| Hamlet | Prince of Denmark, Main character (duh), nephew of Claudius, son of Gertrude. Studied at University of Wittenberg. Hates uncle for scheming plans and hates his mother for her quickness to marry his uncle. Not a happy person. Dies by poison wound from Laertes and poison drink from Claudius. |
| Gertrude | Mother of Hamlet, former wife of the former king but now married to Claudius. Loves Hamlet but is shallow and marries quick. |
| Polonius | Lord Chamberlain ( manager of the court, counsellor) to Claudius, old man, conniving, father to Ophelia and Laertes. Convinces Ophelia to spy on Hamlet, and gets stabbed and killed when hamlet enters his mothers bedroom and assumes that Claudius is behind a curtain, due to a noise that Hamlet heard. |
| Horatio | Hamlet’s friend, also studied at Wittenberg, loyal to Hamlet and tells his story to Fortinbras and his men at the end of the play. |
| Ophelia | Polonius’ daughter, beautiful girl, Hamlet loves her. Easily gives into others will, spies on Hamlet for Polonius. Eventually goes crazy and drowns in a river among flowers. |
| Laertes | Son of polonius, spends much of his time in france during the play. Stabs Hamlet with the poison sword in the end to revenge the death of his father and sister. Tells hamlet that claudius planned the poison on the sword and in the cup that Hamlet was suppose to drink. They fence inside a grave. |
| Fortinbras | Young prince of Norway, his father was killed by hamlet’s father, and Fortinbras wants to attack Denmark to revenge his death. After hearing Haratio’s tale at the end, he gives Hamlet a proper and noble death by carrying his dead body away as he would a fallen soldier (honor). |
| The Ghost | The ghost of what seems to be Hamlet’s dead father. The ghost states that he was killed by Claudius and that Hamlet must avenge him. Never proven to be hamlet’s real father. |
| Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | Couriers, former friends of hamlet. Summoned by Claudius and Gertrude to learn why hamlet is going crazy. Die in England. |
| Osric | A courier that summons hamlet to his fencing duel with laertes, this duel ends up killing both members due to poison planted by Claudius. Claudius dies also. |
| Voltimand and Cornelius | Couriers that Claudius sends to Norway to ask Fortinbras not to attack Denmark. Doesn’t work out to well. |
| Marcellus and Bernardo | First watchmen in the play, see the ghost first. |
| Francisco | Guardsmen at Elsinore ( castle in which the main plot takes place). |
| Reynaldo | Servant of polonius, sent to france to spy on Laertes |
| Claudius | Ohhh this guy, he is the one that kills Hamlets father, he does this by pouring poison into his ear, then marries gertrude. Hamlet discovers that he has killed his father when he makes the passing actors act out a scene similar to what happened when Claudius kills hamlets father. Claudius leaves the theater at the time and Horacio and Hamlet see this as enough evidence to have him be guilty. Dies by a cut by a poison sword and the poison cup that Hamlet makes him drink. |
hamlet characters
August 22, 2019