Hamlet

Act One (3-41)

Act 1, Scene 1 Meeting the Ghost
Act 1, Scene 2 New King Greets his Subjects, Laertes Gets Permission to leave, Hamlet remains
at Denmark, First Monologue “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt”; Hamlet is notified of
the existence of the Ghost that resembles his father.
Act 1, Scene 3 Laertes’ leave-taking, bantering with Ophelia and give advice to Ophelia about
Hamlet, Polonius’s advice to Laertes; Polonius forbids Ophelia to see Hamlet.
Act 1, Scene 4 Hamlet meets the ghost who claims to be his father
Act 1, Scene 5 Hamlet has a private chat with the Ghost and knows the “truth” about his father’s
death.

Act Two (53-92)

Act 2, Scene 1 Polonius send Reynaldo to spy on Laertes; Ophelia relates Hamlet’s irrational
behavior to Polonius and Polonius reports to the King.
Act 2, Scene 2 Claudius meets with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and order them to spy on
Hamlet to divine the reasons behind his madness; Polonius offers his answer for Hamlet’s
madness; Fortinbras’s activities are briefed. Polonius tries to talk with Hamlet and is mocked by
Hamlet; Hamlet meets his two friends and finds about their intention and tries to lead them astray;
Polonius brings the players in.; Hamlet meets the players and has one of them performed a scene,
from which he gets an idea of using play-within-play to test the truth of Ghost’s words. Second
Monologue “O, What a rogue and peasant slave am I.” (What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba.)

Act Three (93—147)

Act 3, Scene 1 The king asks for the result of Hamlet’s friends’ divination of Hamlet’s reasons of
madness; Ophelia is brought to spy and trick Hamlet into revealing his reasons behind his outward
madness. Hamlet’s famous monologue “To be, or not to be”. Hamlet breaks up with Ophelia;
Ophelia’s mourning; Claudius and Polonius discuss about the break-up of Hamlet and Ophelia
Act 3, Scene 2 Hamlet meets the players and discusses acting with them; Hamlet asks Horatio for
help, a discussion about friendship; Hamlet flirts with Ophelia; The Performance of Mousetrap;
The King leaves the show; Hamlet and Horatio compares their notes; Hamlet breaks up with and
mocks his two betraying friends. Third Monologue “ ‘Tis now the very witching time of night”.
Act 3, Scene 3 Claudius schemes with Hamlet’s two friends to take away Hamlet’s life; Polonius
schemes to overhear Hamlet’s conversation with his mother; Hamlet sees Claudius preaching and
does not take his life.
Act 3, Scene 4 Hamlet confronts his mother and begs her to refrain from his uncle’s bed and
accidently kills Polonius.

Act 4 （148—187）
Act 4, Scene 1 Claudius finds about Polonius’s death and decides to send Hamlet away
Act 4, Scene 2 Hamlet banters with his two friends and refuse to tell them where the body of
Polonius lies.
Act 4, Scene 3 Claudius talks with Hamlet and tries to find out the whereabouts of the body but
did not get anywhere. He gets suspicious and asks people to watch over Hamlet
Act 4, Scene 4. Hamlet meet Fortinbras and his captain, makes the famous monologue “How all
occasions do inform against me/ and spur my dull revenge!”
Act 4, Scene 5. Ophelia’s madness and reunion with Laertes
Act 4, Scene 6. Horatio’s talking with sailor who gives him information about Hamlet.
Act 4, Scene 7 Claudius tricks Laertes into a scheme of killing Hamlet; Ophelia’s drowning

Act 5 (188-

Act 5, Scene 1 The Graveyard scene; Hamlet meets Laertes, finds out Ophelia’s death and has a
row with Laertes.
Act 5, Scene 2 Horatio tries to persuade Hamlet out of his dangerous scheme but Hamlet declines
and reveals how he has escaped the killing intention of Claudius; Hamlet receives the invitation to
duel with Laertes; the final duel and everybody dies.