Act III Guided Reading Questions
Act III, i
1. What is the king saying indirectly in his speech?
2. 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” (III, i, 52-55).
What is the significance of this statement?
3. Claudius confesses to the audience in this scene. Why would Shakespeare have this
confession take place so early in the play?
4. a) What does Hamlet’s soliloquy (“to be or not to be”) reveal about his attitude toward
revenge? What specific misgiving does he voice about seeking revenge for his father’s
death?
b) Hamlet uses the word “conscience” in his soliloquy (line 91). Is he referring to an
inner voice of moral judgment, or a sense of consciousness and knowing oneself?
5. Does Hamlet know that Polonius and Claudius are listening? What are the implications if
we believe that he knows? What are the implications if we believe that he doesn’t know?
6. a) How can it be argued that, at the beginning of the scene at least, Ophelia has agency?
b) Hamlet’s scene with Ophelia is often called the “nunnery scene.” What are two
different meanings of “get thee to a nunnery”? What does each meaning tell us
about Hamlet’s attitude towards Ophelia, Gertrude, and/or women in general?
7. What becomes ironic about Hamlet’s madness in this scene?
Act III, ii
1. Recap: what is the significance of the “play within a play”?
2. What qualities does Hamlet reveal while talking to the players?
3.
Is Claudius getting more anxious throughout the play, or does it come as a shock to him
when he sees the poisoning in the play?
4. The closet was a new invention during Shakespeare time. It was a small room that one
could go to for privacy, but was only enjoyed by the very wealthy. What does this
invention signify about the society? How does this connect to the idea of the changeable
self?
5. What is the role of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in this scene specifically, and in the
play in general?
6. What is Hamlet doing in this soliloquy?
Act III, iii
1. What is ironic about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s discussion of the wheel of fortune?
2. What does the language of the king’s speech (approx. line 25) connote? Although he is
telling them to get ready for a sea voyage, his word choice indicates an alternate purpose.
Give examples and explain.
3. Claudius’s soliloquy confirms that he is absolutely guilty. Why is this placed here?
4. Does Claudius truly have repentance for what he has done?
5. a) Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Claudius at his prayer?
b) How does Shakespeare use dramatic irony in this prayer scene?
Act III, iv
1. Why is Polonius hiding being the arras?
2. How is Hamlet being disrespectful of his mother in this scene? Is he going too far?
3. Some directors and critics have argued that Hamlet has an Oedipal complex. In fact, in
some adaptations of this scene, there is a bed in the room and Hamlet gets Gertrude to
stay by throwing her on the bed. Is it valuable to the audience to see Hamlet as having
sexual emotion for his mother, or does it make Claudius’ murder seem less significant?
4. How is this scene a key moment between Hamlet thinking his way through his dilemma
and taking action?
5. a) Why doesn’t Gertrude see the ghost in this scene? What affect does this have on the
audience and its impressions of Hamlet?
b) Can the audience see the ghost? What is the impact if Hamlet only Hamlet sees
it, vs. allowing the audience to see the ghost too?
6. a) In what way is Hamlet’s murder of Polonius ironic?
b) This scene develops the idea of justice. Does Hamlet have the right to act as the
monitor justice on Earth?
Post-Reading
Read Margaret Atwood’s “Gertrude Talks Back.”
Why did Atwood write this text? What is the implication?
Does this change your impression of Gertrude for the better? Why or why not?
Does Shakespeare treat Gertrude, and women in general, fairly in Hamlet