HAMLET PLOT DIAGRAM

Hamlet swears Horatio &

friends to secrecy.
Ghost Hamlet reveals
Claudius murdered him
(poison in ear) & tells
Hamlet to avenge him (but
leave Gertrude alone)
Laertes & Polonius tell
Ophelia not to get with
Hamlet
Horatio tells Hamlet about
ghost
Claudius & Gertrude tell
Hamlet to stop mourning
Claudius & Gertrude marry
(Hamlet bitter)
Prince Fortinbras out for
revenge.
Ghost of King Hamlet
appears (bad omen)
Denmark (Setting)

ACT I
EXPOSITION/ EXCITING FORCE/ RISING
ACTION

- Ghost of King Hamlet appears (bad

omen)
- Hamlet to insert lines into a play that will
be performed for king. The play will
mirror his fathers murder. Hell watch
Claudius to determine if hes guilty.
Hamlet is disturbed that the actor is
more emotional than him at the murder
of his father.
- He reveals to Rosencrantz & Guildenstern
that he is only mad at certain times
- Hamlet figures out R & G are reporting
back to the king
- King & Polonius to spy on Hamlet and see
if lovesickness is root of his madness
- Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet is
acting crazy.
- Polonius seeks Reynaldo to spy on
Laertes (concerned)

ACT II
RISING ACTION

He tells her to be a double

agent to not tell Claudius
everything
Hamlet tells Gertrude
Claudius killed King Hamlet.
That hes not crazy,
although she doubts him
because hes talking to the
ghost of the King Hamlet.
Hamlet kills Polonius (he
thinks Polonius is Claudius
as hes hiding behind a
tapestry)
Polonius goes to spy on
Hamlets meeting with
Gertrude
Claudius confesses his crime
in the church. Hamlet could
have killed him BUT doesnt
because Hamlet doesnt
want Claudius to go to
Heaven.
Hamlet decides Claudius is
guilty because of his
reaction to the play.
Claudius is upset at the play.
He leaves early and stops it.
King Claudius & Polonius spy
on Hamlet and Ophelia.
Claudius doesnt think hes
lovesick.

ACT III
CLIMAX

- Gertrude tells Claudius

about Hamlet killing
Polonius. She says he
is mad and doesnt
reveal the rest of
what hes told her
- King is to send Hamlet
to England and will
include a royal order
for his execution
- Hamlet admires Prince
Fortinbras for going
to war over a piece of
worthless land just
because of honour
and feels he has been
a cowards
- Hamlet resolves to get
revenge
- Ophelia has gone mad
and Laertes arrives
ready to take revenge
on the ing. The king
praises his wish for
vengeance but tells
Laertes is not
responsible (ironic)
- Together they plot to
kill Hamlet via a duel
with a poisoned
sword & poisoned
drink.

ACT IV
FALLING ACTION

People debate
whether Ophelia
committed suicide
Hamlet ponders death
(Yorick)
Hamlet learns that
Ophelia died. He and
Laertes argue about
who loved her more.
Hamlet recounts his
adventure on the ship
to Horatio. He
replaced the kings
execution orders with
orders to execute R &
G.
Laertes challenges
Hamlet to a duel.
Queen drinks poison,
Laertes knicks Hamlet,
Hamlet knicks Laertes.
They forgive one
another. Hamlet kills
King. Hamlet dies.
Fortinbras arrives and
seizes the crown &
land. Horatio tells
Hamlets tale and a
proper burial is given.

ACT V
RESOLUTION