The document summarizes the plot and characters of Shakespeare's play Hamlet. It includes: 1) A diagram showing the family relationships between the main characters including Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Laertes, and Ophelia. 2) Descriptions of each character and their role in the story. 3) A diagram depicting the tragic relationships between characters throughout the play. 4) A distillation curve showing the dramatic arc of the play across five acts, with Act 3 identified as the climax. 5) Visual depictions of essential events from each act, including Hamlet seeking evidence against Claudius in Act 2.

1. The Essentials of Hamlet
The Tragedy of Hamlet:
Prince of Denmark
Distillation Curve as
Dramatic Flow
John Hipsley: 3/23/2013

2. GERTRUDE
• Queen
• Mother of Hamlet
• Remarried her step-brother one
month after her husband dies
• Unknown whether she was
responsible for Old Hamlet’s death
CLAUDIUS
• Uncle to Hamlet
• Now his step-father
• Married Gertrude the Queens
and his sister-in-law
• Killed Old King Hamlet his
brother
Family Relationship of Characters
POLONIUS
• Father to Laertes & Ophelia
• Assistant to Claudius
• Does not trust Hamlet
LAERTES
• Son of Polonius
• Brother to
Ophelia
• Does not trust
or like Hamlet
OPHELIA
• Daughter of Polonius
• Sister to Laertes
• In love with Hamlet
Horatio
• Supports Prince Hamlet
in his quest
P Father
of O
P Father
of L
Siblings
H Son of G
G Mother of H
H Step son & Nephew
C Uncle & Step father
Hamlet & Horatio are Friend s
C&G Married
HAMLET
• Prince of Denmark
• Son of Gertrude
• Nephew to Claudius
• Boyfriend to Ophelia
• Swears revenge against
Claudius and Gertrude

3. Old KING HAMLET’S GHOST
• Returned to Castle Elsinore to
tell Hamlet that Claudius is his
murderer
CLAUDIUS
• King of Denmark
• Marries his sister-in-law
• Ascends to throne after
death of King Hamlet
GERTRUDE
• Queen
• Widow of the late King
and wife of Claudius
POLONIUS
• Claudius’ Lord
Chamberlain
LAERTES
• Returns from France to
avenge Polonius’ death
• Conspires with
Claudius to kill Hamlet
HAMLET
• Prince of Denmark
• Seeks to avenge his
father’s death
Horatio
• Supports Prince
Hamlet in his quest
ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN
• Hamlet’s school friends brought
to Denmark to spy on Hamlet
OPHELIA
• Polonius’ daughter
• Goes made after Hamlet
mistreats and murders her father
Tragic Relationship of Characters
C Murders H Sr.
(Pours poison in his ear)
H Murders P
(by mistake)
H causes O.
To Suicide
H Arranges
Death of R&G
friends
Mothers
C&L Plot to Kill H
L Kills H
(Poison
Sword)
C Murders H
(Poison Cup)
H. Kills C.
(same duel) +
Poison Cup
“Ghost” was
father to H.
H Kills L
(Same Duel)
C Kills G.
(inadvertently)
Poison Cup
C Marries G
Before the Play
Husband & Wife

4. ACT 2:
RISING ACTION
• Hamlet tries to discover
truth of ghost's
accusations
ACT 3:
CLIMAX
• Hamlet springs trap
• Catches proof of
Claudius’ guilt
ACT 4:
FALLING ACTION:
• Moves to have
Hamlet killed
ACT 5
Denouement
• Everyone’s vengeances
is consummated
• Bloody end
• Only Horatio left to
tell the tale
ACT I:
EXPOSITION
• Something rotten in
state of Denmark
• Ghost appears and
calls for vengeance
ACT 3- CLIMAX
• Hamlet discovers that Claudius is
guilty with the play (main plot),
• But kills Polonius by Mistake in
the Closet Scene
Distillation Curve – Arc of Tragedy
 





ACT 2- RISING ACTION
• Will Hamlet take
revenge?
• Will he act?
ACT 4- FALLING ACTION
• Claudius, not Hamlet, takes
control of the events
• Counterplot of Claudius and
Laertes
The Tragedy of
Hamlet:
Prince of
Denmark

5. ACT 2:
RISING ACTION
• Hamlet: “I smell a rat
behind the hangings”
• He mistakenly kills
Polonius instead of
Claudius
• (3:iv)
ACT 3:
CLIMAX
• Hamlet: “The play's
the thing,” he
declares, “wherein
I'll catch the
conscience of the
king” (2:ii;581–582).
ACT 4:
FALLING ACTION:
• Laertes to Claudius:
“And, for that
purpose, I'll anoint
my sword”
(4:6;140)
ACT 5:
Denouement
• Horatio to Hamlet:
dying “Good night
sweet prince: And
flights of angels sing
thee to thy rest! “
(5:2)
ACT I:
EXPOSITION
• Marcellus to
Horatio: “Something
is rotten in the state
of Denmark”.
(1.4.90)
ACT 3- CLIMAX
Play within a Play
“The Mousetrap
Scene”
Picturing the Visual Essentials
 





ACT 2
Hamlet seeks evidence of
Claudius’ treachery
On the battlement of
Elsinore Castle
The Tragedy of
Hamlet:
Prince of
Denmark
ACT 4- FALLING ACTION
• Laertes plots with Claudius
to kill Hamlet in a duel
with his sword dipped in
an “unction” (poison)

6. Quotation for Reflection
Polonius’ advice to his son Laertes:
Those friends thou hast,
and their adoption tried,
grapple them to thy soul
With hoops of steel.
Act 1 : iii ; 62