| “How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience. The harlot’s cheek beautied with plast’ring art is not more ugly to the thing that helps it than is my deed to my most painted word. O Heavy burden!” | 1. King2. him doing evil things is worse3. “How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience” metaphor |
| “‘Tis the very witching time of night, when churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out contagion to the world, now could I drink hot blood and do such bitter business as the day would quake to look on. Soft, now to my mother. O heart, lose not thy nature; let not ever the soul of Nero enter this firm bosom. Let me be cruel, not unnatural. I will speak daggers to her, but use none.” | 1. Hamlet2. Hamlet is summoning up evil spirits about talking bad to his mother, but he won’t hurt her. He is going to tongue lash his mother even though the Ghost told him not to.3. “when churchyards yawn” personification, “hell itself breathes” personification, “I will speak daggers to her, but use none” metaphor |
| “I like him not, nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range. Therefore prepare you. I your commission will forthwith dispatch, and he to England shall along with you. The terms of our estate may not endure hazard so near’s doth hourly grow out of his brows.” | 1. King2. Hamlet needs to go to England because he poses a threat to Claudius3. “hazard so near’s doth hourly grow out of his brows” metaphor (hazards coming out of his brows) |
| “O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven; it hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, a brother’s murder. Pray can I not, though inclination be as sharp as will. My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent, and, like a man to double business bound, I stand in cause where I shall first begin and both neglect.” | 1. King2. He feels guilty and wants to pray, but he can’t. He is stuck and left with nothing.3. “it smells to heaven” metaphor, “as sharp as will” simile, “like a man to double business bound” simile |
| “Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell. I took thee for thy better. Take thy fortune. Thou find’st to be too busy is some danger. Leave wringing of your hands. Peace, sit you down, and let me wring your heart; for so I shall if it be made of penetrable stuff, if damned custom have not brazed it so that it be proof and bulwark against sense.” | 1. Hamlet2. He wants to speak to his mother so harshly that she will figure out what she did wrong and….3. “let me wring your heart” metaphor |
| “That you do bend your eye on vacancy and with th’ incorporal air do hold discourse? Forth at your eyes your spririts wildly peep, and, as the sleeping soldiers in th’ alarm, your bedded hair, like life in excrements, start up and stand on end. O gentle son, upon the heat and flame of thy distemper” | 1. Queen2. She can’t understand why Hamlet is speaking to the air and comments on his frightened appearance. “3. “your eyes your spririts wildly peep, and, as the sleeping soldiers in th’ alarm” simile, “like life excrements” simile |
Hamlet Act 3 Quiz
September 12, 2019