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A summary of Act III: Scene i in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Hamlet and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
- Act 3, Scene 1
Did Gertrude have an affair with Claudius before he killed...
- Hamlet
The Prince of Denmark, the title character, and the...
- Suggestions for Further Reading
Eliot, T. S. “ Hamlet and His Problems.” In The Sacred Wood....
- Quick Quiz
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- Foreshadowing
Few of the events of Hamlet are foreshadowed in a...
- Setting
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- Character List
Did Gertrude have an affair with Claudius before he killed...
- Protagonist
Throughout the play Hamlet largely remains mysterious to the...
- Act 3, Scene 1
Actually understand Hamlet Act 3, Scene 3. Read every line of Shakespeare’s original text alongside a modern English translation.
Hamlet enters and sees Claudius praying. He is grateful to at last be alone with the man, believing now is the chance to kill him and take his revenge. Hamlet, however, finds himself in a conundrum—if he kills Claudius while the king is praying, Claudius’s soul will go to heaven.
Summary. Analysis. Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern gather in the hall of Elsinore. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell Claudius that though they’ve tried to talk to Hamlet about the root of his madness, he’s unwilling to answer them and remains “aloof.”
Alone, Claudius reflects on his evil crime, expressing regret, knowing he’ll be judged in heaven. Hamlet arrives as Claudius starts to pray. Hamlet considers murdering him but knows doing so whilst he’s praying means Claudius will go to heaven, which is not revenge.
3 paź 2024 · Summary: In Hamlet's soliloquy in act 3, scene 1, the major philosophical points include the nature of existence and the appeal of death as an escape from suffering.
Hamlet decides to wait, resolving to kill Claudius when the king is sinning—when he is either drunk, angry, or lustful. He leaves. Claudius rises and declares that he has been unable to pray sincerely: “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below” (III.iii.96). Read a translation of Act III, scene iii.