| A | B |
|---|
| Hamlet | Thirty year old melancholy and highly intelligent Prince of Denmark |
| Claudius | Hamlet's uncle and step-father; lecherous murderer |
| Gertrude | the "wanton queen"; she is immoral but not a murderess |
| Horatio | confidante and foil to Hamlet; Hamlet trusts him with the whole story |
| Marcellus | guard who comments on "rotten" state of affairs in Denmark |
| Laertes | son of Polonius; student in Paris; foil to Hamlet |
| Ophelia | Hamlet's love interest; caught between her duty to her father and her love for the prince |
| Polonius | the lord high chamberlain; he is a manipulative busy body |
| Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | Hamlet's old friends; they allow Caludius to use them and in turn incur Hamlet's anger |
| Fortinbras | nephew to the present King of Denmark; his situation mirrors Hamlet's |
| Osric | courtier and referree during the fencing match; Hamlet thinks he bought his way into court |
| Voltemand and Cornelius | Claudius sends them on the diplomatic mission to Norway which prevents a war |
