Hamlet 1284x2048

Hamlet Timeline

By jeffgrantdelaney
  • Period: 1 CE to 6

    Act 1

  • 2

    The ghost of Old Hamlet appears.

    The ghost of Old Hamlet appears.
    An old friend of Hamlet, Horatio, sees the ghost of the previous King Hamlet.
  • 3

    The Marriage

    The Marriage
    Hamlet's mother Gertrude has married Hamlet's uncle, Claudius.
  • 4

    Horatio breaks news to Hamlet

    Horatio breaks news to Hamlet
    Horatio goes to Hamlet and tells him of what he saw, and Hamlet then goes with him to investigate if it was really his father's ghost.
  • 5

    Laertes warns Ophelia of Hamlet

    Laertes warns Ophelia of Hamlet
    Laertes tells Ophelia to stay far away from Hamlet before leaving, and Ophelia tells Polonius of how Hamlet expressed his love for her, to which Polonius forbade the relationship.
  • 6

    Hamlet sees the ghost of his Father

    Hamlet sees the ghost of his Father
    Hamlet's father appears to him, and tells Hamlet that Claudius poisoned him. Then he tells Hamlet to avenge his death.
  • Period: 7 to 11

    Act 2

  • 8

    Hamlet behaves weirdly

    Hamlet behaves weirdly
    Hamlet begins acting insane, to where Ophelia informed her father, who believes that Hamlet has gone mad because Ophelia has refused to see him anymore.
  • 9

    Claudius recruits Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

    Claudius recruits Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
    Claudius recruits two of Hamlet's friends to find out the cause to Hamlet's madness.
  • 10

    Polonius's plan

    Polonius's plan
    Polonius makes a plan with Claudius and Gertrude to listen in on Ophelia and Hamlet's conversation to see how Hamlet behaves towards her.
  • 11

    The travelling actors

    The travelling actors
    Hamlet organizes the travelling actors to perform a play in which they reenact what Claudius did to Hamlet's father.
  • Period: 12 to 16

    Act 3

  • 13

    Hamlet's reflection

    Hamlet's reflection
    Before talking to Ophelia, Hamlet reflects on life and existence delivering his famous speech that starts ‘To be, or not to be, that is the question’.
  • 14

    Hamlet and Ophelia's fight

    Hamlet and Ophelia's fight
    Hamlet criticizes Ophelia and says that he does not love her.
  • 15

    Claudius confesses.

    Claudius confesses.
    After watchjing the play, Claudius runs off to pray, where he confessed that he murdered his brother, Hamlet decided not to kill him while he was praying in hopes that he would not be sent to heaven.
  • 16

    Hamlet Murders Polonius

    Hamlet Murders Polonius
    While Hamlet confronts his mother, Polonius was listening to them behind a curtain, as Hamlet heard a sudden movement from Polonius, he stabbed the curtain, killing Polonius doing so.
  • Period: 17 to 22

    Act 4

  • 18

    Hamlet leaves to go to England

    Hamlet leaves to go to England
    Hamlet will not tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern where Polonius’ body is but eventually tells Claudius. Claudius then plots to have Hamlet killed in England.
  • 19

    Ophelia goes mad

    Ophelia goes mad
    Queen Gertrude meets Ophelia, who is singing sad songs and speaking strangely. When Claudius joins them, he tells Horatio to watch her.
  • 20

    The return of Laertes

    The return of Laertes
    Laertes comes home because of his father’s death, and he is angry to learn that Hamlet wasn’t punished for killing his father. Claudius and Laertes plot to kill Hamlet when he returns.
  • 21

    Hamlet returns

    Hamlet returns
    The ship Hamlet was travelling on was attacked by pirates. Hamlet was captured but treated well by the pirates and has returned to Denmark.
  • 22

    Ophelia dies

    Ophelia dies
    Gertrude announces that Ophelia has killed herself.
  • Period: 23 to 28

    Act 5

  • 24

    Two Gravediggers

    Two Gravediggers
    Two gravediggers debate whether Ophelia should be buried on church grounds because she killed herself. Hamlet appears, then Hamlet inspects a skull and realizes it was the head of a jester that he once knew, called Yorick.
  • 25

    Ophelia's funeral

    Ophelia's funeral
    Coffin bearers bring out the body of Ophelia and Laertes jumps into her grave in an attempt to embrace his sister one last time. Hamlet appears and the two men fight over who loved her more.
  • 26

    Laertes challenges Hamlet to duel.

    Laertes challenges Hamlet to duel.
    Hamlet tells Horatio that Claudius tried to have him killed in England but he changed the order so Rosencrantz and Guildenstern would be killed. A servant brings Hamlet an invitation, to fight Laertes. Hamlet agrees to then fight Laertes.
  • 27

    The fight.

    The fight.
    Hamlet and Laertes both choose their swords, and Laertes picks the one he has poisoned. During the duel, Gertrude drinks poisoned wine meant for Hamlet and she dies. Both Hamlet and Laertes are then wounded with the poisoned sword. Laertes reveals Claudius’ plan to Hamlet, so Hamlet then kills his uncle, Claudius.
  • 28

    Hamlet Dies.

    Hamlet Dies.
    Hamlet tells Horatio that Fortinbras, the Prince of Norway, should become the new king of Denmark. Hamlet then dies.