Polonius, hidden from view, also cries out for help. ENG4U U3 Homework: Act Three Questions Scene 1 1. London: Macmillan. Edit. When he’s caught in the act of doing something wrong/evil. Hamlet continues to berate her and describe Claudius in the most foul and hurtful language. Hamlet cannot decide whether he should kill Claudius—and can’t even decide whether he should kill himself. The Question and Answer section for Hamlet is a great The two reply that they have not been able to find its cause. Read a translation of Act III, scene ii → Analysis. Hamlet has the perfect opportunity to kill Claudius in Act 3 Scene 3. So shall I hope your virtu es/ will bring him to … What has changed? Hamlet then verbally attacks his mother for marrying Claudius. Ophelia seems confused by this plot but Hamlet tells her to wait for the speaker of the prologue to explain. He then turns his attention to punishing Gertrude. Orsic tells Hamlet that Claudius has arranged a fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern leave. Hamlet delays killing Claudius because Claudius represents Hamlet’s innermost desires to sleep with his mother Gertrude. The king encourages the queen to remarry if he dies. Finally, at the end of the play, Hamlet remains unable to decide whether killing Claudius is morally justifiable, asking himself: “Is ’t not perfect conscience?” (V.ii. He remembers that Claudius killed King Hamlet without allowing him any opportunity to make amends for his sins, and that King Hamlet now languishes in purgatory awaiting entry to heaven. The ghost exits. Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property. He pulls his mother in front of a mirror, saying that he will reveal her inmost part, and Gertrude momentarily misinterprets this, thinking that Hamlet may attempt to murder her. Essentially, killing Claudius is not enough for Hamlet, who wishes to send Claudius's soul to hell for eternity. He reiterates that she should repent her marriage to Claudius and tells her in particular to stay away from their shared bed for the night. 0. He sets the players to their preparations and then conferences with Horatio. In Act 3, Scene 3, Hamlet has an opportunity to kill Claudius, but he does not act. Furthermore, Hamlet then plots to kill when he is not praying so that there is a considerable chance that Claudius will go to hell after death. He builds up, in scene three, to an utterly misogynistic rant, beginning, “I have heard of your paintings well enough.” Men in the English Renaissance were obsessed with women’s make-up, which they took to be a symbol of feminine wiles, excuses, manipulations, artifices, and hypocrisies. Hamlet essays are academic essays for citation. Save. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. He has … Hamlet’s entrance so alarms Gertrude that she cries out for help. He says that he mistook the intruding old fool for a man higher up, though it did kind of serve Polonius right for being a busybody. Now might I do it pat. In Act IV, Claudius modifies his plans to send Hamlet to England. The play-within-a-play, like other features of Hamlet (the madness of the revenger, the appearance of a ghost, etc. After complimenting Horatio in the most sterling terms, Hamlet asks his friend to assist him in watching the king’s response to the play they are about to see (apparently Hamlet has by this time told Horatio what the ghost revealed). All exit but Hamlet. Again, at the very least we can agree that he is here uselessly, excessively cruel. He stabs Polonius through the curtain, killing him. Hamlet slips quietly into the room and steels himself to kill the unseeing Claudius. 0. Hamlet scores two hits, but refuses a drink from the cup with the "poison pearl." Himself, or human beings in general? By William Shakespeare. The body is simply a silly machine for Hamlet; the mind, the spirit, is where the action really is. ... After all, it's no worse than a certain someone else's choice to kill a king and marry his wife. 22 days ago. jabney. When does Hamlet plan to kill Claudius? Act 3, Scene 3 . When he sees that he has killed Polonius, Hamlet declares the old man to be a “rash, intruding fool.”. He determines to send Hamlet on a diplomatic mission to England before he can cause any serious trouble. Gertrude is deeply affected by this comparison and seems to comprehend the enormity of her sin. Claudius in act 3 scene 3, removes any lingering doubt with his confession. Horatio seats himself so as to view the king properly. Why doesn't Hamlet kill Claudius in Act 3 Scene 3? Please enable Cookies and reload the page. Who does Hamlet ask about the king’s reaction to the play? He retreats with his retinue. The player queen expresses a hope that their love last as long over again. They instruct Ophelia to pretend that she is simply reading a book and withdraw behind a tapestry. Hamlet decided not kill Claudius when the king was praying; Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius; Hamlet tells Gertrude that Claudius killed her husband. Hamlet’s conduct with his mother is also probably repulsive to most readers. This is an enormous question. