The tale of Hamlet is a story of revenge and murder. The prince of Denmark, Hamlet, lost his father, King Hamlet, just two months ago. The cause of King Hamlet’s death is said to be a venomous snake bite. The former king’s brother, Claudius, has married his former sister-in-law, Gertrude, and has gotten himself crowned as the new king of Denmark. Two Danish officers, who guard the castle at Elsinore where Hamlet and his family live, witness an apparition of the former king for two nights. On the third night they invite Horatio, Hamlet’s best friend and schoolmate, to stand guard with them. When the apparition appears to the two guards and Horatio on the third night, Horatio speaks to it and commands the ghost to speak. However, the ghost refuses to speak and appears to be offended by Horatio’s words. Just before sunrise, the ghost disappears. Horatio decides to inform Hamlet about the former king’s ghost’s appearance. The next day at the castle, Claudius gives a speech to a large crowd. He says that he is mourning his brother’s death, but is also happy to take Gertrude as his wife. Hamlet is not happy about his mother’s hasty marriage with his uncle, but he does not reveal these thoughts. After the speech, Horatio meets Hamlet privately and asks him stand guard with them that night to meet his dead father’s ghost. Laertes, the son of Polonius, who is the chief counselor to Claudius, leaves Denmark to attend school in France. Polonius also has a daughter, Ophelia, who is in a relationship with prince Hamlet. Polonius does not approve and tells her to stay away. Ophelia agrees to obey her father.