Hamlet Act 3 Scene 1

According to Hamlet, what is one reason he doesn't choose to die by suicide?

• He must take over the throne of Denmark.

• He must be strong for Gertrude.

• What happens after death may be worse than life.

• Revenge must come before anything else.

Answer explanation

In lines 77-89, Hamlet says "But that the dread of something after death,/The undiscovered country from whose bourn/No traveler returns, puzzles the will,/And makes us rather bear those ills we have,/Than fly to others that we know not of?/Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,/And thus the native hue of resolution/Is sickled o'er with the pale cast of thought." The evil we know, in this case, hell on earth, is better than evil we don't know - what is waiting for us in the after life.

What is Hamlet's general attitude toward women?

• He respects and loves them

• He doesn't trust them

• He puts them on a pedestal.

• He believes he is intellectually superior to them.

Find a line from Act 3 Scene 1 that supports your answer to the previous question.

Who is the ONLY person who believes Ophelia is the cause of Hamlet's madness?

• Polonius

• Claudius

• Gertrude

• Ophelia

At the end of Act 3 Scene 1, Claudius has decided to

• have Hamlet put to death in Denmark

• ship Hamlet out of the country to England

• have Rosencrantz and Guildenstern kill Hamlet

• have Fortinbras kill Hamlet

Watch the following video from MyShakespeare.com (You will need to copy and paste the link into a new tab/window): https://myshakespeare.com/hamlet/act-3-scene-1-video-link-paragraphs-index-item-digging-deeper-conscience-and-cowardice

Then, answer this question: Do you think that sometimes it is nobler to be a coward? Why or why not?

At this point in the play, what is plaguing Hamlet's thoughts the most? In other words, what is causing him the most pain?

• He cannot do anything about his own feelings.

• He has done nothing to revenge his father's killing.

• He feels more and more gloomy.

• Ophelia has spurned his advances.

Focus on Ophelia's soliloquy in this scene.

Ophelia

Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!

The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword;

Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state,

The glass of fashion and the mold of form,

Th' observed of all observers — quite, quite down!

And I — of ladies most deject and wretched

That sucked the honey of his music vows —

Now see that noble and most sovereign reason

Like sweet bells jangled out of tune and harsh,

That unmatched form and feature of blown youth

Blasted with ecstasy. Oh, woe is me

T’have seen what I have seen, see what I see!

[Exit Ophelia, Enter Claudius and Polonius.]

How has Ophelia's tone toward Hamlet changed from earlier in the play? Use the video attached to this question to help you!