Hamlet Act 3 Scene 4 - Hamlet stabs Polonius hiding behind the arras Explanatory Notes for Act 3, Scene 4 From Hamlet, prince of Denmark. Ed. K. Deighton. London: Macmillan. _________ 1. straight, straightway, immediately; Look ... him, be sure you drive your blows home, i.e. press him with your questions so that he cannot escape answering definitely. 2. pranks, freaks of madness; have been ... with, have gone to too great a length to be endured any longer. 3. 4. hath screen'd ... him, have interposed to shield him from much wrath which would otherwise have fallen upon him. 4. sconce me, hide myself; from O. F. enconser, to hide, cover; cp. M. W. iii. 3. 96, "I will ensconce me behind the arras." 5. be round with him, use the plainest language possible to him; for round, see note on ii. 2. 139. 6. I'll warrant you, I promise you that I will. 7.

Fear me not, do not doubt my pressing him hard. 11. you answer ... tongue, your answer is mere frivolity. 14. rood, cross, i.e. of Christ; "it would appear that, at least in earlier times, the rood signified not merely the cross, but the image of Christ upon the cross" (Dyce). 16. would ... so! alas! 17. Nay, then, ... speak, if you are going to answer me in such a strain as this, I will set those to talk to you who will force you to use very different language. 18. budge, stir, move a step. 19, 20. You go not ... you, you will not be allowed to move from this spot till, as in a minor, I have shown you your real nature. 23. a rat, Collier points out that in Shirley's Traitor, 1635, Depazzi says of a secreted listener, "I smell a rat behind the hangings": Dead, for a ducat, I'll wager a ducat I have killed him. Stage Direction.

A pass, a thrust with his rapier. 32. thy better, i.e. in rank, sc. the king; take thy fortune, take the fate which has befallen you owing to your thrusting yourself in where you were not wanted. 33. is some danger, is a dangerous kind of business. 34. Leave ... hands, it is no good your making all this outward show of grief. 35. 6 And let me ... stuff, it is your heart that should be wrung, and that I mean to do, if it is not impenetrably callous. 37, 8. If damned ... sense, if accursed familiarity with crime has not so brazened it as to be proof against all feeling. 39. wag thy tongue, use your tongue so freely; cp. the literal use of the word in M. V. iv. 1. 76, "You may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops and to make no noise," i.e. without making any noise. 40, 1. Such an act ...

modesty, you have committed a deed of a nature that dims the grace of all modest blushes; the modesty of all your sex is robbed of much of its grace by the fact of a woman having done such a deed. 42. calls virtue hypocrite, makes all real virtue seem mere hypocrisy; cp. Cymb. iii. 4. 63-6, H. V. ii. 2, 138-40. 42-4. takes off ... there, and in place of the tenderness that graces an innocent love, sets upon its brow a shameless flush. 46, 7. As from the body ... soul, as robs the outward form of the marriage tie of that which is its essential grace; contraction, for marriage contract, is not found elsewhere. 48. A rhapsody of words, a mere extravagant utterance of words without meaning; rhapsody, Greek...the reciting of epic poetry, from...one who strings odes or songs together. 49-51. Yea, ...

act, yea, even this solid earth, with gloom-struck face, its though expectant of the day of judgement, is sick at heart in beholding such a deed. Wordsworth refers, among other passages in the New Testament, to ii. Peter, iii. 7-11, Revelations, xx. 11. For doom, cp. Macb. ii. 3. 83, "up, up, and see The great dooms image!" 51, 2. what act, ... index? what act of mine is it that has so stormy a prelude? Dyce gives "Index, a prelude, anything preparatory to another, � the index (i.e. table of contents) being generally in Shakespeare's day prefixed to the book." 53. this picture ... this, there is much discussion here as to whether any pictures are really shown, if so, whether they are pictures hanging on the wall, or miniatures produced for the occasion - one, of his father, possibly hanging round Hamlet's neck, the other, of the king, round that of the queen. 54.

counterfeit presentment, exact resemblance; counterfeit, here an adjective, is frequently used by Shakespeare, as a substantive, for a portrait, e.g. M. V. iii. 2. 115, "Fair Portia's counterfeit!" 56. Hyperion's curls, see note on i. 2. 140; on some ancient coins the sun-god is represented with an abundance of curls in imitation of the lambent rays on the circumference of the sun's disc: front, brow. 57. to threaten, expressive of threatening; awe-striking. 58. station, posture; herald, Mercury being the messenger of the gods. 59. heaven-kissing, reaching almost to heaven. 60. combination, sc. of excellences. 61. 2. Where every ... seal, which bore the impression of the hand of all the gods, set there in attestation of his nobility. 64, 5. like ... brother, infecting and so destroying his brother as a mildewed ear of corn by its neighbourhood to a healthy ear infects and blights it; "mildew, from A.S. meledeaw, honey-dew ...

The sense is probably 'honey-dew,' from the sticky, honey-like appearance of some kinds of bight, as, e.g. on lime-trees" (Skeat, Ety. Dict.). 66. leave to feed, cease to draw your nourishment from; desert his support. 67. batten, grow fat; properly intransitive, as here, but used transitively by Milton, Lycidas, 29, "battening our flocks." 68. You ... love, you cannot say that you were led astray by ardent love. 69. The hey-day ... humble, passion no longer overleaps its bounds, but has become dulled and well under control properly an interjection of surprise or exultation. 70. waits upon, waits for the direction of. 71. step, transfer itself, pass; with the idea of passing from what is good to what is bad; sure, certainly. 72. motion, "impulse of desire" (Staunton), who compares M. M. i. 4. 59, "The wanton stings and motions of the sense"; Oth. i. 3.

95. "Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion Blush'd at herself;" i. 3. 334, "our raging motions, our carnal stings." 73. apoplex'd, suddenly deprived of its functions; as the body is by a stroke of apoplexy... 73-6. for madness ... difference, for even madness would never make such a mistake, nor sense ever allow itself to become so entirely the slave of passionate feeling as to leave itself no power of choice by which to help itself in deciding between two objects so different from each other (and one so inferior to the other). 77. cozen'd, cheated; from "F. cousiner, 'to claime kindred for advantage, or particular ends; as he, who to save charges in travelling, goes from house to house, as cosin to the honour of every one'; Cotgrave. So in modern F. cousiner is 'to call cousin, to sponge, to live upon other people'; Hamilton and Legros. The change of meaning from 'sponge' to 'beguile' or 'cheat' was easy" (Skeat, Ety.

