Hamlet Act 1

The play begins with Marcellus and Barnardo- two Danish guards who take a shift at midnight, waiting for the ghost they have seen for the last two nights, which greatly resembles the recently deceased King in his battle armour. Tonight they have brought Horatio, the best friend of the Prince Hamlet. Horatio is sceptical that there is a real ghost, and is shocked when the ghost appears at midnight. Horatio charges the ghost to speak, but it instead dissapears. Horatio believes it is a bad omen for the future of Denmark, and Marcellus questions why the country is gripped with a sense of fear and why ships are being gathered, even on sunday. Horatio tells him that the young new king of Norway, Fortinbras, is preparing to attack Denmark in revenge for his father's death at the hands of the old King Hamlet and to reclaim the lands lost in the same battle. Horatio realises that the ghost probably wants to speak to young Hamlet, the old kings son.

Hamlet is attending his mother's wedding to his uncle Claudius, the old kings younger brother, who has now ascended to the throne (ahead of young Hamlet, for unknown reasons.) The whole court of Denmark seems to be happy at the marriage, but young Hamlet is appalled by it. He still wears black in respect of his father's death, and despite not voicing his opinions, it is obvious Hamlet is still fiercly loyal to his father. Gertrude is upset at Hamlet's sadness, but Claudius tells Hamlet to get over it, that everyone loses their father at some point, but he must move on. Gertrude asks Hamlet to stay in Denmark instead of returning to his university in wittenburg, Germany, and Hamlet agrees. The wedding procession leaves, leaving Hamlet to reflect on his disgust at the marriage, which has taken place less than two months after his father's death.

Horatio enters with Marcellus and Barnado. Hamlet is pleased to see his university friend Horatio, but comments he has only come to see his mother's wedding. Horatio tells Hamlet about the ghost, confirmed by the two soldiers. Hamlet is intrigued, and says he will come to the guard that night incase it walks again. Hamlet is troubled by the news of the ghost, but doubts Horatio is lying to him.

Meanwhile Laertes, son of Polonius the chief minister to the King, is leaving to go back to France. His is speaking to his sister Ophelia, who has history with Hamlet. Laertes warns her against Hamlet, saying as a prince he may not get a choice in who he marries, and Ophelia may not be of high enough status to make a suitable wife, and if he has already slept with Ophelia she will be ruined. Laertes says goodbye to his father, and then it is Polonius who warns Ophelia. He says that Hamlet will promise Ophelia the world just to sleep with her, and not to trust his promises of love. He then forbids Ophelia to see Hamlet alone again, and she agrees.

Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus wait for the ghost to appear at midnight. They hear noise from the castle, and Hamlet comments the king is probably drunk, as has become a custom in Denmark, to the scorn of other nations. The ghost appears, Hamlet charges it to speak to him, and the ghost gestures Hamlet to follow him. Hamlet is willing to follow it, but Marcellus and Horatio hold him back, worried it will lead him into a river or over a cliff. Hamlet eventually breaks free and chases after the ghost, Marcellus and Horatio follow him.

The ghost speaks to Hamlet, confirms he is the older Hamlet's spirit and tells him that he walks the earth by night and by day suffers in purgatory for his sins committed in life. He then tells Hamlet to avenge his murder, and tells Hamlet that Claudius, jealous of the older Hamlet's marriage to Gertrude and his throne, murdered him by pouring poison in his ear while the King was napping in his orchard. The elder Hamlet is furious at his brother, and furious at the marriage of Gertrude and Claudius. Morning approaches and the Ghost must leave, bidding Hamlet to remember it. Hamlet swears to avenge his father, before Marcellus and Horatio appear. Hamlet makes them swear never to tell anyone else about the ghost, and they swear. Hamlet then says that from this point onwards he will pretend to be mad, and Horatio and Marcellus must no reveal he is pretending. They all return to the castle.

Themes so far include: Murder (Claudius's murder of his brother.) Incest (Gertrude and Claudius's marriage) Erosion of the pride of Denmark (The royal bed of Denmark is now described as incestuous, Hamlet mentions that the culture of drinking has caused other nations to look down on Denmark, Horatio says "something is rotten in the state of Denmark.) The supernatural (the appearance of the ghost.) And the romance between Hamlet and Ophelia, forbidden by her family.

According to traditional Shakespearean tragedy, the tragic hero should begin the play at the height of his fortunes. This is not so with Hamlet, Hamlet may be a prince but he is grieving the death of his father and is disgusted by the marriage between his mother and uncle. Instead of starting off the play happy he begins it miserable. Usually the hero's misery is brought about by a fatal flaw in his or her character, but in this play Hamlet's early misery has been brought about purely by the malevolence of Claudius and seeming weakness of Gertrude. Hamlet's fatal flaw, which as a tragic hero he should possess, has yet to be revealed, though Polonius implies he is a womaniser. Currently the world does not seem to be the moral one that tragedy's are set in. Claudius has yet to suffer anything at all for the murder of his brother, Gertrude has yet to suffer for her incestuous marriage, and the only people that have suffered so far are the older and younger Hamlets, who don't seem to have done anything to deserve their suffering. The older Hamlet did kill the King of Norway in battle, and as he is in purgatory it suggests he does have some sins to suffer for, but neither he nor his son seem to have sinned enough to deserve their suffering.