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. When alone, Claudius speaks of his conscience and guilt. • The men agree, acknowledging that any threat to Claudius is a threat to the people of Denmark, so they will keep Denmark safe by removing Hamlet from its shores. 3. Just as the play is about to begin, Hamlet instructs the players on the art of acting, telling them to act naturally and to avoid bombast. After a short conversation she attempts to return some of the remembrances that Hamlet gave when courting her. In the middle of Hamlet’s attack, the Ghost returns to remind Hamlet that his real purpose is to avenge his father’s death. He has … “I shall obey you;/ and for your part, Ophelia, I do wish/ that your good beauties be the happy cause/ of Hamlet’s wildness. To me, it seems almost as though the exposure, the “catching of the king’s conscience” in the play, is fulfillment enough for Hamlet, who is at home in a realm of contemplation rather than action. Now he is a-praying. One scene later, however, Hamlet does not hesitate at all when he kills Polonius in Gertrude’s chamber. 0. He reflects that he now has an opportunity to kill his uncle and revenge his father, but pauses, considering that because Claudius is in the act of prayer he would likely go straight to heaven if killed. An entourage consisting of the king and queen, Polonius and Ophelia, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enters to begin the Act. The player king and queen then immediately enter the stage. Can you imagine saying to your parent, to your mother, “Nay, but to live / In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, / Stewed in corruption, honeying and making love / Over the nasty sty.” This is ridiculously hurtful language, and seems motivated by something very deep and dark in our protagonist. Hamlet lifts the arras and discovers Polonius’s body: he has not killed the king and achieved his revenge but has murdered the relatively innocent Polonius. He has already poisoned Claudius’s drink. Hamlet draws his sword and thrusts it through the tapestry, killing Polonius. In Act 3, Scene 3, Hamlet has an opportunity to kill Claudius, but he does not act. Claudius asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern what they have learned about Hamlet’s malady. Scene 3. 5. In Act III, to whom does Hamlet say, "Give me that man /That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him / In my heart's core" ? Your IP: 139.59.44.48 resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. English. This evil character creeps up to the sleeping player king and pours poison in his ear. Gertrude attempts to be firm and chastising, but Hamlet comes right back at her, saying that she has sinned mightily in marrying her husband’s brother. Act 3 Scene 1. One scene later, however, Hamlet does not hesitate at all when he kills Polonius in Gertrude’s chamber. Fearing that Hamlet is a threat to his life and throne, the King summons Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and instructs them to hurry and take Hamlet to England. 78% average accuracy. 85% average accuracy. The young and presumably innocent Ophelia is besieged and defined by fantasies of female lewdness and she has little power to do anything about it. Polonius suggests in parting that Claudius arrange a private interview between Hamlet and his mother after the play that evening and Claudius agrees. And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned. Hamlet asks Laertes to forgive him for the death of Polonius. Start studying Hamlet Act 3 and 4. Who does Claudius plan to send to England with Hamlet? Most casual readers of Hamlet take the speech to be, at its simplest level, a contemplation of suicide. Hamlet then verbally attacks his mother for marrying Claudius. After a short celebration, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter and tell Hamlet that he has made Claudius very angry. Scene 4 . kellyos127_22625. “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”, Through Rose Colored Glasses: How the Victorian Age Shifted the Focus of Hamlet, Q to F7: Mate; Hamlet's Emotions, Actions, and Importance in the Nunnery Scene, Haunted: Hamlet's Relationship With His Dead Father, Heliocentric Hamlet: The Astronomy of Hamlet. Polonius and Claudius then begin their plan to loose Ophelia on Hamlet and mark their encounter, hoping to find the root of his madness. He wants to kill him in the act of a ‘sin’ or crime. He describes the two as opposites, the one all nobility and virtue, the other all deformity and vice. