Summary Hamlet Act I

The story begins outside castle Ellsinore where guards are exchanging each other at duty shifts. Two more guards Horatio and Marcellus join the guard Bernardo, whose shift just begun. Bernardo tells the story to his companions in which a ghost, who looks like the late king of Denmark, visited the guarding place last two knights. While his telling the story the ghost appears. Horatio who supposedly knows how to talk to ghosts tries to communicate with it, but the ghost leaves silent. The guards start discussing who much he looks like the late king, which conquered Norway and was victories in his fights with Poland. The ghost enters again but when it was preparing to speak a cock crew and the ghost left. They decide to notify Hamlet, the late king s son, about this. Meanwhile in the castle the king, Hamlet s uncle, which married hamlet s mother discuses with Hamlet why is he still so depressive. They try to encourage him to forget his father s death and live on. King council Polonius and his son Laertes are present, and his son asks the king the permit him to go back to France which king approves. King and queen continue to persuade Hamlet to live on, on what he satirically answers. Then everyone leave expect Hamlet who is meet by the guards. Guards tell Hamlet all about the ghost of his father and he agrees to stand guard with them next night. In the next scene Laertes is preparing to live and gives advices to his sister Ophelia about Hamlet s love for her. He reminds her that Hamlet is a prince, and as such, he cannot chose freely, and that she be aware of keeping her reputation good. When the Father enters, he and Laertes part and Ophelia tell the father about hers and Hamlet s love. Polonius reacts to this telling his daughter to restrict Hamlet any access to her, in fear that Hamlet could ruin her reputation. Daughter complies. In the next scene Hamlet is standing guard at the castle and when the ghost appears he wants to talk to Hamlet alone. Hamlet fids out from his father that his uncle poisoned him and married his wife. He asks Hamlet to revenge him. Hamlet forces the guard to swear on his sword never to talk about what they saw no matter if Hamlet acted crazy. Then they leave together.