... has such rich and varied incidents, characterization, subject matter and use of language. One of the main techniques is how Shakespeare represented characters. He manipulated audience's minds by changing the way characters behaved in certain situations. Act III Scene 4 plays a very important role in the play "Hamlet" because it reveals aspects of Hamlets" and Gertrude's characters which help us understand ... how Shakespeare manipulates the audience's feelings about these characters by changing the way the characters act and react in different situations. This is ... future lover, when i...

• Word Count: 2226
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... A ghost is also not visible for everybody. In the last appearance of the ghost in the Queen's closet it is only Hamlet who can see and hear him. The Queen is wondering: "Alas, he's mad!" (III.4.119), "to whom do you speak this?" (III.4.146) This changes her whole attitude towards Hamlet. She ... now thinks that he is "mad" and who would trust somebody who is out of his mind? Hamlet looked up to his father because he felt that he was a great leader and the bravest ... with. The appearance of the ghost in the first act changes the fate that has struck Denmark with the sudden death of Old ...

• Word Count: 1577
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... spying and killed by their ignorance. Both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were childhood friends of Hamlet, and attended school with him. The third act of Hamlet opens with a remark by the king, Claudius, who instructs Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to discover why Hamlet "puts on this confusion,/ Grating so harshly all his ... days of quiet/ With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?" (Shakespeare III, i.) The King and Queen called Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet who ... was easily persuaded to do so by bribery of money. This act of theirs helps emphasize the fact that they are two...

• Word Count: 1310
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... a project, unless one wishes for the conservative completism of Branagh) or the reorganisation, it is the interest provided by the synergy of Shakespearean verse (regardless of the quality of the speaking of that verse) and the modern context, which make this version worthy of analysis. With obvious influence from the stylistically modern Richard III (1996) and the audacious Romeo + Juliet (1996), ... Almereyda creates both a media saturated world and media-obsessed prince. The influence of the ... media and of technology provide a modernised context to certain allusions in the text, su...

• Word Count: 2290
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... his father, who is wallowing in purgatory. "[Claudius] took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May- (III.iii.81-82). Hamlet doesn't see any reason in allowing the murderous king to go to heaven while his father remains in purgatory. If Hamlet were more decisive and rash and did not rationalize his every move ... quickly. "Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent: When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed, At gaming, swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation it't:- (III.iii.89-93) Ham...

• Word Count: 1991
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... with Prince Hamlet in act 1, scene 3. When Hamlet first encounters Ophelia in act 3, scene 1, he is genuinely happy to see her when he says, " The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons / Be all my sins remeber"d" (III,I,90-91). Hamlet greets her with remarks of her beauty, and refers to her as a creature more heavenly than himself who might be easily forgiven ... that he has given her, which upsets Hamlet so much he denies ever giving them to her and insults her by saying, "Get thee to a nunnery..." (III.I.94-130), which is the Elizabethan equivalent to a whorehouse. The fury Hamlet posse...

• Word Count: 1429
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• Grade Level: High School

... and that your grace hath screened and stood between much heat and him. I'll silence me even here. Pray you, be round (with him."" (III, iv, 1-7) In this quote Polonius is convincing Gertrude to try and uncover the genuine motive of Hamlet's erratic behaviour. Gertrude agrees, unaware of Claudius and Polonius' actual intentions. When Hamlet enters he tries to urge his mother ... progresses, her resistance is weakened by Hamlet's condemnation of her behavior. Gertrude says, "O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain,"" she continues, "What shall I do?."" (III, iv, 177, 202) This quote s...

• Word Count: 1456
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• Grade Level: High School

... his battles is if he should live and avenge his father's death or if he should die and get rid of all the pain and troubles: "To be, or not to be, that is the question."(III,i,63). He weighs out the good things about death and the bad things about it: "To die: to sleep;/ No more; and by a sleep to say we end ... writ in/ choice Italian. You shall see anon how the murderer/ gets the love of Gonzago's wife."(III,ii,257-260). Also in some way it is a warning to the king because after seeing this scene the king gets mad and stops the play. The king suspects that Hamlet has something planned...

