Dramatic purpose of a scene

1. Dramatic purpose of a scene Hamlet act 3, scene 3 By: ben, Rabia, and Sahar

2. SUMMARY • The scene begins with a conversation between Claudius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Claudius tells them that he does not like the way Hamlet has been acting. He sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to accompany Hamlet to England in order to protect the people of Denmark from his growing madness. • Guildenstern and Rosencrantz agree and they leave to get ready • Polonius enters and tells Claudius he is going to hide behind the tapestry in the Queen’s bedroom to overhear the conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude, in order to inform Claudius later. He leaves to hide. • Claudius is now alone and speaks his soliloquy, where he finally admits to his foul crime, and tries to seek forgiveness from his past sins. • Hamlet enters to find Claudius kneeling and praying. Although it is the perfect moment to kill Claudius, Hamlet decides not to because he believes that if he killed Claudius now he would go to heaven rather than rot in hell.

3. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION • Reveals Opposition/Loyalty to Important Characters • Reveals Nature of Important Characters (Claudius) • Reveals Nature of Important Characters (Hamlet) • Develops Irony • Provides Motivation for a Later Incident in the Plot • Develops Suspense

4. Reveals opposition/loyalty to important characters • POINT • Firstly, Shakespeare reveals opposition to protagonist Hamlet, and loyalty towards Claudius, when Guildenstern and Rosencrantz agree to accompany Hamlet to England, going against his friend, and aiding his enemy. • PROOF • To illustrate, Shakespeare reveals this opposition and loyalty towards both characters in the quotation: • Claudius • “Therefore prepare you. • I your commission will forthwith dispatch, • And he to England shall along with you. • The terms of our estate may not endure • Hazard so dangerous as doth hourly grow • Out of his lunacies.” • Guildenstern • “We will ourselves provide. • Most holy and religious fear it is • To keep those many, many bodies safe • That live and feed upon your majesty.” • 3. 3. 2-10 Sahar

5. Reveals opposition/loyalty to important characters Analysis In the previous scene, Act 2, Scene 2, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz show a new found loyalty towards Claudius because of the power he renders and therein show opposition toward Hamlet. In this scene, Act 3, Scene 3, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz re-iterate their loyalty towards Claudius by obeying his every whim and will. Claudius has ordered the two young men to accompany Hamlet to England in order to protect the lives of others from Hamlet’s growing madness. By agreeing to carry out this “most holy” duty, they show their loyalty towards Claudius, even though they are supposed to Hamlet’s “true” friends. This is significant in developing a theme of betrayal in the play. At the beginning of the play, it is shown that Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are friends of Hamlet, therefore, it is inferred that they would be loyal to Hamlet. However, they show betrayal by doing the exact opposite – they spy on Hamlet, carry out the orders of Hamlet’s enemy (who should be theirs as well), and continue to oppose him throughout the play. Thus, it shows that not everyone can be trusted – not even one’s most truest friends. Guildenstern and Rosencrantz appear to be on Hamlet’s side in front of him; on the other hand, behind his back they follow the orders of his enemy. Thereby, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz effectively show opposition and loyalty towards Hamlet and Claudius, to re-enforce the theme of betrayal and enhance the dramatic purpose of this scene. Sahar

6. Reveals nature of important characters • Point: • Furthermore , in this scene Shakespeare effectively reveals the nature of Claudius when he thinks about his soul for the first time, yet re-enforces his corrupt attitude, contributing to the dramatic purpose of this scene. • PROOF • To illustrate, Shakespeare reveals this opposition and loyalty towards both characters in the quotation: • Claudius • “Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens • To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy • But to confront the visage of my offence? • And what’s in prayer but this twofold force, • to be forestalled ere we come to fall • Or pardoned being down? Then I’ll look up. • My fault is past. But oh, what form of prayer • Can serve my turn, ‘Forgive me my foul murder’? • That cannot be, since I am still possessed • Of those effects for which I did the murder:My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. • May one be pardoned and retain th’offense?” Sahar 3. 3. 46-57

7. Reveals nature of important characters • ANALYSIS • In this soliloquy, Claudius finally admits to the murder of his brother, and reveals that he remotely cares about his soul when he asks for forgiveness. At the same time, he also realizes that he cannot attain forgiveness while he bears the fruit of his crime – kingship and Gertrude. While doing this, he says that he has no intention of giving up what he has attained and therefore begs the angels to aid him. In this way, Claudius further reveals his nature in two ways. Firstly, Claudius reveals for the first time that he is even remotely worried about his soul, when he urges himself to pray. The reader gets a sense of “good” in Claudius, despite the negative image he portrays. Thereby, Claudius’s nature is further revealed when he hopes for forgiveness, it shows that though he has committed many crimes, he cares, though remotely, about his soul. Furthermore, the quotation also demonstrates Claudius’s corruptness. Claudius admits that he knows he cannot be forgiven until he gives up being King, and gives up Gertrude; however, he refuses to give up all that he has worked to achieve. This re-enforces Claudius’s corrupt attitude because he gives priority to materialistic needs over spiritual needs, which will not help him in the long run. Therefore, Claudius’s materialistic views and possessions re-enforce Claudius’s corrupt nature, and aid in his destruction. Sahar

8. Reveals nature of important characters Point: In this scene, Shakespeare reveals the changed nature of Hamlet. Hamlet’s nature is changed, now focused on killing Claudius in the worst way possible, rather than continuing to mourn for his father silently. Proof: “To take him in the purging of his soulWhen he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No.Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.” 3.3.86-89. Hamlet refrains from easily killing the king, thinking about how he could kill him when he’s caught in a sinful act, giving him a straight entrance to hell. Rabia

