Hamlet Acts Questions

Act 3 Scene 1

Polonius says “that with devotion’s visage/And pious action we do o’er/The devil himself” (47-49)which basically means that people use worship and being deeply religious to cover their sins. When Polonius states this Claudius says it’s true and confesses that what Polonius said hit his conscience because just like the makeup on a prostitute covers her flaws, the words he uses to cover his horrible crime. The murder becomes a heavy burden to Polonius as he feels terrible. “O heavy burden!” (55)

To him the “to be” is if he lives and endures the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” (59)Slings and arrows can physically hurt people but he uses it as a metaphor of not only being hurt physically but emotionally and mentally. He wonders if he can fight against something as painful as Fate. Slings and arrows are very accurate and can aim specifically at something, somewhere specifically far more painful and deep. He’d suffer having to live and painfully wait, leaving the Fate of his uncle to God. He’d bitterly suffer his yearn for revenge but not being able to do it. His “not to be” is to “take up arms/ against a sea of troubles.” (60) He can oppose the painful struggle by killing himself or killing his uncle. Both ways are damned and unvirtuous. If he dies he avoids all his problems and if he takes revenge he is now bloodthirsty and no longer temperate.

“To die, to sleep.” (61) Death is like an endless sleep where he can avoid pain, suffering, and heartache. Death is something scary and fearful because he does not know what the future holds especially since it’s a sin to kill yourself. The thought of afterlife haunts him and the idea of never being able to come back spooks him and stops him from committing suicide. “The undiscovered country from whose bourn/No traveler returns, puzzles the will.” (80-81) He also thinks the uncertainty of “dreams” or afterlife are an obstacle. “Perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub” (66) He can dream about a beautiful afterlife because when you sleep you usually dream and when he dies he’ll go on to the afterlife. “What dreams may come.” However, he does not know whether the sin of suicide can lead him to purgatory and the uncertainty is limiting him.

Ophelia returns love-tokens Hamlet had gave her since “words of so sweet breath composed/As made these things more rich. Their perfume lost” (99-100) The words he told her with sweet and endearing terms are now gone and replaced with bitter and hateful words. “Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.” (102) They have now lost their value if it has no feeling, sentiment, or love and are meaningless even if they’re pricey. It shows how Hamlet’s character has changed from a loving man to a bitter and angry man. It shows how much truth and betrayal have taken a toll on him.

The nunnery scene can be seen in 2 ways. In one of the interpretations Hamlet meant to say she had to go to a convent to protect herself because they’re all dishonest and treacherous. “We are arrant knaves all; believe none of us.” (130-131) If she stayed she’d be put in the treachery and could get hurt. Just like Ghost Hamlet he still protects his beloved despite their foolish decisions. It shows Hamlet's love for her. If she stayed she’d give birth to babies“breeder of sinners” (123) and babies are born sinners. In a convent she would’nt marry or have any kids so she’d never be controlled by any men anymore. She will be faithful to herself and not be influenced by men. He wants her to escape the problems and messy betrayals. In the other however, he tells her to go to a brothel. To him Ophelia and all of women are whores who drive men crazy. He attacks the way women cover their flaws in makeup and mask and make another face of themselves. He’s disgusted and appalled at females. He says “I did love you once” (116) but later rejects and denies it by saying “I loved you not.” (120) He now sees how it looks so false and unreal that he just can’t accept how he could love someone so fake and double crossing.

Hamlet was fed up of weak women in his life. His realization for love not being as pure as he thought has destroyed his views on love. Just like Gertrude abandoned the love for her husband so quickly, Ophelia would too. That’s what all women were to him and now distrusts women and love especially since she rejects him after being emotionally vulnerable after contemplating suicide. He’s a fragile wreck at the time she confronts him and can also impact why he is so harsh.

Act 3 Scene 2

The scene shows that Hamlet isn’t crazy but is actually rational and smart. He hasn’t given up on finding what the truth actually is and that’s why he wants it to be as perfect and fit the description of the ghost as much as possible. He’s not thinking in a stupid, hateful, crazy, or vengeful way but is actually trying to be fair and understanding. He doesn't rush into revenge foolishly and is genuinely trying to find the truth.

Horatio is praised for being so calm and controlled while Hamlet is so self-destructive. “For thou hast been/ As one in suffering all that suffers nothing.” (67-68) Although Horatio knows what’s going on he doesn’t suffer a much as Hamlet and Hamlet admires him for that. He can control and master his decisions unlike Hamlet.

Hamlet is now cunning and has Horatio spy on Claudius. He lets the reader and Horatio know he isn’t crazy because he talks very scholarly and sane. It shows how it’s all an act and isn’t even crazy, he’s just cunning.

When Hamlet is alone with Horatio he sounds sane and scholarly but as soon as the others come in he talks about feeding off the air like a chameleon and when they ask what he means he says “No nor mine”(100) because he tries to act so crazy that not even he understands what he means. It’s all an act to confuse Claudius and hide that he knows what he possibly did. He’s deceiving and does what’s needed to achieve the truth. It’s all a cover to be seen as crazy Hamlet.

Hamlet is not only seen as more crazy by being vulgar but he’s lashing out his frustrations on Ophelia’s actions. He’s acting like he’s sexually frustrated and can also match the idea that he’s just love sick.

She puts Claudius’s feelings ahead of Hamlets. She feels guilty but not too much. She’s more concerned about Claudius than her own son and she still can’t understand what Hamlet is trying to tell her. She can’t realize the wrongs she’s done and that Hamlet is trying to tell her she did. She rejects Hamlets effort to communicate with her and becomes a hypocrite because she often asks for him to tell her what he’s feeling or thinking.

Hamlet says playing