Good
Hamlet
– Nobly gives his vote to Fortinbras
“On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrence, more and less,
which have solicited. The rest is silence.”
(V.2.346-348)
Horatio
Wants to kill himself when Hamlet is about to die – listens, very loyal
HORATIO: Never believe it.
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane.
Here’s yet some liquor left.(lifts the poisoned cup)
HAMLET: As thou’rt a man,
Give me the cup. Let go! By heaven, I’ll have ’t.
(takes cup from HORATIO)O God, Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me!
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart
Absent thee from felicity a while,
And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain
To tell my story.(V.2.336-347)
Evil
Claudius
Wife killed by his poison
CLAUDIUS: Gertrude, do not drink.
GERTRUDE: I will, my lord. I pray you, pardon me. (drinks)
CLAUDIUS: (aside) It is the poisoned cup. It is too late (V.2.286-288)
Polonius
Spies on Hamlet because he wants to win a favor from Claudius
Leads to his death
GERTRUDE: What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not murder me?
Help, help, ho!
POLONIUS: (from behind the arras) What, ho? Help, help, help!
HAMLET: How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!
(stabs his sword through the arras and kills POLONIUS)
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern
Killed after Claudius order them to betray Hamlet
Hamlet to Horatio: Their grand commission, where I found, Horatio-
O royal knavery!-an exact command,
Larded with many several sorts of reasons
Importing Denmark’s health, and England’s too,
With-ho!-such bugs and goblins in my life
That, on the supervise (no leisure bated,
No, not to stay the grinding of the ax)
My head should be struck off.