9. Reveals nature of important characters • Analysis • The nature of Hamlet has changed from a quiet boy to a terrifying murderer. Hamlet’s mindset has changed to thinking solely about killing and revenge. The drastic change in nature of Hamlet from the beginning of the play to the current point in Act 3 Scene 3 proves that the different but true nature of Hamlet has been revealed. • Also, Hamlet’s nature is revealed by his undetermined nature. Even though Hamlet has the perfect opportunity to murder Claudius, he is incapable of carrying out his revenge. Therefore, Hamlet’s nature is proven to be incompetent and procrastinates in ways. Rabia

10. DEVELOPS IRONY Point: Through the soliloquys spoken first by Claudius asking for forgiveness and then Hamlet deciphering the right time to kill the king, irony is shown. Proof: Claudius:“And what’s in prayer but this twofold force,To be forestalled ere we come to fallOr pardoned being down? Then I’ll look up.” 3.3.49-51. Hamlet: “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying. And now I’ll do’t.”3.3.74-75. Rabia

11. DEVELOPS IRONY • Analysis: • The soliloquy of Claudius is ironic because throughout the play, he is shown as a ruthless and moral-less man who will do anything to get what he wants without feeling any guilt. Now, he seems like a man who is repenting and genuinely feels bad about what he has done. It is also ironic because this is where Hamlet’s personality changes too. After the soliloquy of Claudius is finished, Hamlet has one immediately after, but in Hamlet’s, he is debating on the best time to kill his stepfather, differing from his usual quiet and cowardly self.This shows the contrasting changed personalities of both characters. The fact that both characters have changed at the same time is ironic-- Hamlet has changed from a thoughtful and action-less man to an evil-thinking, impulsive, and rash-acting man, whereas Claudius has changed from a manipulative murderer to a repenting man. Rabia

12. PROVIDES LATER MOTIVATION FOR A LATER INCIDENT IN THE PLOT • Point:In 3.3, Hamlet is on course to achieving his revenge plotted against Claudius. Due to Claudius' inability to watch Hamlet's play, Hamlet has fully convinced himself that Claudius is truly guilty for murdering his father. To in act his revenge and bring about justice, Hamlet follows Claudius and waits for a perfect opportunity to kill him, when he is alone and vulnerable.  Proof:However, Hamlet dismisses the opportunity when he finally discovers him alone praying,"To take him in the purging of his soul, when he is fit and season'd for his passage? No. Up, sword; and know thou a more horrid hent: when he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed, at gaming, swearing, or about some act that has no relish of salvation in't”(3.3.87-93)  Ben

13. PROVIDES LATER MOTIVATION FOR A LATER INCIDENT IN THE PLOT • Analysis:Hamlet's decision to abandon his plans to kill Claudius at that present moment proves to be the motivation for the climax at the end of the play. Hamlet decides to kill Claudius at another point in time because he feels that killing Claudius while he is purging his soul would allow him to go to heaven. Naturally, Hamlet desires revenge on Claudius to the fullest extent. As a result, he decides to wait until he can kill Claudius when he has not had the opportunity to clean his soul of his sins, just as Claudius had done to his father. He wishes that Claudius goes to hell in the afterlife and for this to happen, he believes he must kill Claudius when he is in the process of being sinful. Hamlet is the only individual in the play that understands the true evil behind Claudius' manipulative character; as a result, Hamlet feels his revenge must be appropriate and reflect the true nature of Claudius, that of a sinner. Thus, Hamlet waits until the end of the play, or the climax, to kill Claudius while he is in the act of attempting to kill Hamlet. His revenge at that point in the play is appropriate because Claudius' death happens at a time when he is behaving in such a way that is reflective of his true character, manipulative, he convinces Laertes that Hamlet is the enemy; deceptive, he poisons Laertes' weapon along with Hamlet's celebratory drink; and cruel, he happily sets forth to kill Hamlet to satisfy his own power and control, regardless of the fact that Hamlet is his wife's son.  Ben

14. DEVELOPS SUSPENSE Proof:In 3.3, Hamlet is blessed with the perfect opportunity to achieve his revenge,"Now might I do it pat, now he is praying”(3.3.74)  • Point:The audience has just witnessed extreme cruelty and progress on the behalf of the antagonist, Claudius. He has killed Hamlet's father and assumed the throne with Hamlet's mother as his new wife. As a result, Hamlet is destroyed emotionally and after hearing the disturbing truth from his father's ghost in 1.5, the audience expects Hamlet to carry out his father's wishes, to seek revenge and kill Claudius.  Ben

15. DEVELOPS SUSPENSE • Analysis:This scene develops suspense because the protagonist, Hamlet, is on the verge of accomplishing his quest. Naturally, the audience resonates with Hamlet and it is in their interest that Claudius is brought to justice. In addition, the atmosphere contributes to the suspense of the scene to the extent that Claudius is alone praying. Claudius is in an extremely vulnerable situation to which Hamlet is in the position to capitalize. This heightens the suspense of the scene because it seems logical to the audience that Hamlet attempts to take Claudius' life at this point in time. However, Hamlet begins to contemplate mentally whether or not this moment is appropriate to kill Claudius, which further creates suspense. The audience is concealed any hints to whether or not Hamlet follows through with his revenge at this scene; as a result, the audience is left in excitement listening to Hamlet decide. Ben

16. THE END