Act I, Scene 5 Questions
 Adam Qian
12/22/14
C block


1. What important information does this scene provide about the crime?
During this scene, we are provided information regarded the death of Hamlet’s father.  We learn that while Hamlet’s father was taking a nap in his orchard, his Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius snuck up on Hamlet’s father and poured a poisonous substance into his ear, which resulted in a painful and guaranteed death.

 2.  What terrible responsibility does the ghost lay on Hamlet?
The ghost lay’s the responsibility of revenge onto Hamlet.  He has said that if the deed is not accounted for, then his father’s spirit, the ghost, will be doomed to walk the Earth forever.

3. What is his immediate response to this responsibility
Hamlet is at first grieved to find out that his uncle was responsible for the death of his father.  Not too long after receiving this news and the responsibility that he has been asked of, Hamlet is enraged at his uncle and swears to his father’s spirit that he will indeed avenge him.

4. Why do you think Hamlet swear his friends to secrecy
I think Hamlet swears his friends to secrecy because the news he has just received is extremely shocking and if the rest of the kingdom were to get any whiff of the news, there would be chaos and anarchy everywhere.  He also does not want to alert Claudius to the fact that he knows what he has done to his father.

5. What do you think Hamlet means when he announces to his friends that he may “put an antic disposition on”?
He means that he may act differently than he usually does in order to evoke a sort of response out of Claudius or maybe set himself up to get revenge on his uncle.  Antic means bizarre or not normal while disposition means a person's inherent qualities.  So in this case, Hamlet means that he is going to act bizarrely

6.Explain what you believe Hamlet’s dilemma is at the end of Act I.  What conflicts do you see set up in the play?  WHat different plot lines?.
Hamlet’s dilemma at the end of Act I is deciding whether or not his mother is innocent or guilty in the terms of judgement.  Although she may have went on to marry Claudius and cold heartedly let go of King Hamlet so soon of his death, she did not know of Claudius's misdeeds.  Hamlet must decide whether or not her rash actions to marry so soon are worth revenge.  King Hamlet’s ghost has already said to leave Gertrude alone as the problem are the “thorns” that have gotten attached to her.  I think that Hamlet thinks differently.  He resents his mother for betraying King Hamlet so easily and wishes to have revenge on her just as much as he does on Claudius