Hamlet Act 1 Scene 1

1.) Interest is created in this opening scene by having the king's ghost appear. This causes confusion and fear among the sentinels and castle.

2.) We are told that this ghost has appeared before. He looks just like the king and is dressed in armor as if ready for war. When they ask him questions he does not answer. The king also disappears and comes back many times causing much confusion and keeping people on their toes.

3.) Marcellus tries to strike the ghost but it disappears again. They realize that the ghost could be trying to warn them of something so they decide to tell Hamlet.

4.) The mood of the scene is eerie.

5.) The sentries are apprehensive because the ghost looks like the king. The ghost also disappears and appears out of no where.

6.) Horatio thinks the ghost came to secretly warn of the countries fate or to come back for treasure they left upon the earth.

7.) Barnardo, Francisco, Horatio, Marcellus, and the King's Ghost

8.) Horatio says the old King defeated old King Fortinbras.

9.) Young Fortinbras is the prince of Norway and the son of Old King Fortinbras.

10.) He says Rome had people coming out of their tombs, comets had fiery tails and dews of blood, there was portents in the sun, and the moon was almost eclipsed.

11.) Horatio knows a lot more about the history of things and is a scholar, like Hamlet.

12.) Horatio is in scene 1 to give us back ground information and to set up the story.

13.) We are told that Denmark and Norway are enemies and have been for a long time.