Hamlet begins on a dark night at Elsinore Castle in Denmark. Guards discuss a ghost resembling Denmark’s recently deceased king that has been appearing outside the castle. Believing this ghost’s presence signals danger, they decide to inform Prince Hamlet, the late king’s son.

The Royal Upheaval

Prince Hamlet has returned from Germany for his father’s funeral and his mother Gertrude’s sudden remarriage to Claudius, his uncle, who has taken the throne. Adding to this turmoil, Denmark faces a threat from Fortinbras, the son of Norway’s late king, who secretly plans to reclaim lands his father lost to Hamlet’s father.

The Ghost’s Revelation

One night, the ghost appears to Hamlet, revealing that Claudius murdered him to seize the throne and marry Gertrude. Horrified and enraged, Hamlet vows to avenge his father’s death but decides to feign madness to investigate further without raising suspicion.

Hamlet's Erratic Behavior

Hamlet’s strange behavior worries those around him, including Ophelia, a noblewoman he loves. Her father, Polonius, and brother, Laertes, warn her to avoid Hamlet, while Polonius theorizes that Hamlet’s madness is caused by unrequited love for Ophelia.

Claudius and Gertrude's Plan

To uncover the cause of Hamlet’s behavior, Claudius and Gertrude summon Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s old friends, to spy on him. Polonius suggests eavesdropping on a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia, but this encounter proves inconclusive. Claudius decides to send Hamlet to England, while Polonius plans to eavesdrop on a conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude.

The Play Within a Play

Inspired by a visiting acting troupe, Hamlet stages a play mimicking his father’s murder to gauge Claudius’s reaction. Claudius’s disturbed response confirms his guilt to Hamlet.

The Death of Polonius

After the play, Hamlet finds Claudius praying and refrains from killing him, reasoning that it would send Claudius to heaven. Later, in Gertrude’s chambers, Hamlet confronts his mother, and, hearing someone hiding behind a tapestry, he impulsively stabs them, killing Polonius.

Hamlet Sent to England

Claudius, alarmed by Hamlet’s actions, sends him to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, secretly ordering Hamlet’s execution upon arrival. However, Hamlet discovers the plot and returns to Denmark.

Ophelia's Tragic Fate

Devastated by her father’s death, Ophelia descends into madness and drowns in a brook. Meanwhile, Laertes, enraged by his father’s and sister’s deaths, returns to Denmark seeking revenge.

The Deadly Duel

Claudius arranges a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes. Unbeknownst to Hamlet, Laertes wields a poisoned blade, and Claudius prepares poisoned wine as a backup plan. During the match, Gertrude accidentally drinks the wine and dies. Laertes wounds Hamlet with the poisoned blade but is fatally injured himself. Before dying, Laertes reveals Claudius’s treachery.

Hamlet’s Revenge and Death

Enraged, Hamlet kills Claudius by stabbing him with the poisoned blade and forcing him to drink the wine. As Hamlet succumbs to the poison, he asks his friend Horatio to explain the tragic events to the world. Hamlet names Fortinbras as Denmark’s next ruler before dying.

The Aftermath

Fortinbras arrives to find the royal family dead and orders Hamlet’s body to be carried away with honor. Horatio vows to tell the story of what transpired.