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Hamlet
Includes questions specifically asking about this Shakespeare play. Questions about the movie version should be placed under "Movies." Questions about Shakespeare should be placed under his category under Authors and Poets.
2,117 Questions
Who says give every man thy ear but few thy voice in hamlet?
Polonius said it to his son Laertes as a piece of advice before he left to Paris
Why does Hamlet ask it is the king a second after he kills polonius?
Hamlet mistakenly believes that it is Claudius who is hiding behind the arras instead of Polonius.
In Hamlet what does Polonius want to do before they send Hamlet away?
Polonius is interested in seeing whether spying on Hamlet's conversation with Gertrude will justify his theory that Hamlet is mad for love. (see the end of Act 3 Scene 1)
When Claudius leaves the play does everyone follow and only Hamlet is left on stage?
Yeah, cause Hamlet's a dork
What happens to the ship Hamlet is on?
It gets attacked by pirates. Hamlet finds himself on the pirate ship when they separate.
List any one bit of advice Polonius gives to Hamlet?
Polonius never gives advice to Hamlet. He interacts with him four times: when he accosts Hamlet in the hall when he is reading (what do you read, my lord? words, words, words), when he comes to tell Hamlet that the players have come (Buz, buz) and during and after the First Player's speech about Hecuba, during the Mousetrap (I did enact Julius Caesar), and to tell Hamlet to see his mother (very like a whale). During these conversations Hamlet constantly has Polonius on his off foot, and Polonius would never have a chance to offer advice.
He does, of course offer a lot of advice to his son Laertes, but nobody would confuse Laertes with Hamlet.
What concession has Norway made to quiet young Fortinbras?
Fortinbras is not allowed to conquer the lands his father lost, but instead he's allowed to conquer a meaningless scrap of Polish land. This involves marching through the lands his father lost. So it might all be a trick.
What did Hamlet tell Horatio was the reason he wasn't killed in England?
He tells Horatio that he escaped when Pirates boarded his ship, and Hamlet boarded the pirate ship in the fight. This explains how Hamlet ends up back in Denmark when Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are still on their way to England.
How do polonius and ophelia interpret hamlet's visit?
Polonius: Mad for thy love?
Ophelia: My lord I do not know, but truly do I fear it.
Does Hamlet die without his mothers forgiveness?
The question you should be asking is did Hamlet's mother forgive him before she died, since she died before he did. Since she was drinking a toast to him which resulted in her accidental death, he's reasonable to assume she forgave him else why would she be toasting him.
Why is Claudius unable to truly repent for his sin of killing his brother?
Because he will not give up the crown, and a wife he got from the murder.
What are some differences between scar and Claudius?
Scar is motivated primarily by his desire for the throne. In this respect, he most clearly resembles Richard in Richard III, a play which the Lion King resembles much more strongly than Hamlet. Claudius is also motivated by his genuine and caring love for his sister-in-law, who reciprocates his love. Scar is not. Claudius also proves to be an astute and wise king, as shown in his handling of the Fortinbras situation, to say nothing of his diplomacy in dealing with Laertes. He would like to get rid of Hamlet, who causes nothing but trouble for him, but Hamlet will not stay away (totally unlike Simba), and Claudius cannot overtly threaten him because of Gertrude, a factor which does not apply to Scar.
Why is the ghost's reminder about his descent to Hell significant in Hamlet?
It sets up Hamlet's choice in Act 3 not to kill Claudius while he is praying, so that Claudius will suffer even more in the afterlife than Hamlet Sr. did.
What do prince fortinbras of Norway and prince hamlet of denmark have in common?
Plenty! Of both of them it may be said that:
His father the king was killed.
His uncle, whom he has conflict with, took the throne instead of him.
He seeks to avenge his father and become king of Denmark.
We may also be meant to see them as kindred spirits.
2 the final sentence in Hamlet 'the rest is silence'is relevant because?
The little boy in Vietnam lived in a hamlet till war and moved away.
Julius Caesar Richard III hamlet and Macbeth?
Is it because the lead character in all three is killed in the play and no other Shakepeare lead characters are killed in their play
In All four plays, there is a ghost that appears
Which two characters plot to kill Hamlet?
King Claudius and Laertes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern may also be in on the plot to have him executed by the English, but probably not.
Does Ophelia tell Claudius that Hamlet murdered Polonius?
No, Gertrude does. It's not clear fromt he text how Ophelia finds out that her father has died.
How did king fortinbras of Norway lose his lands?
He had a bet with King Hamlet on who would win a fight between them. Fortinbras lost the fight and the bet.
How is polonius advising Claudius regarding foreign affairs and Hamlet?
As Claudius's advisor, it was Polonius's job to advise him on all matters of state. We presume that Polonius advised Claudius to deal with Fortinbras diplomatically through his uncle the king of Norway. This appears to have been successful. He also advised Claudius that in his opinion Hamlet was suffering from unrequited love for Ophelia and the best way to find out what was going on with Hamlet was to throw everyone Hamlet appears to have cared about at him, including Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Gertrude, and spy on the conversation. This was not such good advice.
What happens to rosencrantz in hamlet?
Rosencrantz (and Guildenstern, since nothing happens to one that does not happen to the other) is executed by the English authorities according to the forged instructions they carried. The instructions were forged by Hamlet. At the very end of the play an ambassador arrives to tell Claudius that this has been done according to the instructions.
What is the meaning of 'contumely' in Hamlet's 'To be or not to be' soliloquy?
Contumely means insults or insulting behaviour. The 'proud man' treats others with contumely because he thinks he's all that and they are insignificant.
