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Claudius and Queen Gertnide are perplexed by Hamlefs gloominess. In their opinion, Prince

Hamlet lias mourned sufficiently for liis dead father.

They nrge him to cast off his unmanly grief and to stay with tliem in Denmark, rather than retuming to school in Wittenberg.

Deeply depressed, Hamlet longs for his own deatli, saying:

."O	that this	too	too solid	flesh would	melt,
Thaw,	and	resolve	itself	into a	dew.
Or	that	the	Everlasting	had not	fixed

His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, O God, How    weary,    stale,    flat,    and    unprofitable

Seem to me all the nses of this world!'" Act 1, Scene 2, lines 129-134

Though saddened by his father's deatli, tlie larger canse of Prince Hamlefs misery is Queen Gertrude's disloyal marriage to Gaudius. Within one month of losing her beloved husband, Queen Gertrudę hastily married Gaudius, King Hamlet's own brotlier. Galled by Gertrude's hypocrisy and unfaithfulness, Hamlet scoms liis mother, saying, '"frailty, thy name is woman!'" Act 1, Scene 2, linę 146

Horatio, Marcelius and Bamardo interrupt Hamlet's dark thoughts. Recognizing Horatio as a school friend from Wittenberg, Hamlet asks Horatio what brings him to Denmark. Horatio replies tliat he came for King Hamlefs funeral. The Prince sneers that he may have come instead for Queen Gertrude's wedding, sińce the two events occurred consecutively. As Hamlet bitterly quips, "The fiuieral baked meats / Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables....'" Act 1, Scene 2, lines 179-180

Relaying the events of the previous three nights, Horatio informs Hamlet that the silent, armored gliost of his dead fatlier has been seen roaming the castle grounds. Hamlet decides to join tonighfs watch and speak with the unsettled spirit himself. Resolving to uncover wliatever wickedness that disturbs his fatheris peace, Hamlet says.

'"My	fatheris	spirit	in	arms!	All	is	not	well.
I	doubt some	foul	play.	Would	the	niglit	were	come.
Till	then, sit	still.	my	soul.	Foul	deeds	will	rise,

Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men's eyes.’" Act 1, Scene 2, lines 254-257

Act 1, Scene 3

Laertes, bound for Paris, bicls a fond farewell to his sister, Ophelia. Offering some brotherly advice, he wams Ophelia to guard her chastity against Prince Hamlefs romantic advances. Because Hamlet is royalty, he must marry someone of high rank. Therefore, he cannot be wholly serious in his love for the common Ophelia. Polonius urges his son to depart promptly, yet he detains Laertes further with a long list of instructions. As the long-winded father advises, '"Give every man thy ear but few thy voice....Neither a borrower nor a lender be....Tliis above all - to tliine own self be true...."' Act 1, Scene 3, lines 68, 75, 78. After