Hamlet
Key moments-
Act 3 Scene 1 - Hamlet's turmoil Claudius and Polonius eavesdrop when Hamlet meets Ophelia. Hamlet speaks the famous soliloquy ('To be or not to be') and rejects Ophelia, whom he had previously professed love to, believing that she is in league with his uncle and Polonius. Hamlet Get thee to a nunnery, go, farewell. Or if thou needs must marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Claudius's plotting Claudius arranges Hamlet's banishment to England with Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. He confesses his crime in prayer. Hamlet finds Claudius on his knees praying but cannot bring himself to kill him there. Claudius O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven: / It hath the primal eldest curse upon't / A brother's murder.
Themes-
Revenge and the complexity of taking revengeful action. Some related scenes: Act 3 Scene 3: Coming upon Claudius confessing the murder while trying to pray, Hamlet thinks the better of killing the king when he is penitent .
Appearance and reality and the difficulty of discovering and exposing the truth in a corrupt society. Some related scenes: Act 3 Scene 1: In the 'nunnery scene' Ophelia is bewildered by Hamlet's contradictory assertions and his anger and mourns the 'noble mind' that has been 'o'erthrown.'
Mortality and the mystery of death. Some related scenes: Act 3 Scene 1: Hamlet debates the question of whether suicide is an effective solution to the pain he is experiencing: the difficulty is that we do not know what to expect in an afterlife.
Motifs-
Disease, rotting, decay as the manifestation and consequence of moral corruption. For example: 'O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven' Act 3 Scene 3
It is spoken by Hamlet in Act III Scene I. Basically during his soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates whether or not to commit suicide. This soliloquy shows a major theme of Hamlet's constant desire for suicide during unbearable times. "To be
Act 3 Scene 1 - Hamlet's turmoil Claudius and Polonius eavesdrop when Hamlet meets Ophelia. Hamlet speaks the famous soliloquy ('To be or not to be') and rejects Ophelia, whom he had previously professed love to, believing that she is in league with his uncle and Polonius. Hamlet Get thee to a nunnery, go, farewell. Or if thou needs must marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them.
Act 3 Scene 3 - Claudius's plotting Claudius arranges Hamlet's banishment to England with Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. He confesses his crime in prayer. Hamlet finds Claudius on his knees praying but cannot bring himself to kill him there. Claudius O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven: / It hath the primal eldest curse upon't / A brother's murder.
Themes-
Revenge and the complexity of taking revengeful action. Some related scenes: Act 3 Scene 3: Coming upon Claudius confessing the murder while trying to pray, Hamlet thinks the better of killing the king when he is penitent .
Appearance and reality and the difficulty of discovering and exposing the truth in a corrupt society. Some related scenes: Act 3 Scene 1: In the 'nunnery scene' Ophelia is bewildered by Hamlet's contradictory assertions and his anger and mourns the 'noble mind' that has been 'o'erthrown.'
Mortality and the mystery of death. Some related scenes: Act 3 Scene 1: Hamlet debates the question of whether suicide is an effective solution to the pain he is experiencing: the difficulty is that we do not know what to expect in an afterlife.
Motifs-
Disease, rotting, decay as the manifestation and consequence of moral corruption. For example: 'O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven' Act 3 Scene 3
It is spoken by Hamlet in Act III Scene I. Basically during his soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates whether or not to commit suicide. This soliloquy shows a major theme of Hamlet's constant desire for suicide during unbearable times. "To be