Hamlet
Act Three
Scene One

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell Claudius and Gertrude
that Hamlet will not tell them why he has lost interest in
everything


Claudius and Polonius put their plan to determine if
Hamlet is love crazy into action
Polonius says, “We are oft to blame in this, ‘tis too much
proved, that with devotion’s visage and pious action we
do sugar o’er the devil himself.”

Claudius talks to himself about the terrible guilt he feels
Scene One Continued

To be or not to be” = Hamlet wondering if it is better to
live or die

The trouble with dying is that we do not know what
happens after death – it could be worse than any misery
we feel while living
Scene One Continued


“Ay, there’s the rub, for in that sleep of death what
dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal
coil, must give us pause.”
“The undiscovered country from whose bourn no
traveler returns…” = death
Scene One Continued

Hamlet sees Ophelia and when she tries to give back gift
he gave her he denies them and denies loving her

He makes fun of her and calls her names
“Get thee to a nunnery.”
Hamlet shows his hatred for women



“God has given you one face and you make yourselves
another.” – Hamlet talking about the evils of women
(makeup)

If he could he would make marriages illegal because
women are so evil

Ophelia is extremely upset by this because she loved
Hamlet “Oh, woe is me.”
Scene One Continued

Claudius does not think he is love crazy, but he believes
that Hamlet is planning something and to avoid this he
will send Hamlet to England

Polonius wants to be right and asks to have Gertrude try
to get Hamlet to tell her his feelings before he is sent to
England
Scene Two

Hamlet is worried about how the actors will perform, so
he gives them very detailed instructions about how to
act.

Horatio knows what the ghost told Hamlet
Hamlet wants Horatio to also watch Claudius’s reaction
to the play so he can determine whether or not Claudius
really killed King Hamlet

Scene Two Continued



Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius and Ophelia are all there to
see the play
Hamlet is rude to Ophelia and makes sexual jokes about
her
It has now been 4 months since King Hamlet’s death
Scene Two Continued

Before the play begins the actors mime what the play will
be about and they act out King Hamlet’s murder and the
queen’s remarriage to the killer

When the play begins the queen promises to only love
the king and never remarry if he dies

The lines that Hamlet writes for the actors are also
intended to make Gertrude feel bad for her quick
remarriage
Scene Two Continued

Hamlet tells Claudius that
the name of the play is
“The Mousetrap,” which
has an obvious double
meaning

Hamlet has Lucianus, the
king’s nephew, pour
poison into the king’s ear
to kill him and claim his
throne
Scene Two Continued

Claudius reacts to the murder scene by standing up,
stopping the play and leaving the room very upset

Hamlet believes this is proof of his guilt, but Horatio does
not agree or disagree

Hamlet will go see his mother and use words like daggers
Scene Three

Claudius will send Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to
England with Hamlet in order to make sure he gets there

Rosencrantz says, “The cease of majesty dies not alone,
but, like a gulf, doth draw what’s near it with it.”

This scene is where the “be prepared,” part of The Lion
King comes fro
Scene Three Continued

When Claudius is alone he talks about murdering King
Hamlet

“But oh, what form of prayer can serve my turn, ‘Forgive
me my foul murder?’”

“May one be pardoned and retain th’ offense.”

Claudius wants to pray for forgiveness of his sin, but he
feels he cannot because he is still retaining the benefits of
his crime (crown and queen)
Scene Three Continued

Hamlet sees Claudius praying, and probably did not hear
his confession, and wants to kill him but he does not

“And am I then revenged to take him in the purging of his
soul when he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No.”

Hamlet refuses to kill Claudius when he is repenting and
may go to heaven

“My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words
without thoughts never to heaven go.” - Claudius
Scene 4

Polonius is hiding behind a tapestry in Gertrude’s room
when Hamlet comes in

Gertrude is trying to question him about his behavior, but
Hamlet will not answer – he will only accuse her of killing
King Hamlet

“You shall not budge. You go not till I set you up a glass
where you may see the inmost part of you.”
Scene 4 Continued

Gertrude is frightened of
Hamlet and yells for help

Hamlet is physically
threatening her

Polonius yells for help
from his hiding place and
Hamlet kills him without
knowing who it is he is
killing
Scene 4 Continued


Hamlet seems unconcerned that he killed Polonius
He is yelling at Gertrude and trying to get her to confess
to her worst sin of marrying Claudius

He holds up a picture of King Hamlet and one of Claudius
and compares the two while yelling at his mother

Gertrude is begging him to stop, but he does not listen to
her
Scene 4 Continued

The ghost appears and tells Hamlet to leave Gertrude
alone and focus on his revenge

Gertrude does not see or hear the ghost and believes
that Hamlet is crazy

Hamlet believes he is not crazy and tells Gertrude not to
tell Claudius that she thinks he is crazy – he threatens
her
Scene 4 Continued

Hamlet wants Gertrude to stop being affectionate with
Claudius to at least try to be a good person in his opinion

He is going to England with Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern and hints that he is planning more violence