The Second Movement (two months after the first

movement): two nights and one day

Act 2, Scene 1 ● Polonius sends to Reynaldo to Laertes to spy on him
● Ophelia enters after Reynaldo exits and tells Polonius about
how Hamlet came to her in a raggedy state
● Polonius believes he may be “mad for thy love” (notice how
structurally harmonic the relationship appears between
Ophelia and Polonius, yet their conversation is quite disjointed
as neither truly understand what the other means)
Polonius decides to reveal to Claudius what he believes to be the
cause of Hamlet’s strange behaviour

Act 2, Scene 2 ● Claudius hires Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on

Hamlet
● Polonius enters
● Claudius is informed of how Young Fortinbras of Norway has
promised to not start warfare with Denmark
● Polonius tells the King and Queen that Hamlet is mad with
love for Ophelia
● They plot for Ophelia and Hamlet to meet so they can spy on
them
● The King and Queen leave
● Polonius attempts to converse with Hamlet, who calls him a
“fishmonger” and states he is simply reading “words, words,
words” from his book.
● Hamlet engages in complex wordplay which Polonius does
not understand
● Polonius thinks he has confirmed that the cause of Hamlet’s
madness is his love for Ophelia
● When he leaves, Hamlet calls Polonius “a tedious old fool[s]”
● Hamlet breaks into a metatheatrical soliloquy and speaks
of how humanity is but a “quintessence of dust”
● The players arrive and Hamlet asks to read a speech from the
play
● Hamlet calls himself a “rogue and peasant slave” for his delay
toward revenge, stemming from his doubts about the Ghost
● Hamlet stages The Mousetrap which will tell the story of Old
Hamlet’s murder
● He hopes to catch Claudius red-handed by observing his
reactions to the play

Act 3, Scene 1 ● Claudius asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern whether they

have found a cause for Hamlet’s madness
● They don’t offer an answer and simply describe the strange
behaviour and words of Hamlet
● Claudius and Polonius plan for Hamlet and Ophelia to meet to
see how Hamlet would behave
● Gertrude and Ophelia hope it is his love for Ophelia that is
driving him mad as it can be resolved
● Polonius tells Ophelia to hold a prayer book and walk
around as “with devotion’s visage and pious action we do
 sugar o’er the devil himself.“ (meaning that evil intent can
be hidden by appearing to perform good deeds)
● Hamlet arrives and everyone leaves except Ophelia
● He delivers his “to be or not to be” speech
● He spots Ophelia and they talk. The conversation mainly
consists of Hamlet saying that as Ophelia is beautiful, she will
be unable to remain chaste as she will attract men.
● Ophelia gives him letters and presents Hamlet once gave to
her, but he denies ever giving them
● He tells her to “get thee to a nunnery” and makes other
comments regarding how women make monsters of men
● Claudius comes out of hiding once Hamlet has left and
concludes that Hamlet is not mad in love with Ophelia
● He suggests it would be best to send Hamlet to England
● Polonius disagrees and would like to do one more test where
Hamlet talks to his mother. He hopes he will reveal the cause
of his sadness to her

Act 3, Scene 2 ● Hamlet advises the actors on how he would like them to act
out their roles
● He asks Horatio to watch the expression of Claudius
● After talking to Claudius, Hamlet approaches Ophelia and
asks if he can lie in her lap
● Ophelia talks about how Hamlet seems to be in a better mood
● Hamlet talks about how his father has been dead for 2 hours
and yet his mother seems very happy (this is an example of
metatheatricality)
● Ophelia clarifies that it has been 4 months since his death
● The play begins and Gertrude tells Hamlet that the Queen
“doth protest too much, methinks”
● A scene unfolds where the nephew of the King pours poison
into the King’s ears
● Claudius gets up and walks away upon seeing this
● Rosencrantz and Guildenstern inform Hamlet that Gertrude
wishes to talk to him, but he denies
● He also denies Polonius who tries to persuade him into
speaking to her
● Hamlet breaks into a soliloquy about how proud he feels that
he has revealed the truth, but he is worried he may become
like Nero, who killed his mother.

Act 3, Scene 3 ● Rosencrantz and Guildenstern accept Claudius’ request to

send Hamlet to England
● Rosencrantz performs a speech to please the King and
Claudius cuts him off
● After talking with Polonius, who is getting ready to spy on
Hamlet, Claudius prays
● He talks about how he can’t ask for forgiveness as he can’t
give up the rewards
● Hamlet enters with a sword, but does not kill him as Claudius
is performing a pious act and would go to Heaven for
repenting

Act 3, Scene 4 ● Gertrude confronts Hamlet about the play and Hamlet
 confronts Gertrude about her marriage
● He becomes very angry which frightens Gertrude and she
calls out for help
● Hamlet states that he can "smell a rat behind the hangings"
and stabs the curtains, killing Polonius
● When he founds out that he killed Polonius, he doesn’t mind
● He continues to confront his mother and praises his father
who pales in comparison to Claudius
● Gertrude accepts her mistake (although, she be doing so
out of fear. Notice the inverted dynamics between Hamlet and
Gertrude with Hamlet adopting more parental language and
Gertrude adopting more submissive and passive language, as
though she is a child.)
● The Ghost shows up and reminds Hamlet of his purpose
which is to enact revenge
● Gertrude can not see the Ghost
● Hamlet tells Gertrude to stop sleeping with Claudius and tells
her that he knows of Claudius’ plan
● He reveals that he intends to enact his own plan as well and
tells her to keep his secret that his madness is feigned
He then bids his mother farewell whilst dragging Polonius out

Act 4, Scene 1 ● Gertrude tells Claudius Hamlet is mad and that he has killed
Polonius
Claudius says Hamlet must be shipped to England immediately and
sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find him

