Act 1: The Seeds of Doubt
* Scene 1: The play opens with the ghost of Hamlet's father, King Hamlet, revealing his murder by his own brother, Claudius. This sets the stage for the play's central conflict.
* Scene 2: Claudius, now king, marries his brother's widow, Gertrude, Hamlet's mother. Hamlet expresses his grief and disgust.
* Scene 3: Laertes receives permission to leave for France, and Ophelia is warned by her father, Polonius, about Hamlet's attentions.
* Scene 4: Hamlet encounters the ghost, who reveals the truth about his murder and commands revenge. Hamlet vows to avenge his father.
* Scene 5: Hamlet vows to feign madness and deceive the court.
Act 2: The Play's the Thing
* Scene 1: Polonius instructs his son, Laertes, on how to behave in France, and he sends his daughter, Ophelia, to break off her relationship with Hamlet.
* Scene 2: Hamlet's feigned madness is evident, and he plots to use a play to expose Claudius's guilt.
* Scene 3: The players arrive, and Hamlet asks them to perform a play that parallels the king's murder.
* Scene 4: Hamlet observes Claudius's reaction to the play, confirming his guilt.
Act 3: The Consequence of Action
* Scene 1: Hamlet's famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy reveals his internal struggle. He then confronts his mother, Gertrude, about her marriage to Claudius.
* Scene 2: The play within a play, "The Mousetrap," is performed for Claudius, revealing his guilt. Claudius leaves the play before its conclusion.
* Scene 3: Hamlet kills Polonius, thinking he is Claudius, in a fit of rage and grief.
* Scene 4: Hamlet is sent to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who are secretly ordered to kill him.
Act 4: The Wheels of Fortune Turn
* Scene 1: News of Polonius's death reaches the king, who is suspicious of Hamlet's actions.
* Scene 2: Hamlet escapes the ship bound for England and returns to Denmark.
* Scene 3: Ophelia, driven mad by her father's death and Hamlet's rejection, dies by drowning.
* Scene 4: Hamlet returns to Denmark and discovers that Ophelia has drowned.
* Scene 5: Hamlet encounters the gravediggers, who are preparing Ophelia's grave.
Act 5: The Final Confrontation
* Scene 1: Hamlet, while attending Ophelia's funeral, encounters Laertes, who is enraged by the circumstances surrounding his sister's death.
* Scene 2: Hamlet confronts Laertes, who agrees to a fencing match. Claudius, secretly wanting to kill Hamlet, arranges for a poisoned sword.
* Scene 2: During the duel, both Laertes and Hamlet are wounded by the poisoned sword. Gertrude, unknowingly, drinks poisoned wine intended for Hamlet.
* Scene 2: Before dying, Hamlet kills Claudius and reveals his treachery. Hamlet's dying words are "The rest is silence."
Remember: While this is a chronological ordering of the events, keep in mind that Shakespeare's play is a tragedy, not a straight narrative. He uses flashbacks, soliloquies, and other techniques to create a complex and powerful story.