As they wait, the ghost appears before them. Horatio tries to speak to it, but it disappears. The guards then decide to tell Prince Hamlet, the son of the deceased king, about the ghost's appearance.

When Hamlet arrives, the ghost appears again. It beckons to Hamlet, who follows it away from the others. The guards and Horatio are left wondering what has happened to Hamlet.

The scene ends with the guards discussing the recent military preparations of Denmark, including the movement of troops towards Norway.

Hamlet is clearly unhappy with his uncle's speech and seems to be in a state of deep melancholy. He makes a sarcastic comment about how quickly his mother remarried after his father's death and says he will put on an "antic disposition" to hide his true feelings. Gertrude tries to comfort and advise him, but he remains distant.

The courtiers, including Polonius and his children, Laertes and Ophelia, enter and greet the king and queen. Polonius offers some long-winded advice to his son Laertes, who is leaving for France, and then leaves. Ophelia and Hamlet exchange some tense words about his behavior towards her.

Finally, Hamlet is left alone on stage and delivers his famous soliloquy, in which he expresses his despair and disgust with the world around him. He speaks of suicide and the futility of life. The scene ends with Hamlet's resolve to put on his "antic disposition" and plot his revenge against his uncle for his father's murder.

Polonius then gives Laertes a long list of instructions on how to behave in France, including not borrowing or lending money, not gambling, dressing modestly, and avoiding prostitutes. He also warns Laertes to be careful of his friends, as they may not have his best interests in mind.

After Polonius finishes his lecture, Ophelia, his daughter, enters the room. Polonius tells Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, whom she has been seeing. Polonius believes that Hamlet's love for Ophelia is not genuine and that he may harm her. He orders Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet and to keep her distance from him.

Ophelia agrees to obey her father's wishes, but she is clearly upset. She tells her father that Hamlet has been acting strangely and that he came to her room looking disheveled and behaving erratically. Polonius dismisses Ophelia's concerns, telling her that Hamlet is just playing with her and that she should not take him seriously.

The scene ends with Polonius giving Ophelia a book to read, telling her that it will help her forget about Hamlet. Laertes says goodbye to his father and sister and leaves for France.

As they wait, the ghost appears again and Horatio decides to speak to it. The ghost looks like the dead king, and it beckons Horatio to follow it. Horatio is afraid, but the ghost disappears before he can do anything.

Hamlet arrives on the scene and the guards tell him what they have seen. He decides to wait with them to see if the ghost appears again. When the ghost appears, Hamlet tries to speak to it, but it doesn't respond. The ghost disappears again and Hamlet is left shaken and confused.

Hamlet is determined to learn more about the ghost and why it has appeared. He decides to keep watch with the guards and Horatio, hoping to see the ghost again and get some answers. The scene ends with Hamlet being left alone on stage, contemplating what he has seen and what it might mean for the future.

Hamlet arrives and the soldiers recount their sighting of the ghost. They describe the ghost as resembling the recently deceased King Hamlet and wearing the same armor he wore during his battles. Hamlet is intrigued by the description of the ghost and decides to follow the soldiers to the ramparts in the hopes of seeing the ghost for himself.

As Hamlet and the soldiers wait for the ghost to appear, Hamlet reflects on the recent events of his life, including the death of his father and his mother's hasty remarriage to his uncle. Hamlet is deeply troubled by his mother's marriage and is suspicious of his uncle's intentions.

Finally, the ghost appears before Hamlet and beckons him to follow. Hamlet is hesitant at first, but eventually agrees to follow the ghost into the darkness.

The scene ends with the soldiers expressing their concern for Hamlet's safety, as they fear that the ghost may be leading him into danger. However, Hamlet is determined to follow the ghost and find out what it wants from him.

After Reynaldo leaves, Polonius speaks with Ophelia, Hamlet's love interest. He believes that Hamlet's recent behavior towards Ophelia is due to his love for her. Polonius suggests that Ophelia should reject Hamlet's advances and not spend any more time with him. He believes that Hamlet's love for Ophelia is not genuine and that he is only using her for his own purposes.

Hamlet enters the scene and begins a conversation with Polonius. He speaks in riddles and makes sarcastic remarks, which Polonius does not understand. Polonius eventually leaves, and Hamlet is left alone on stage.

Hamlet begins a soliloquy, expressing his frustration with his own inaction and inability to take revenge for his father's murder. He criticizes himself for not being more like the actor he recently saw perform, who was able to express emotion and passion. Hamlet believes that he is weak and unable to act, and he questions whether he is truly capable of avenging his father's death.

The scene ends with Hamlet declaring that he will put on an "antic disposition" or a fake madness in order to conceal his true intentions and confuse those around him. He believes that this will allow him to investigate the circumstances of his father's death without arousing suspicion.

After Reynaldo leaves, Ophelia enters and tells Polonius that Hamlet, who she used to have a romantic relationship with, came to her room looking disheveled and behaving strangely. Polonius believes that Hamlet's odd behavior is due to his love for Ophelia, but he decides to test his theory by setting up a meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet while Polonius and Claudius spy on them.

When Hamlet enters, he begins a conversation with Ophelia that quickly turns into insults and accusations. Hamlet tells Ophelia that he never loved her and accuses her of being dishonest and unfaithful. Ophelia is hurt by Hamlet's words and tells him that she hopes he will one day see the error of his ways. After Hamlet leaves, Polonius decides that Hamlet's behavior is not due to his love for Ophelia, but rather due to his madness.

The scene ends with Polonius telling Claudius that they should send Hamlet to England for his own safety and to prevent any further disruption in the court.