Dict.): hoodman blind, what we now call 'blind-man's-buff', a game among children in which one of them has his eyes 'hooded' or blinded, with a handkerchief, and is set to catch and name one of his companions, a forfeit being paid if he names the wrong one. 78-81. Eyes ... mope, eyes without the help of touch to guide them, touch without the help of sight, etc., or even a small portion, and that a diseased portion, of a single healthy sense, would not show itself so dull and stupid; mope, "the same word as mop, to grimace ... � Du. moppen, to pout; whence to grimace, or to sulk" ... (Skeat, Ety. Dict.). 82-5. Rebellious ... fire, if hellish passion can burst out into such uncontrolled mutiny in a woman of her age, virtue in the case of ardent youth may well show itself as soft as wax and melt in the fire which she (in flaming youth) feels; mutine, the older form of 'mutiny,' as the substantive in v. 2. 6, and K.

J. ii. i. 378. Hanmer plausibly conjectures heat for hell. 85-8. proclaim ... will, virtue (in the case of young men) need not protest any indignation when the strength of passion gives the signal for action, since here we have proof that aged blood, which should be cold as ice, burns as fiercely as that which runs in the veins of youth, and that reason which should restrain impulse only acts as a go-between to it and its object; for gives the charge, cp. Lucr. 434, "Anon his beating heart, alarum striking, Gives the hot charge and bids them do their liking." 89. Into ... soul, so that I am forced to look into the very depths of my soul. 90. grained, dyed so deeply and permanently; "granum, in Latin, signifies a seed or kernel, and it was early applied to all small objects resembling seeds, and finally to all minute particles. Hence it was applied to the round, seed-like form of the dried body, or rather ovarium, of an insect of the genus coccus, which furnished a variety of red dyes ...

The colour obtained from kermes or grain was peculiarly durable ... See C. E. iii. 2. 108, 'Ant. S. That's a fault that water will mend. Dro. S. No, sir, 'tis in grain; Noah's flood could not do it'; T. N. i. 5. 256, ''Tis in grain, sir; 'twill endure wind and weather.'" ... (Marsh, Lectures on the Eng. Lang.). 91. As will ... tinct, that nothing can wash them out; leave, "part with, give up, resign. Cp. T. G. iv. 4. 79, 'It seems you loved not her to leave her token'" (Steevens). 94. that is ... tithe, literally who is not the twentieth part of the tenth part, i.e. who weighs nothing as against, etc. 95. a vice of kings, who is to a real king nothing more than the buffoon in the old Moralities was to the serious characters.

Douce shows that the 'Vice' in those old plays was so named from the vicious qualities attributed to him, and from the mischievous nature of his general conduct. 96. A cutpurse ... rule, one who has filched the empire and its sway as a common pick-pocket filches his stolen goods. Purses were in Shakespeare's day worn hanging at the girdle, and so were easily cut off by thieves. 99. A king ... patches, a king with nothing kingly about him, made up of nothing but the cast-off remnants of kingly dignity. Cp. Antony's contemptuous description of Lepidus, J. C. iv. 2. 36-9. 101. What would ... figure? what would you desire appearing thus? 103. Do you ... chide, you surely must have come to chide, etc. 104,5. That, lapsed ... command? who, having allowed the time to pass in inactivity and passionate regrets, has failed to carry out your dread command, a matter of such pressing importance; for important, cp. C. E. v. 1.

138, "At your important letters." 109. amazement ... sits, utter bewilderment has settled down upon your mother; has taken entire possession of her. 110. step ... soul, interpose to save her from being overpowered by the emotions now struggling in her heart. 111. Conceit ... works, imagination works most powerfully in those who, like women, are physically weakest. 113, 4. Alas ... vacancy, alas, it is not you who should ask how I am, but I who should ask how you are, what has come over you, that you look so fixedly upon mere empty space. 115. incorporal, incorporeal, immaterial. 116. Forth ... peep, from your eyes your soul looks out in wild amazement. 117-9. And ... end, and, like soldiers awakened by the signal of the enemy being at hand, your hair, a moment ago lying still upon your head, starts up and stands erect, like inanimate matter suddenly endowed with life; the ...

soldiers, here the defines the situation of soldiers in particular circumstances; alarm, a cry to arms, from Ital. all 'arme, to arms! excrements, anything that grows out from the body, such as hair, nails; from Lat. excrescere, to grow out. 122. how pale he glares, how pale he looks as he glares upon us. 123, 4. His form ... capable, his appearance, coupled with the reason of that appearance, if appealing to the very stones, would stir them to feeling. For capable, = susceptible, receptive, cp. A. Y. L. iii. 5. 23, "The cicatrice and capable impressure." 125, 6. convert ... effects, turn my action from its proper sternness to pity. Singer would read affects, i.e. dispositions, affection of the mind, as in Oth. i. 3. 264, "Not to comply with heat � the young affect, In me defunct." 126, 7. then what ... colour, then the vengeance which I have to take will lack that justification which it would otherwise have, cp. J.

C. ii. 1. 29, "And, since the quarrel Will bear no colour for the thing he is, Fashion it thus." 127. tears ... blood, and instead of shedding the blood of the murderer, I shall perhaps only shed tears of pity from my own eyes. 129. is, exists, is not "a false creation Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain," Macb. ii. 1. 38, 9. 131. steals away, gradually vanishes. 132. in his ... lived, in the very dress he wore when alive. 135, 6. This bodiless ... in, madness is very skilful in giving birth to such illusions of the sight. 137, 8. doth ... music, beats with as regular and healthy a rhythm as yours; its pulsations are as indicative of a sound frame of mind as yours. 140. re-word, repeat word for word. 140, 1. which madness ... from, whereas a madman would wander in fantastic fashion from the subject. 141.

for love of grace, as you hope for pardon; grace, the grace of God; for the omission of the definite article before love, see Abb. � 89. 142, 3. Lay not ... speaks, do not try to soothe your soul by imagining to yourself that it is not your sin but my madness which calls aloud in this way. 144-6. It will ... unseen, to do so will, instead of healing the sore, only cover it as with a film while rank corruption, eating into the core of your soul, poisons it unnoticed; the open sore may be treated, the sore skinned over will prevent the progress of the disease from being seen, though it is going on all the time and can only end in death. 147. avoid ... come, avoid sin in the future. 148, 9. And do not ... ranker, and do not make what is already so foul still fouler by self-deception and hypocrisy; compost, mixture, composition, manure; cp. composture, Tim. iv. 3.

