Editing Hamlet (section)

===Act I===
[[Prince Hamlet]] of Denmark is the son of the recently deceased [[King Hamlet]], and nephew of [[King Claudius]], his father's brother and successor. Claudius hastily married King Hamlet's widow, Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, and took the throne for himself. Denmark has a long-standing feud with neighbouring [[Norway]], in which King Hamlet slew King Fortinbras of Norway in a battle some years ago. Although Denmark defeated Norway and the Norwegian throne fell to King Fortinbras's infirm brother, Denmark fears that an invasion led by the dead Norwegian king's son, Prince [[Fortinbras]], is imminent.

On a cold night on the ramparts of [[Kronborg Slot|Elsinore]], the Danish royal castle, the [[Characters in Hamlet#Elsinore sentries|sentries]] Bernardo and Marcellus discuss a [[Ghost (Hamlet)|ghost]] resembling the late King Hamlet which they have recently seen, and bring Prince Hamlet's friend [[Horatio (Hamlet)|Horatio]] as a witness. After the ghost appears again, the three vow to tell Prince Hamlet what they have witnessed.

The court gathers the next day, and King Claudius and Queen Gertrude discuss affairs of state with their elderly adviser [[Polonius]]. Claudius grants permission for Polonius's son Laertes to return to school in France, and he sends envoys to inform the King of Norway about Fortinbras. Claudius also questions Hamlet regarding his continuing to grieve for his father, and forbids him to return to his university in [[Wittenberg]]. After the court exits, Hamlet despairs of his father's death and his mother's hasty remarriage. Learning of the ghost from Horatio, Hamlet resolves to see it himself.

[[Image:File-Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Act I Scene IV.png|thumb|Horatio, Hamlet, and the ghost (Artist: [[Henry Fuseli]], 1789){{refn|''Hamlet'' 1.4.}}]]
As Polonius's son Laertes prepares to depart for France, Polonius offers him advice that culminates in the maxim "to thine own self be true."{{sfn|Trilling|2009|p=8}} Polonius's daughter, [[Ophelia (character)|Ophelia]], admits her interest in Hamlet, but Laertes warns her against seeking the prince's attention, and Polonius orders her to reject his advances. That night on the rampart, the ghost appears to Hamlet, tells the prince that he was  murdered by Claudius (by pouring poison into his ear as he slept), and demands that Hamlet avenge the murder. Hamlet agrees, and the ghost vanishes. The prince confides to Horatio and the sentries that from now on he plans to "put an antic disposition on", or act as though he has gone mad. Hamlet forces them to swear to keep his plans for revenge secret; however, he remains uncertain of the ghost's reliability.