Bedno.com

Hamalot: Plot
Briefly Hamlet is described to middle-schoolers as a prince goes mad with vengeance following the murder of his father by his uncle the usurper king, and everyone dies. The moral being that revenge destroys everyone around. Good English teachers may also present it as a lesson in free will, choice versus destiny, did any of the characters have options.
Nuanced interpretations multiply with study. Numerous wrestlings with blasphemous ideas for example is a recurring theme. An impressive quality of the work is that one may follow any character with great depth. All the principals have complexity, souls and motives. And of course it's designed as a crowd pleaser with heaps of violence, madness, incest, comedy, and hints of sex.

One of the very few technicaly complaints about Hamlet is that the Act and Scene divisions seem haphazard. They are of greatly varying lengths, and often not at logical blocking points. For compatibility however, this summary uses the traditional numberings.
Summary of scenes:

1. Act I:
   1. Sentinels tell Horatio about seeing ghost, then all confront it.
   2. Claudius and Gertrude hold court. Interact with Laertes and Polonius.
      Gertrude and Claudius discuss mourning and acceptance with Hamlet.
      Horatio meets Hamlet, tells him of ghost.
   3. Laertes departs, talks with Ophelia about Hamlet and France.
      Polonius gives departing advice to Laertes.
      Polonius warns Ophelia sternly about Hamlet.
   4. Hamlet sees ghost, others try to keep him back.
   5. Hamlet talks with ghost at length, is told of murder. Commits to confirm. Demands oath from Horatio and Sentinels.
2. Act II:
   1. Polonius and Reynaldo plot to monitor Laertes.
      Ophelia agitated reports to Polonius on incident with Hamlet, Polonius assumes love sickness.
   2. Gertrude and Claudius welcome Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and instruct them to monitor Hamlet.
      Gertrude and Claudius welcome Marcellus and conduct court regarding Fortinbras.
      Polonius discusses Hamlet's love madness with Gertrude and Claudius, all plot to confirm.
      Hamlet witty mad discussion with Polonius in library.
      Rosencrantz and Guildenstern meet and chat with Hamlet, are confronted.
      Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Hamlet, Polonius reunite, players arrive from Elsinore.
      Player leads performs Tale to Dido stirringly.
      Hamlet greets players warmly, discusses performing his suggestion.
      Hamlet soliloquizes about the play and his feelings.
3. Act III:
   1. Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Polonius discuss Hamlet with Gertrude and Claudius. Retreat to spy.
      Hamlet to be or not to be soliloquy.
      Hamlet and Ophelia encounter, he denies affections sternly.
      Ophelia sad monologue.
      Hamlet and Claudius discuss next steps.
   2. Hamlet instructs actors.
      Hamlet instructs Horatio to watch Claudius, discusses feelings.
      Play-within-a-play opens. Horatio watches Claudius.
      Hamlet interacts bawdily with Ophelia, insults Gertrude, heckles the show.
      Play-within-a-play recaps a king's murder.
      Claudius freaks out, demands light, theatre empties.
      Hamlet and Horatio debrief.
   3. Hamlet talks misleadingly with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
      Rosencrantz and Guildenstern discuss with Claudius.
      Claudius goes to confession. Hamlet overhears in priest's place, doesn't kill him yet.
   4. Polonius hides in Gertrude's room. Hamlet enters starts fight with Gertrude.
      Hamlet accidentally slays Polonius, laments.
      Hamlet badgers Gertrude, tells her of murder, sees ghost in room.
      Hamlet leaves with Polonius' body. Gertrude raises alarm.
4. Act IV:
   1. Claudius' anger peaks, all mobilize.
   2. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern confront Hamlet about Polonius' body.
   3. Claudius confronts Hamlet about Polonius' body.
   4. Military scene regarding Fortinbras.
      Hamlet now traveling with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern encounter weary soldiers.
      Hamlet war and honor and commitment soliloquy.
   5. Time elapsed. Claudius talks of sadness of state, Polonius burial and Ophelia's madness, and civil unrest.
      Horatio and Gertrude discuss and evaluate Ophelia's madness.
      Ophelia rants and sings at length to Claudius and Horatio and Gertrude, escapes away.
      Laertes and a rabble attack court, threatens Claudius. Claudius talks him down.
      Ophelia encounters Laertes, sings and babbles. Claudius redirects Laertes' anger to Hamlet.
   6. Sailors bring letters to Horatio from Hamlet, revealing pirate events and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern death.
   7. Claudius and Laertes plot. Claudius receives letters.
      Gertrude sadly tells Claudius and Laertes or Ophelia's death.
5. Act V:
   1. Gravedigger comedic scene. Hamlet and Horatio encounters them.
      Hamlet and gravedigger chat. Yorick monologue.
      Ophelia funeral, argument with priest, all eulogize.
      Hamlet enters, argues with Laertes.
   2. Hamlet talks with Horatio about events overseas.
      Fencing challenge from Laertes brought to Hamlet by messenger from Claudius.
      Laertes and Hamlet fencing challenge setup and honorable greetings.
      Laertes and Hamlet fencing, Hamlet gets first hit, Claudius poisons wine with pearl.
      Hamlet gets second hit, Gertrude grabs poisoned wine and drinks to Claudius' shock. Laertes poisons his sword.
      Laertes and Hamlet battle, Laertes scratches Hamlet with poison, Hamlet unintentionally fatally injures Laertes.
      Queen falls, cries poisoned. Dying Laertes confesses to Hamlet. Court cries treason.
      Hamlet attacks Claudius, forces him to drink poisoned wine.
      Hamlet and Laertes exchange forgiveness.
      Hamlet final words to Horatio, instructs him to tell the story.
      Fortinbras army enters, Horatio testifies to Hamlet's greatness.

<PREV NEXT> FIRST LAST AUTO  UP 
2006.01.01