Scene 1
What does Ophelia give to Hamlet?
Ophelia returns tokens/flowers (the “remembrances” Hamlet had given).
What is the name of the play-within-the-play that Hamlet arranges?
"The Murder of Gonzago."
Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Claudius while Claudius is praying?
Hamlet fears killing Claudius while praying would send him to heaven; Hamlet wants him damned.
Who hides behind the arras (tapestry) during Hamlet and Gertrude’s conversation?
Polonius
In Act 3, Scene 1, what does Hamlet contemplate in his famous soliloquy?
If he should continue to live or die
How does Hamlet react when Ophelia returns the gifts?
Hamlet reacts angrily, rejects her, speaks harshly and appears to renounce love.
What brief advice does Hamlet give the visiting actors about how to perform?
Hamlet advises naturalness: not to overact, to hold truth, to avoid straining for effect.
While alone and praying in Act 3, Scene 3, what does Claudius reveal about his inner state?
Claudius reveals his guilt.
What is Hamlet’s treatment of Gertrude in this scene meant to reveal about his feelings toward her and her marriage to Claudius?
Hamlet’s harsh treatment reveals anger, betrayal, and moral condemnation of Gertrude’s marriage to Claudius
What is the name of the play-within-a-play that Hamlet arranges?
The mousetrap
Where does Hamlet tell Ophelia to go during their encounter in Act 3, Scene 1?
He tells her to “get thee to a nunnery.”
How does Hamlet’s instruction to Horatio to “watch the play” closely relate to Hamlet’s goal in Act 3?
Hamlet wants Horatio to watch Claudius's reaction to the play to confirm Claudius's guilt; Horatio’s steadiness provides an objective witness.
What does Claudius say “smells to heaven” and is “rank” in his soliloquy?
his murder of King Hamlet
What role does the ghost’s appearance play in this scene, and how does it affect Hamlet’s actions or state of mind?
The ghost’s appearance re-centers Hamlet on his mission, checks Hamlet’s course of action, and can reassure him he’s not mad.
How does Claudius react during the play when the murder scene is enacted?
He gets up and leaves
What does Hamlet ask of Ophelia's father (Polonius) in this scene? (page 145).
Before the play begins, how does Hamlet behave toward Ophelia? How does this behavior serve his plan?
He speaks harshly and mocks; Hamlet uses the encounter to appear mad.
What religious concept (e.g., forgiveness, salvation, purgatory, confession) does Hamlet consider when choosing not to kill Claudius during prayer? Explain how this influences his decision.
Salvation/forgiveness concerns (Hamlet worries killing during prayer would allow salvation).
What does Hamlet plan to do with Polonius’s body immediately after killing him?
Hamlet drags the body into another room (he hides it)
After the play, where does Hamlet find Claudius?
In the chapel/confessional
After seeing Hamlet with Ophelia, what conclusion does Polonius draw about the cause of Hamlet's apparent madness?
Polonius concludes Hamlet’s madness is caused by love for Ophelia
How does Hamlet speak to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in this scene? Why does he act this way?
sarcasm and suspicion; Hamlet distrusts Rosencrantz and Guildenstern because they are spying.
By the end of the scene, what action does Claudius decide to take regarding Hamlet? Explain the motive.
he resolves to send Hamlet to England to protect himself and remove the threat
What is the significance of Polonius’s death in this scene for the relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude and for the play’s plot?
Polonius’s death accelerates the tragic action: it alienates Gertrude (and Polonius's family), leads to Laertes’ return and plotting, and marks Hamlet’s move from contemplation to violent action.
What does Hamlet say about Denmark in Act 3?
It is a prison