لخّصلي

I

The play opens with a meeting between Hamlet's friend, Horatio, and two of the palace guards.Hamlet requests that the following night they should perform a play about a man who kills his brother and marries his brother's widow, in the hope that it will provoke a guilty reaction in Claudius.Act III

A colour illustration of a comedy and tragedy theatre masks general illustrations.They conclude that Hamlet's madness hasn't been caused by Ophelia, and Claudius thinks Hamlet should be sent away to live in England if nobody can find out what's wrong with him.When Hamlet hears someone moving behind a tapestry, he thinks it's Claudius, and stabs the intruder.Act IV

Claudius sends Hamlet away to England with his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.On his return to Denmark, Hamlet meets Horatio in the graveyard.They agree that they will dip Laertes's sword in poison, and also bring some poisoned wine to the duel for Hamlet to drink.As he's dying, Laertes confesses the plot he and Claudius hatched to kill Hamlet, and asks for Hamlet's forgiveness.The ghost then appears to the group, and they decide to tell Hamlet about it.

We then cut to the following morning, and the wedding of the King's widow, Gertrude, to his brother, Claudius.The following scene shows us a conversation between the new King's advisor, Polonius, and his son and daughter, Laertes and Ophelia.Polonius is convinced that Hamlet is still in love with Ophelia, and he tells Claudius.He sends a letter to his friend Horatio, explaining that he has stowed away on a pirate ship that is bringing him back to Denmark.He teams up with Claudius, and the pair devise a way to bring about Hamlet's death.However, Claudius and Laertes have already hatched their plan to kill Hamlet.At the duel, Hamlet refuses to drink the wine, which Claudius has offered him.Hamlet then stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword, killing him.The guards inform Horatio that they have seen a ghost resembling the King, who has recently died.Claudius has taken the throne, and Hamlet is extremely unhappy about this and his mother's wedding.Horatio and the guards inform Hamlet about the ghost.The ghost tells him that he was murdered by Claudius, and he wants Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing Claudius.However, he doesn't want Hamlet to harm Gertrude in any way.He thinks the best way to do this is by feigning mental illness, and he informs Horatio and one of the guards of his plan.Act II

Hamlet starts to carry out his plan, acting strangely.Ophelia breaks off her relationship with him, and she tells Polonius that Hamlet's behaviour is extremely out of character.A travelling theatre company then arrives at the palace.Ophelia's funeral procession then arrives.

I

The play opens with a meeting between Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, and two of the palace guards. The guards inform Horatio that they have seen a ghost resembling the King, who has recently died. The ghost then appears to the group, and they decide to tell Hamlet about it.

We then cut to the following morning, and the wedding of the King’s widow, Gertrude, to his brother, Claudius. Claudius has taken the throne, and Hamlet is extremely unhappy about this and his mother’s wedding. Horatio and the guards inform Hamlet about the ghost.

The following scene shows us a conversation between the new King’s advisor, Polonius, and his son and daughter, Laertes and Ophelia. Ophelia has a romantic interest in Hamlet, and her father and brother advise her against this. She agrees not to see him anymore.

That night, Hamlet sees the King’s ghost. The ghost tells him that he was murdered by Claudius, and he wants Hamlet to avenge his murder by killing Claudius. However, he doesn’t want Hamlet to harm Gertrude in any way. Hamlet agrees to his father’s wishes, but decides he needs to get proof of the truth before taking action. He thinks the best way to do this is by feigning mental illness, and he informs Horatio and one of the guards of his plan.

Act II

Hamlet starts to carry out his plan, acting strangely. Ophelia breaks off her relationship with him, and she tells Polonius that Hamlet’s behaviour is extremely out of character. Polonius is convinced that Hamlet is still in love with Ophelia, and he tells Claudius. The pair start to spy on Hamlet to try and find a reason for his strange behaviour.

Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, is also concerned about the change in her son. She asks his old school friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to try and find out what’s wrong with him. They’re unsuccessful, as Hamlet won’t answer their questions.

A travelling theatre company then arrives at the palace. Hamlet requests that the following night they should perform a play about a man who kills his brother and marries his brother’s widow, in the hope that it will provoke a guilty reaction in Claudius.

Act III

A colour illustration of a comedy and tragedy theatre masks general illustrations.

Ophelia and Hamlet meet so she can return the gifts he gave her when they were together. Hamlet tells her the best thing she can do is go to live in a nunnery. This confuses Polonius and Claudius, who are spying on the pair. They conclude that Hamlet’s madness hasn’t been caused by Ophelia, and Claudius thinks Hamlet should be sent away to live in England if nobody can find out what’s wrong with him.

That night, the theatre company performs the play. Claudius storms out, stopping the action and convincing Hamlet that his father’s ghost was telling the truth. He makes up his mind to murder Claudius that night, but hears him praying and decides to wait.

Hamlet goes to see his mother, Gertrude, and they have an argument about everything that’s been happening. When Hamlet hears someone moving behind a tapestry, he thinks it’s Claudius, and stabs the intruder. He then realises it’s actually Polonius he’s killed. The old King’s ghost appears again, telling Hamlet he shouldn’t have upset his mother. Gertrude can’t see the ghost, and thinks Hamlet’s apparently one-sided conversation is proof that he’s gone mad. The scene ends with Hamlet dragging Polonius’s body away.

Act IV

Claudius sends Hamlet away to England with his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. On the way, he discovers that Claudius has asked the English King to have him killed when he arrives. Hamlet decides to send Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in his place, and return home. He sends a letter to his friend Horatio, explaining that he has stowed away on a pirate ship that is bringing him back to Denmark.

Ophelia has gone mad with grief following her father’s death. She kills herself by drowning. Her brother Laertes, blaming Hamlet for his sister’s death as well as his father’s, swears to get revenge. He teams up with Claudius, and the pair devise a way to bring about Hamlet’s death.

Act V

A colour illustration of hamlet. You could use this for lessons about shakespeare.

On his return to Denmark, Hamlet meets Horatio in the graveyard. He finds the skull of an old friend, the court jester Yorick, and talks to Horatio about life and death. Ophelia’s funeral procession then arrives.

During the funeral, Hamlet and Laertes have a fight. A duel is arranged between the two of them to settle their differences. However, Claudius and Laertes have already hatched their plan to kill Hamlet. They agree that they will dip Laertes’s sword in poison, and also bring some poisoned wine to the duel for Hamlet to drink.

At the duel, Hamlet refuses to drink the wine, which Claudius has offered him. However, his mother, Gertrude, drinks it, and dies instantly. Laertes and Hamlet each wound each other. As he’s dying, Laertes confesses the plot he and Claudius hatched to kill Hamlet, and asks for Hamlet’s forgiveness. Hamlet then stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword, killing him.

Hamlet, of course, has also been stabbed with the poisoned blade. In his last breath, he asks Horatio to tell the future King about him. The play ends as Hamlet dies, and Horatio promises to tell his story.

How to teach the story of Hamlet