444, "The earth's a thief, That feeds and breeds by a composture stolen From general excrement." 149. Forgive ... virtue, forgive me for this virtuous indignation. Staunton puts a comma after this, and marks the passage down to 1. 152 as an Aside. 150. For in ... times, for in these times of gross and pampered indulgence; pursy, literally short-winded, here short-winded from over-indulgence. Cp. Tim. v. 4. 12, "pursy insolence shall break his wind With fear and horrid flight." 152. curb, "'bend and truckle,' From F. courber. So in the Vision of Piers Ploughman, "Thanne I courbed on my knees, And cried hire of grace" (Steevens). 154. worser, for the double comparative, see Abb. � 11. 155. the purer, all the purer; by so much the purer; the, ablative case of the demonstrative. 157. Assume ...

not, act as though you were virtuous, even if you have not the feeling. 158, 9. That monster ... this, "that monster, Custom, who destroys all natural feeling and prevents it from being exerted, and is the malignant attendant on habits, is yet angel in this respect, etc. The double meaning of the word 'habits' suggested the 'frock or livery' in 1. 164 [161]" (Cl. Pr. Edd.). I believe we should read 'out' for 'eat,' and 'devilish' for 'devil.' 160-2. That ... put on, that, to accustom us to the practice of good actions, he, besides what else he does, furnishes us with the garb of virtue which we can easily put on, if we so desire. 164, 5. And either ... potency, and either completely overcome the devil, or at least expel him from our nature with irresistible force. The reading in the text is a conjecture of Jennings; various other conjectures have been made, e.g.

curb, lay, lodge, quell, shame, overcome, the earlier quartos giving "And either the devil," the later, "And master the devil." 166, 7. And when ... you, and when you crave for a blessing from heaven, thus showing your contrition, I will ask of you a mother's blessing; For, as regards. 168-70. but heaven ... minister, but heaven has pleased that it should be so, viz., that I should be its instrument of vengeance in order that I might be punished by being guilty of this man's death, and this man be punished by my act; heaven as a plural occurs frequently in Shakespeare, e.g. R. II. i. 2. 6, Oth. iv. 2. 47, Per. i. 4. 16.' 171. bestow him, get rid of his dead body; answer well, justify myself; render a good account of my act in killing him; cp. Lear. i. 3. 10, "the fault of it I'll answer"; Cymb. i. 4. 170, "Only thus far you shall answer." 173.

I must ... kind, I must be cruel in words only to be kind in reality, i.e. my reproaches are necessary to make you see your conflict in its right light, and so bring you to a better manner of life. 174. Thus bad ... behind, thus my harsh words must be followed by even harsher measures, sc. the punishment of the king. 176. Not this, ... do, do anything in the world except this that I bid you do. 177. bloat, bloated by excess, especially in drinking. 178. Pinch ... check, make you wanton with his caresses: mouse, a term of endearment common in Shakespeare's day; cp. T. N. i. 5. 69, "good my mouse of virtue." 179-81. Make you ... craft, make you confess that I am not mad in reality, but only pretend to be so in order to effect my objects; ravel ... out, unravel; used of the gradual process of extracting Hamlet's secret, disentangling, as it were, the knotted skein. 182-4. For who ... hide?

for who but one that has everything that can ennoble a woman � rank, beauty, virtue, wisdom � would think of hiding a secret of such vital importance from a filthy creature like your husband; concernings, cp. M. M. i. i. 57, "As time and our concernings shall importune"; paddock, toad; cp. Macb. i. 1. 9; gib, more commonly gib-cat, a male cat. 185. No, in despite ... secrecy, no, in spite of the secrecy which common sense would bid you maintain. 188. To try conclusions, to make experiment. 189. break ... down, break your neck by falling headlong in your effort to fly like a bird. The anecdote in question has never been discovered, but "the reference," as the Cl. Pr. Edd. point out, "must be to some fable in which an ape opened a basket containing live birds, then crept into it himself, and 'to try conclusions,' whether he could fly like them, jumped out and broke his neck." 190-2. Be thou ...

me, rest assured that, if words are made of breath, and breath is made of life, it is not in me to breathe your secret to any one; for a similar play upon life in two different senses, cp. H. V. iv. 2. 53-5, "Description cannot suit itself in words To demonstrate the life of such a battle In life so lifeless as it shows itself." 193. I must to England, we are not informed how Hamlet became aware of this, unless he overheard the king's conversation with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. 194. concluded, determined. 195. There's letters, for the singular verb preceding a plural subject, see Abb. � 335. 196. as, just as much, i.e. no more; fang'd, with their fangs still in them; of course the poison is not in the fang itself, but in the poison-bag at the back of it. 197. 8. They must ...

knavery, it is for them to make the path smooth for me, and to lead me where the villanous scheme of the king may be put into execution; the original sense of the substantive marshall is 'horse-servant,' thence an attendant generally, and later on a title of honour: Let it work, let the scheme go on. 199, 200. For 'tis ... petar, for it is the finest sport in the world to see the engineer blown into the air by his own engine of destruction; the sport, for the emphatic definite article, see Abb. � 92, and for the form enginer, � 443; Hoist, probably the past participle of the old verb to hoise, or perhaps an instance of the omission of the participial termination; petar, a war engine filled with explosive materials. 200-2. and 't shall ... moon, and it will be strange if I do not manage to drive my mine beneath theirs and blow them high into the air; 't shall go hard, i.e.

the difficulty must be a great one if I do not manage to overcome it; for at, = up to, see Abb. � 143. Mines in besieging a fortress, etc., are made useless by running a counter mine at a short depth below or directly opposite them, and breaking down the intervening space by the explosion of gunpowder, when those working in them will be blown into the air. 203. when ... meet, when two skilful designs come into direct opposition; the figure of the counter mine is still kept up. 204. set me packing, hurry me off about my business; in packing there is perhaps the idea of contriving which is often found in Shakespeare, though here it does not seem to be the primary one. 205. lug ... guts, both words used in a contemptuous way, though guts had not the vulgar sense which it has since acquired; neighbour, used as an adjective. 208. prating, chattering, fond of idle talk. 209. to draw ... you, that I may have done with you; that I may put the finishing touch to this business. ________ How to cite the explanatory notes: Shakespeare, William.

Hamlet, prince of Denmark. Ed. K. Deighton. London: Macmillan, 1919. Shakespeare Online. 20 Feb. 2010. < >. How to cite the scene review questions: Mabillard, Amanda. Hamlet: Scene Questions for Review. Shakespeare Online. 27 Dec. 2013. < >. Scene Questions for Review 1. Hamlet believed Claudius was behind the arras (see line 32). Why do you think in this pivotal moment he acts quickly, without the hesitation that has otherwise plagued him? It is because the thought of Claudius in Gertrude's chamber -- the same chamber which was the scene of "incest" in the King's "celestial bed" ( 1.5 ) -- drives Hamlet to blind rage? Does Hamlet confirm this in his admission to Laertes? (See 5.2.215-224 .) 2. What do you make of Hamlet's reaction to killing Polonius by mistake? How remorseful does Hamlet appear? For more on this topic please see A Note on Killing Polonius . 3. F. J.

