analysis of act 3 scene 4 of hamlet

We are ready to represent the best custom paper writing assistance that can cope with any task like analysis of act 3 scene 4 of hamlet even at the eleventh hour. The matter is that we posses the greatest base of expert writers. Our staff of freelance writers includes approximately 300 experienced writers are at your disposal all year round. They are striving to provide the best ever services to the most desperate students that have already lost the hope for academic success. We offer the range of the most widely required, however, not recommended for college use papers. It is advisable to use our examples like analysis of act 3 scene 4 of hamlet in learning at public-education level. Get prepared and be smart with our best essay samples cheap and fast! Get in touch and we will write excellent custom coursework or essay especially for you.

This scene is known as the closet scene, it is a pivotal scene in Hamlet. Hamlet confronts his mother, Gertrude, over her recent decisions, whilst displaying his condition, his mothers position, and the relationship between them.

This scene begins with Polonius telling Gertrude that she should be direct with Hamlet when she confronts him, he then tells her that he is going to stand silently behind the tapestry so that he can listen to their conversation, this is ironic as it is his lack of silence that causes his death. Polonius hides and Hamlet enters. Gertrude tells Hamlet that he has offended his father, Claudius, and in response to this Hamlet tells her that she has offended his father, Old Hamlet. Gertrude gets offended by the way that Hamlet is answering back to her so she asks him if he has forgotten who he is speaking to, here we can see what type of strict relationships parents had with their children in the Elizabethan era in contrast to what they are today. Hamlet though continues to answer back to her, telling her what the situation that they are in is you are the queen your husbands brothers wife when he carries on speaking he uses such a tone that we get the idea that he doesnt want her to be his mother anymore. After this comment Gertrude rises, resentful of what Hamlet has just said, Hamlet pushes her down again telling her that she must not move away to fetch others as he goes to fetch a mirror for her, the mirror that Hamlet is talking about is the one which reveals the truth and sets standards. He wants her to look to the bottom of her soul. By the way that Hamlet has phrased this line Gertrude takes it as a threat of personal violence and calls out for help and Polonius responds to this, thinking that it was Claudius behind the tapestry Hamlet kills him.

Hamlet wants to know if it is the king that he has just killed, Gertrude is in shock and she tells Hamlet what a rash and bloody deed is this. Hamlet tells her that this deed would almost be as bad as killing a king and marrying his brother. Gertrudes response for some confirms her innocence; she doesnt seem to have a clue as to what Hamlet is talking about. Hamlet then lifts up the arras and finds out that it is Polonius that he has killed; he calls him a meddling old fool. After this their conversation continues, Hamlet tells Gertrude that he hopes that her heart hasnt become so hardened that its impenetrable, he believes that her vices, that to her have become so habitual, are to blame. Gertrude questions Hamlets reasons for talking to her in such a way, he tells her his reasons are that she has committed an act that heaven would be ashamed of. Hamlet personifies the act be telling her that is an act that blurs the grace of modesty. He tells her that the skies are red with shame, and the huge earth itself, with a face as sad as if it were doomsday, is distressed in mind, by her act. Gertrude still doesnt seem to know what act Hamlet is talking about.

To illustrate his point to Gertrude Hamlet takes two miniatures, one of Claudius and one of Hamlet. He first starts to describe old Hamlet, he was a great king that was able to command power, every God seemed to have given him a talent. When people were depressed with mankind they would look to him and he would be able to make them feel better and more assured. He tells Gertrude that that wonderful man was her husband this was your husband and that she should see what the difference is between what he has said and what he is going to say. He starts to describe her new husband, Claudius here is your husband he describes Claudius as a disease that cannot be removed. He tells Gertrude that it cannot be love that she feels for Claudius as she is to old to have the passion and excitement for it, so it must be lust that she is feeling. He asks her what type of person would go from Hamlet to Claudius what judgement would step from this to this?. He goes onto say that something worse than madness has happened to Gertrudes sense as even if she was mad she could not prefer Claudius to her previous husband. Hamlet uses imagery to ask her what kind of evil has deceived her in this game of blindmans bluff, what kind of devil put a blindfold on her? Is it lust?




Hamlet believes that all her senses have gone, but that even if she did have part of her senses then she wouldnt be so confused. He believes that if the devil can encourage the worser nature of the older generation to rebel against their better judgement, then they have no right telling the younger generation what to do. Hamlet explains that in circumstances like these virtue becomes a soft wax melting in the fire of youthful ardour and, that reason acts as a pander to lust. Hamlet uses imagery to explain to Gertrude that things are no longer in the order that they should be “frost itself as actively doth burn” nature has lost its natural order.

