Barnyard Hamlet

ACT 1

(Scene 1)
Enter Barnardo and Francisco

Barnardo: Who's there?

Francisco: I think I hear them. Give you good night

Francisco exits

Enter Horatio and Marcellus

Marcellus: Horatio will not let belief take hold of him touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us.

Enter Ghost

Barnardo: Looks he not like the King?

Ghost exits

Horatio: Our last king, did slay this Fortinbras, who by sealed compact, did forfeit, with his life, all his lands to the conqueror. Now, sir, young Fortinbras sharked up a list of lawless resolutes to recover of us those foresaid lands.

                                                                         Enter Ghost

Horatio: If thou art privy to thy country's fate, O, speak!

The cock crows

Ghost exits

Barnardo: It was about to speak when the cock crew.

Horatio: Let us impart what we have seen tonight unto young Hamlet.

They exit

(Scene 2)

Flourish. Enter Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Laertes, Hamlet, Voltemand, and Cornelius.

Claudius: Our sometime sister, now our queen, have we with mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, taken to wife. Now, Young Fortinbras hath not failed to pester us with message importing the surrender. We have here writ to uncle of young Fortinbras. You, Cornelius and Voltemand, for bearers of this greeting to old Norway.

Giving them a paper

Cornelius/Voltemand: We show our duty.

Voltemand and Cornelius exit 

Claudius: And now, Laertes?
Laertes: My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France.

Polonius: I do beseech you, give him leave to go.

Claudius: But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son—

Hamlet (aside): A little more kin and less than kind.

Gertrude: Cast thy nighted color off. Do not forever seek for thy noble father in the dust.
Hamlet: 'Tis not alone my inky cloak that can denote me truly.Gertrude: I pray thee, go not to Wittenberg.

Hamlet: I shall obey you, madam.

Flourish. All but Hamlet exit.

Hamlet: O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt. A little month, all tears—why she married with my uncle. It cannot come to good. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

 Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Barnardo.

Hamlet: Methinks I see my father. In my mind's eye.

Horatio: My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. A figure like your father.

Hamlet: I'll speak to it. I pray you all concealed this sight.

(All but Hamlet) exit.

Hamlet: I doubt some foul play.

He exits.

Farm Animals

Hamlet would be played as a donkey. Like a donkey, Hamlet bears burdens, like the promise of avenging his father. Referring to Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, Hamlet is depressed about his mother's and uncle's hasty marriage. He also calls himself an ass at the end of Act 2 for not being hasty with his vengeance.


Horatio would be represented by a barn owl. Owls are seen as intelligent and knowledgeable, like Horatio being a scholar. He also was up at night to see the ghost, like the nocturnal owl. An owl's acute sight also refers to Horatio seeing the truth, that there is a ghost.


Marcellus, Barnardo, and Francisco would be horses. Horses are used in battle, such as the reason these guards are needed in the first place (Denmark's preparing for war against Norway). This also refers to how they try to strike the ghost with a weapon. Horses also tend to get spooked.


Cornelius and Voltemand would be dogs. They are loyal to the king and fetch news from Norway.


The ghost would be a goat. King Hamlet acted as a scapegoat. He was a sacrifice and a victim in Claudius' ploy to steal the crown.


Claudius would be depicted as a cat. He was sneaky when he poisoned his brother by his ear. Cats also relate to mystery, refering to the mystery Hamlet's trying to solve (Did Claudius kill King Hamlet?). Claudius' hunger for power also makes him a fat cat.


Laertes would be presented as a duck. He wants to go, or rather, fly away to France. His absence from most of the scenes can be seen as him "ducking" away from all the events.


Polonius would be symbolized as a goose. He's very foolish, not understanding Hamlet's wit. His advice is a bit obnoxious and long-winded, like a goose's honk.


Gertrude would be seen as a rooster. She tells Hamlet to wear brighter clothes, bright like the morning. She also remarried too "early." Gertrude doesn't seem to care for King Hamlet anymore, referring to the cock that scared his ghost away.