Furnivall argues that "before any revelation of his father's murder is made to Hamlet, before any burden of revenging that murder is laid upon him, he thinks of suicide as a welcome means of escape from the fair world of God's, made abominable to his diseased and weak imagination by his mother's lust and the dishonor done by her to his father's memory" (Leopold Shakespeare, p. 72). Is there textual evidence to support the theory that Queen Gertrude desired Claudius while she was still married to Hamlet's father? (See 1.5 ) 4. Representing the pictures in line 53 is left up to our imaginations. In some productions of the play the pictures are full portraits of the two brothers hanging in Gertrude's closet. In others they are miniature portraits in lockets around the necks of Hamlet and Gertrude. Sometimes the actor playing Hamlet merely draws silhouettes in the air. How would you stage line 53? 5. Do your feelings toward Gertrude change after the Ghost has to intervene on her behalf? 6. The Ghost has appeared to others in the play.

Why do you think Queen Gertrude cannot see the Ghost? 7. Which lines reveal that Gertrude will keep Hamlet's secret? 8. What advantage, if any, is there now that Gertrude understands Hamlet? 9. Both Gertrude and Hamlet know he is to be sent to England, yet Shakespeare never reveals how they came to know. What are some possible ways in which they found out? 10. Do you agree that Polonius' murder is the turning-point of the drama? Or do you agree with A. C. Bradley that the true turning-point is Hamlet's refusal to kill Claudius while he is praying ( 3.3) ? Bradley argues Hamlet's failure there "is the cause of all the disasters that follow. In sparing the King, he sacrifices Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Laertes, and the Queen and himself" (Shakespearean Tragedy, p. 108). ____ Hamlet's Relationship with the Ghost _____ Did You Know? ... An English translation of Belleforest's mid sixteenth-century Histories Tragiques appeared in quarto form in 1608.

It is The Hystorie of Hamblet. The translation was possibly in circulation before this, but whether it or Shakespeare's work came first in unknown. The focus of Chapter Three of the The Hystorie of Hamblet is the closet scene and it is fascinating to compare it to Shakespeare's version. To say that Hamblet is more vengeful than our hero is an understatement: "drawing his sworde thrust it into the hangings, which done, pulled the counsellor (half dead) out by the heeles, made an end of killing him, and beeing slaine, cut his bodie in pieces, which he caused to be boyled, and then cast it into a vaulte or privie, that so it mighte serve for foode to the hogges." Soliloquy Analysis: How all occasions do inform against me... (4.4) _____ Thoughts on Polonius ... "Old servants, like Polonius, are always in possession of the secrets of the family. Even though they are not the most intimate friends of the prince and his household, it is nevertheless impossible that things, which do not reach the ear of the world, should be concealed from them.

Claudius and the Queen, as the Ghost intimates, have long lived in criminal intercourse. This could have been no impenetrable secret to Polonius, and Claudius was unquestionably too cunning to flatter himself that it was unknown to Polonius. Has Polonius, perhaps, at earlier periods, in order to find out some secret, made use of the very means which he recommends to the King, or has he before now crept behind the very tapestry where he finally meets his death? (Hermann Von Friesen, Briefe Über Shakespeare's Hamlet, 1864) _____ SparkNotes: Hamlet: Act III, scene iv Act III, scene iv Act III, scene iv, page 2 page 1 of 2 Summary In Gertrude’s chamber, the queen and Polonius wait for Hamlet’s arrival. Polonius plans to hide in order to eavesdrop on Gertrude’s confrontation with her son, in the hope that doing so will enable him to determine the cause of Hamlet’s bizarre and threatening behavior. Polonius urges the queen to be harsh with Hamlet when he arrives, saying that she should chastise him for his recent behavior.

Gertrude agrees, and Polonius hides behind an arras, or tapestry. Hamlet storms into the room and asks his mother why she has sent for him. She says that he has offended his father, meaning his stepfather, Claudius. He interrupts her and says that she has offended his father, meaning the dead King Hamlet, by marrying Claudius. Hamlet accosts her with an almost violent intensity and declares his intention to make her fully aware of the profundity of her sin. Fearing for her life, Gertrude cries out. From behind the arras, Polonius calls out for help. Hamlet, realizing that someone is behind the arras and suspecting that it might be Claudius, cries, “How now! a rat?” (III.iv.22). He draws his sword and stabs it through the tapestry, killing the unseen Polonius. Gertrude asks what Hamlet has done, and he replies, “Nay, I know not: / Is it the king?” (III.iv.24).

The queen says his action was a “rash and bloody” deed, and Hamlet replies that it was almost as rash and bloody as murdering a king and marrying his brother (III.iv.26–28). Disbelieving, the queen exclaims, “As kill a king!” and Hamlet replies that she heard him correctly (III.iv.29). 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 bids the old man farewell, calling him an “intruding fool” (III.iv.30). He turns to his mother, declaring that he will wring her heart. He shows her a picture of the dead king and a picture of the current king, bitterly comments on the superiority of his father to his uncle, and asks her furiously what has driven her to marry a rotten man such as Claudius. She pleads with him to stop, saying that he has turned her eyes onto her soul and that she does not like what she sees there. Hamlet continues to denounce her and rail against Claudius, until, suddenly, the ghost of his father again appears before him.

Hamlet speaks to the apparition, but Gertrude is unable to see it and believes him to be mad. The ghost intones that it has come to remind Hamlet of his purpose, that Hamlet has not yet killed Claudius and must achieve his revenge. Noting that Gertrude is amazed and unable to see him, the ghost asks Hamlet to intercede with her. Hamlet describes the ghost, but Gertrude sees nothing, and in a moment the ghost disappears. Hamlet tries desperately to convince Gertrude that he is not mad but has merely feigned madness all along, and he urges her to forsake Claudius and regain her good conscience. He urges her as well not to reveal to Claudius that his madness has been an act. Gertrude, still shaken from Hamlet’s furious condemnation of her, agrees to keep his secret. He bids her goodnight, but, before he leaves, he points to Polonius’s corpse and declares that heaven has “punished me with this, and this with me” (III.iv.158).

Hamlet reminds his mother that he must sail to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, whom he says he will regard with suspicion, as though they were poisonous snakes, since he assumes that their loyalties are with Claudius, not with him. Dragging Polonius’s body behind him, Hamlet leaves his mother’s room. Analysis What is Hamlet trying to do in his confrontation with his mother? It is possible that he wants her to confirm her knowledge of Claudius’s crime, to provide further proof of his guilt. Or it may be that Hamlet wants to know whether she was complicit in the crime. Or he may feel that he needs her on his side if he is to achieve justice. While all of these are possibilities, what Hamlet actually does is urge his mother to repent choosing Claudius over his own father. More specifically, he repeatedly demands that she avoid Claudius’s bed. Actually, he’s much more specific: he tells her not to let Claudius arouse her by fondling her neck, not to stay within his semen-infested sheets, and other shockingly graphic details.

