Um... didn't Gertrude *just* tell Hamlet she wouldn't tell Claudius? But wait - what did she actually promise? Does she betray Hamlet here? Or maybe not? Whose side is she on anyway?
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are tasked with asking Hamlet where he's put Polonius's body.
Is he crazy yet? What lines make you think he is or isn't? If he's not crazy, what is he doing?
So... what were you just thinking about Hamlet being crazy? What do you think now?
What do we learn about Claudius's character in this tiny scene?
Seriously. What the heck? Why do you think Shakespeare bothered to put this scene in? No, this wasn't the result of someone winning a contest where they were promised a line in one of the plays...
Pause here for a moment. I'm going to pose a ridiculous number of questions. Just read through them & choose a few that call to you - maybe because you are *sure* you know the answer; maybe because you have no idea. Think about them for a few minutes - I recommend writing about them. We'll discuss together.
‘There's fennel for you and columbines.’ Ophelia's madness
Characters
Why doesn’t Gertrude want to see Ophelia as the scene opens?
Why do you think Ophelia seeks Gertrude out?
What is the difference between Ophelia’s out of the ordinary behaviour and Hamlet’s?
Who is most responsible for Ophelia’s mental deterioration? Polonius and Hamlet have both been controlling figures in her life. Do you blame them? (Claudius says, "It springs/ all from her father's death" (4.5.72-73)
Did Polonius manipulate Ophelia or was he being a loving parent?
Themes
The songs Ophelia sings take two main themes. Can you identify them?
What sort of daughter has Ophelia been to Polonius?
Why does the play require Ophelia to lose her mind and then her life?
Why do you think Ophelia makes reference to God as she exits the scene?
How much is Ophelia told about Polonius’s death? Can you find evidence that she may have been misled?
Look at the song ‘Valentine’s day’. What could it refer to? Does this song affect your view of Act 3 scene 1
Language
How does Shakespeare change the structure of Ophelia’s language in this scene?
What does this shift in language denote about a character’s state of mind?
Find evidence in the songs of references to Polonius and Hamlet.
Much of Ophelia’s language is confusing, referring to folk tales and rich with symbolism. Note down several examples of this type of language. How does this language contribute to our understanding of Ophelia’s character?
Each of the flowers Ophelia talks about has a meaning. Look them up & think about who she gives which flower to & why.
Performance
Do Ophelia's previous four scenes justify the deterioration of her mind?
Do you imagine that when Ophelia speaks about flowers that she is distributing them?
Does she have the correct flowers the text refers to?
Could the scene be more effectively staged without flowers?
What evidence of stage directions for Ophelia can you find in the text of other characters?
Laertes' arrival
(Hamlet was captured by pirates - I'm not even kidding - R&G are still headed to England, where they will be killed.)
As you read this, look at all the ways that Laertes is functioning as a foil for Hamlet. How many parallels can you find? What does Laertes do differently than Hamlet? Which character do you prefer?