Hamlet Act 3

What does Claudius’s aside in Scene 1, lines 50-55, reveal about him? His aside tells the audience that he did, indeed, kills his brother.
Hamlet’s command “Get there to a nunnery” (Scene 1, line 22) can be interpreted in two ways. Either he wants Ophelia to retreat to a convent, safe from the corruption of the world, or he thinks she is so tainted that she belongs in a brothel. Choose an interpretation that is best supported by his behavior toward her in this scene, and explain your choice. What has caused him to feel this way? Hamlet is cruel to Ophelia, insulting her both in this part of the scene and later, during the play. His crudeness also suggests his disgust with her, which has its source in the disgust he feels for his mother because she married Claudius soon after her husband’s death.
Reread lines 58-76 in Scene 2. What does Hamlet admire about Horatio? How does Shakespeare employ Horatio to help develop the play’s spot? Hamlet admires Horatio’s stolid practicality, honesty, and faithfulness. As Hamlet’s trusted confidante, Horatio hears the prince’s true feelings and plans thereby allowing Shakespeare to convey such information to his audience.
When a character says one thing but means another, it is called verbal irony. Find an example of verbal irony in Hamlets conversation with Claudius and Gertrude in Scene 2, lines 230-236. What message is Hamlet really conveying? Hamlet ostensibly speaks about the play when he says, “no offense I’ the’ world,” but he conveys his awareness of the king’s treachery and the Queen’s disloyalty, which he finds very offensive indeed.
An extended metaphor is a metaphor in which two things are compared at length and in various ways. Review Hamlet’s dialogue in Scene 2, lines 353-375. In what ways doe she compare himself to a musical instrument? In his attitude toward Rosencrantz and Guildenstern consistent with his behavior toward them in Act 2, Scene 2, or does this speech signal a change? Explain Hamlet says that playing beautiful music on a recorder is as easy as blowing through it and findering the stops. In fact, this cannot be done without skill and knowledge of the instrument, any more than Guildentern can make Hamlet open up (“Though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me.”). His anger reveaks his distrust of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, which has markedly grown since his warm greeting of the pair in Act 2.
How does Hamlet’s refusal to kill Claudius while he is praying relate back to what the Ghost said regarding the circumstances of his own death on Act 1, Scene 5? The Ghist lamented that since he died “with all my imperfections on my head,” he is now destined to burn his unforgiven sins away. Hamlet is determined that Claudius too, not go directly to heaven, as he would if he were murdered while at prayers.
Hamlet confronts his mother in Scene 4, and she responds with expressions of guilt. Does she seem to realize that Claudius murdered Hamlet’s Father? Explain why or why not? Gertrude expresses guilt for marrying Claudiud inappropriately (lines 91-93). Howveer, she does not seem to know of his role in the murder, and when Hamlet presses her on that point, she syas, “Alas, he’s mad.”
Soon after Hamlet decides against killing Claudius while he is praying, he mistakes Polonius for the King and kills him without hesitation. What does this combination of events suggest regarding revenge? Through these events. Shakespeare suggests that thinking and plotting about revenge only makes it more difficult to carry out since there is no logical reason for pursuing it. Revenge is a thoughless act motivated by emotion.
July 18, 2019