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Hamlet Summary Points

Hamlet, a tragedy written around 1600-1601, explores themes of revenge, madness, and corruption through the story of Prince Hamlet seeking vengeance for his father's murder by his uncle Claudius. The plot unfolds with Hamlet's feigned madness, a play to expose Claudius's guilt, and a series of tragic events leading to multiple deaths, including Hamlet's own. Ultimately, the play conveys the moral that revenge can lead to destruction and that indecision can result in tragedy.

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7 views2 pages

Hamlet Summary Points

Hamlet, a tragedy written around 1600-1601, explores themes of revenge, madness, and corruption through the story of Prince Hamlet seeking vengeance for his father's murder by his uncle Claudius. The plot unfolds with Hamlet's feigned madness, a play to expose Claudius's guilt, and a series of tragic events leading to multiple deaths, including Hamlet's own. Ultimately, the play conveys the moral that revenge can lead to destruction and that indecision can result in tragedy.

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Detailed Summary of Hamlet – in Points

1. Background & Setting


 Written around 1600–1601.
 Genre: Tragedy.
 Main themes: Revenge, madness, corruption, betrayal, uncertainty.
 Setting: Elsinore Castle, Denmark.

2. Main Characters
 Prince Hamlet – Intelligent, philosophical, indecisive.
 King Claudius – Hamlet’s uncle; new king of Denmark.
 Queen Gertrude – Hamlet’s mother, now married to Claudius.
 Ghost of King Hamlet – Hamlet’s dead father.
 Ophelia – Polonius’s daughter, Hamlet’s love interest.
 Polonius – Advisor to the king.
 Laertes – Ophelia’s brother.
 Horatio – Hamlet’s loyal friend.
 Rosencrantz & Guildenstern – Hamlet’s old friends, used as spies.

3. Plot Summary in Sequence


Act 1 – The Ghost’s Revelation
 Hamlet’s father, King Hamlet, has died; Claudius, his brother, has
taken the throne and married Queen Gertrude.
 A ghost appears, looking like the dead king.
 The ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius murdered him by pouring poison
in his ear.
 Hamlet vows to take revenge.

Act 2 – Suspicion and Spying


 Hamlet starts acting strangely to hide his plans (or perhaps slipping
into real madness).
 Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet.
 Polonius believes Hamlet is mad because of love for Ophelia.
Act 3 – The Play Within the Play
 Hamlet stages a play reenacting his father’s murder to see Claudius’s
reaction.
 Claudius becomes nervous and leaves — confirming his guilt to
Hamlet.
 Hamlet meets Gertrude to confront her, but accidentally kills Polonius
(hiding behind a curtain).
 Claudius sends Hamlet to England, secretly ordering his execution.

Act 4 – Chaos and Death


 Hamlet escapes the ship to England and returns to Denmark.
 Ophelia, heartbroken by her father’s death and Hamlet’s behavior,
goes mad and drowns.
 Laertes returns, furious, and teams with Claudius to kill Hamlet in a
fencing match.
 The plan: poison Hamlet’s drink and poison the tip of Laertes’s sword.

Act 5 – The Final Duel


 During the duel, Laertes wounds Hamlet with the poisoned sword, but
Hamlet also wounds Laertes.
 Gertrude accidentally drinks the poisoned wine meant for Hamlet and
dies.
 Laertes confesses Claudius’s plot before dying.
 Hamlet kills Claudius, then dies from the poison.
 Fortinbras (Prince of Norway) arrives and takes the Danish throne.

4. Key Themes
 Revenge: How far should one go to avenge a wrong?
 Madness: Is Hamlet truly mad or just pretending?
 Corruption: Political and moral decay in Denmark.
 Indecision: Hamlet delays action, which causes more tragedy.
 Mortality: Death is inevitable, and human life is fragile.

5. Moral / Message
 Revenge often destroys both the avenger and the target.
 Political greed and moral weakness lead to ruin.
 Overthinking can prevent timely action.

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