HAMLET: ACT III

Scene 1
Claudius loses patience

Hearing reports from Rosencrantz,

Guildenstern and Polonius of Hamlet's
behaviour, Claudius thinks he should
send Hamlet away. Polonius
convinces him to involve Gertrude to
see if she can talk sense into her son.

HAMLET: ACT III

Scene 2
The actors perform the old King's
murder
Claudius stops the action
just before the new king
marries the old king's
wife.
Claudius' guilt
Hamlet brags to Horatio that he
has exposed Claudius as a
murderer. Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern come to tell him
that his mother is looking for
him.

HAMLET: ACT III

Scene 3
Claudius prays for forgiveness
As Claudius kneels in prayer,
Hamlet lifts his dagger to
avenge his father. He is
stopped by the thought that
Claudius will go to heaven.
Unknown to Hamlet,
Claudius is finding it
impossible to pray.

HAMLET: ACT III

Scene 4
Polonius spies on Hamlet and
Gertrude
Hamlet tells his mother she has
married a murderer. He hears a noise
and kills the unseen intruder,
Polonius. The ghost of his father
appears to him again.
Claudius comforts Gertrude
Gertrude tells Claudius that
Hamlet is mad. Claudius
sends Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern to find Hamlet.

HAMLET: ACT III

Scene 5
Hamlet confronts Ophelia and upon
hearing someone whisper, attacks
Polonius behind the curtain.
Hamlet refuses to reveal location of
Polonius' body

HAMLET: ACT III

Scene 6
Hamlet is sent to England

Hamlet reveals where Polonius'

corpse is. Claudius tells Hamlet he is
to be sent to England and secretly
plans to have him killed on the
journey

Homework Part 1
One persuasive method Hamlet employs with his mother is
the use of biblical references. Consider:
Why might that be a powerful tool to convince his mother
(and the Elizabethan audience) that Hamlet is in the right?
Why would this encourage her conscience to prick and
sting her?
Does his use of biblical reference change the audiences
view of Hamlet at all?
Do the biblical allusions justify Hamlet/mitigate his errors?