This is another point in the play where audiences and readers have felt that there is more going on in Hamlet’s brain than we can quite put our fingers on. Sigmund Freud wrote that Hamlet harbors an unconscious desire to sexually enjoy his mother. Freud maintained that all men unconsciously desire their mothers in this way, and he called this the “Oedipus Complex,” after the character in Sophocles’ play who unwittingly murders his father and has several children by his own mother. Whether or not Freud was right about this is as difficult to prove as any of the problems that Hamlet worries about, but his argument in regard to Hamlet is quite remarkable. He says that while Oedipus actually enacts this fantasy, Hamlet only betrays the unconscious desire to do so. Hamlet is thus a quintessentially modern person, because he has repressed desires. 1 Shakespeare | The Skipper's War The Skipper's War Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Search for: dpdevitt Leave a comment Whilst it is to be very much hoped that everyone is enjoying their Christmas holiday, there is one task that the VIth Form must not forget to complete.

As is the tradition, they spent the second half of term getting to know a Shakespeare play – in this case ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ The parts have been assigned and must be known absolutely pat. Boys should get their sisters etc to improve their acting during these holidays. Normally, that most faithful of Old Dragons, Lieut. Jack Gamlen (OBLI), would attend a performance to review it, but he has written to say he is otherwise engaged on the Western Front and he tells us that he will instead, “dream mid-winter nights’ dreams” about us all. The boys will enjoy this witty poem, written for them by Jack, whilst on active service in France: TO THE CAST OF 'A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.' Dear Players, take from one who used, Each year, to be your faithful critic - A task he'd never have refused, Though deaf or blind, or paralytic - A tribute to your former skill, Good wishes for your next excursion In plays which universal Will Devised for his and your diversion.

I mind the day, in 'ninety-eight, When I myself appeared as Theseus, (At two days' notice, let me state,) Expecting hisses loud as geese use. And, I can tell you from my heart, To have such memories to remember, Helps me to play the harder part Of fighting Germans in December. J.G., France, Dec., 1916 dpdevitt Leave a comment I wonder if you have worked out where Capt. Maurice Jacks was when he wrote: “Being more or less conscientious I cannot tell you exactly where ‘here’ is, but if you remember where Polonius was stabbed, you will be within reasonable distance of the spot.” Polonius was hiding behind a rich tapestry (typically hung to make a screen) when stabbed by Hamlet. Such a tapestry was called an arras. So, our man is somewhere near the town of Arras, to the north of Albert in the region of the Somme. Two marks if you got it right, one if you got it wrong! dpdevitt Leave a comment We are now settled into the Easter Term and our school production of ‘The Tempest’ was very well received.

We are grateful to Hugh Sidgwick for his review, which gives star billing to Barbara Hilliard’s portrayal of Ariel: Barbara Hilliard as Ariel “And then, hovering over and around these two and all the rest of the play, leading them at will, beguiling, enchanting, invisible and omni-present, we had the lovely vision of Ariel. It (I use the word advisedly, for this came nearer than any Ariel before to the ideal, sexless spirit of air and fire), it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen on the stage; presence, gesture, motion and voice alike were exquisite. Ariel intoxicated our senses so completely that I fear we hardly did justice to her acting; but apart from everything else it was a masterly reading of the character and of the play. Ariel made all the points with clearness and certainty, grasped exactly and revealed to us what was going on and interposed her presence among the deluded mortals always at the right moment and in the right way.

It is difficult to say how much the success of the play owed to her, and in particular to her most delicate and airy singing of the beautiful music of Purcell and Arne (Englishmen both, thank heaven, and much better at Shakespeare than Schubert and Mendelssohn). * * * * * * * I believe that an acting knowledge of at least one of Shakespeare’s plays is an important and useful part of an OPS education. Shakespeare has indeed aided and abetted 2nd Lieut. Maurice Jacks (KRRC), in giving us Maurice’s location in France without falling foul of the censor: “Being more or less conscientious I cannot tell you exactly where ‘here’ is, but if you remember where Polonius was stabbed, you will be within reasonable distance of the spot.” Young Dragons will surely work this out – but can you? dpdevitt Leave a comment A number of minor items of interest, concerning the term that has just ended, failed to make these pages. These are now included here, together with some information pertaining to the start of next term: The first half of term we had practically no illness at all. Later on we had some coughs and colds.

Two boarders were rather seriously ill with pleurisy, but it was taken in time and both have quite recovered. One little fellow had to have the operation for appendicitis, but has made a capital recovery (he is the first boarder on record to undergo it). * * * * * * * * The boys have done some excellent knitting. Sock knitting was supposed to be too difficult, but many excellent pairs of socks were produced. Also a large supply of toys and other products of the carpenter’s shop were forwarded to the Albert Hall Exhibition. * * * * * * * * Young Lance Mallalieu’s Marionette Shows have given much amusement on winter evenings. * * * * * * * * It has been most delightful to welcome so many Old Dragons back this term to tell us something of their experiences and hopes. Besides giving the greatest pleasure to us who knew them as ‘kiddies,’ it is a fine thing for the boys to see and hear those who have taken part in the great war. It does us all good to have them amongst us.

* * * * * * * * The Ford has taken parties of wounded soldiers to Woostock, Frilford and Stanton Harcourt; more interesting companions than these men ‘home from the war’ it would be hard to find. * * * * * * * * Rev. Spurling We are sadly losing the Rev. Henry Spurling from our staff. The Hampshire Regiment, which he has joined as Chaplain and interpreter and possibly fighter (he actually starts as a Tommy!) with the hearty approval of the Bishop of Winchester, has for its Colonel Bobby Johnson (OD), for its adjutant Stephen Low (OD), one of its captains Lionel Smith (OD) and a subaltern Wilfred Johnson (OD). The regiment is bound for East Africa. Henry, together with Bobby Johnson, started our magazine, The Draconian, when they had moved on to Winchester College, their aim being to keep in touch with other Old Dragons and “to tighten the bond of union between friendships that would otherwise be severed…” * * * * * * * * Next term we will perform ‘Hamlet.’ The various parts have been assigned. The words are to be known pat and I shall be grateful if parents and friends will hear them in the holidays.

