Hamlet Act 3 Questions for Study

Hamlet Act 3 Questions for Study

Act 3

Scene 1:

1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to Polonius?

They think something is wrong and that he is up to something but Hamlet wont tell then what.

2. How does Claudius react when Polonius says, "…with devotion's visage, And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself"?

He has an aside where he confesses the guilt he is feel to himself and compares himself to whore who can’t hide behind her make up for the things that they have done.

3. What plan do Polonius, Claudius and Ophelia now put into action?

To spy on hamlet while he is talking to Ophelia.

4. What is the nature of Hamlet's soliloquy, lines 57-91?

Hamlet is trying to decide whether to kill his uncle or to just live with it.

5. What is Hamlet's main argument against suicide?

Hamlet says that There is no coming back from death and that he doesn’t really know what waits for him in the afterlife and doesn’t want to risk it.  

6. Why does Hamlet treat Ophelia as cruelly as he does? What has changed him?

After seeing his father’s ghost he said that he was going to act crazy and he also knows that Polonius is spying on him.

7. What thinly veiled threat to Claudius does Hamlet voice, after he becomes of his hidden presence? (lines 148-150)

“Those that are married already, all but one, shall live.” Hamlet was threatening the king's life and nobody elses.

8. At the end of this scene, what does the King decide to do with Hamlet?

Claudius plans to send Hamlet to England because he is starting to act crazy.

Scene 2:

9. What qualities in Horatio cause Hamlet to enlist his assistance?

Horatio has been Hamlets friend for a long and is not from Elsinore so he is not influenced by Hamlet's uncle and mother, also He knows about the ghost so he is one of the few people that would believe him.

10. What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do?

Hamlet asked Horatio to watch his uncle during the play to see if he looked guilty, so that Hamlet knows whether or not to kill the king.

11. Summarize what happens in the play-within-a-play.

The king, Gonzago is sleeping in a garden and then his nephew pours poison into his ear and then marries the queen.

12. Why, in line 233, does Hamlet refer to the play-within-a-play as "The Mouse-trap"?

Because when the king shows his guilt during the play he would have walked right into Hamlet’s trap.

13. What is the King's reaction to the play?

Claudius freaked out, yelled for the lights to end the play, and left the room.

14. In lines 354-363, to what object does Hamlet compare himself? Why?

He compares himself to a recorder, because Guildenstern can’t play the recorger just like he can’t play Hamlet.

15. As Hamlet goes to his mother at the end of this scene, what does he admonish himself

Hamlet said that he is going to be very rude to his mother but will not kill her because it is his uncle he hates.

Scenes three and four

1) What does Claudius plan to do with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Hamlet?

He is sending Hamlet to England and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent along to keep an eye on Hamlet.  

2) What is Polonius going to do while Hamlet speaks with his mother?

He is going to hide behind the tapestry in the queens chambers in order to listen in on Gertrude and Hamlet’s conversation.

3) List three important things about Claudius’ soliloquy.

a) He knows what he did was wrong and is feeling a tremendous amount of guilt about it.

b) He cannot pray for forgiveness because he does not regret killing the old king and doesn’t want to give up the things that he has gained which are kingship and Gertrude.

c) He wants to pray but he cannot give up what he has gained so he fears that he is going to Hell

4) Why is it odd that Hamlet sees the king praying?

Because Hamlet thinks that Claudius is praying while we know that the king cannot pray because he is not willing to give up what he has gained from his sin.

5) Why doesn’t Hamlet take this opportunity for revenge?

Hamlet believes that is he were to kill Claudius while he was praying he would go to Heaven, but Hamlet doesn’t want that so he decides to wait for a better moment.

Scene IV

1) Describe Polonius’ advice to Gertrude.

He told her that she needs to scold her son and tell him that his pranks are negatively effecting the king and queen.

2) What is the significance of the following quote: “How now, a rat? Dead! For a ducat, dead!

