Short Essay Answer about Hamlet

1. Horatio is character in the play Hamlet and also the closet friend to prince Hamlet. He is a rational man who offers advice to the prince on how to revenge his father's murder. Horatio is a true friend to Prince Hamlet who supports him through out the play. He even takes away a poisonous drink that is intended to kill prince Hamlet. The sentinels were aware that Horatio was the most trusted friend to the prince and that is why they invited him to watch as they revealed about the appearance of his father's ghost.

2.  Prince Hamlet is annoyed by Gertrude marrying Claudius immediately after the death of his father. He believed that Gertrude had betrayed his father and he is also envies his uncle for betraying his father and a brother in order to take his kingship. This is seen in act 1 scene 2 when Hamlet argues that Gertrude did not mourn for his father's death. He reacts coldly about Gertrude's marriage to Claudius. The ghost of the late king Hamlet reveals to Hamlet junior that it was indeed his late father ghost and it was Claudius who murdered him. The ghost demands Hamlet to avenge his father's death by killing Claudius and treating Gertrude well. Hamlet is convinced that this was a true ghost and he promises to keep his revenge missions as a secret.

3. Polonius believes that the reason for Hamlet's 'antic disposition was as a result of Ophelia, his daughter, rejection to marry him. However, Gertrude had previously suspected Hamlet's anger to be as a result of his father's death and her marriage to Claudius. Claudius does agree with Polonius theory and he organizes for Hamlet to be spied.

4. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are comedians and Hamlet friends who are invited to by Claudius to find the reason for his strange behavior and convince him to marry Ophelia.

5. By having the visiting actors perform the play 'The Murder of Gonzago', he believes that he had proved that Claudius guilty of killing Hamlet senior.

6. At the end of act III, Polonius is killed by Hamlet. His children Laertes and Ophelia are shocked by the news of their father and Ophelia almost losses her senses.

7. The letter that Claudius sends to England is a request to the King of England to have Hamlet killed immediately he arrives there. However, Hamlet becomes curious to know the contents of the letter and wonders why Claudius did not entrust him with it. He then changes its contents and Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are killed.

8. Claudius confirms to Laertes that Hamlet was the one responsible for his father's death. On realizing that he was still alive, they two plan to kill him. Claudius is aware of Laerte's prowess in sword and he organizes for a fight between him and Hamlet so that so that he could avenge his father's death by killing him. Laertes asks Claudius to apply poison on his sword so that he could kill him easily. However, Claudius doubts whether Laertes had the ability to kill Hamlet. He swears to kill him by poisoning if Laertes could fail to do so.

The play is seen to be full of revenge missions as different characters struggle to avenge killing of their loved ones. As the play ends, Claudius, Gertrude and Hamlet are all killed without anyone to avenge them. Claudius is stabbed by Hamlet and then forced to drink poisoned wine that kills him. Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine that was intended to kill her son without knowing and she falls down and eventually dying. Laertes manages to pierce Hamlet with his poisoned sword and he too dies. Hamlet is able to kill Laertes with his own sword leaving his closest friend, Horatio, to explain to the people what had happened since he was the only living witness.