Hamlet: complete summary

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ACT 1

The play begins at night outside a castle in Denmark. Some guards and Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, see a ghost that looks like the dead King Hamlet, Prince Hamlet’s father. The ghost doesn’t speak, so they decide to tell Hamlet.

At the castle, King Claudius (Hamlet’s uncle) has taken the throne and married Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude. Hamlet is upset by this. Claudius tells Hamlet to stop mourning his father. Hamlet feels betrayed by his mother and disgusted with his uncle.

Later, the ghost appears to Hamlet and tells him that Claudius murdered him to take the throne. The ghost asks Hamlet to get revenge. Hamlet agrees but pretends to be mad (insane) to investigate without raising suspicion.

ACT 2

Polonius, the king’s advisor, sends a spy to check on his son Laertes in France. He also believes Hamlet has gone mad because he loves Polonius’s daughter, Ophelia. Claudius sends Hamlet’s old friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on him.

Hamlet knows they were sent to spy. A group of traveling actors arrive. Hamlet decides to have them perform a play that reenacts his father’s murder to see how Claudius reacts.

ACT 3

Claudius and Polonius hide to watch Hamlet talk to Ophelia. Hamlet acts strangely and tells her to go to a convent. Claudius decides Hamlet is dangerous and plans to send him to England.

During the play, Claudius reacts guiltily, confirming for Hamlet that he killed the king. Hamlet confronts his mother in her room. He accidentally kills Polonius, who is hiding behind a curtain.

ACT 4

Claudius sends Hamlet to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and secretly orders his death. Hamlet escapes and returns to Denmark.

Ophelia goes mad from grief over her father’s death and drowns. Her brother Laertes returns and blames Hamlet.

Claudius and Laertes plan to kill Hamlet during a duel. They prepare a poisoned sword and a poisoned drink.

ACT 5

Hamlet and Horatio visit a graveyard. They see Ophelia’s funeral. Hamlet and Laertes argue at the grave.

At the duel, Laertes wounds Hamlet with the poisoned sword. They switch swords, and Hamlet wounds Laertes. Queen Gertrude accidentally drinks the poisoned wine and dies. Laertes tells Hamlet about the plot. Hamlet kills Claudius and then dies.

Horatio promises to tell Hamlet’s story. Fortinbras, a prince from Norway, arrives and takes over the kingdom.

THE END


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