Humanities
Mr. Waterman & Ms. Sonni
Hamlet
Act 3 Questions
Act 3, scene 1
1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to the King and Queen? Please cite line numbers.
2. What is Claudius’s plan? (3.1.31-40)
3. Hamlet’s third soliloquy appears at line 64. Paraphrase each part of the soliloquy:
a. Line 64:
b. Lines 65-72:
c. Lines 74-6:
d. Lines 76-90:
e. Lines 91-6:
4. Describe Hamlet’s treatment of Ophelia. How does their conversation begin? What changes? Please cite
line numbers.
a. Examine lines 121-25.
i. Is Hamlet thinking mainly of Ophelia or of Gertrude at this moment?
ii. Is his pessimism characteristic?
b. Examine lines 131-40.
i. Why do you think Hamlet tells her “get thee to a nunnery”? There are two different ways
to interpret this line (look at footnotes in your text). Which interpretation seems more
likely? Why?
5. In lines 164-155, Ophelia describes her idea of a perfect prince. She feels that Hamlet was there very
mirror and model (“glass” and “mould of form”) of behavior and taste, looked up to as an an ideal
example (“Th’observed of all observers) by everyone.
a. Cite each quality she describes and write a sentence saying if your perception of Hamlet matches
or does not match, that quality
i.
ii.
iii.
6. Describe Polonius’s response to what Ophelia tells him about her conversation with Hamlet.
a. Is he caring, sympathetic, apathetic, mean or….?
7. Polonius agrees with Claudius’s plan to send Hamlet to England. He proposes to spy on Gertrude’s
meeting with Hamlet. Do you think they want to send Hamlet away so he can get help? Or are they
scared of him? Or a different reason? Cite lines to support your response.
Humanities
Mr. Waterman & Ms. Sonni
Hamlet
Act 3 Questions
Act 3, scene 2
Name:
DUE WEDNESDAY
1. Describe Hamlet’s attitude towards the actors at the start of scene 2. Please cite line numbers to
support your response.
2. Hamlet’s speech in lines 59-93 expresses his deep friendship for Horatio. What are the reasons and
characteristics Hamlet lists in describing why his friendship is genuine? Please cite line numbers to
support your response.
3. Please examine lines 98-144 to answer the questions below, citing line numbers in your responses:
a. Identify as many puns as you can between Hamlet and Polonius/Claudius.
b. Hamlet’s verbal treatment towards Ophelia is much crueler, filled with crude sexual jokes. Cite
and explain these jokes.
c. Notice that Hamlet ends this conversation by returning to his obsesses ion: his mother’s
sexuality and marriage to Claudius. Paraphrase lines 137-144.
4. Describe what happens in the play, using line numbers to support your response.
5. What are the similarities between the play and Hamlet’s situation?
6. Throughout the performance of the play, Hamlet keeps up a running commentary on the characters and
their actions, and continues to tease Ophelia with oblique sexual references. Cite and describe some of
Hamlet’s jabs.
7. Please look at lines 280-295 to answer the questions below, citing line numbers in your responses:
a. What is happening in the performance of the play (280-6)?
b. Paraphrase lines 286-90.
c. How does Claudius react to Hamlet’s words?
d. What does this prove to Hamlet?
8. Describe how the scene ends, citing line numbers in your response.