Act 3 Group Project
Group Members: Aaron Mercado, Samantha Sherrard, Camaje Smith and Spencer
Perkins
Prompt 1: Hamlet knew he was being watched the entire time
-
He makes jabs at Ophelia that sound more like he’s making jabs at Claudius and/or
Polonius
- “Get thee to a nunnery”
- The idea that a nunnery is a den for prostitutes can reflect Cludius’s short
sillilouquy comparing himself to a prostitue since he is masking the truth
like a prostutute would mask themselves with makeup
- This is also a jab at Polonius that if Ophelia goes to be a prostitute that
would bring shame to Polinius
- Hamlet is smart enough to make duould messages
- “Are you honest? Are you fair?”
- This could be a jab at Claudius since he’s lying
- By insinuating if Ophelia is honest or fair, he is really questioning
Claudis’ own moral judgment, because Hamlet is the only one who
knows that Claudis killed his father.
- Ophelia’s general confusion adds to the idea that Hamlet's words to her are not
meant for her—but for Claudius and Polonius
- In the beginning of the encounter, Hamlet’s words are more softer than
the harsh ones he speaks to her later. While you may argue that he is
being harsh with her with the intention of masking his heartbrokenness,
some of the comments he makes go well beyond the idea of masking a
broken heart.
- For example Hamlet tells her that he “loved her once”. This is
immediately contrasted with the harsh lines “ I never loved you”.
This plays into the idea that he knows he is being watched
because he knows hurting Ophelia will directly inflict pain upon
Pulonis.
- More than that, throughout the entire play Hamlet is never
contradictory to himself, he rather is indecisive about the
decision he needs to make about killing Claudis. However,
in these lines he directly contradicts himself telling Ophelia
he loved her and then he never loved her. This flaw shows
a quick trait we have never seen nor expect from Hamlet,
which adds more evidence to the concept that he is aware
of Caludis and Pulonis’ presence.
- Later in the conversation Hamlet refers to Polonius as someone who can only
play a fool in his own house.