| According to Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, what prevents him from committing suicide? | He needs closure about his father, he is afraid of the afterlife |
| When Hamlet tells Ophelia to “get thee to a nunnery,” what are his feelings about her and about mankind in general? | He calls her a ***** and is angry and upset with everyone |
| What has Claudius decided about Hamlet’s madness and what does he plan to do? | He thinks he is a danger to others, they have to monitor him by spying on him |
| What does the player King say about love and success? | Love fades over time |
| “The lady doth protest too much methinks,” is a very famous line. What does it mean? | Gertrude is complaining of the actress’s portrayal of herself |
| What is the name of the play? What is ironic about the name of this play? In the play what is the relationship between the King and the murderer? What is Hamlet trying to do by putting on this play? | Mousetrap, trying to trap his uncle, brothers, Hamlet is trying to see how the king reacts to the play |
| What is Claudius’s reaction to the play? | He stands up and is taken back by it |
| What is Hamlet’s state of mind in lines 404-406? | Overreacts and is immature |
| What is the King going to do with Hamlet? | He is sending him to England |
| The climax of the play is said to be the King’s soliloquy in lines 40-75. Is the Kings’s repentance sincere? How do we know one way or the other? Why would people say that this is the climax of the play? | It is not sincere because the King is still only worried about himself and the consequences, he is sorry for killing King Hamlet and finally admits to it. |
| In the soliloquy, what does he say? | He asks for forgiveness for his brother’s murder. |
| What prevents Hamlet from killing Claudius right there? Is this a good reason? What does this show about Hamlet’s character? | Claudius is praying and therefore might go to heaven, Hamlet waits for when he is sinning to kill him. |
| Hamlet accuses Gertrude of which of the seven deadly sins? | Lust |
| Why does the ghost come back? What would be the purpose for Shakespeare of having the ghost come back? | He reminds Hamlet to leave his mother alone; Elizabethans loved the super natural |
| In lines 179-186, Hamlet gives his mother some good advice about how to change a difficult bad habit. What was that advice? | Take the break up with the King one day at a time |
| What is Hamlet’s response to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? What is the mandate they bear? | He does not trust them; two snakes |
| Claudius begins and ends the act by lying to Gertrude. Name four other aspects of his character and prove them on the basis of what he says and does in this act. Does he feel guilt? | Selfishness, Deceitful, Long-Winded, Manipulative |
| Had Gertrude reformed after her confrontation with Hamlet? | No she is still in the middle between Hamlet and Claudius |
| What is Gertrude’s tragedy? | She has to choose between her husband and her son |
| In what ways does Hamlet appear to change during this act? | He starts acting; doing things rather than putting them off/ procrastinating |
| Why has Ophelia gone mad? How might this be proven? What do others think is the cause of her madness? What does that say about them? | Her relationship with Hamlet has ended, and her father was murdered; This is evident through her singing/bad temper- sings about losing her virginity and her father’s death |
| What does the Queen’s speech about Ophelia’s drowning suggest about the young women’s madness and the reasons for her death? | She probably killed herself |
| Why are there so many short scenes in act 4? | Lot of action going on at different places |
| What do Scene 5 and Scene 7 suggest about what the commitment to revenge does to people? | Revenge makes people do bad things |
| Open Ended: Write about four people seeking revenge in Hamlet and how this revenge ends badly. | Hamlet- seeks revenge for his father’s death, who was killed by new King, ClaudiusLaertes- seeks revenge against Hamlet for killing his fatherGhost- like Hamlet, he seeks revenge against his brother for killing him unexpectedly Fortinbras- seeks revenge for the loss of his land in Norway and the loss of his father |
Hamlet Act 3-4 Discussion Questions
July 1, 2019