Act 4, Scene 2 ● Rosencrantz and Guildenstern meet Hamlet and ask him
where he hid Polonius’ body
● Hamlet responds with riddles and puns
● He tells them that they are like sponges who follow the orders
of Claudius to “soak[s] up the king's countenance, his
rewards, his authorities." (this connects with the theme of
deceit)
● Hamlet leaves after telling Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that
“the king is a thing (...) of nothing. “

Act 4, Scene 3 ● Claudius asks Hamlet where Polonius’ body is

● Hamlet responds by saying that Polonius is at supper,
meaning he is being eaten by maggots
● He says “we fat ourselves for maggots.”
● He also says that a dead King can pass through the “guts
of a beggar. “ (this connects with the theme of Politics)
● Hamlet tells them where the body is and Claudius sends his
people to find Polonius
● He tells Hamlet that he is due to leave for England for his well-
being
● When Claudius is left alone, he reveals that he has arranged
for Hamlet to be murdered once he arrives in England

Act 4, Scene 4 ● Whilst on his way to England, Hamlet notices Fortinbras’ army
heading for war in Poland
● He learns, from the Captains, that he is waging war over a
piece of unimportant land
 ● Hamlet decides he should follow Fortinbras’ example and take
revenge as he has

● The Third Movement: two days

Act 4, Scene 5 ● A man informs Gertrude and Horatio that Ophelia has become
mad and is going around singing songs
● There are hints in her words that she and Hamlet have had
sexual relations
● Laertes breaks into the palace with a group of followers who
are chanting for him to be King
● He is angered by the news of his dead father and the
madness of Ophelia
● Claudius tells Laertes that he should listen to his side of the
story along with Laertes’ followers
● He says that if they do not believe him, he will resign as King
and if they do, they should target Hamlet

Act 4, Scene 6 ● Horatio, who is inside the palace, is given a letter that was
written by Hamlet
● In the letter, Hamlet writes how pirates attacked his ships and
he was the only one taken prisoner by the pirates
● Hamlet tells Horatio to send his letters to the King and Horatio
obliges

Act 4, Scene 7 ● Claudius has told Laertes that Hamlet killed his father
● He also tells him that Hamlet was plotting against his life for
no reason
● Laertes asks why he has not had punished Hamlet yet
● Claudius explains that it would grieven Gertrude and upset the
public, who love him
● Laertes complains that Claudius should have punished him
when he had the chance
● Claudius is about to reveal that he has planned for Hamlet’s
murder, but a letter arrives informing Claudius that Hamlet is
still alive
● Claudius asks Laertes if he would like to enact revenge
against Hamlet (ensuring it appears as accidental so that
Gertrude does not become upset at Claudius) and Laertes
agrees
● Claudius and Laertes plot to hold a fencing duel
● Laertes’ sword will be sharp and poisoned
● Claudius will also offer Hamlet a sip of his poisoned drink to
ensure Hamlet’s death
● Gertrude enters to tell Laertes that Ophelia has drowned
● Gertrude explains, using quite romantic language, how
Ophelia sank to her death by the weight of her clothes
● It is possible Gertrude was there to watch the events unfold
and it is also possible that Ophelia was committing suicide by
allowing herself to drown, although neither is certain
● Laertes leaves, crying
● Claudius tells Gertrude he tried to calm Laertes and believes
this news may have made him angry again
Act 5, Scene 1 ● In the graveyard, the grave-diggers are discussing whether
Ophelia’s death was really a suicide
● Hamlet and Horatio arrive and one gravedigger leaves
● The gravedigger digs out a skull and Hamlet wonders who it
was before
● The gravedigger, not knowing who he is talking to, tells
Hamlet and Horatio that Hamlet has been sent off to England
where everyone is mad
● Hamlet takes the skull in his hands, which belonged to Yorick,
the King’s jester
● He contemplates the nature of life and death (Yorick’s skull
can be seen as an example of memento mori as it is a
reminder about the inevitability of death for the audience)
● He reminisces the times he spent with Yorick
● Hamlet hides upon hearing the King and Queens arrival with
Ophelia
● Laertes jumps into Ophelia’s grave and asks to be buried
along with her
● Hamlet comes out of his hiding spot and announces his
presence
● Laertes and Hamlet fight before they are separated, arguing
who loved Ophelia more
● Laertes leaves

Act 5, Scene 2 ● Hamlet tells Horatio that he found a letter in Rosencrantz and
Guildensterns bag that was addressed to the King
● It was asking for Hamlet to be murdered
● Hamlet changes the letter so that it says that Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern should be killed
● He stamps the letter using his father’s signet
● Osric asks if Hamlet would like to have a duel with Laertes in
a fencing match and Hamlet accepts
● When Hamlet meets Laertes, he apologises for his actions
● Laertes continues with the duel and chooses between the
swords, looking for the sharpest one
● Claudius offers his drink to Hamlet, but he denies
● Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup
● Laertes stabs Hamlet
● They end up emerging from the fight having switched swords
● Hamlet stabs Laertes
● When Gertrude faints, Claudius attempts to hide the fact
that the drink was poisoned and states other reasons (this
highlights the political corruptness within Claudius - if he truly
loved Gertrude, would he not have immediately called for
medical aid?)
● Laertes declares that Claudius is to blame for all of this
● Hamlet stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword and forces
him to drink from the poisoned cup
● Laertes asks for Hamlet to forgive him
● Hamlet asks Horatio to tell his story to the world and states
Fortinbras will be a fit King for Denmark
● Horatio gives a flattering speech about Hamlet
● Fortinbras and his army enter to report the death of
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
● Horatio says he will explain the situation to everyone, who are
shocked by the news
● Fortinbras claims the throne and laments that Hamlet would
have made a good King