| What does Claudius reveal in his aside, where he says, “O, ’tis too true!” in response to some of Polonius’ words? Explain the meaning of the comparison he makes to a prostitute’s make-up, and his situation. | Claudius reveals that he feels very guilty and that he appears to be kingly and godly but he isn’t, just as a prostitute puts on makeup to appear beautiful. |
| Explain Hamlet’s attitude towards death and the afterlife, by analyzing his famous soliloquy beginning with “To be or not to be…” | this soliloquy includes his thoughts of suicide, he complains of the sea of troubles in our everyday lives including: time, oppressors wrongs and despised love. But he is too scared to kill himself from fear of what happens after death |
| What type of soliloquy does Hamlet give? | a central soliloquy |
| What might Hamlet be referring to when he says, “And enterprises of great pitch and moment / With this regard their currents turn awry / And lose the name of action”? | He explains his reluctance to act on suspicions, he needs to be sure about the revenge on Claudius and the ghost |
| Why does Hamlet say that he “once” loved Ophelia? Why is he treating her so poorly (ex: “Get thee to a nunnery.”)? | He feels betrayed by her and by love |
| Why does Hamlet tell Ophelia she’s better to marry a fool? | Because a fool would not know how evil women are |
| Why does the King decide to send Hamlet away to England? | He asks R&G to take Hamlet to England because he feels that Hamlet is a danger to himself and Denmark |
| Dissect Hamlet’s cautions to the Player: what are his main points of advice? | In instruction on how to play the murder of Gonzaga he tells them do not be histrionic in your acting nor to tame suit action to the word in mere nature. |
| What’s the irony of the Player Queen’s “curse” upon herself, should she remarry after her husband dies? | Its what the real queen did |
| What verbal ironies does Hamlet employ in his comments to Claudius about the play? | He calls it the mouse trap because he wants to capture the king who he considers a rodent and then he says their poisoning just for fun |
| How is the play similar, yet different, to what Claudius has done to win Gertrude and Denmark? | Different: The king’s nephew poisons the kingSimilar: the poisoning happens in the same wayThis upsets Claudius so he calls for the lights to be turned on and he leaves. |
| What does Hamlet tell Rosencrantz (and Guildenstern) about his motive for grief? | He’s upset because he wishes to be king |
| What point does Hamlet make with his metaphor about playing him like a flute to Guildenstern? | That he will not be decieved or manipulated by his friends. |
| What is Hamlet worried he might do, at the end of the scene? | He’s afraid he will harm his mother, he says “let me be cruel not unnatural, I will speak daggers but use none”, which is a metaphor |
| What does Hamlet do in scene 2? | hamlet sits next to Ophelia and he tells Horatio to watch the reactions of the King. |
| Why are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, ostensibly friends of Hamlet, so compliant in assisting Claudius in Hamlet’s removal to England? | Because they are loyal to Denmark and Claudius is the current king |
| Why is Claudius unable to pray? What is his greatest fear? | He cannot pray because he still benefits from his crime. His fear is that he knows he’ll be punished eternally for his deeds |
| Hamlet has a prime opportunity to seek revenge, yet he holds back. Why doesn’t he strike the unaware Claudius down while he is praying? | Hamlet believes if Claudius dies in prayer he will go to heaven. Hamlet wants him to pay for his crimes |
| The Queen says that Hamlet has “turn’st my eyes into my very soul”, what has he made her see? | That Claudius is inferior to King Hamlet |
| The Ghost appears, or perhaps even intervenes, as Hamlet is sending “words like daggers” at his mother. The ghost mentions that the reason for this visit is to “whet thy almost blunted purpose”. What is meant here? | That hamlet has been wavering in getting revenge (its been a few months now) so hamlet ends up slaying the wrong man, killing Polonius who was hiding behind a tapestry. |
| Why does Hamlet’s mother still think he is mad? How does he assure her to the contrary? | She does not see the ghost, but he says he can repeat everything he has told her lucidly |
| What two requests does Hamlet make of his mother? | 1. to refrain from sleeping with Claudius2. to reveal his madness as not madness |
| What does Hamlet reveal he suspects about Guildenstern and Rosencrantz? | That his school friends are but lackeys to Claudius and then plan something bad to his trip to England |
| Side | speech said to one other character or the audience with no intention of the other characters listening. It is only 1 to 2 lines |
| Soliloquy | speech said to one other character or the audience with no intention of the other characters listening. It is only 1 to 2 lines |
| Monologue | long speech said to other characters |
| What is a sign or example that Hamlet is losing his mind? | during scene 2 he losing concept of time and he thinks his father has died 2 hours ago |
Hamlet Act 3
August 10, 2019