N.B. No books will be allowed on stage at all when we begin the rehearsals on Wednesday Jan. 12th. I hope to have a performance for the Elementary School children on Thursday (13th), one for wounded soldiers on Friday (14th) and the usual two performances for friends on the Saturday (15th). Next term begins on Wednesday 12th January 1916. dpdevitt Leave a comment E A S T E R T E R M 1 9 1 5 . Having devoted three days to rehearsal, we put on three performances of ‘Hamlet’ over the first weekend of the new term. This was generally reviewed favourably.

From the Oxford Magazine: “From the melancholy business of arranging half-hearted lectures for skeleton classes, some of us were glad enough to snatch a respite by withdrawing to the OPS in order to witness the performance of no less a play than Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’… As regards diction there was universal excellence; and it is clear that the OPS may rightfully boast of being a school of pure English, where elocution does not rank among the forgotten arts, as happens too often nowadays.” We were delighted that Rosina Filippi was able to attend our first performance. She is well known as the first dramatist to adapt the works of Jane Austen for the stage. She is also the author of ‘Hints to Speakers and Players’ and readers my be interested in the first chapter on ‘Diction and Elocution.’ She was rather more critical of the children: “I think too much was sacrificed to the careful enunciation of words. It was too syllabic. I don’t mean that the sense of the sentences was not there – in many cases it was amazingly clear.

It showed great intelligence on the part of the boys that they could deliver lines so accurately as to convey the adult reading in their own delivery; but the poetry as verse was gone; the metre was lost, there was no footing in the line. It was an intelligent reading but not scholarly.” Finally, this performance was also reviewed by the Oxford Times: “The boys and girls of Mr. Lynam’s school gave three performances of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet.’ The first, on Friday evening was witnessed by nearly 400 boys and girls from the various Oxford elementary and higher grade schools, and with the unfortunate exception of a knot of boys in one corner of the gallery, they all appeared to appreciate and enjoy the performance. The boys referred to did not know how to behave, and to some extent spoiled the evening for the rest. Hamlet’s part was taken by Terence Greenidge. The boy’s elocution was perfect, and he never hesitated in the enunciation of the seven or eight hundred lines he had to say.

His rendering was different from that of the professional Hamlet; he was not so much the ‘melancholy Dane’ as the fiery youth who until the end of the player scene was not sure of the Ghost’s story, but afterwards was ready to carry out his murdered father’s command to avenge and at the same time spare as far as possible his weak mother.” FREE Essay on Theme of Love in Hamlet Theme of Love in Hamlet 5 Pages 1131 Words People often say and do things they do not mean, to the people they love. Things are said that can't be taken back and were only thought of after they were said. Every relationship goes through a rough time. No one is perfect and emotions fluctuate. When relationships are going well, it can be like heaven. When relationships aren't going well, tensions get built up and regrettable things can be done. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the characters said and did some mean things. After having time to reflect on what they had done, they often regretted it. But despite the devious and hurtful ways the characters acted toward each other, they still expressed love toward each another.

This was shown through the relationships of Laertes and Polonius, Polonius and Ophelia, and through Ophelia and Hamlet. Although the relationship between Laertes and Polonius showed deceit, there was evidence of love. Polonius' character was shown as a devious, spying character throughout the play. His spying inhibition was what ultimately got him killed, when he was hiding behind an arras and Hamlet stabbed him. One of Polonius' first deceitful actions, was against his own son, Laertes. Polonius hired a spy, Reynaldo, to go to France to spy on Laertes. Polonius even went as far as to tell Reynaldo to spread a few lies to get to the truth about what Laertes was doing. "Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth: and thus do we of wisdom and of reach, with windlasses and with assays of bias, by indirections find directions out." (II.I.63-66). Despite the devious and deceitful actions taken by Polonius, there was still love. The relationship Laertes and Polonius had with each other went beyond deceit.

Laertes best shows his love for his father, by his reaction to his father's murder. Immediately after Laertes got the news that his father had been murdered, he returned to Elsinore wanting to avenge Polonius' death. Example Essays: Arras 1. The Battle of Vimy Ridge The Battle of Vimy Ridge was fought on the cold morning of April 9th, 1917. Vimy Ridge is located in northern France, about 10 kilometers north of the city of Arras. This battle is known to be Canada's defining moment. The Germans had held the Ridge for over two years, enabling them to strengthen t... Word Count: 918 2. hamlet's delimmas Hamlet ¯s dilemmasThe play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, examines responses to significant dilemmas. The characters of Hamlet and Laertes undergo dilemmas. Shakespeare shows us that sometimes a person involved in dilemmas make choices that have bad result. Shakespeare focuses most of the dilemmas... Word Count: 421 3.

Discuss the theme of deception, masks and disguises in the p He went on to tell Claudius of how they could hide behind the arras and spy on Hamlet, in order to find out why he had been "acting mad." He also hid behind the arras in Gertrude's bed chambers in order to spy on Hamlet further, "Behind the arras I'll convey myself...aE. ... Word Count: 932 4. Generals Die in Bed by Charles Yale Harrison During the First World War, approximately six million soldiers of the Entente Powers died while fighting in Europe. The novel, "Generals Die in Bed," shows that these soldiers were subjects to abusive commands from their officers and generals. While the officers influenced the soldiers lives and j... Word Count: 908 5. Death in Hamlet An example of Polonius" innocent involvement with the royalty results in his death can be found at the beginning of Act III, scene iv, when Hamlet stabs him while he is hiding behind the arras in Gertrude"s room. ... In Act III, scene iv, Hamlet kills Polonius while he is hiding behind the arras in the Queen"s room. ...

Word Count: 808 6. Theme of Death/Destruction in Hamlet "So shall you hear of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts, of accidental judgments, casual slaughters, of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause,aE (Hamlet, Act V, Scene 2, Lines 381-384). So says Horatio, best friend of Prince Hamlet in the final few lines of the play. He speaks these words aft... Word Count: 944 The objective was a ridge that ran from the northwest to the southwest between Lens and Arras, France. ... (Berton, 296).Although other countries referred to the battle as the British Battle of Arras, Canadians called it the Battle of Vimy Ridge. ... Word Count: 1187 9. Reveloutions in Healthcare One reason for this is "today, it is argued that patients receiving home-care have a higher quality of life than those who are cared for in institutional settings such as nursing homes" (Arras 129). ...

Therefore, since "we are currently in the midst of an unprecedented explosion of medical technology" (Arras 107), home-care is emerging to be the more economical solution that may alexia some of the financial burdens of institutional care. ... Word Count: 1293 11. Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme was a major loss of life that was basically for nothing. At the end of the war there was no real land gain by either sides. 58,000 Brittish troops were either killed or injured durring the first day of battle, July 1, 1916. That number to this day still remains a one-day r... Word Count: 513 12. Blitzkrieg When the triumphant German Army marched through Paris on 14 June 1940, it added the final humiliation to an already shocked and defeated French nation. The unprecedented speed with which Germany defeated France in 1940 sent shock waves around the world. The first-rate military power had been completely defeated in just six weeks. In September of 1939, the French waited for the expected blow to come.

