Act 3: Hamlet

1.      1. (3.1.1-10)

Introduction: This particular passage is the opener for act three. The King (Claudius), Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern are discussing Hamlet’s odd behavior.

Cladius

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?

Rosencrantz

He does confess he feels himself distracted.

But from what cause he will by no means speak.

Guildenstern

Nor do we find him forward to be sounded.

But with a crafty madness keeps aloof

When we would bring him on to some confession

Of his true state.

Analysis: In this passage, Claudius is asking Rosencrantz and Guildenstern if they know the reason for Hamlet’s odd behavior. Rosencrantz states that Hamlet has admitted to his odd behavior, but has not told them the reason why. Guildenstern tells them that he tends to dance around their questions when they try to get him to talk about how he feels. This passage describes Hamlet as a very sly character and someone who isn’t always open for talking about his feelings.

2. (3.2.129-135)

Introduction: In this section, the play that Hamlet set up is just about to start, and here in particular he is interacting with his beloved Ophelia.

Ophelia

You are merry, my lord

Hamlet

Who, I?

Ophelia

Ay, my lord.

Hamlet

O God, your only jig-maker. What should a man do but be merry? For, look you, how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours.

Analysis: Despite Hamlet’s strange behavior noticed by many, this is the first time anyone has described him as being in a good mood. His good mood is due to the fact that he is with Ophelia, but his mood quickly turns around due to the reaction of his mother. Hamlet is very upset because his mother is so cheerful after what he feels to be only two hours after his father’s death. In reality it has been four months since his death, but Hamlet is still copping with that fact that he is gone and we can clearly see his overwhelming emotions in this scene.

3. (3.3.77-101)

Introduction: In this section Hamlet is given the opportunity to murder his father’s killer (Claudius), but decides not to.

Hamlet

Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying.

And now I’ll do ’t. And so he goes to heaven.

And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned.

A villain kills my father, and, for that,

I, his sole son, do this same villain send

To heaven.

Oh, this is hire and salary, not revenge.

He took my father grossly, full of bread,

With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May.

And how his audit stands who knows save heaven?

But in our circumstance and course of thought

'Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged

To take him in the purging of his soul

When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?

No.

Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.

When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,

Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed,

At game a-swearing, or about some act

That has no relish of salvation in ’t—

Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,

And that his soul may be as damned and black

As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays

This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.

Analysis: Hamlet has been given an opportunity to murder Claudius, but due to his crazed state he decides to wait and murdered him similar to how his father was murdered. Hamlet describes his heart as black as death and says his soul is stuck to sin. Here we can see Hamlet coping with his crazy behavior, and although he realized what he wants to do is wrong, he still decides to eventually murderer him when he is drunk and asleep.

4. (3.4.11-21)

Introduction: This scene opens the final scene in act three. Here we see Hamlet interacting with his mother, right before he unknowing murderers Polonius.

Hamlet

Now, mother, what’s the matter?

Queen

Hamlet, thou hast thy father offended.

Hamlet

Mother, you have my father much offended.

Queen

Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.

Hamlet

Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.

Queen

Why, how now, Hamlet?

Hamlet

What’s the matter now?

Queen

Have you forgot me?

Hamlet

  No, by the rood, not so.

You are the queen, your husband’s brother’s wife,

And—would it were not so!—you are my mother.

Analysis: Throughout this scene Hamlet’s emotions are all over the place. He is portrayed as being very compassionate towards his mother at the start of the scene, asking her what the matter was. As the scene progresses he becomes very offensive towards his mother, which is the first time we have ever seen him be rude to the queen. The queen feels as though Hamlet forgotten who she is, yet Hamlet explains that she is the queen, but he doesn’t like Claudius. The queen becomes offended by this statement and therefore Hamlet sacrifices their relationship. 

The actor that I believe would best portray Hamlet would be Cory Monteith. Hamlet is a man who can quickly change his mood, who has a complicated relationship, wants to be center of attention, and feels the need to seek revenge on Claudius for his father’s death. Cory Monteith stared on Glee, where he was portrayed as the talented, jock, and was always looking to be the center of attention. He has a complicated relationship with many girls on this show (Rachel, Quinn, Santana etc…). Hamlet has an odd relationship with his mother and a very weird romantic relationship with Ophelia. Cory also spoke in a very dramatic way, just like Hamlet.