Hamlet Act 3 Quote Quiz

“Madness in great ones must not unwatched go” Claudius to Hamlet• acknowledging that Hamlet is the heir to the throne and he is acknowledging that Hamlet is a powerful adversary• if he messes up Hamlet can be a powerful adversary • Claudius is not sure how to trust this madness
“Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying.And now I’ll do ‘t.” Hamlet to himself as he watches Claudius pray• Hamlet wants to kill Claudius, but he does not because Claudius is not committing a sin so he wouldn’t go to Helloving hamlet towards action through short sentencesActions are impulsive• the short sentences show the impulse to take him out and are moving Hamlet towards the action through short answers but then he thinks better of it
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks” Gertrude to Hamlet during The Murder of Gonzago• get straight to the point • the lady is the equivalent of Gertrude, so Gertrude wants to downplay staying faithful to your first husband
“May one be pardon’d and retain the offense” Claudius to himself/the audience during his soliloquy• Claudius wants to be forgiven but also wants the products of his offenses.
“As kill a king?” Gertrude to Hamlet• shows that Gertrude did not know about Claudius murdering Old Hamlet•
“Do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?” Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern • open confrontation• when they attempt to manipulate Hamle into confiding in them• insults and annoys Hamlet, who makes a parallel between Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who are trying to “play him” and playing an actual musical instrument.
“Oh my offense is rank it smells to heaven” Claudius to himself/the audience in his soliloquy• religious reference to the story of Cain and Abel from the bible• comparison between Claudius’ sin of murdering Old Hamlet and Cain’s sin of murdering Abel.• he’s aware he’s sinned
“My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go.” Claudius to himself/the audience in his soliloquy• sums up Claudius’ state of mind, Claudius feels guilty but he likes doing his wife• well aware of sins and wants forgiveness• end of confession
“To hold as ’twere the mirror up to nature” Hamlet to Player One• Hamlet is telling the actors how to do the acting. He’s also acting so ironic because its like he’s giving advice to himself• shows Hamlet plan for the show to be hyper realistic• voices the author’s opinion on what is happening
“You are the queen, your husband’s brother’s wife” Hamlet to Gertrude• roast
“Give me some light, away!” Claudius to Polonius• Claudius’ guilt has taken over as he watches the play Hamlet put on with very similar circumstances
“Forgive me my foul murder? That cannot be, since I am still possessedOf those effects for which I did the murder:My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.” Claudius to himself/the audience in his soliloquy• he cannot be pardoned because he still has everything he murdered for and is not willing to give it up
“Do you see nothing there?” Hamlet to Gertrude• Hamlet and Gertrude are talking and he sees the ghost but Gertrude does not• Gertrude does not see the ghost
“A bloody deed? Almost as bad, good mother,. As kill a king and marry with his brother.” Hamlet to Gertrude• Hamlet reveals to Gertrude that Claudius murdered Old Hamlet
“Alas, he’s mad” Gertrude to Hamlet• Gertrude jumps to the conclusion that Hamlet is mad when he sees the ghost, but she does not
“That I essentially am not mad, but mad in craft” Hamlet to Gertrude• Hamlet’s madness is fake• first time he’s talking about his fake madness with someone besides Horatio
“I’ll take the ghost’s word for a thousand pound” Hamlet to Horatio• Hamlet is now convinced that the ghost is right because of Claudius’ reaction to the play
“To die to sleep, perchance to dream” Hamlet to himself/the audience in his “To be or not to be…” soliloquy• asking himself if it is better to give up and die rather than facing his troubles• frightened that he will dream when he is dead and never get any peace from his earthly troubles
“Your majesty and we that have free souls” Hamlet to claudius after he gets asked about the play• Hamlet knows that it will test Claudius but he is taunted using same strategy that Claudius is using on Hamlet.
“How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience” Claudius to himself after Polonius speaks of the devil• violence of the word lash • pain Claudius is experiencing
“Soft you now, the fair Ophelia” Hamlet to himself/the audience in his “To be or not to be…” soliloquy• he is making it obvious that he knows that they are listening to him and that Ophelia knows• he is ordering himself to do something because it is clear that it is hard for him to control himself • earlier he had asked her if she’s fair but now he confirms that he actually thinks that she is
“He kneels” STAGE DIRECTION• IMPORTANT, Shakespeare does not do many stage directions• Hamlet sees him kneel so he thinks Claudius is praying and so he doesn’t kill him
“So think thou wilt no second husband wed, but die thy thought when thy first lord is dead.” Player King to Player Queen• allusion to real life (in the play)