Shakespeare Closely Read

We learn that Marley was dead to begin with and meet Scrooge.

King Richard returns to England too late.  All his followers have deserted him.  The Hollow Crown speech.

Bolingroke's rebellion gains ground and he is surrounded by supporters who hope to gain by his success.

John of Gaunt dies after delivering the wonderful, patriotic "sceptered isle" speech.  King Richard seizes all of John's property for his Irish war, effectively disinheireting Henry Bolingbroke.  Henry immediately revolts.

All is set for the trial by combat when Richard steps in and decrees banishment on the combatants.  Mowbray gets lifetime banishment, and Bolingbroke ten years (reduced to six years for some reason).  Richard makes them swear not to conspire together against him but neglects to have them swear loyalty.

We start the Hollow Crown series of plays, consisting of Richard II, Henry IV Parts One and Two, and Henry V.  We start Richard II; Henry Bolingbroke and Thomas Mowbray accuse each other of treason. After failing to reconcile them, Richard agrees to have them resolve it through trial by combat.

The end of Hamlet in which everyone dies.  Goodnight sweet prince.

One final note, the episode title "The rest is silence", the last line from Hamlet just before he dies, is probably a reference to the silence of death - we don't know what comes after death - that he discussed in the "To be or not to be" speech.

Hamlet tells Horatio how he turned the tables on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  Short episode today [exit, pursued by a dog].

The famous graveyard scene. Hamlet and Laertes fight in Ophelia's grave.

Laertes vows revenge for Polonius.  Claudius skillfully turns his wrath against Hamlet and plots Hamlet's death.  Ophelia is mad.