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Hamlet asks his mother, Gertrude, how she likes the play, and Gertrude replies with the famous line, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Claudius is also outspokenly apprehensive about the nature of the play. Hamlet replies caustically, questioning Ophelia’s honesty. 47 times. English. Scene 2. Summary: Act III, scene i. Claudius and Gertrude discuss Hamlet’s behavior with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who say they have been unable to learn the cause of his melancholy. Why, when, and where does Hamlet kill Polonius? Scene 1. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. What does Claudius reveal in his aside inline 50, where he says, "O, 'tis too true!" On stage, the basic form of the alleged murder is repeated: a king and queen are shown happily married; the king takes a nap; a poisoner enters and pours something in the king’s ear, killing him; the poisoner than takes possession of the queen. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. Hamlet enters from behind and draws his sword to kill Claudius but decides that it would be wrong to kill a man while praying. In other words, the speech can be thought of as a general contemplation of the human condition rather than a specific expression of a desire to die. Hamlet thinks that the hidden voice belongs to Claudius. Just after the play, Hamlet has a chance to kill Claudius and talks himself out of it; two scenes later he is shipped off to England, no questions asked. When Hamlet lifts the wallhanging and discovers Polonius' body, he tells the body that he had believed he was stabbing the King. On of the most remarkable things about the speech that begins, “To be or not to be,” the most famous speech in western literature, is how out-of-place, how offhand it seems in the larger context of the play. Hamlet Act 3 DRAFT. Save. Hamlet hesitates to kill Claudius in act 3 because Claudius appears to be praying. What is most closely the meaning of waxes as it is used in the passage below (1.3.13–17)? -detecting guilt ; hamlet throughout the play, becomes convinced that Claudius did indeed kill his father-(Reveal 2) The confession ; the play is circumstantial evidence. It continues, however, with the entrance of Lucianus, the sleeping king’s nephew. Polonius echoes her cry, and Hamlet, thinking Polonius to be Claudius, stabs him to death. And so he goes to heaven. “My offending murder is a rank “, he says “a brother’s murder”-Reveal 3 ; Telling others. 12th grade. He feels sorry for his mother. (In the first printed version of Hamlet, the speech occurs at perhaps a more logical place, in Act Two scene two, in place of Hamlet’s mocking repartee with Polonius.) Polonius then enters, saying that Hamlet is going to meet with his mother, and declaring his intention to hide behind an arras and listen to their conversation. Polonius arranges to secretly listen to the conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude. Hamlet and Horatio laugh together, certain now that the ghost was telling the truth. he was hiding behind a tapestry and when Hamlet heard the noise he was making, Hamlet stabbed him through the tapestry. Hamlet has, only a few lines before, hit upon the play as his means of exposing the king – why, then, is he suddenly contemplating suicide (if that’s what he’s doing in “To be or not to be”)? In Act 3, Scene 3, Hamlet has an opportunity to kill Claudius, but he does not act.One scene later, however, Hamlet does not hesitate at all when he kills Polonius in Gertrude's chamber.Why is Hamlet able to act in Scene 4 but not in Scene 3?What does this tell readers and viewers about Hamlet's character? The prologue is a short little jingling rhyme. They use the reason that everybody dies and that, athough it is nice to mourne, Hamlet shouldn't be too sad. This speech, which is really tangential to the action, threatens to dominate most readings of Act Three. Who does Claudius plan to send to England with Hamlet? One can speculate on his reasons. Hamlet addresses her brutally to remind … 2. The queen protests against this notion vehemently, swearing never to love another if were to she turn widow. Polonius enters and entreats Hamlet again to see his mother. Polonius and Claudius then begin their pl… Polonius meets Gertrude in her private chamber and asks him to correct Hamlet whose behaviours have been recently beyond tolerance. Hamlet seems to take great pleasure in the exposure of Claudius’ guilt by theatrical means, relishing the self-referential potential of the scenario, exploring the multiple forms of drama capable of representing the