While the German army was fully occupied in crushing Poland, the French launched a minor offensive into the Saarland, but the French did not advance beyond the range of the guns in their Maginot Li... Word Count: 2530 13. Les Miserables Les MiserablesThe book I read was Les Miserables. It starts of talking about a convict, Jean Valjean, who just got discharged from prison. He goes around looking for a place to stay but every place turns him done. He comes across Bishop Myriel\'s home. The Bishop allows Jean to stay there and trea... Word Count: 1535 14. Cyrano de Bergerac At the war at Arras she tells Christian that, "Although she once loved him because he was handsome, she now loves him because of his inner beauty.aE Roxane shows the ultimate power of love over attraction, both at Arras and in the end of the play, when she declares her love for the ugly Cyrano.Le Bret is Cyrano"s most trusted, loyal friend. ... Word Count: 1681 15.

Hamlet a critical analysis Prince Fortinbras, The Danish Court and The Danish PeopleAs close friend of Hamlet I wish to write an account of the deaths that occurred in and around the Danish Royal Family. I will bring forth the truth concerning Hamlets apparent madness in order to clear his name of any slander. The guilty pa... Word Count: 633 16. Role of the Avenger in Hamlet Sometimes, people have similar goals, but they end up going about reaching those goals in different ways. This is the case in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Hamlet, Laertes, and Fortinbras all have the same goal of avenging their fathers" deaths, which leads to some similarities in their actions, bu... Word Count: 763 17. Hidden Of Hamlet The Hidden of HamletHidden information in a novel or play is common. The secrets and unknown are what keep a work interesting. But sometimes an author does not reveal his/her true motive or the actual meaning to a hidden article. In Hamlet, Shakespeare conceals ideas and actions to the naked eye... Word Count: 775 18.

Betrayal in Hamlet The ultimate act of selfishness is betraying family and friends. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, several acts of betrayal occur to shape the plot. These include Claudius betraying the king, Hamlet leaving Ophelia, and Claudius attempting to kill Hamlet. The plot of the story revolves around the or... Word Count: 750 19. Hamlet Shakespeare?s Hamlet is a tragedy containing elements of betrayal and revenge. Prince Hamlet is one seeking revenge for the untimely death of his father. Through the other characters? subjective opinions, Hamlet appears to be mad. However, through Shakespeare?s use of dramatic irony, the audience... Word Count: 1958 20. Victims of Circumstance The Shakespearean piece, The Tragedy of Hamlet, is a story of many themes. This is perhaps why students worldwide are taught it in school. Or perhaps it is because of the diversification of these themes, and thus the diversification of responses it invokes, that makes Hamlet so well received by both students and scholars alike. Of these themes, the strongest theme, or rather, the most obvious, is that of revenge.

That is not to say that because it is obvious, it is therefore simple. ... Word Count: 2387 21. Hamlet: The Ambition of Polojius Hamlet opens at the castle in Denamrk where King Hamlet has died recently. After the death of King Hamlet, his brother bacame king and married King Hamlet's widowed wife, Gertrude. Polonius was a friend of Claudius, and when Claudius bacame the king, Polonius a member of his council and his informan... Word Count: 920 22. jealousy For my English term paper we were instructed to choose a word and look it up in various different sources. These different sources include an unabridged dictionary, a thesaurus, Concordance to the Bible, Concordance to Shakespeare, Grangers Index to Poetry, Reader"s Guide to Periodical Literature, a... Word Count: 1052 23. Deception in Hamlet Shakespeare's Hamlet is a complex play full of dishonesty and deception.

In general, one must always be wary of the truth because quite often it is manipulated to serve the needs of any person who requires the truth to be on their side. The only way to discern the truth from the fabrication is b... Word Count: 946 24. Les Miserables Les MiserablesJean Valjean spent 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. He made several attempts of escape and never made it but finally released. His imprisonment hinders his chances of refuge for the night as shown at Digne where he is repeatedly refused shelter until he arrives at Monse... Word Count: 1299 Love in Hamlet - Shakespeare Love in Hamlet - Shakespeare 1 Although the relationship between Laertes and Polonius showed deceit, there was evidence of love. Polonius' character was shown as a devious, spying character throughout the play. His spying inhibition was what ultimately got him killed, when he was hiding behind an arras and Hamlet stabbed him. One of Polonius' first deceitful actions, was against his own son, Laertes. Polonius hired a spy, Reynaldo, to go to France to spy on Laertes.

Polonius even went as far as to tell Reynaldo to spread a few lies to get to the truth about what Laertes was doing. "Your bait of falsehood takes this carp of truth: and thus do we of wisdom and of reach, with windlasses and with assays of bias, by indirections find directions out." (II.I.63-66) Despite the devious and deceitful actions taken by Polonius, there was still love. The relationship Laertes and Polonius had with each other went beyond deceit. Laertes best shows his love for his father, by his reaction to his father's murder. Immediately after Laertes got the news that his father had been murdered, he returned to Elsinore wanting to avenge Polonius' death. Laertes was furious and demanded to know who killed his father, so he could get his revenge. "How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with; to hell allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit!

I dare damnation: to this point I stand, that both the worlds I give to negligence, let come what comes; only I'll be revenged most thoroughly for my father" (IV.V.128-134) Although Polonius was not always honest toward his son, Laertes still loved him. The father/son bond they had with each other wasn't easily broken. It took death to break the love that they had. End of Part One. You may visit and for instant access to over 45,000 plus term papers and essays. You may have all of these quality papers for only $19.95. No Fear Shakespeare: Hamlet: Act 2, Scene 2, Page 7 No Fear Shakespeare Home → No Fear Shakespeare → Hamlet → Act 2, Scene 2, Page 7 Hamlet (points to his head and shoulders) Take this from this if this be otherwise. If circumstances lead me, I will find Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed Within the center. POLONIUS (pointing to his head and shoulders) Chop my head off if I’m wrong.

I’ll follow the clues and uncover the truth, even if it’s at the very center of the earth. CLAUDIUS How may we try it further? CLAUDIUS What can we do to find out if it’s true? POLONIUS You know sometimes he walks four hours together Here in the lobby. POLONIUS Well, you know he sometimes walks here in the lobby for four hours at a time. GERTRUDE At such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him. (to CLAUDIUS) Be you and I behind an arras then, Mark the encounter. If he love her not And be not from his reason fall'n thereon, Let me be no assistant for a state But keep a farm and carters. POLONIUS When he’s there next time, I’ll send my daughter to see him. (to CLAUDIUS) You and I will hide behind the An arras is a hanging wall-tapestry. arras and watch what happens. If it turns out that Hamlet’s not in love after all, and hasn’t gone mad from love, then you can fire me from my court job and I’ll go work on a farm.

