Act III, scenes 3 and 4

1
Act III, scenes 3 and 4

• How had the playwithin-the-play changed Hamlets
  situation and influenced the action of the play?
• Hamlet has tipped his hand, as it were, and
  Claudius now knows that Hamlet suspects the
  murder. Claudius is more determined than ever to
  end the threat
• that Hamlet poses, so he arranges the trip to
  England he had spoken of earlier.

2
How does Polonius spying on the scene between
Hamlet and Gertrude indicate a change in her
status?

• Polonius says that there should be a witness to
  the conversation other than the mother because
  the mother might not give a full and unbiased
  account later on. This indicates that Gertrude is
  no longer trusted.

3
In what paradox of salvation does Claudius feel
trapped?

• Claudius is aware that he cannot repent of his
  sin murdering his brother while keeping what he
  gained as a result of the sin his wife and his
  crown.

4
Why doesnt Hamlet kill Claudius when he has the
opportunity?

• He says he cannot kill Claudius when Claudius is
  praying. Unlike his father, who had no time to
  ask forgiveness before his death, Claudius would
  go directly to heaven. This would be no revenge.

5
Act III, scene 4

• Explain the ambiguity and word play Hamlet and
  his mother exchange at the beginning of this
  scene.
• When Gertrude says that Hamlet has offended his
  father, she is referring to Claudius. When
  Hamlet says father, he is referring to his
  father, Old Hamlet.

6
What is Hamlets reaction to the killing of
Polonius?

• At first he hopes it might be Claudius he has
  killed. Then he expresses sorrow but recognizes
  that Polonius was always a meddling fool.

7
What does this scene reveal about Gertrudes
guilt?

• This scene reveals that Gertrude is most likely
  innocent of participating in any conspiracy
  against her first husband and her son. She does
  not understand why Hamlet is so angry with her
  and treats her so rudely. She does not seem to
  understand any references to the murder of
  Hamlets father. It is only when Hamlet compares
  the portraits of his father and uncle that
  Gertrude begins to feel ashamed of how quickly
  she stopped mourning her godlike husband to marry
  his grotesque brother.

8
What aspect of Gertrude and Claudius marriage
still clearly bothers Hamlet the most?

• Hamlet is still clearly bothered by the physical
  and sexual aspect of his mothers marriage. He
  constantly refers to the adulterous sheets. He
  insists that his mother is too old to participate
  in that type of love and tells her not to go to
  Claudius bed any longer.

9
What is the significance of this second
appearance of the ghost?

• First, the appearance of the ghost is the vehicle
  by which Gertrude is convinced that Hamlet is
  indeed mad. Secondly, the ghost appears to remind
  Hamlet that his mission is not to wreak any
  vengeance against his mother but against Claudius.

10
Quotes

• Pg. 163
• I like him not, nor stand it safe with us /
  To let his madness range. Therefore prepare you.
  I your commission will forthwith dispatch, / and
  he to England shall along with you. . .lines 1-5

11
Pg. 163 The single and peculiar life is bound
with all the strength and armor of the mind/ To
keep itself from noyance, but much more that
spirit upon whose weal depends and rests the
lives of many. . .lines 11-15
12
Pg. 165O, my offense is rank, it smells to
heaven /It hath the primal eldest curse upon t,
A brothers murder. Pray can I not. . . lines
40-100
13
Pg. 167Now might I do it pat, now that he is
a-praying,/ And now Ill do it. / And so he goes
to heaven /And so am I revenged. That should be
scanned A villain kills my father, and for that,
I, his sole son, do this same villain send /To
heaven. . .lines77-83
14
Pg. 167 And am I then revenged/ to take him in
the purging of his soul, /When he is fit and
seasoned for his passage? /No. Up sword, and know
thous amore horrid hent. /When he is drunk
asleep, or in his rage, /Or in th incestuous
pleasure of his bed. . .lines 89-95
15
Pg. 169My words fly up, my thoughts remain
below /Words without thoughts never to heaven
go.Lines 102-103
16
Act III, scene IV QUOTES

• Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.
• Mother, you have my father much offended
• Lines 11-14

17
How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead.Line 29
18
Pg. 173Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool,
farewell. I took thee for thy better. Take thy
fortune.lines 38-39
19
Pg. 173 Look here at this picture and on this, /
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. /See
what a grace was seated on this brow, Hyperions
curls, the front of Jove himself. .
.lines62-65/This was your husband. Look you now
what follows. Here is your husband, like a
mildewed ear/ Blasting his wholesome brother.
Lines74-75
20
Pg. 175O, Hamlet, speak no more! /Thou turnst
my eyes into my very soul, / And there I see
such black and grained spots/ As will not
leave their tinct. Lines 102-05
21
Pg. 175Nay, but to live / In the rank sweat of
an enseamed bed, /Stewed in corruption, honeying
and making love /Over the nasty sty!Lines 104-5
22
Pg. 177Do you not come your tardy son to chide,/
That, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by /Th
important acting in your dread command? Lines
121-123Do not forget. This visitation /Is but
to whet thy almost blunted purpose. . .lines125-6
23
Pg. 179This is the very coinage of your brain.
This bodiless creation ecstasy lines 156-57
24
Pg. 181Repent whats past, avoid what is to
come, /And do not spread the compost on the weeds
/ To make them ranker. . .lines 171-73
25
Pg. 181For this same lord I do repent but
heaven hath pleased it so/ To punish me with this
and this with me, /That I must be their scourge
and minister. I will bestow him and will answer
well /The death I gave him. So, again, good
night. I must be cruel only to be kind. This bad
but begins, and worse remains behind. Lines194-200