Hamlet Act III Notes
Hamlet Active Reading Notes: Act III, Scene I
1. Characters
Character
Traits
Gertrude Queen of Denmark,
Caring “Did you assay him?” (14) Shows emotion of the Queen towards Hamlet
Claudius King of Denmark
Demanding “And can you by no drift of conference / Get from him why he puts on this confusion, / Grating so harshly all his days of quiet
/ With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?” (14)
Demands to know why Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern can’t get the truth out of Hamlet
Hamlet Son of the late King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude
Suicidal “To be, or not to be? That is the question” (57) Hamlet contemplates suicide and seems to be suffering
Polonius Ophelia and Laertes’ father; Lord Chamberlain
Smart “And pious action we do sugar o’er / The
Devil himself” (4950) Polonius says that people act devoted to God to mask their bad deeds, which is philosophical.
Ophelia the object of Hamlet’s affection Oblivious “Heavenly powers, restore him!” (142)
Ophelia truly believes Hamlet has gone mad, but if she had really loved him, she’d know him well enough to know he’s faking it.
Rosencrantz friend to Hamlet
Observant “Niggard of question, but of our demands / Most free in his reply”(1112) He is observant of how Hamlet answered their questions, to what extent, and how open he was.
Guildenstern Friend to Hamlet
Assuming “But with much forcing of his disposition” (13) Guildenstern assumes that
Hamlet had to force himself to be nice, without really knowing the truth
2. Translation and Meaning:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to the King that they have not found the cause of
Hamlet’s strange behaviour. Polonius and Claudius go ahead with their plan to eavesdrop on
Hamlet’s conversation with Ophelia. When Polonius makes a comment about hypocrisy, this troubles Claudius and prompts him to reveal his guilty conscience in an aside to the audience.
Hamlet enters alone, thinking about loud once again
1. Characters
Character
Traits
Gertrude Queen of Denmark,
Caring “Did you assay him?” (14) Shows emotion of the Queen towards Hamlet
Claudius King of Denmark
Demanding “And can you by no drift of conference / Get from him why he puts on this confusion, / Grating so harshly all his days of quiet
/ With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?” (14)
Demands to know why Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern can’t get the truth out of Hamlet
Hamlet Son of the late King Hamlet and Queen Gertrude
Suicidal “To be, or not to be? That is the question” (57) Hamlet contemplates suicide and seems to be suffering
Polonius Ophelia and Laertes’ father; Lord Chamberlain
Smart “And pious action we do sugar o’er / The
Devil himself” (4950) Polonius says that people act devoted to God to mask their bad deeds, which is philosophical.
Ophelia the object of Hamlet’s affection Oblivious “Heavenly powers, restore him!” (142)
Ophelia truly believes Hamlet has gone mad, but if she had really loved him, she’d know him well enough to know he’s faking it.
Rosencrantz friend to Hamlet
Observant “Niggard of question, but of our demands / Most free in his reply”(1112) He is observant of how Hamlet answered their questions, to what extent, and how open he was.
Guildenstern Friend to Hamlet
Assuming “But with much forcing of his disposition” (13) Guildenstern assumes that
Hamlet had to force himself to be nice, without really knowing the truth
2. Translation and Meaning:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to the King that they have not found the cause of
Hamlet’s strange behaviour. Polonius and Claudius go ahead with their plan to eavesdrop on
Hamlet’s conversation with Ophelia. When Polonius makes a comment about hypocrisy, this troubles Claudius and prompts him to reveal his guilty conscience in an aside to the audience.
Hamlet enters alone, thinking about loud once again