ACT III - Scene IV Practice Quiz — Hamlet
by William Shakespeare — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: ACT III - Scene IV
Where does Act III, Scene IV take place?
In Queen Gertrude's private chamber (closet), giving the scene its common name "the closet scene."
Why is Polonius hiding behind the arras at the start of the scene?
He is there at Claudius's instruction to spy on Hamlet's conversation with Gertrude and report back what he hears.
What causes Hamlet to stab through the arras?
Gertrude cries out in fear, and Polonius echoes her call for help from behind the tapestry. Hamlet hears the voice and strikes, believing it to be Claudius.
Who does Hamlet kill, and who did he think he was killing?
Hamlet kills Polonius but believed he was killing King Claudius.
What does the Ghost tell Hamlet during its appearance in this scene?
The Ghost tells Hamlet not to forget his mission of revenge ("whet thy almost blunted purpose") and to comfort Gertrude, on whom "amazement sits."
Can Gertrude see the Ghost when it appears in the closet scene?
No. Gertrude sees nothing and hears nothing, concluding that Hamlet is mad and speaking to empty air.
What does Hamlet ask Gertrude to keep secret?
That his madness is feigned — he is "not in madness, but mad in craft" — and she must not reveal this to Claudius.
What does Hamlet reveal about his upcoming journey to England?
He knows about the trip and distrusts Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, vowing to outmaneuver whatever plot they carry against him.
How does Hamlet react after discovering he killed Polonius instead of Claudius?
He shows little remorse, calling Polonius a "wretched, rash, intruding fool" and saying he mistook him for "thy better" (i.e., the King).
Describe Gertrude's emotional arc during the closet scene.
She moves from haughty defiance to fear, then shock at Polonius's death, and finally contrition — admitting Hamlet has "cleft my heart in twain."
What role does Polonius play in his own death?
His habit of spying directly causes his death. He hides behind the arras to eavesdrop and is killed when he cries out, alerting Hamlet to his presence.
How does Hamlet describe himself after killing Polonius?
He calls himself heaven's "scourge and minister," seeing himself as a divinely appointed instrument of punishment.
What is Hamlet's final action in the scene?
He drags Polonius's body from the room, grimly joking that the counselor is "now most still, most secret, and most grave."
How does the theme of appearance versus reality manifest in this scene?
Polonius hides behind a curtain, Hamlet mistakes him for Claudius, the Ghost is visible to one person but not the other, and Hamlet's madness is revealed as deliberate performance.
What does the closet scene reveal about the theme of action versus inaction?
Hamlet finally acts decisively for the first time in the play, but he kills the wrong man — showing that rash action can be as destructive as prolonged hesitation.
How does the motif of corruption and disease appear in Hamlet's speech to Gertrude?
Hamlet uses imagery of infection, rank sweat, ulcerous places, and compost on weeds to describe Gertrude's marriage to Claudius as moral decay infecting all of Denmark.
What does "I must be cruel, only to be kind" reveal about Hamlet's moral reasoning?
It shows Hamlet believes harsh treatment of Gertrude serves a redemptive purpose — that painful truth-telling can save her soul, even if it causes immediate suffering.
What is the dramatic irony of Polonius's death?
The audience knows Polonius is behind the arras but Hamlet does not, making the stabbing both predictable and shocking. The play's most eager spy is destroyed by his own espionage.
What classical allusions does Hamlet use in the portrait comparison?
He compares his father to Hyperion (the sun god), Jove (king of the gods), Mars (god of war), and Mercury (the divine messenger) — elevating him to godlike status.
What is stichomythia, and where does it appear in this scene?
Stichomythia is rapid-fire single-line dialogue exchanges. It appears at the scene's opening as Hamlet and Gertrude trade sharp, confrontational lines before the killing.
How does Shakespeare use antithesis in Hamlet's portrait comparison?
He juxtaposes godlike imagery for King Hamlet ("Hyperion's curls") with degrading imagery for Claudius ("a mildew'd ear"), using extreme contrast to expose Gertrude's choice.
What does "arras" mean in the context of this scene?
An arras is a large tapestry hung on a wall, often with a gap behind it. Polonius hides behind the arras and is killed through it.
What does Hamlet mean by "Hoist with his own petar"?
A petar (petard) is a small explosive device. The phrase means to be destroyed by one's own scheme — Hamlet plans to turn Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's plot against them.
What does "ecstasy" mean in Elizabethan English as used in this scene?
In Shakespeare's usage, ecstasy means madness or a state of being beside oneself, not the modern meaning of extreme joy. Gertrude uses it to describe Hamlet's apparent insanity.
Who says "Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!" and in what context?
Hamlet says this after pulling back the arras and discovering he has killed Polonius rather than Claudius. It reveals his lack of remorse and his contempt for Polonius.
Who says "These words like daggers enter in mine ears" and what does it mean?
Gertrude says this to Hamlet, begging him to stop his verbal assault about her marriage to Claudius. The metaphor shows his words inflict pain as real as physical violence.
Who says "Do not forget. This visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose"?
The Ghost says this to Hamlet, reminding him that the purpose of the visit is to sharpen his dulled resolve to avenge his father's murder.