CLAUDIUS Why does Hamlet kill Polonius through the arras even though he passed Claudius praying? | eNotes Why does Hamlet kill Polonius through the arras even though he passed Claudius praying? clane | High School Teacher | (Level 3) Educator Posted on February 19, 2008 at 5:04 AM In this scene we see Hamlet's first impulsive action, the killing of Polonius. Why, after passing by Claudius, does Hamlet kill Polonius? The answer is that he does not know who is behind the arras: he does not know he is killing Polonius.He is striking out at a hidden person, a spy, who has started to shout for the palace guards. Hamlet reacts instinctively, without thought. His blood is already boiling because of his enraged confrontation with Gertrude. She has started to call for the palace guards herself. Another voice raises the alarm at the same time. He doesn't think; he reacts to an alarm, an alarm that threatens him.

Afterward, he says he is punish for not avenging his father by killing Polonius by mistake, while Polonius is punished for his treachery by being killed by Hamlet. After he skips out on this opportunity to kill Claudius because he thinks Claudius is praying, Hamlet is scolding himself for not taking action. Remember that we found out that Claudius was not praying, so it in fact would have been a good time to carry out his vengeance plot, but Hamlet missed the opportunity by looking for his own revenge instead administering the Ghost's revenge: Hamlet himself didn't want to give Claudius the chance to be forgiven and go to heaven. like 2 dislike 0 November 27, 2014 at 5:53 AM When Hamlet is summoned by his mother he doesn't know whether she had any involvement in his father's murder. She might have been an accessory before the fact or after the fact or completely ignorant of what Claudius was going to do or what he had done after it was done. She has good cause to think her son is insane. He knows he is not insane. He has also assured himself (and the audience) that he intends no harm to her.

In Act 3, Scene 1, he tells himself: Now to my mother. O heart, lose not thy nature. Let not ever The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom. Let me be cruel, not unnatural. I will speak daggers to her, but use none. My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites. How in my words somever she be shent, To give them seals--never, my soul, consent. The audience knows that Hamlet has no intention to harm his mother. However, she gets the wrong idea when he becomes angry and says: Come, come, and sit you down. You shall not budge. You go not till I set you up a glass Where you may see the inmost part of you. Gertrude takes these figurative words literally. He has a sword. He has just shown it when he encountered Claudius praying. She thinks her mad son is literally planning to set a mirror up in front of her, then slice her open so that she can see her own internal organs. She is terrified and calls: What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me? Help, ho! She is calling for the guards. Hamlet doesn't understand what is happening.

Since his intentions are totally innocent, he thinks he has walked into a trap. If so, the guards will imprison him, and he could remain a prisoner indefinitely or even killed. Then Polonius confuses him further by calling from concealment behind him: What, ho! Help, help, help! Now Hamlet is sure he is being trapped. Impulsively, he draws his sword and thrusts it through the arras, killing Polonius. Hamlet doesn't have to think he is killing Claudius. As far as he knows, it could be anybody hiding there, such as a guard who is part of the scheme to entrap and imprison him. Hamlet knows that if the guards apprehend him and take him away, his mother will always believe that he is insane and intended to kill her in a horrible manner, by cutting her open and making her look at her gaping wound in a mirror. In his ensuing conversation with his mother, he realizes that she knows nothing about his father's murder, and she realizes that her son is not insane and did not intend her any harm. Shakespeare wanted Polonius to be killed by Hamlet for the purposes of his plot.

Most of the events that subsequently occur, such as Ophelia's madness and apparent suicide, evolve from the killing of Polonius. But Polonius also has to die so that he won't overhear what Hamlet tells his mother or overhear Hamlet talking to his father's ghost. If Polonius overheard everything, he would report to Claudius that Hamlet thought Claudius had killed King Hamlet and that young Hamlet thought he was talking to his father's ghost. Polonius would think these were lunatic ravings, but Claudius would believe that Hamlet really had been talking to his father and that Hamlet really knew about Claudius' murdering the legitimate king in the garden. like 1 dislike 0 February 19, 2008 at 11:43 AM I don't think these scenes are to be seen as unrelated. I see it more as Hamlet is/has always been more about confronting his mother than obeying his father. In Hamlet's mind, Claudius might be back there after receiving forgiveness. This would send Claudius to heaven as well. He instead cannot keep from possibly killing her lover in front of her eyes, regardless of giving Claudius his heavenly reward.

It is a rash and bloody deed. This prompts the visitation to whet his almost blunted purpose.... he wasn't just going about this in the wrong way, his wrong direction is hitting a dead end. like 1 dislike 0 May 7, 2008 at 11:02 AM Hamlet did not kill Claudius for the simple reason Claudius was praying before he died (Hamlet did not want Claudius to be praying whilst he died, which would guarantee him a place in Heaven - whereas Hamlet clearly believes Claudius should go to Hell. He kills Polonius seemingly by mistake, as as soon as the Queen exclaims - "O, what a rash and bloody deed!", he asks - "is it the King?". He was not aware it was Polonius behind the arras, and was hoping it to be the King - however, he clearly shows no remorse for murdering Polonius - "what a rash...intruding fool." like 1 dislike 0 Polonius Timeline in Hamlet NEXT 1.2 We meet Polonius.

1.3 Polonius tells his son, "To thine own self be true," and commands his daughter not to be promiscuous. 2.1 Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet is acting weird; Polonius concludes Hamlet is crazy because he's been denied love, or just drunk. 2.2 Polonius tells Gertrude and Claudius about his "mad with love" theory and proposes a plan. He tries to assess the Prince's madness and is called a "fishmonger" in the process, among several other insulting names. He then watches the players perform the Hecuba speech and remarks that it is "too long." 2.3 Polonius drags his daughter before the King and Queen, sticks a prayer book in her hand, and tells her she's the bait for Hamlet. He then does what he always does, and hides behind a curtain. Hamlet's interaction with Ophelia does not support the mad love theory, yet Polonius still thinks he's right. 3.2 Polonius watches the play and says little. Hamlet mocks him… yet again.

3.3 He makes a plan with Claudius to overhear the interaction between Gertrude and Hamlet. 3.4 Polonius hides behind an arras to hear what Hamlet has to say. He tries to emerge from the curtain when Gertrude calls for help, but ends up getting stabbed by Hamlet instead. Polonius' last line: "O, I am slain!"

Question: Which Shakespearian character was stabbed when hiding behind an arras?
Answer: POLONIUS