Hamlet:
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Hamlet is thought to be about 19 years old. There are other beliefs of him being 30, according to a gravedigger Hamlet was born when he started digging, 30 years ago. He is a character that is angry with his mother, which leads us to believe he is a rebellious teenager. We are in constant debate of whether or not Hamlet is crazy or not throughout the play. He says things that constantly contradict, he cannot seem to decide if he wants to lead Ophelia on or not, he wants to avenge his father but doesn't take every opportunity to its fullest. Hamlet is the son of Gertrude and the dead king. His uncle is Claudius, the new king. Hamlet loves Ophelia but doesn't always show it in the most predictable way. His most trusted friend is Horatio. Horatio is the only one in the entire play that says true to Hamlet.
Ophelia:
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Ophelia is described throughout the play as an innocent young girl. She loves Hamlet but is so confused by him. One minute he acts like he loves her, the next he tells her she should be a nun. (3.1.64-98) She is constantly confused and when she hears her father has died, it is the last straw, she has gone completely nuts. Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius and the sister of Laertes. She seems to be loved by Claudius as well. When her father dies, Claudius comforts her, unlike with Hamlet, calls him unmanly. Ophelia fits Shakespeare's theme, gender. She portrays a girl who has to follow a man's point of view, whether it be her father Polonius, brother Laertes, or even Hamlet, when he drags her on this emotional roller coaster.
Claudius:
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Claudius is the antagonist of the play. From the very beginning we do not want to trust Claudius because he treats Hamlet with such cruelty. (1.2.95-115) He calls Hamlet unmanly for not getting over his father's death in less than a month. He says blame nature, for death is natural. This is not what the audience looks for when we want someone to root for. Claudius is also Hamlet's uncle. He is the brother of Hamlet's dead father. After the death, he married Hamlet's mother Gertrude.
Gertrude:
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Gertrude is Hamlet's mother. She seems to follow whatever Claudius says, even when it means betraying her own son. We don't know what to think of her throughout the play. Is she going to help her son? Isn't that the natural thing to expect? Or is she going to betray him and follow her new husband Claudius, the one we obviously do not like? She is a figure of one of Shakespeare's themes, gender. She fits in perfectly as the woman who has no say in what shall be done.
Polonius:
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Polonius is father of Ophelia and Laertes. He is friends of Claudius which makes us like him less. He wants to ruin hamlet's reputation so Laertes looks good. He controls his daughter by telling her Hamlet may like her now, but later in life he won't. He is very controlling and manipulative.
Laertes:
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Laertes is the brother of Ophelia and son of Polonius. He and Hamlet have always been edgy toward each other. The tension raises even more once Polonius is killed and Ophelia goes mad. Laertes automatically wants revenge on Hamlet. Claudius has to delay him so they can connive a better plan. This shows how similar the three characters are to one another. They all want revenge and figure out a better way to get it by stalling their vengeance.
Horatio:
Horatio is Hamlet's best friend. He is the only one in the entire play that stays true to Hamlet at all times. Hamlet trusts Horatio enough to tell him about his plan with Claudius. He also tells Horatio about the ghost. Horatio was there in the first scene with the ghost and in the second when he tries to protect Hamlet from it, but Hamlet only shares what he heard to Horatio. This could symbolize friendship within Shakespeare's play. A true friend stays strong and supports one another. And hey, Horatio did not end up dying, so that says a little itself.
Fortinbras:
Fortinbras is a character in the play that everyone thinks is going to die. He is the prince of Norway, tries to take over Denmark with an army, and basically just wants to steal the crown. In the end, he inherits the kingdom. Hamlet gives the kingdom to Fortinbras before he dies. Why? Isn't he the one Hamlet and every royal in the kingdom wants as far away from the kingdom as possible? This is another theme in Shakespeare's play. Goals. Fortinbras was completely open with what he wanted. He wasn't sneaky or mischievous. What Shakespeare is trying to say through this is if you have a goal, go for it hardheartedly, not half way. Commit to it.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
These two are Hamlet's good friends from childhood. Polonius and Claudius try to use them to spy on Hamlet, but Hamlet catches them in the act right away. He tells them he is going to act crazy, or at least hints at it. His language toward them is very different than the language he uses toward Claudius and Gertrude.
Reynaldo
Reynaldo is Polonius' servant.
Voltemand, Cornelius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Osric, Gentlemen, And a Lord:
These people are all courtiers at the Danish court. These are people who attend the court when it is for royalty.
Francisco, Bernardo, and Marcellus:
Danish soldiers. These are people who are in the Denmark army.
Gravedigger:
He has a conversation in Act 5, scene 1 with an other that is very important. It is a discussion about whether or not Ophelia should be buried. This leads us to believe this is a religious play. Certain religions, such as Catholicism, believe if someone commits suicide that they should not deserve a proper burial. The Gravedigger and the other debate this in Act 5, scene1.