• Word Count: 1897
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... . Being obedient to her father, Ophelia avoids Hamlet, assenting "I shall obey, my lord" (I, iii, 136). Women were constantly seen as instruments in the city of Elsinore, never defending themselves. Ophelia reflects the nature of woman in a patriarchal society, demonstrating how females are hugely influenced by the men in their lives. Ophelia does not even realize that her father and her brother destroyed ... 't feel any sexual desires, proclaiming: "You cannot call it love, for at your age The heyday in the blood is tame, it's humble, And waits upon the judgment; and what judgment Would ...

• Word Count: 1649
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... to double business bound, I stand in pause where I shall first begin, And both neglect." (III, iii, 36-43) An admission of guilt appears to be a prayer for repentance. Hamlet wants to make sure that Claudius experiences the eternal purgatorial walk that his father must wander through. In order spark interest, Shakespeare added a ... kills my father, and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge." (III, iii, 76-79) To murder Claudius in this state would be not only sending him to heaven, but would be condemning Hamlet to Hell....

• Word Count: 1415
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... this plan, Horatio informs Hamlet, that if his plan does not succeed, Horatio himself will sacrifice himself, and expose The King for what he has done. " Well my lord. If" a steal aught whilst this play is playing And scape detecting, I will pay the theft." (III, ii, 86-88) Again, Horatio proves that he does care for Hamlet. He is willing to sacrifice himself ... position as King that drives him to do the immoral things that he does throughout the play. "Of those effects for which I did the murder-/ My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen." (III, iii, 54-55) Here, Claudius states the ...

• Word Count: 1781
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... piece of advice saying, "This above all: to thine own self be true, / And it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." (I, iii, 78-80). Polonius wants Laertes to be honest and live with honor. The advice is sound and Laertes accepts it as he departs for France. At first glance, it is seen that ... talked to each other and the queen says, "Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended." (III, iv, 9). Hamlet responds. "Mother, you have my father much offended." (III, iv, 10). She does not understand her son's feelings. She only understands the feelings of h...

• Word Count: 1575
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... to perform the revenge. Seeing the opportunity, Hamlet says, "Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I'll do't: and so he goes to heaven: And so am I revenged. That would be scann'd: A villain kills my father; and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. O, this is hire and salary, not revenge."" (III, iii, 74-80 ... . He says to his mother, "Why, look you there! look, how it steals away!/ My father, in his habit as he lived!/ Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal!- (III, iv, 136-138) There is another reason for Hamlet to fake his madness in ...

• Word Count: 1433
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... friends of Hamlet, he decides to play them as fools, for they showed disloyalty on not telling him the truth about their visit. In addition, as Hamlet had expected, Rosencrantz and Guilenstern went back and told the King and Queen of Hamlet's "crafty madness" (III, i.8). The play Hamlet was designed also to serve as evidence in which shows that his madness was all an ... act of intelligence. The play are designed to entertain the people at Denmark. Hamlet gave his idea of a play that should be performed ... top of things. For instance, Claudius plan on murdering Hamlet had failed. He h...

• Word Count: 1944
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... could have seen similar qualities between Ophelia and Gertrude. Hamlet's feeling towards women in general are negative due to the problems with his loved ones, Ophelia and Gertrude. Hamlet states, "Get thee to a nunnery" (III.i.125). He feels she has sinned because of the way she has been acting towards him. Next, Hamlet's repressed childhood fantasies of killing his father and sleeping with ... appears when Hamlet is caught in an act that looks like he is forcing his mother into a sexual position. The Ghosts speaks, "But look, amazement, on thy mother sits" (III.iv.113). Last, Young Ha...

• Word Count: 1901
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... brighter than everyone suspects. Hamlet in his supposed insanity becomes very offensive to Claudius. When Hamlet states, "Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar (IV iii 34-35)." he is essentially telling Claudius that when he dies no one will care that he was a King, he will rot just like anyone else. With his ... witching time of night, /When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out /Contagion to this world. /Now I could drink hot blood /And do such bitter business as the day would quake to look on (III ii 419-425)." Hamlet is ready to av...

• Word Count: 1315
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... contemplation of suicide. He is questioning whether one should suffer the burdens of society or take action against it. "Whether 'tis nobler to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ Or take arms against a sea of troubles-(III, I, 65-68). These "slings and arrows" are the conflicts faced by Hamlet and the rest of the world. Next Hamlet considers suicide as a solution to his problems ... what comes after death is what keeps Hamlet from committing suicide. He says that people go through life with all of its problems because of "dread of something after death"(III, I, 86). At...