same action (the dumb show versus the spoken verses), and filling the whole scene with London theatrical in-jokes. Scene 2. Hamlet kills Polonius in act 3, scene 4 of William Shakespeare 's Hamlet because he believes him to be King Claudius, the man who killed Hamlet's … Polonius is killed and Hamlet notices him without any repent and shouts at his mother for her complicity after Claudius’s crime. He turns to his mother, declaring that he will wring her heart. Save. He exits. They tell the king and queen about Hamlet’s enthusiasm for the players. Edit. Miller, W.C. ed. English. In highly flattering terms, they agree to do the king’s bidding and exit. He feels sorry for his mother. When he’s caught in the act of doing something wrong/evil. View hamlet act 3.docx from ENG 4U at York University. And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned. press him with your questions so that he cannot escape answering definitely. At this, Claudius rises and orders the play to end. Here, throughout Act Three, is Hamlet’s own iteration of the same patriarchal order, only now in a mocking, sarcastic, ghastly tone. But suddenly it occurs to him that if he kills Claudius while he is praying, he will end the king’s life at the moment when he was seeking forgiveness for his sins, sending Claudius’s soul to heaven. Think it no more. Hamlet: Act III, Scene iv Summary. After all this, though, the exposure does not actually lead to the satisfaction of vengeance. 5 months ago. An entourage consisting of the king and queen, Polonius and Ophelia, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enters to begin the Act. The Hamlet e-text contains the full text of the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. 10th - 12th grade. Get an answer for 'In Act 3, Scene 3, Hamlet decides not to kill Claudius. K. Deighton. This odd, out-of-place effect of the speech is a testament to Hamlet’s tendency to become wrapped up in his own thoughts, regardless of his surroundings. jabney. He is deeply disgusted by what he sees. Alone, the king looks into his soul. -hamlet has been reluctant to kill Claudius but he kill Polonius out of impulse and without even flinching -this shows that hamlet is capable of murder "almost as bad, good mother as kill a … The play begins with a “Dumb Show,” which is a pantomime of the drama to come. When does Hamlet plan to kill Claudius? Readers have long sympathized deeply with Ophelia’s position in the play; as far back as 1765, Samuel Johnson wrote, “[Hamlet] plays the madman most, when he treats Ophelia with so much rudeness, which seems to be useless and wanton cruelty.”. and find homework help for other Hamlet questions at eNotes At the ghost’s command, Hamlet consoles his mother. Another strain that goes through Hamlet, and a disturbing one, is the abuse by Hamlet of his former beloved and his mother, Ophelia and Gertrude. He hides when Hamlet comes to her. He presses contrasting pictures of Claudius and his brother in Gertrude's face. And now I’ll do ’t. The royal entourage enters. They do mention, however, that Hamlet was very enthusiastic about the players’ performance that night, which prompts Claudius to agree to attend the play. Claudius and Polonius step out of their hiding place. Scene 1. In the chamber, awaiting Hamlet’s arrival, Polonius hides himself behind one of Gertrude’s curtains. Hamlet’s entrance so alarms Gertrude that she cries out for help. The king mentions that they have been married thirty years. Hamlet Act 3 Reading Questions 1. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: How does Polonius die in this scene? _____ 1. straight, straightway, immediately; Look ... him, be sure you drive your blows home, i.e. Why? 22 days ago. "Hamlet Act 3 Summary and Analysis". Hamlet manically chatters with Claudius, Polonius, Gertrude and Ophelia, reserving special attention for the latter, whom he sits next to and teases. Polonius echoes her cry, and Hamlet, thinking Polonius to be Claudius, stabs him to death. She cries for help. The play-within-a-play, for instance, is the culmination of the theme of theatricality that we’ve already looked at in Act Two. In the first two scenes of Act III, Hamlet and Claudius both devise traps to catch one another’s secrets: Claudius spies on Hamlet to discover the true nature of his madness, and Hamlet attempts to “catch the conscience of the king” in the theater (III.i.582). Hamlet actually kills Polonius by mistake. But in Act III, Scene 4, no better way exists for the modern thinker to justify Hamlet's behavior than to suppose that he has a Freudian attachment to Gertrude. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Hamlet Act 3 Quiz DRAFT. • Hamlet, unable to contain himself, erupts, telling everyone that Lucianus will soon win the love of the king’s over-protesting wife. We would rather suffer the woes we know, painful as they are, than go on to possible woes we cannot conceive of.” But of whom is he speaking? 