Act 3,1 Claudius and Polonius use Ophelia as decoy to spy on the prince. “What is behind this turbulent and dangerous lunacy?”, the king asks, determined to find out. Remember, his mom has a good understanding of it, as mothers often have when it comes to knowing their children. What does she says in Act 2 about the cause of her son’s lunacy? She says: “ I doubt it’s no other than the main,…” 2,2 L56 In 3,1 L 57 we see one of the most celebrated lines in the English literature. Lets have a look.

A3,2 Claudius and Polonius use Ophelia as decoy to spy on the prince. “What is behind this turbulent and dangerous lunacy?”, the king asks, determined to find out. Remember, his mom has a good understanding of it, as mothers often have when it comes to knowing their children. What does she says in Act 2 about the cause of her son’s lunacy? She says: “ I doubt it’s no other than the main,…” 2,2 L56 In 3,1 L 57 we see one of the most celebrated lines in the English literature. Lets have a look.

The sea of troubles- a metaphor that stands for… To sleep perchance to dream- Hamlet compares death to sleep but is afraid of the dreams. In our literary analogy we came across another man who viewed life in similar way. Who was he? What metaphor is being used to describe death? The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will. Yet he the prince contradicts himself. How? In short this great soliloquy comes down to what is preferable - to exist or not to exist? Does Hamlet offer solution to it? Kind of.

Get thee to a nunnery! What is Hamlet advising Ophelia to do with these words? He also tells her: “God hath given you one face, and you make yourself another.” Read 3,1 L98 (p. 88) and explain what is Ophelia saying here. Once the king finishes eavesdropping, he exclaims: “ Madness in great ones must not unwatched go.” This scene begins with Hamlet lecturing the actors on proper acting. It sounds bizarre that a prince would lecture professionals on this, but I think that Shakespeare just wants to insert his own ideas on the art of acting here and uses the prince as his instrument of transmitting his ideas. He is basically telling the actors not to exaggerate acting but at the same time he says: “ Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor.”

In the following scene Hamlet is sometimes very vitriolic in his speech. Listen what he say to the Queen when she asks him to sit next to her: “No, good mother, here’s metal more attractive,” and takes a seat next to Ophelia. This would be a terrible affront to any mother, yet the queen bears it patiently. Why do you think? And how is he in his dealing with Ophelia? Not much better. He puts his head into her lap and talks about, well what do you think? A naughty prince indeed! And notice how sarcastic he can be. When Ophelia comments on the brevity of the prologue to the play, he responds: “As woman’s love.”

During the reenactment of the murder in the orchards, both Hamlet and Horatio keep an eye on the king. But the play also serves to shake up the queen’s conscience: “A second time I kill my husband dead, when second husband kisses me in bed.” Or: “Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife, If, once a widow, ever I be wife!” Or even worse: “ In second husband let me be accursed: None wed the second, but who killed the first.” Eventually the king starts feeling very uncomfortable during the play and gets up and leaves in distress. The play is over. Now Hamlet knows that he must take an action.

Act 3,3 In this scene the king reveals the gravity of his crime when he compares it to the fratricide committed by Cain to Abel in Genesis. “O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven.” He prays for forgiveness yet at the same time he knows well that his prayer lacks sincerity. “May one be pardoned and retain th’offence?” “Words without thoughts never to heaven go.” As the king makes his confession, Hamlet is behind him and tries to make up his mind whether this might be the perfect moment to avenge his father. He decides at the end not to do it. Why?

Act.3,4 This is probably the most potent scene in the whole tragedy. Hamlet enters his mother’s closet and is confronted by her immediately: “ Hamlet, though hast thy father much offended.” To which he replies: “ Mother, you have…” Remember what the prince said prior to going to her chamber? “I will speak…” And he lives up to that determination. First the queen is offended by his words as she exclaims: “ What have I done, that thou dare wag your tongue in noise so rude to me”? But towards the end, the harsh words and accusations directed at his mother produce the desired outcome, as she exclaims: “These words like daggers enter in my ears. No more, sweet Hamlet.” “A king of shreds and patches.” That’s how he calls King Claudius. But Hamlet’s harsh words are suddenly stopped by… “How is’t with you, lady’?, Hamlet asks like a loving son. Now his mother’s perplexity grows even further. Why? Before Hamlet exits her bedroom he says something very confidential to the queen. What is it? “I essentially am not in madness, but…” He also tells her that the king ordered him to depart to England with his two friends whom he trusts as mush as he would trust a venomous serpent.