Literature Midterm Flashcards
(73 cards)
Where does the play take place?
Denmark
What happens before the play begins?
Claudius kills King Hamlet.
How is Claudius related to Hamlet?
Claudius is Hamlet’s uncle, brother of King Hamlet
Who is Polonius?
Claudius’ closest advisor, father of Ophelia, talks too much and is kind of stupid, hypocritical (brevity is the soul of wit)
To whom does the ghost speak?
The ghost of King Hamlet talks to his son, Hamlet
What does the ghost ask him to do?
He asks him to kill Claudius, but to not harm his mother (Gertrude)
Who is supposed to spy on Hamlet?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s childhood friends
Who is Laertes?
son of Polonius, wants to kill Hamlet because of his father’s death, was friends with Hamlet (before
Hamlet killed his father), sparring partner
Who is Ophelia?
Hamlet loves her, and she loves him, but they never get together because of false info about each other.
Ophelia ends up going crazy after her father’s death (Polonius), and drowns herself in the river.
Why does Polonius say Hamlet is acting so crazy?
He is in love with Ophelia
How does Polonius die?
Hamlet mistakes Polonius for Claudius while he hides behind a curtain, stabs him.
Who is Gertrude?
Gertrude is Hamlet’s mother and King Hamlet’s wife (Queen). When King Hamlet dies, she remarries her
husband’s brother, Claudius, really quickly. Hamlet does not like this.
Why does Hamlet decide not to initially kill Claudius?
Claudius is praying, and Hamlet doesn’t want to kill him now because then he would go to heaven, but he
wants him to go to hell.
Why does Claudius send Hamlet to England?
To kill him without looking like Claudius actually killed Hamlet.
How does Ophelia die?
She drowns herself in a river after Polonius’ death.
How does Laertes die?
He dies because of a poisoned sword. The sword was originally meant for Hamlet, but they were wrestling
on the ground and the sword got switched.
How does Gertrude die?
She drinks a poisoned cup of wine that was meant for Hamlet.
How does Claudius die?
Hamlet stabbed Claudius with the poisoned sword, then makes him finish the wine.
How does Hamlet die?
He dies from poison on the edge of a sword.
What is the point of the “To Be or Not to Be” speech?
He is wondering if he should kill himself or not.
What is the most important thing to know about all of Shakespeare’s tragedies?
Everyone dies.
What is Shakespeare’s first name?
William.
What was unusual of the performers in the time of Shakespeare’s plays?
There were all male, and the young boys would play girls.
When did Shakespeare live?
Mid 1500’s - early 1600’s (died in 1616)