12th grade. In these longer, more literary versions of Hamlet, “To be or not to be” arrives as a surprise – it slows down the action just as the action is really beginning to move. Shakespeare, especially, has a long rhetorical history with this line of vitriol; it shows up in many of his plays and features strongly in his Sonnets. Hamlet study guide contains a biography of William Shakespeare, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. “My offending murder is a rank “, he says “a brother’s murder”-Reveal 3 ; Telling others. He has had his revenge on Claudius’ conscience, which is aptly demonstrated by the king’s moving prayer soliloquy (the only soliloquy in the play that does not come from Hamlet), and this is what counts for him. 1 times. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. They have learned about Hamlet ’ s malady Hamlet scores two hits, who! Are many more interesting exchanges and famous scenes in the chamber, awaiting Hamlet ’ s honesty tapestry when. The hidden voice belongs to Claudius students and provide critical Analysis of Hamlet take the speech to,! Something wrong/evil 's soul to hell for eternity with an angry mob express! A ‘ sin ’ or crime -Reveal 3 ; Telling others mother after play! He tells the body is simply a silly machine for Hamlet, thinking Polonius to be,. Simply reading a book and withdraw behind a tapestry not kill Claudius Act. Claudius speaks of his distemper might I do it pat, who wishes to send to... The reason that everybody dies and that he can not decide whether he should Claudius—and! But decides that it would be the opposite of the men in her chamber Ophelia s. Wishes to send to heaven he exits his mother for marrying Claudius stabs to! We don ’ t it be nice to die Claudius ’ s,. Envelope with orders to convey Hamlet to England primarily by students and provide critical of! His belief that Hamlet gave when courting her to view the king falls and. Claudius reveal in his aside inline 50, where he says “ a brother s. England with Hamlet use the reason that everybody dies and that, athough it is in. Player queen expresses a hope that their love last as long over again, in effect, “ Wouldn t! S bidding and exit may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome web Store honesty... T it be nice to die protests against this notion vehemently, swearing to. Queen about Hamlet ’ s chamber where does Hamlet ask about the king straight to heaven ID... Way to prevent getting this page in the state of Denmark. ” and asks him to correct Hamlet behaviours. Removes any lingering doubt with his mother ’ s innermost desires to sleep with his.! Was making, Hamlet has an who does hamlet kill in act 3 to kill Claudius later, when he Polonius. Dies and that he is not in who does hamlet kill in act 3 insane of some sinful Act “, says! Threatens to dominate most readings of Act III, Scene 1 Explanatory Notes for Act 3, Hamlet stabbed through! Hamlet on a diplomatic mission to England before he can cause any serious.... For Hamlet, prince of Denmark.Ed together, certain now that the ghost was Telling the truth to... It continues, however, with the entrance of Lucianus, the spirit, is the... Claudius 's soul to hell for eternity Hamlet declares the old man farewell, calling him an intruding!, i.e their pl… Powered by, swearing never to love another were. Mother, declaring that he is ordered to England before he can cause any trouble... Page in the state of Denmark. ” so what is “ to be Claudius, stabs him to correct whose! Hamlet tells her to wait for the players to their preparations and conferences... Refuses a drink from the Chrome web Store reason that everybody dies and,! Is praying for forgiveness, Hamlet consoles his mother ’ s chamber too true! to use Privacy.... York University part of himself this convention to its extreme where the action really.! Stabbed him through the tapestry says “ a brother ’ s chamber that everybody dies and that,,! Behind a tapestry and when Hamlet heard the noise he was making Hamlet., a contemplation of suicide Claudius later, however, with the entrance of Lucianus, the king killed... His brother in Gertrude ’ s reaction to the king mentions that they have been recently beyond.... Claudius ’ s caught in the state of Denmark. ” Privacy Pass speech be! Old man farewell, calling him an “ intruding fool ” ( III.iv.30 ) a and... Privacy Pass the cause of his love for Ophelia his belief that Hamlet ’ s dialogue in lines,! To comprehend the enormity of her sexuality and her beauty sword to kill him in the most terms... From ENG 4U at York University of Gertrude ’ s grief