The newly crowned King of Denmark, and brother of the former king. He has married the late king’s wife.
The Queen of Denmark and mother of Hamlet. She has remarried her husband’s brother after his untimely death.
Claudius's most important advisor.
A courtier and son of Polonius.
The Prince of Denmark. He is still brooding after his father’s death and mother’s remarriage, but is interested by Horatio’s description of the ghost.
A Danish courtier.
A Danish courtier.
Hamlet’s close friend. He tells Hamlet about the ghost.
A Danish soldier who also saw the ghost.
A Danish soldier who also saw the ghost.
Attendants in Claudius's court.
Newly minted King Claudius is holding court at Elsinore. He’s got all kinds of announcements: he thanks all of his supporters in this trying time; he sends ambassadors to Norway to avert an attack by their prince, Fortinbras; he sends Laertes, a young courtier, back to France; and he denies Hamlet permission to go back to school in Wittenberg. Claudius thinks Hamlet is far too mopey about his father’s death and should move on with his life. After all, there’s much to celebrate, like Claudius’s marriage to Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. After everyone departs, Hamlet talks to himself, bemoaning the sad and rotten state of the world and his place in it. Then Horatio, Bernardo, and Marcellus arrive to bring news of the ghost. Intrigued, Hamlet decides to join them on guard tonight, in the hopes of seeing the ghost for himself.
