Hamlet Reading Guide, Act III
More and more you are going to have to read, annotate, and make meaning of this play on your
own. It will be up to you to bring up in class aspects of your reading that you feel are important
and worth discussing and/or that confuse you and that you want cleared up. Again, I strongly
suggest you fill in these reading guides with thorough and specific notes so that you are
prepared for the commentary.
Scene i:
1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to the King and Queen? Why are they reporting
to them?
2. Polonius presents a plan to the King and Queen. What is it? What is its purpose?
3. Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” speech is very important. Be able to translate it into modern
English everyone can understand. What kinds of things are going through his mind? What
action is he toying with?
4. The scene between Hamlet and Ophelia has a lot going on under the surface. Who’s getting
hurt here, and why? How do you characterize each person’s motives and feelings here? Be able
to retell what happens between them in this scene, which is one of the key scenes in the play.
(Does this answer the question, Does Hamlet love Ophelia?)
5. After viewing Hamlet’s behavior, Claudius isn’t satisfied with Polonius’s theory. What’s the
King’s new plan to find out the cause of Hamlet’s strange behavior? What does he mean when
he says “Madness in great ones must not unwatched go” [line 179]? What reasons might he
have to watch Hamlet’s behavior carefully?
Scene ii:
1. Hamlet gives a lot of advice to the actors. What reasons might there be for this particular and
specific focus here?
2. Explain Hamlet’s statement in lines 58-59 concerning being “passion’s slave.” What might be
at the heart of this statement for him?
3. Hamlet makes a really strange statement in lines 79-80: “I eat the air, promise crammed.”
How do you think this statement applies to what you’ve seen in the play so far?
4. Hamlet makes a big stink, so to speak, with several of his actions and statements before and
during the players’ performance. Note these things in this scene, and be able to explain their
significance:
* his refusal to sit with the Queen
* his rude comments to Ophelia
* several comments he makes that refer to Claudius and Gertrude
5. What do the players enact in the “dumb show?”
6. What specifically do the Player Queen and King discuss about their love relationship? What is
significant about this in regards to Hamlet’s family?
7. Lots of big stuff under the surface here in lines 205-215. Be able to explain the subtle things
that are going on between Hamlet, his mother, and King Claudius:
Hamlet Reading Guide, Act III
H: Madam, how like you this play?
Q: The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
H: Oh, but she’ll keep her word.
K: Have you heard the argument? Is there no offense in ‘t?
H: No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest. No offense i’ th’ world.
8. What Lucianus does in the play is absolutely important, and it’s even more important when
Hamlet explains to everyone present what happens later in the play between Lucianus and the
character of the Queen. Explain both of these. How does Claudius react?
9. Horatio reports two things to Hamlet, one regarding Claudius, and the other about Hamlet’s
mother. What are his reports?
10. Hamlet talks with Guildenstern about recorders, which are musical instruments much like the
clarinet. How does Hamlet compare Guildenstern and a recorder? Why? What does he mean?
11. What advice does Hamlet give to himself before he goes to talk with Gertrude?
Scene iii:
1. What is Claudius doing while he thinks he’s alone? What things does he say?
2. Hamlet overhears a mouthful of a confession here. How does he react? Why? What does he
plan to do later? Why is he waiting?
3. What does this statement from the King mean [lines 97-98]? “My words up, my thoughts
remain below;/ Words without thoughts never to heaven go.” Do you agree with him?
Scene iv:
1. Where’s Polonius during the Queen’s and Hamlet’s meeting? Why is he staying there, do you
think?
2. You’ve offended your father, the Queen says. What’s Hamlet’s reply?
3. Read this scene between Hamlet and Gertrude carefully, and be really familiar with the harsh
things they say to each other. If you were to replay this scene in modern English, what things
would they be saying to each other?
4. Why does Hamlet make Gertrude look at pictures? What are the pictures of?
5. What accusations does Hamlet make to his mother? How does she react? Does she take
them to heart, or not?
6. Who appears to Hamlet? What’s his advice?
7. Explain the two specific pieces of advice Hamlet gives to his mother—regarding both her
spirituality and her sexuality.
8. Hamlet talks about going to England. Why was he going? Who’s going now? How did this
new arrangement happen? What do you think will be the outcome of this?