He knew that somebody was spying on him and his mother so he killed Polonius who was hiding behind the tapestry, people who spy on others are often referred to as rats.

3) What is odd about the following quote: A bloody dead; almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.

He was saying that she was in on the murder of the old king even though the ghost said that it was Hamlet's uncle.

4) Why might Gertrude say, “What have I done, that thou dar’st wag thy tongue in noise so rude against me.”

She doesn’t understand why Hamlet would accuse her of murdering her husband.

5) What descriptions does Hamlet use to compare his father and his uncle?

King Hamlet: He was a gentleman, Curly hair, forehead of a greek god, very good a comanding people, and very agile.  

Claudius:  He is described as a mildew'd ear of corn.

6) What point does Hamlet make by comparing the men?

He is telling his mother that there is no comparison between his father and uncle and how badly she downgraded. .

7) What is disturbing about the following: Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed; stewed in corruption; honeying, and making love over the nasty sty.”

Just about everything because he is talking about the relations his mother is having with his uncle and how gross it was because his mother and father used to share that bed. It is also disturbing that he would say these things to his mother’s face.

8) What stops Hamlet’s ranting and raving at Gertrude? What does this figure tell Hamlet?

The ghost of his father appears and tells him to stop frightening his mother because the real person to blame in Claudius.

9) By the end of the act, Hamlet has made many statements about humanity, in general. Explain a few of his points. Do his opinions reflect his madness.

He gave the “To be or not to be” speech where he talked about whether or not to kill his uncle or if suicide was the answer to his problem. He also said that women who wear make up are dishonest and are responsible for driving men mad.   

10) Explain the differences between the ghost in Act I with the ghost in Act III. Why might these differences reflect Hamlet’s insanity?

In Act 1 the ghost was visible and anyone around could see him also he wants to get revenge for his death. In Act 3 the ghost appeared and Hamlet was the only one able to see it also the ghost told Hamlet not to be so rude to his mother and that the person to blame in Claudius. There probably wasn’t a ghost was Hamlets crazy way of easing up on his mother and focus on the real mission on hand.  

Act 2 Answers

1) What is does Polonius tell Reynaldo in the opening of Act II? How does he plan to trap his son?

Polonius told Reynaldo to make up lies about Laertes and see if anybody can confirm whether or not it is true in order to see what he is up to.

2) What does this say about Polonius?

This shows that Polonius is not very trusting with his son and is not confident in his ability to speak with his son about his life in France.  

3) What particularly in Act II scene 1 has disturbed Ophelia?

Hamlet went to her and grabbed her arms which really freaked her out, and she asumes it was because shehad not been talking to him.

4) Why have Rosencrantez and Guildenstern been sent to Denmark?

They were sent by the king and queen to spy on Hamlet and to find out why he was so sad.

5) What does Hamlet ask the players to recite? How does the allusion mimic Hamlet’s position?

Identify the following speaker of the following lines and discuss to whom the lines are being delivered, and what do the lines mean?

6) “No, my lord, but as you did command/ I did repel his letter, and denied his access to me”

Ophelia is the speaker and she is telling her father that she had done as he asked and stayed away from Hamlet.

7) “More matter less art”

The Queen is the speaker and is telling Polonius to get to the point while he is trying them that Hamlet is crazy.

8) “That I, the son of a dear father murdered,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words,

Hamlet is the speaker and this is one of his soliloquies, where he is saying that he is going to get his revenge by killing his uncle, who murdered his father. Hamlet also compares himself to a whore because he, like a prostitute is providing his services.

9) “Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth/ And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,/ with windlasses and with assays of bias,/ By directions find directions out.”

Polonius is telling Reynaldo that every lie he tells about Laertes the closer you will be to finding out what he was up to.

10) “For if the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?”

Hamlet is insulting Polonius by comparing his daughter Ophelia to a dead dog that the sun birthed maggots into, by implying that he (the sun) spoiled Ophelia (the dead dog).