• Word Count: 1431
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... contemplation of suicide. He is questioning whether one should suffer the burdens of society or take action against it. "Whether 'tis nobler to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune/ Or take arms against a sea of troubles-(III, I, 65-68). These "slings and arrows" are the conflicts faced by Hamlet and the rest of the world. Next Hamlet considers suicide as a solution to his problems ... what comes after death is what keeps Hamlet from committing suicide. He says that people go through life with all of its problems because of "dread of something after death"(III, I, 86). At...

• Word Count: 1456
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... so because Claudius is "praying" and will go to heaven because he has repented his sins. The reader knows the truth that Claudius is not praying and in fact as he states "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go"(III.iii.98-99). Hamlet combines sensitivity and perceptiveness with a degree of moral strength, which forces him ... to act morally in an essentially immoral world. Hamlet delays killing the King for the simple reason that killing a human being in cold blood is a morally repulsive action. These characteristics of ... will is not his ...

• Word Count: 1367
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... lines of his prayer. He said "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below; Words without thoughts never to heaven go"(Act III, Scene 3). This shows the reader that although Claudius is saying a praying and saying his is sorry for what he has done, he does not really mean it, and therefore he is not really sorry. A ... not itself unkennel in one speech it is a damned ghost that we have seen, and my imaginations are as foul as Vulcan's stithy"(Act III, Scene 2). This is a great example of Hamlet knowing his limitations; he has asked the just and fair-minded Horatio to help him judge. It is...

• Word Count: 1928
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... not fare well, and it dies sharply when he finds out she is conspiring against him. A sign of growth occurs as he shows his willingness to accept the situation as it is. He says, 'I never gave you aught' ( III.i. 96). Not wholly mature at this point, Hamlet does revert to some immaturity when he makes threats on many peoples' lives. Knowing of ... the presence of the eavesdropping Claudius, Hamlet makes a mistake when he declares, 'I say, we will have no new marriages: those that are married already, all but one, shall live' (III.i. 153-5). This statement only proves to make the situati...

• Word Count: 1879
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... will, though / you can fret me, you cannot play upon me" (III, ii, 377-379). This quote describes the common deception the tragedy Hamlet is taken over by. Hamlet is a tragedy written by one of the greatest playwrights, William Shakespeare. Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, encounters the ghost of his murdered father. Who places the blame of his death upon his brother, Claudius, who has married his ... , and Ophelia to spy on Hamlet (III, i). While on the other hand Guildenstern and Rosencrantz used the Hamlet's madness in order to get in the favor of the king, and they used the king and qu...

• Word Count: 1487
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... reveal such contrasting ideals in regards to Hamlet's moral predicament: the fifth commandment says to honor thy mother and father whereas the sixth commandment says thou shall not kill. In the major soliloquy delivered by Hamlet, a sense of intellectual debate arises. In the to be or not to be soliloquy during the first scene of Act III, Hamlet quotes, "Thus conscience does make cowards of us ... heaven. This exhibits incredibly sane and thoughtful behavior. If Hamlet was impulsive and had an overwhelming desire for revenge, he would have completed the murder at this moment instead of ...

• Word Count: 1323
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... one can quite figure out why, but King Claudius makes a sly comment to the effect, "Madness in great ones must not unwatched go."(i.: iii.: 1001). This comment has a hidden message that only the king himself can understand. The meaning he puts forth on Hamlet distracts everyone's conception of his actual plan. The ghost's apparitions are clearly setting way for what's to come of revenge. There ... to his friend, Horatio, and confides, "One scene of it comes near the circumstancewhich I have told thee of my father's death.I prithee when thou seests that act afoot,Even with the very comme...

• Word Count: 1335
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... 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 (III, iii, 77-92) In keeping with the Elizabethan tradition, in contrast to the Roman Catholic creed the Protestant doctrine held that "souls of the dead went directly to Heaven or Hell, not to Purgatory, and could not return ... and all, Hamlet can be summed up by one of the plays most infamous lines: "To be, or not to be, that is the question: / Whether "tis nobler in the mind to suffer / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles" (III. I. 56-59)....

• Word Count: 1772
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School