Embed Doc
Copy Link
Readcast
Collections

CommentGo Back

Jacqueline GoPeriod 5February 21, 2009Analyzing Act III1.Claudius and Polonius use Ophelia to see if she is the cause of Hamlet’s anticdisposition. Polonius believes that the reason for his madness is because Ophelia’srejection of this. Claudius is convinced and he agrees to Polonius’ plan.2.Hamlet is confused about life with the thought of suffering and pain he’s goingthrough. He argues that if life itself is painful, why do men live and he alsoquestions the existence of the afterlife because of his confusion. He does notknow if he should be noble or if he should go against his troubles. If he should dieor he should just live his life and sleep.3.The king believes that Hamlet is bothered by something else other than Ophelia.He does not think it is love rather than it is anger that Hamlet is troubled with. Hestates that his madness should not be neglected because it might cause harm to hiskingdom.4.He states that they must speak the speech trippingly on the tongue, it must be saidsmooth; avoid mouthing the words; be not too tame; suit the action word by word;do not overdone it by the purpose of playing.5.Hamlet sees Horatio as loyal because of his trustfulness in him. He gives Horatioresponsibility and he trusts his judgments because he commands him to take noteof the king’s reactions during the play. Compared to Rozencrantz andGuildenstern, Horatio is humbling himself to Hamlet and he is also honest.Rozencrantz and Guildenstern do not trust Hamlet which is why they concealtheir intentions to him and they are loyal to the king. Hamlet despises their dishonesty.6.Ophelia states that it has been two months since the death of his father when shecorrects him when he says that it’s just been two hours.7.“The Mousetrap” is the name of the scene from the play, “Murder of Gonzago” played by the players by request of Hamlet. It is the image of murder done inVienna. It makes others guilty of crime while the free ones do not feel anythingabout it.8.After the play, Hamlet becomes hostile to all three men and he says toRozencrantz and Guildenstern that they can no more play him like an instrument.He also plays suspicion upon Polonius where he says that he is a weasel.9.Claudius during his soliloquy tries to pray while Hamlet sees this as anopportunity to kill him. It is believed that when someone is killed during prayer,he will die and go to heaven. Hamlet wants Claudius to go to hell and he intendsto kill him when he is drunk or doing something without a “relish of salvation”where he can be assured that he will go to hell.10.The ghost appears to Hamlet to shield his mother from his harsh words. Theoriesabout the ghost not appearing to Hamlet include that Gertrude maybe does notwant to face the fact that his husband is there or maybe because it was Hamlet’shallucination of his sane self. He says that Hamlet should speak properly to hismother because she is frightened and shocked with Hamlet’s words. Gertrude