Act 3 Study questions

Scene 1: 
1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to Polonius?


They tell him that that there is something noticibly wrong with Hamlet, but he would not tell them what it was. He wouldn't tell them most likely because he knew that they were spying so he wasn't about to ruin everything. 

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


He begins to feel extremely guilty because he realizes that he is continuosly covering up his massive sin with his thoughts and words, just has polonius is saying people usually do with pretending to be interested in god. 

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


Ophelia is going to speak to hamlet and try and figure out what is wrong with him, and Claudius and Polonius are going to spy on the conversation. 

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


Its very sad and dark, he speaks of death very causally and questions whether or not it is better to be alive or dead. He believes that with death you are escaping all the wrong turns in life, and you don't have to make as many hard decisions. His speech is very similar to one of a person who is contimplating commiting suicide. 

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


He has no idea what is to come after death, he doesn't know if death will be great than life, which is why he is not willing to take his life at that moment because he is afraid that it might be worse. 

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


Because he did once love her and he knows that she had planned for her father to spy on him, and it hurts him that she would betray him like that. His crazy actions were planned but at the same time he still has feelings, and when the one you love betrays it creates and anger inside of you and thats why he is torturing her. 

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


He says that everyone except him will live because he is going to kill him. 

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


He wants to send him away to england, but he can't with a sold reason which he doesn't have yet. 

Scene 2:
9. What qualities in Horatio cause Hamlet to enlist his assistance?


He is very intelligent, and wise. He appreciates everything around him and he keeps extremely good composure in frantic situations. All of these qaulities make him extremely trustworthy,which is why Hamlet really relies on him. 

10. What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do?


He asks him to observe the king during the play to see his reaction on what is happening. If Horatio notices that the king gets nervous or reacts strange he will know that he is guilty of killing old King Hamlet, and the prince will have to continue his mission to kill Claudius. 

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


The play-within-a-play almost exactly tells the story of what Cladius did. There is a king and queen who are being very affectionate, the queen leaves for a moment and the kings nephew comes and poors poison into the kings ear. This was the introduction to the play and Claudius reacts right away and leaves the theatre because he did a very similar thing. 

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


Because the entire reason for this play is to find out if the king actually killed Hamlets father, so he is tricking them into watching the play in order to get a reaction out of the king. 

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


He stands up and starts freaking out, and then he runs out of the room very quickly with everyone following close behind him. 

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


He says he is an instrument, that people try and play him but people like Guildenstern, who can't play instruments can't play him. 

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


He is trying to convince himself not to kill her even though he hates her very much. He has to stick with his plan and save his rage for the king. He compares himself to Nero, a Roman man who killed his mother, but he will not go to those lengths. Despite the hate.