Claudius chooses these two courtiers specifically because they are Hamlet's childhood friends, hoping their bond will make it easier to uncover the cause of his madness.

Queen Gertrude reports that Ophelia fell into a brook while picking flowers and sang hymns as her heavy clothes pulled her under, leaving her intent slightly ambiguous.

Hamlet fondly recalls this "fellow of infinite jest" carrying him as a child, using the skull to reflect on the inescapable and equalizing nature of death.

Hamlet alters a play called "The Murder of Gonzago" to mirror his father's assassination, hoping Claudius's reaction will confirm the ghost's story.

Hamlet asks the acting troupe to perform The Murder of Gonzago, hoping his uncle Claudius will react visibly to a poisoning scene mimicking the actual assassination.

Serving as a decisive foil to the hesitant protagonist, Fortinbras restores political order to Denmark after the entire royal family perishes in the final scene.

This famous soliloquy weighs the painful struggles of human existence against the terrifying, unknown aftermath of death, which he calls "the undiscovered country."

Hamlet fondly remembers this beloved entertainer as a "fellow of infinite jest" who carried him on his back during his childhood.

Hamlet stages 'The Murder of Gonzago' (also known as 'The Mousetrap') to observe King Claudius's reaction and prove he murdered Hamlet's father.

The ghost of King Hamlet reveals that Claudius murdered him by pouring poison into his ear while he slept.