Hamlet Act I Summary

In this Act, we left off with Cornelius allowing Laerties to return to France.

After that, Hamlet is left alone and his friends arrive and tell him about the ghost of his father that they saw in the graveyard. Hamlet is so excited by this news that he wants to see for himself and plans to meet his friends where they claim to have seen the ghost and try to speak with it.

After these plans are made the play turns focus to Laerties and Ophelia. Laerties warns Ophelia that Hamlet does not really love her and to be cautious around him instead of opening up and falling in love with him as well. Polonius, their father, enters and tells Laerties to go to France now and then asks Ophelia what her and Laerties were speaking about. Ophelia tells her father about Hamlet and Polonius tells Ophelia the same thing; to stay away from Hamlet. Ophelia obeys.

The play then switches focus back to Hamlet who is waiting to see his fathers ghost with his friends. His fathers ghost appears and beckons Hamlet to follow him but Hamlet's friends do not want Hamlet to follow the ghost and so they try to hold him back. Hamlet frees from their grip and follows after the ghost but his friends follow him as well. When Hamlet is alone with the ghost, the ghost tells him about how he is paying for his sins and has to walk the Earth at night because he is still troubled and seeking justice. Hamlet Sr. tells Hamlet how he really died and that he was murdered by his brother, the new King of Denmark. The ghost asks Hamlet to seek justice for what was done and Hamlet tells him he will.

Hamlet's friends catch up with him and ask about what happened but Hamlet just makes them swear not to say anything about what they had seen or heard of the ghost. As his friends are trying to swear, the ghost keeps saying "swear" and so Hamlet gets frustrated and finally just ignores the ghosts cries.