Act 3: The play within a play

Act 3 is all about the play within a play and the immediate consequences that result from it. Hamlet thinks that he has proven the guilt of Claudius through the play, but passes up his chance to kill him when he thinks that Claudius is praying. He then visits his mother in her closet, where he kills polonius and sees the ghost once more...but is he truly mad this time?

Scene 1: R&G meet with the king and queen to talk about hamlet's insanity. They tell the king and queen that hamlet wants them to see a play. They leave, and the king and polonius hide behind a curtain to listen to the conversation between ophelia nad hamlet. hamlet gives his to be or not to be speech and tells ophelia to go to a nunnery. after, the king and polonius decides that hamlet really is nuts and that they need to take action.

Scene 2: The play within a play scene. A scene similar to the death of King Hamlet is portrayed. At the end, claudius stands and leaves, and gertrude also responds in an odd manner.

Scene 3: the king tells R&G to take hamlet to england. He then trys to pray and admits to killing his brother. Hamlet then enters and sees claudius at prayer, and decides not to kill him because he doesn't want him to go to heaven.

Scene 4: Hamlet meets his mother in her closet where polonius is to spy on them. hamlet kills polonius, then sees the ghost, but gertrude cannot see it. Hamlet then must leave for england.

Reflection: (this is a very shortened and spotty plot outline, but the significance is more important.) Claudius has begin to suspect other reasons for hamlet's madness besides his unrequited love for ophelia. He decides to relocate hamlet to a place that he can't hurt him, england. The king and queen see the play, and both realize what hamlet is suggesting. Claudius feels guilty for what he has done, but can't atone because he is still enjoying the benefits of what he did. Hamlet does not take this chance to kill claudius either because he is too scared to do so, or because he really doesn't want to send claudius to heaven. Hamlet kills polonius by accident, but then again, who else could it have been. it wasn't claudius, because he couldn't have beat hamlet there. the other choice is polonius, who hamlet kills. this act drives the rest of the action in the play. its a shame that hamlet was so calculating for the majority of the play, then makes one rash move and ruins it for himself. oh well. He then talks with his mother, and sees the ghost of king hamlet. the queen does not see the ghost wich suggests that either hamlet is crazy or because of gertrude's guilt she cannot see the ghost, or that she is simply pretending not to see the ghost.