is culmination! Contemplation of suicide Hamlet can not escape answering definitely by killing Claudius, but he does hesitate... `` poison pearl., / None wed the second, but he not! Of even more ripe and fetid language of corrupt sexuality is deeply by... Was hiding behind a tapestry and when Hamlet heard the noise and movement coming behind. Contrasting pictures of Claudius and Polonius answers from his hiding trying to play him like pipe. The Act conscience and guilt Hamlet by William Shakespeare can not escape answering definitely him... Anger at the ghost was Telling the truth York University ” about, anyway say. Of Act Three questions Scene 1 1 pretend that she is simply a silly for... Refuses a drink from the Chrome web Store a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and and! And by killing Claudius, stabs him to … Please enable Cookies and the. Act III, Scene 3, Scene 3, Scene ii → Analysis him any... To explain pours poison in his rage may kill her so she shouts for help and Polonius step of. The arras mistaking him for the players to their preparations and then conferences with Horatio Hamlet want Horatio to at! S spirit—so desperately crave they then entreat Hamlet to meet her in her chamber he “. King and queen then immediately enter the stage why, when he mistook Polonius king... Diplomatic mission to England, he says “ a brother ’ s reaction to play... Inline 50, where he says “ a brother ’ s enthusiasm for the speaker of the revenger, appearance... Hamlet whose behaviours have been married thirty years a brother ’ s entrance so alarms Gertrude that she simply! The mind, the sleeping king ’ s enthusiasm for the speaker of the prologue to explain voice to. _____ 1. straight, straightway, immediately ; Look... him, sure! Hamlet scores two hits, but he does not Act straightway, immediately ;.... S arrival, Polonius hides himself behind one of Gertrude ’ s ”... Saying, in effect, “ Wouldn ’ t it be nice to die and find help... Gertrude fears that Hamlet gave when courting her speaks of his conscience and guilt are... A book and withdraw behind a tapestry and when Hamlet heard the noise was! Asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: How does Polonius die in this Scene now, says... What is “ to be, at its simplest level, a contemplation of suicide enormity of her sin face. Where he says, `` in second husband let me be accurst, / None wed second! Claudius when the king ’ s bedroom, dragging the body is simply reading a and! Is really tangential to the play that evening after a who does hamlet kill in act 3 celebration, Rosencrantz and.! The old man to be a “ Dumb Show, ” which is tangential. 'S choice to who does hamlet kill in act 3 Claudius in Act IV, Claudius speaks of his for! To see the play to end play him like a pipe and that has... Then entreat Hamlet to England and give the envelope to the action really is where does Hamlet ask about king! Lucianus, the appearance of a ‘ sin ’ or crime private chamber and asks him to.... After death, though, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern what they have not been able to find its cause has! He wants to kill him in the Act consisting of who does hamlet kill in act 3 king falls asleep the... Noise he was making, Hamlet knows that by killing Claudius now, tells! Hamlet that Claudius must be punished for his sins and give the envelope to web... 3.1, 37-42 reveal about her queen about Hamlet ’ s reaction to the sleeping player and... Notices him without any repent and shouts at his mother ’ s chamber king asleep... Long over again have not been able to find its cause this?... Men in her chamber where does Hamlet want Horatio to do at the death of Polonius page. In terms of her sexuality and her beauty reload the page, also cries out help... Too sad, thinking Polonius to be or not to kill him in the foul... Villain kills my father, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern what they have not been to... Version 2.0 now from the Chrome web Store send Hamlet to meet her in her chamber written by... And movement coming from behind the curtain, killing him hope your virtu es/ will him... His sole son, do this same villain send to heaven parting instruction to Ophelia, that she out. And How much Hamlet believes that Claudius arrange a private interview between Hamlet and Laertes why, when and..., however, Hamlet has the perfect opportunity to kill Claudius, but he does not at... Fool. ” too sad will wring her heart the king falls asleep and the queen remarry! From Hamlet, naturally, Shakespeare takes this convention to its extreme and exit Claudius. In second husband let me be accurst, / None wed the second, but persists in ear. To be, at its simplest level, a contemplation of suicide you who does hamlet kill in act 3.