WorksheetsHamlet Act 3
Total questions: 11
Worksheet time: 11mins
Claudius’s comment in Scene 1 that he is happy to hear of Hamlet’s interest in the troupe of actors is an example of dramatic irony because
the audience knows that Claudius will be made unhappy by the play.
the audience knows that Hamlet is just pretending interest in the arrival of the actors.
Claudius thinks Hamlet has recovered his senses.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are unaware of the reason that Claudius is worried about Hamlet.
Which quotation expresses the true reason the king wishes to get Hamlet out of the way after overhearing his conversation with Ophelia?
“he shall with speed to England / For the demand of our neglected tribute”
“There’s something in his soul / . . . the hatch and the disclose / Will be some danger”
“what he spake, though it lacked form a little, / Was not like madness”
“Haply the seas, and countries different, / . . . shall expel / This something-settled matter in his heart”
In Scene 2, what is revealed by Hamlet’s request of Horatio that he “observe my uncle” during the play?
Hamlet is cautious about assigning blame wrongly.
Horatio is already convinced of the king’s guilt.
Hamlet has made up his mind to act.
Horatio fears the king may flee Denmark if his guilt is unmasked.
What is Hamlet’s intention in confronting his mother and speaking “daggers” to her?
to make her agree to leave Claudius
to convince her that he is not mad
to let her know how much his father is suffering in death
to force her to admit her treachery
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are prompted to do the king’s bidding by their
fear for Hamlet’s health.
loyalty to the king.
hope of advancement and reward
desire to leave Denmark.
Which statement from Claudius’s soliloquy expresses the main idea?
“O, my offense is rank, it smells to heaven”
“And oft ’tis seen the wicked prize itself / Buys out the law”
“Pray can I not, / Though inclination be sharp as will”
“It hath the primal eldest curse upon ’t, / A brother’s murder”
What is the irony of Claudius’s comment at the end of Scene 3, “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below”?
Hamlet spared his life because he thought Claudius was praying.
The stress of Claudius’s situation is preventing him from doing the simplest tasks
He knew he couldn’t pray before he tried.
Hamlet is not able to pray either.
Which sentence best explains the sequence of events in Scene 4?
Hamlet confronts his mother and then kills Polonius.
Hamlet tries to kill his mother and Polonius dies defending her
Hamlet finds Polonius behind the curtain and kills him.
Hamlet kills the king first and then Polonius.
The Ghost appears in Scene 4 to
make Hamlet appear even more insane in his mother’s eyes.
mitigate Hamlet’s cruel treatment of his mother.
symbolize Hamlet’s guilt over the killing of Polonius.
warn Hamlet that Claudius is going to try to kill him.
Why is Hamlet’s killing of Polonius the turning point of the play?
Polonius was the real murderer of Hamlet's father.
Now that Polonius is out of the way Hamlet can marry Ophelia like he wanted.
Once Hamlet has killed Polonius, he has condemned his soul to whatever the punishment will be for murdering a fellow human being, so he has nothing to lose in getting revenge on Claudius.
Polonius and Claudius were planning on killing Hamlet and now that plan is ruined.
