Complete all of the questions for Act III. Be specific, explain when necessary, and write directly on the packet if you have it:
Hamlet Act III Questions
3.1.64-94
1. Discuss the complexities of Hamlet’s struggle with suicide.
3.1.99-175
2. Support or refute one of the following statements:
a. Hamlet knows from the beginning of the scene that Polonius and Claudius are watching him
b. Hamlet does not know until later in the scene that he is being watched.
c. Hamlet never knows that he is being watched.
3. What is Hamlet’s objective in this scene?
4. What specific gestures, inflections, movements, or pauses could an actor use to show Hamlet’s objective?
5. How does this objective affect the subtext?
6. Explain how the characters in this play are complex humans.
7. Make predictions about how these characters will affect one another throughout the play. Be specific.
3.2.96-317
8. What rude remarks does Hamlet say to Ophelia? How rude are they? Be specific.
9. How does Hamlet insult other characters? Be specific.
10. At this point in the play, what is driving Hamlet? Explain.
11. How much of a risk is Hamlet taking with the play experiment? Explain.
12. What are the results of Hamlet’s play experiment? Who verifies these results?
13. What important information does Hamlet have in his grasp at the end of the scene?
14. To whom can Hamlet report this new information? Explain.
3.2.96-317 (continued)
15. Is there anybody who could straighten out the situation? Explain.
16. What are Hamlet’s options?Explain.
17. Does the “mousetrap” scene necessarily prove the Ghost is honest? What are the other possibilities?
18. Summarize the Player King’s speech.
19. What might Hamlet hope to accomplish by the Player King’s and Player
Queen’s speeches?
20. Earlier Hamlet asked the Player to “study a speech of some dozen or sixteen lines” that he would write and insert in the play. What possible evidence of Hamlet’s inserted lines is there in the “mousetrap” scene?
3.3.40-101
21. What happens to Claudius in 3.3.30-76 when he tries to pray? Explain the significance.
22. Hamlet finds the moment to kill Claudius at 3.3.77-101. Why doesn’t he do it? Explain.