When Hamlet has finished telling Gertrude this, she tells him that she doesn’t want him to speak anymore, this is because she feels guilty she tells him that as she looks in on her soul she sees black spots that now cannot be removed, here we see a change in Gertrude, she seems to have realised what she has done and why Hamlet is upset. Hamlet asks her how she could live in such a greasy and foul bed that is full of sin, and he tells her once again that Claudius is not worth even half of what her old husband was worth. After Hamlet has finished speaking he spots the ghost of his father again.

He begins to talk to it; Gertrude who doesn’t see the ghost believes that he is totally mad. Hamlet tells the ghost that he has allowed his emotions to cloud his judgment he believes that he has allowed time to slip by and his commitment to his task of revenge to cool. The ghost tells Hamlet that he has come back to sharpen his will and to remind him of what he has to do; not because he has forgotten but because he is misusing the energies which should be directed towards revenge. He then tells Hamlet that he should go to try and put Gertrudes mind at rest. Gertrude, who still cannot see who Hamlet is talking to, asks him why he is talking to an empty space. She describes how mad he looks to her, he appears to be talking to nothing, his eyes are popping out of his head and his hair is on end; she’s worried about him and she wants him to calm down. She asks him whom he is talking to. Hamlet points to the ghost and describes to her that the look on the ghosts face could make even stones cry, he doesn’t want the ghost to look at him like that as he feels that it will weaken him, he believes that pity is not a state of mind that is likely to generate violent behaviour. As Gertrude is still wondering what is going on, the ghost leaves.

Gertrude believes that everything that Hamlet says he can see, he has created in his imagination; she believes that madness is very skillful in creating. Hamlet tells her that he is not mad, he knows what he is saying and he tells her that he wants her to stop reassuring herself that he is mad, as he believes that that will encourage this to continue. He wants Gertrude to repent for what she has done, here we see Hamlet acting like a moral judge, he sees himself as the only person upholding morality. He becomes sarcastic by asking Gertrude for forgiveness for being a good person; he’s mocking her. Gertrude becomes confused, her heart has been divided into two and she doesnt know in which direction to turn. Hamlet tells her that she should throw away the bad part of her heart and keep the good part of it; he wants her to pretend that she is virtuous even if she isnt. He tells her that when shes goes to sleep tonight she shouldnt go Claudius bed, as this will make the next night away from him easier for her. He tells her that he will pray to be forgiven for what he has done and that at the same time he will also pray for her to be forgiven, he wont ask for her blessing (like a son normally should do) until she is repentant and seeks Gods blessing. Hamlet tells us such has been the will of heaven that he should be punished by being the cause of Poloniuss death, and that because of this Polonius will be punished in death. Hamlet tells Gertrude that he will be honest about the death of Polonius and he carries on to say that he sees the death of Polonius as the bad beginning of a vengeance that will yet be worse.

Getrude asks him what she must do now and Hamlet tells her that she must not let the King tempt her again, she must not tell him what has happened tonight. He tells her that he is not mad, but that he has created this madness I essentially am not in madness, but mad in craft. Once again Hamlet turns sarcastic towards Gertrude and asks her what reason a good and honest Queen may have to keep a secret from a bad and dishonest King, he tells her that if she lets any of this out she will live to suffer and that should do this for her own good. Hamlet uses a fable to illustrate to Gertrude what will happen to her if she tells anyone; she will gain nothing by it and that if she imagines that she can act with the king as cleverly as he can, independently of him, then she will be like the ape trying to fly and so will come to grief. She swears to him that she will not tell a soul.

Hamlet has a plan to do with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, that instead of them trapping him, he will trap them. The scene finishes off by Hamlet telling Gertrude that he could never trust Polonius before, but now that he is dead he can. He says goodnight to Gertrude and then leaves tugging Polonius body behind him. In this scene we can see Hamlets relationship with women and his mother inparticular, even thought he talks to her he is still very suspicious of her and this gives him a bad impression of women in general, he feels as though he cannot trust them.



Mind that the sample papers like analysis of act 3 scene 4 of hamlet presented are to be used for review only. In order to warn you and eliminate any plagiarism writing intentions, it is highly recommended not to use the essays in class. In cases you experience difficulties with essay writing in class and for in class use, order original papers with our expert writers. Cheap custom papers can be written from scratch for each customer that entrusts his or her academic success to our writing team. Order your unique assignment from the best custom writing services cheap and fast!