11) List three metaphors (1 direct, 1 implied, 1 extended) from the play.

Direct: Hamlet called Polonius a “fishmonger”.

Implied: Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are compared to prostitutes because they sell themselves to the king to spy on hamlet.

Extended: Hamlet views Denmark as his own personal prison.  

12) What proof does Polonius have that he believe indicates Hamlet’s love for Ophelia?

A letter that Ophelia gave her father that she said was from hamlet that confessed his love to her.

13) Explain the quote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” How does this relate to Hamlet.

Hamlet is saying there is no such thing as good or bad but only how others perceive it.

14) What is a fishmonger?

A fishmonger is another word for pump.

15.) Who was Jephthan?

Jephthan is a character from the bible who killed his daughter for political gain.

Act 1 scenes 3-4 Answers

1) What is Laertes advice to Ophelia?

His advice was not love Hamlet anymore because he is a prince and will most likely not have a say in who he marries because it will most likely be to someone that will help to strengthen Denmark.

2) How does “The canker galls the infants of the spring/ too oft before their buttons be disclos’d” fit into the ideology of the decaying garden?

He is comparing Ophelia’s situation with a worm that eats infant flowers, Hamlet being the worm and Ophelia being the flower. Laertes also said that if Hamlet were to take Ophelia’s innocence she would either end up in a nunnery or a whorehouse.

3) What analogy does Ophelia give to her brother as an answer to his advice? What does she mean?

Ophelia called her brother an “ungracious pastor” that needs to follow his own advice. She basically called him a hypocrite because she thinks that he loves someone in France.

4) List five of the “few precepts” that Polonius gives to Laertes.

hear people's opinion but hold your own judgement.

Don’t say what you’re thinking, and don’t be too quick to act on what you think.
Don't be quick to pick a fight, but if you do, you're in it so hold your own and fight.

Spend as much money as you can on clothes, but buy for their quality, not there flashiness.

Be true to yourself.

5) In lines 105-109, what is the metaphor that Polonius uses to describe Hamlet’s words of love?

“you’ll tender me a fool” he is comparing  Hamlet ‘s love to fake  money, it looks real at first but it is not.  

6) List and explain one metaphor found in the lines 115-135.

"Ay, springes to catch woodcocks." (115) Polonius is comparing Hamlet to a trap that is used to catch birds and his daughter is the bird.

7) What is Polonius’ command to Ophelia?

He tells her to never talk to Hamlet again.

8) In scene 4, what is Hamlet talking about in lines 13-38?

Hamlet says that he does not like the tradition of firing the cannon every time the king drinks, because it look like the kingdom is filled with drunks.

9) Why doesn't Horatio want Hamlet to follow the ghost?

Horatio was worried that if he were to follow the ghost that it might drive him mad or trick him into committing suicide.

10) What is Hamlet’s command to the three guards?

Hamlet repeatedly made the guards swear on his sword that they would never talk about the ghost and what happened that night.

HAMLET ACT 1 Scene 2 Answers

1. What is odd about Hamlet’s appearance in the opening of scene two?

He is entirely dressed in black.

2. Explain (give at least two reasons) why Claudius needs to justify his marriage in the opening of scene two.

Claudius tries to justify the marriage because of how soon it was after his brother’s funeral, some people think that you should wait longer than a month before getting married. Secondly, Claudius married his brother’s newly widowed wife and people might find that insestual.

3. Laertes asks the King for leave to do what, specifically?

Laertes said that he willingly came to Denmark to see Claudius's coronation, but wants to return.

“From whence though willingly I came to Denmark, To show my duty in your coronation, Yet now, I must confess, that duty done, My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon.”  

4. Explain Hamlet’s insult when he says, “A little more than kin and less than kind.”

By saying that he is “little more than kin,” Hamlet is saying that he is both his uncle and his father. The second part “and less than kind” he’s saying that it was wrong for him to marry his dead brother's wife and Hamlet’s mother.  

