Quote Act III ANSWER KEY
1. Madness in great ones must not unwatched go. (III.i,196)
2. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action, with this special observance, that
you o'erstep not the modesty of nature. (III.ii,19-21)
3. The lady doth protest too much, methinks. (III.ii,240)
4. O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound. Didst perceive?
(III.ii,297-298)
5. O heart, lose not thy nature, let not ever
The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom.
Let me be cruel, not unnatural.
I will speak daggers to her, but use none. (III.ii,411-413)
6. My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
Words without thoughts never to Heaven go. (III.iii,97-98)
7. Oh, shame! Where is thy blush? (III.iv,82)
8. O Hamlet, speak no more.
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul,
And there I see such black and grained spots
As will not leave their tinct. (III.iv,88-91)
9. I must be cruel only to be kind. (III.iv.178)
1. Claudius speaking to Polonius- saying that they need to figure out what is causing
Hamlet to act strangely. They think that Gertrude should ask him
2. Hamlet speaking to Player- Fit the action to the words, and the words to the
action, with this special point in mind: don't go beyond the modesty of nature.
(meaning that he wants the player to act natural in his words and his actions)
3. Queen to Hamlet- the queen believes that the player queen is vowing or declaring
to much to the king. Her vows are too elaborate, too artful, too insistent. More
cynically, the queen may also imply that such vows are silly in the first place, and
thus may indirectly defend her own remarriage.
4. Hamlet to Horatio—Hamlet is saying that he will take the ghost’s word for a
thousand pounds He is continuing with the crazy act.
5. Hamlet to himself—I need to continue to be strong with my words toward my
mother in order to avenge my father’s death. Oh, my heart, don't lose your nature,
don't ever let
The spirit of Nero enter my steadfast bosom.
Let me be cruel, but not hateful, as a son.
I will speak like a dagger to her, but use none.
My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites:
6. Claudius to himself-- In this pivotal scene the King has directed Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern to accompany Hamlet to England, thus effectively banishing this
troublesome young man. Polonius enters and tells the King that he will conceal
himself and spy on the conversation between Hamlet and his mother; and the
King then kneels and prays not so much for forgiveness for his "rank" offence in
killing his brother, but rather that he will get away with it. Hamlet enters, unseen
by the King, and considers killing the King at prayer. He does not, however,
fearing that the King will then go to heaven. The King rises from prayer, never
having seen Hamlet, and utters the words above, revealing his own knowledge
that his prayer is invalid, and consists of words but no true feelings of remorse.
7. Hamlet to the Queen- Where is your shame?
9. Hamlet to himself-- But when Hamlet says he "must be cruel only to be kind," he's
shifting his attention back to his mother. He has spent the better part of the scene
upbraiding her for indulging her new husband, King Claudius, whom Hamlet compares to
a "mildewed ear.” He must be cruel to his mother, he explains, only to be kind to her—to
save her from lapsing any further into sensuality and betrayal of her dead husband. The
sentiment—harsh medicine may affect the best cure—is ancient, but Hamlet apparently
coins "cruel to be kind," a very common phrase nowadays. Hamlet speaks of two
different cruelties. In the first five lines, the prince refers to his own impulsive killing of
the courtier Polonius earlier in the scene.