Hamlet #1

1) The interest is created by the appearance of old King Hamlet's ghost.

2) We are given the information about the ghost who has been appearing: that he looks exactly like the dead king and is dressed in armor as if ready for war. We are also told who Fortinbras and his father are, how (and why) the father was killed, and why young Fortinbras is seeking revenge.

3) The ghost appears again and the four men try to ask it questions, but it doesn't answer. Marcellus then tries to strike it, to make it stay and answer questions, but it disappears again. They realize it might be a warning and decide to tell Hamlet.

4) The mood of this scene is eerie and dark. The ghost appears and the guards are on watch because they are preparing for war.

5) The sentries are apprehensive for two reasons. The first, because they have a feeling this ghost, who keeps appearing and then disappearing, is a bad sign for their country in the upcoming war. The second, because the ghost isn't just any ghost, it's a ghost of the late king and he's wearing the same armor as when he fought and killed the king of Norway.

6) Horatio suggests that the ghost came back to warn them of their country's fate or to tell them of some lost/buried treasure.

7) The characters present are Horatio, Marcellus, Barnado, Francisco, and the king's Ghost.

8) Horatio says that the King was a rival of old King Fortinbras and that he had to kill him.

9) Young Fortinbras is the prince of Norway. His father was killed by old King Hamlet and he wants to avenge his father's death and get back the lands his father lost now that old King Hamlet is gone.

10) Horatio says that people (corpses) rose from their graves and walked the streets wailing, that comets left trails and dews of blood, and that the moon was almost totally eclipsed.

11) Horatio is an educated scholar. He went to university with Hamlet.

12) Horatio is there to give us the background information and set up the story.

13) Denmark and Norway have been in an ongoing feud for quite some time, the old King of Denmark is dead and appearing as a ghost, and his son is prince and heir to the throne.