude accidentally drinks from the poisoned cup meant for Hamlet. Why doesn't Claudius forcefully stop her? What does this show of his true nature? | show 🗑
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| show | Laertes cut Hamlet, then they both dropped their swords and fought, and when they picked up their swords again they switched and Hamlet cut Laertes.
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| Explain how both Laertes and Hamlet get revenge against Claudius before they die. | show 🗑
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| show | He wants Horatio to live because he knows that he will tell the truth and make sure everyone knows
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| show | Fortinbras returns, he seems to share Old Hamlet's ability to lead and his sense of fairness
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