Hamlet—Act 3, sc 1 R+G report to the king that they cannot determine the cause of Hamlet’s behavior. They report he stays aloof and won’t answer questions in any direct manner.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 1 Lines 64-98—Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy—To be or not to be… In these lines, Hamlet ponders whether to continue living or to die. These lines emphasize most directly his indecision and uncertainty. Let’s examine specific lines of this soliloquy.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 1 Ophelia enters and she wants to return gifts Hamlet has given her—”remembrances of yours.” He denies having given her anything and then denies having loved her. He then loses his composure and yells at her, telling her to get to a nunnery

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 1 The nunnery reference suggests that Hamlet is calling into question her virtue (calling her a whore ) Nunnery was a euphemism for brothel. “Get to a nunnery” is also interpreted a good place for sinful woman to go to bring improvements to her life.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 1 Claudius and Polonius have been observing this conversation. Hamlet leaves and Ophelia talks with the king and Polonius. She laments “his noble mind is overthrown.”

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 1 Lines 176-182--The king now doubts that love is the cause of Hamlet’s madness. He recognizes “There’s something in his soul.” he does not know what it is, but he is concerned. Claudius resolves to send Hamlet to England.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 2 This scene contains the ‘play within a play’ that features a murder identical to that of Hamlet’s father. Hamlet asks Horatio to observe Claudius for his response to confirm Hamlet’s suspicions. Upon the staged murder, Claudius rises and exits.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 2 Upon the king’s exist, Hamlet is satisfied, saying “I’ll take the ghost’s word for a thousand pounds.” (312-13) Horatio says that he noted the king, too. Guildenstern reports that the king is ranting with anger. The scene ends with Hamlet saying that he will go to his mother and “speak daggers.”

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 3 The king affirms plans with R+G to escort Hamlet to England. Lines 40-76—The king articulates his guilt for the first time. Let us take a look at specific lines to see with what he is concerned.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 3 Hamlet enters and sees an opportunity to kill the king. He chooses not to do so for fear that the king will go to heaven instead of hell.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 4 In this scene Hamlet has a hostile exchange with his mom. Before the exchange begins, Polonius hides behind a curtain. Lines 11-21—The exchange is indirect, yet Hamlet is clearly not planning to be polite.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 4 Hamlet kill Polonius through the curtain, mistaking him for the king. Lines 47-48—The queen has no idea why Hamlet begins to assail her with his spoken daggers. Lines 104-106—Hamlet essentially tells his mother she is defiling herself in her marriage bed.

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 4 The ghost reappears to remind Hamlet of his purpose (126-27) after Hamlet appears to get misdirected with his rants at the queen. The queen questions Hamlet’s sanity after he appears to be addressing thin air (134-35).

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 4 Lines 160-176—Hamlet tells her he is healthy and not mad, and tells her that she must repent. Lines 209-10—Hamlet says he is “not in madness / But mad in craft.”

Hamlet—Act 3, sc 4 The scene closes with Hamlet saying he must go to England with R+G He says he trusts his two friends as he would trust fanged snakes. This suggests that Hamlet is onto Claudius’s plot to get rid of him and that Hamlet will subvert his plot.