HAMLET Act 3 Scene 3-4 Questions

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

Claudius plans to send them all to England.

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

Polonius is going to hide in the Queen's chambers so he can listen in on the converstation.

3) List three important things about Claudius’ soliloquy.
a) Asking for forgiveness

b) Knows he can't get forgiveness, because he still wants the things that he killed for

c) Wants to go to Heaven, and not Hell

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

Hamlet is suppose to kill the king, and thinks he is pure evil, but seeing him praying is weird, because he is suppose to be this evil person.

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

Hamlet thinks that since the king is praying he will go to heaven afterwards, so Hamlet wants to wait until the king is doing something sinful in order to make sure he goes to Hell.

Scene IV
1) Describe Polonius’ advice to Gertrude.

To make sure Hamlet is sent away, and not to "spook" him.

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

Hamlet knew someone was listening in on the converstation between his mother and him, so he kills the spy calling him a rat (Polonius).

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.

Hamlet is saying that killing Polonius was almost as bad as the Queen helping Claudius kill the former king. 

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

Gertrude doesn't understand why Hamlet is being so rude to her.

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

- God like
- Worshipped
- Kind
- Warrior

Claudius

- Nasty
- Stayr
- Ugly
- Tryant

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

That his father was a noble man, and his brother is a nasty man. 

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.”

Hamlet is saying that his mother is making love to the man that killed her husband.

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

The ghost of the former king appears. The ghost tells Hamlet to be easy on his mother, and to say goodnight.

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.

Hamlet's opinions do not reflect madness. Hamlet has every right to get upset, because everyone is spying on one another, and there is no trust between anyone. The society of which Hamlet is trapped in, is making him go 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?

Ghost in Act 1 begs Hamlet to avenge him, but the ghost in Act III tells Hamlet to take it easy.