Hamlet

Characters:

Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is a gentle, deep-thinking, loving, and loyal man. He is not only intelligent but also
quick-witted, appreciative of his standing, and self-aware. He is a decent soul, well-liked by those
close to him. As an only child, he is consumed with grief after the death of his father, King Hamlet.
Audiences get as tangled in his thinking as he is, especially those who get stuck, as Polonius does, in
wondering whether the prince is mad.

Polonius
Polonius is counselor to the king and father to Laertes and Ophelia, although his children seem to
have more heart and more integrity. That he loves his children is a strength, but it also seems that he
might sacrifice their best interests for what is the most politically correct decision. And while
Polonius is in a profession that may demand that type of submissiveness, one could argue that his
tendency toward action without thought—a tendency that some audiences might say is in a
proportion inverse to that of Hamlet's—is a contributing factor to both Ophelia's and his own
demise. gentle, loving, older brother. He shows his loyalty, affection, concern—and a bit of wisdom—
when he speaks with his sister about Hamlet. Especially telling is Laertes's explanation to Ophelia
that for persons of state, such as Hamlet, the good of the country often trumps individual desire—
especially with regard to choice of partner.

Claudius
Claudius is the king of Denmark. As the tale opens, Claudius has recently ascended to the throne,
taking his deceased brother's (and Hamlet's father's) position; to the chagrin of many, he has also
married his brother's widow, Gertrude. Claudius is a deceitful, corrupt, jealous, and controlling man
—characteristics exhibited again and again throughout the play. Claudius carries himself well at the
outset of the play; his nature is cordial and reserved as one might expect of wellbred royalty—but
this feels forced, or "played." Little by little, we see Claudius's true nature: cold, calculating, and
selfseeking, in contrast to Hamlet's gentle, introspective nature.

Ophelia
The daughter of Polonius and sister of Laertes, Ophelia is also Hamlet's love interest. She is a young,
bright, and gentle woman, comfortable even with those above her in rank, like Gertrude. Although
the depth of her relationship with Hamlet is difficult to discern, she is undoubtedly devoted to him.
Her unbridled devotion, along with her obvious inexperience in love—as well as Hamlet's
determination to drive her away from him—all figure into her misery and, ultimately, her
heartbreaking death

Horatio
Loyal friend to Prince Hamlet, Horatio is also a student at Wittenberg in Germany. He is the person
the sentries Barnardo and Francisco alert after they have twice seen a ghostly version of the recently
deceased king. His role, which he performs well, is trusted ally and logical thinker. In a sense, it is the
calm and collected Horatio who represents a halfway point between the introspective Hamlet and
those who act without thinking, such as Fortinbras (the young prince of Norway), Polonius, and, at
times, Claudius. Horatio, by virtue of having Hamlet's trust and company, is often privy to the prince's
more private thoughts and plans. Through Horatio, Shakespeare often gives the audience insight into
Hamlet, too. And, ultimately, because Horatio is so close to all that transpires—and yet not
immediately involved—he is able to be a witness to the events in Denmark and, as Hamlet requested
of him, communicate that tale to the world.

Gertrude
Gertrude is queen to Claudius, the current king of Denmark, and the widow of his brother, the elder
King Hamlet. She is also mother to Prince Hamlet, the main character in this tragedy. A central
quality of Gertrude's character is that she loves her son; it is apparent from the outset and is a
driving force for her.

Laertes
Adventurous yet obedient, Laertes, whose name comes from Homer's The Odyssey, is Polonius's son
and Ophelia's brother. Early in the play, Laertes, who has most recently been living in France, comes
across as a young man eager to begin his life. When introduced to the audience, he has come to the
royal court, seeking permission from Claudius to return to France. He is a bit hesitant, maybe even
tongue-tied in that setting. But in a scene shortly after this, with Ophelia in the family home, his
character becomes a bit clearer. In that setting, Laertes is the

Ghost
The ghost is the spirit of Hamlet's father, who has recently died. The ghost tells Hamlet that his was
not a natural death. He says he was murdered by Claudius, his brother, and he urges Hamlet to
avenge his death by killing Claudius. The ghost's message unnerves Hamlet. He does not know
whether to believe the ghost, or to think it some sort of demon there to trick him into committing
murder.