ACT III - Scene III Practice Quiz — Hamlet
by William Shakespeare — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: ACT III - Scene III
What does Claudius order Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do at the start of Act 3, Scene 3?
He orders them to escort Hamlet to England, saying Hamlet's madness makes him too dangerous to remain at court.
What does Polonius tell Claudius he plans to do?
He plans to hide behind the arras in Gertrude's chambers to eavesdrop on Hamlet's conversation with his mother.
What does Claudius attempt to do after everyone leaves?
He attempts to pray and seek forgiveness for murdering his brother, King Hamlet.
Why does Claudius say he cannot truly repent?
Because he still possesses the rewards of his crime: the crown, his ambition, and the queen.
What opportunity presents itself to Hamlet in this scene?
He finds Claudius kneeling alone in prayer, giving him a clear chance to kill the king and avenge his father.
Why does Hamlet decide not to kill Claudius?
He reasons that killing Claudius while praying would send his soul to heaven, which would be inadequate revenge.
What does Claudius reveal after Hamlet leaves?
He reveals his prayer was unsuccessful: "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
How does Claudius's soliloquy change the audience's understanding of his character?
It reveals he is fully aware of his guilt and genuinely anguished by it, yet unwilling to give up what he gained through murder.
What does Guildenstern say to justify carrying out Claudius's orders?
He calls protecting the king a "holy and religious fear," arguing that many lives depend on the king's safety.
How does Rosencrantz describe the importance of the king's safety?
He compares the king to a "massy wheel" on a mountaintop, whose fall would destroy all the lesser things attached to it.
What trait of Hamlet's character does this scene most clearly demonstrate?
His tendency to overthink and rationalize inaction, constructing elaborate justifications for delay rather than seizing the moment.
What role does Polonius play in this scene?
He acts as a self-appointed spy, volunteering to hide in Gertrude's chamber and report back to Claudius on Hamlet's behavior.
How does the theme of appearance versus reality operate in this scene?
Hamlet believes Claudius is praying sincerely and spares him, but Claudius's prayer is actually hollow and ineffective.
How does the theme of action versus inaction manifest in this scene?
Hamlet has his best chance to kill Claudius but chooses inaction, constructing a theological argument for delay that may mask a deeper inability to act.
What does Claudius's soliloquy reveal about the theme of earthly versus divine justice?
Claudius acknowledges that while earthly justice can be corrupted, heavenly justice allows "no shuffling" and requires genuine accountability.
How does the Cain and Abel motif function in this scene?
Claudius compares his murder of his brother to "the primal eldest curse," linking his crime to the first murder in the Bible and emphasizing the theme of fratricidal guilt.
What is the central dramatic irony in Act 3, Scene 3?
Hamlet spares Claudius believing his prayer is sincere, but the audience learns afterward that Claudius's prayer failed entirely.
What is the "limed soul" metaphor Claudius uses?
Claudius compares his soul to a bird caught in birdlime (a sticky substance), suggesting the more he struggles to free himself from sin, the more trapped he becomes.
What literary function does the soliloquy serve in this scene?
It provides direct access to Claudius's private thoughts, revealing his genuine guilt and the gap between his public authority and private torment.
What does "primal eldest curse" refer to in Claudius's soliloquy?
It refers to the curse placed on Cain for murdering his brother Abel in the Book of Genesis, the first murder in biblical history.
What does Hamlet mean by "hire and salary" when he says killing Claudius at prayer would be "hire and salary, not revenge"?
He means it would be a reward or payment to Claudius rather than punishment, since sending him to heaven would benefit rather than harm him.
What does "physic" mean in Hamlet's line "This physic but prolongs thy sickly days"?
It means medicine or remedy. Hamlet sarcastically notes that Claudius's prayer only extends his life temporarily.
Who says "O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven" and what does it mean?
Claudius says this at the start of his soliloquy, acknowledging that his sin of murdering his brother is so foul that it is obvious even to God.
Who says "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below" and what does it reveal?
Claudius says this as the scene's final line, revealing that his attempt at prayer has completely failed because his words were empty of genuine repentance.
What does Hamlet mean when he says "Now might I do it pat, now he is praying"?
Hamlet recognizes this is the perfect moment to kill Claudius, who is kneeling and defenseless, but he then talks himself out of acting on the opportunity.