5. Explain Hamlet’s use of pun in the line, “Not so my lord, I am too much in the sun.”

Hamlet is using the word sun instead of son to sneakily imply that he does not like being his uncle's son and does not enjoy being called his son so many times.

6. In Hamlet’s first soliloquy it is obvious that what troubles him most is?

Hamlet is troubled most by why his mother married his uncle so soon after his father’s death, he doesn’t think she should have ever married him and that she did not allow a proper amount of time to grieve.

7. What does Hamlet mean by the following lines

“Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not ‘seems’.

‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,

Nor customary suits of solemn black,

Nor windy suspiration of forc’d breath,

No, nore the fruitful river in the eye,

Nor the dejected havior of the visage,

Together will all forms, moods, shapes of grief,

That can denote me truly. These indeed seem,

For they are actions that a man might play;

But I have that within which passes show,

These but the trappings and the suits of woe.

Hamlet says that although it looks like he is acting when he displays his grief, the real grief that he is feeling cannot be seen or faked.  

8. What does Hamlet say about the baked meats and the funeral and the wedding.

He said that the wedding was so soon after his father’s funeral, the leftover food was used for the wedding.

9. What news does Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo bring to Hamlet.

They brought the news about his fathers ghost that had been appearing at night in front of the night guards.

Hamlet ACT 1 Scene 1 Answers

1) How is interest created in the opening scene?

Interest is created by introducing a silent ghost of the former king of Denmark, while on the verge of war.

2) What information are we given to help us understand the situation?

We are given the back story of the old king Hamlet, who fought and killed the old king Fortinbras and won some land from Norway. A great deal of time has gone by and the ghost of hamlet was seen by two guards and a scholar, this is also during the time that they believe Norway might attack to win back their land.  

3) What happens at the end of the scene to create suspense and keep up the reader’s interest?

The four men are unable to get the ghost to speak and the ghost of the old king vanished, so they decided to tell hamlet in hopes that the ghost would talk to his own son.

4) What is the mood of the scene?

The men in the scene are cautious, creeped out, and also very curious to find out why the ghost of hamlet had appeared.

5) Why are the sentries apprehensive (there are two reasons)?

First they thought it was pretty strange to see a ghost of their dead king, they are also worried that it might be a warning that war is coming between Norway and Denmark.

6) What reasons are suggested by Horatio for the appearance of the late King’s ghost?

Horatio suggested that the ghost had come to warn them about an upcoming war between Norway and Denmark. or that there might be a treasure hoard.

7) Who are the characters present in the scene?

The present characters are Francisco, Barnardo, Horatio, Marcellus, and the ghost of Hamlet.

8) List one thing Horatio says about the former King?

Horatio said that Hamlet was good at combat because of this one on one battle he had with Fortinbras, which he had won.

9) Who is young Fortinbras?

Young Fortinbras is the son of the former king of Norway which old Hamlet killed and won some land from. Young Fortinbras wishes to go to war with Denmark in hopes of winning back the land his father had lost.

10) What does Horatio say happened in Rome after Julius Caesar was murdered?

Horatio said that all the graves were empty, because the dead had rose up and walked the streets of Rome.

11) How does Horatio differ from Marcellus and Barnardo in scene 1?

Horatio is a scholar while Marcellus and Barnardo are watch guards, this is why they asked Horatio come and explain the appearance of the ghost.  

12) What is Horatio’s purpose in scene 1 (why is he present)?

Horatio is there to give back story about the two kingdoms, Norway and Denmark, and also he is there to help reconfirm what the guards had been seeing at night.

13) What past history (Denmark’s history) is revealed in scene 1?

We were told about the bad blood between Norway and Denmark, which started when Fortinbras was killed by Hamlet in single combat and seized land from Norway.