First Act
In the first act of the play, Hamlet's father, the King of Denmark, has just died, and his mother, Queen Gertrude, has married his brother-in-law, Claudius, who has now become the king.
Second Act
A ghost resembling the king of Denmark appears to the sentries at the Castle of Elsinore, revealing that he was killed by Claudius and asking to be avenged.
Third Act
Hamlet and his friend Horatio arrange a night meeting to see the ghost, who confirms to Hamlet that he was murdered by Claudius. Hamlet decides to pretend to be mad in order to carry out his revenge more easily. Meanwhile, Polonius, the king's advisor, believes that Hamlet's madness is caused by his love for his daughter, Ophelia. Hamlet arranges for a troupe of actors to perform a play that parallels the story revealed by the ghost.
Fourth Act
Laertes, Ophelia's brother, seeks revenge for his father's murder and plots Hamlet's death with the help of the king. Hamlet is sent to England, but he manages to escape.
Fifth Act
Ophelia goes mad and drowns herself, while Laertes and the king conspire to kill Hamlet. During a confrontation, Laertes wounds Hamlet with a poisoned sword, and in the ensuing struggle, both Hamlet and Laertes are fatally wounded. Before his death, Hamlet asks his friend Horatio to tell his story.
Setting
The story is set in the late Middle Ages in and around the castle in Elsinore, Denmark. Hamlet is studying in Wittenberg, Germany, and his skepticism of the ghost may be connected to the development of the plot.
The Character of Hamlet
Hamlet is the most talkative of Shakespeare's characters. His language is characterized by ambiguity, with everything he says conveyed through metaphor, simile, and wordplay. His words often have hidden meanings.
Themes
While Hamlet can be considered a revenge tragedy, it also explores themes such as love, madness, youth and age, action and inaction, and the existence of God and life after death. The play also delves into the ambiguous relationship between life and death.
In summary, Hamlet is a complex play that explores the themes of revenge, love, madness, and the human condition, through the character of Hamlet and the events that unfold in the kingdom of Denmark.
