Hamlet - Plot

Question 1

inciting incident

Answer 1

• when the ghost of his father asks hamlet to avenge his death and kill claudius
• irony is that the ghost is in purgatory for his sins and asks his son to sin for him

Question 2

rising action (not in order)

Answer 2

• relationship develops with Ophelia (he treats her terribly)
• hamlet frustration
• hamlet loves his mother in an almost inappropriate manner
• hamlet chooses to act crazy
• acts indecisively is much of the time he needs reassurances
• arranges the play within a play to see Claudius’ reaction
• claudius leaves the play
• hamlet’s indecision is frustrating to the reader
• hamlet kills polonius
• claudis sends hamlet to england and arranges for his friends to kill him
• hamlet is caught by pirates
• ophelia drowns
• hamlet and laertes have a sword fight
• laerts and Claudius rig the fight with a poisonous sword and a poisonous drink is set out for hamlet
• both hamlet and laertes are stabbed with the poisoned sword

Question 3

possible climax

Answer 3

hamlet, while dying, kills claudius

Question 4

answers

Answer 4

• ghost asks hamlet (inciting incident)
• hamlet’s mother dies (rising action)
• king claudius dies (climax)
• mousetrap
• rising action
• oedipus complex (rising action)
• play within a play
• hamlet asks (rising action)
• hamlet has been questioning the morality
• if their reactions will lead
• claudius leaves play
• he doesn’t want to kill him while praying