Hamlet, Act Three, Scenes 1 and 2

Scene 1

1. They report that Hamlet is indeed acting crazy, but they can't get an answer from him to any of their questions. This suggests that they realize he is hiding something and may be the first raising of suspicions about Hamlet's plans.

2. He confirms what the ghost has said, confessing that he killed Old Hamlet.

3. Claudius and Polonius decide to spy on Hamlet by hiding during a conversation between Hamlet and Ophelia, a plan which Ophelia is in on. Their objective is to discern whether Hamlet's madness stems from excessive love for Ophelia.

4. Hamlet is dark and introspective during this soliloquy. He is contemplating whether or not to commit suicide because of the burden of his knowledge.

5. His main argument against suicide is that it would not be honorable and courageous. Man is most afraid of death because we do not know what will happen.

6. He begins acting cruel because she returns his love letters, effectively rejecting his affections. Later, she finds out that she was a part of the plan with Polonius and Claudius to spy on him. This causes him to treat her even more cruelly.

7. Basically, that Hamlet is going to kill Claudius.

8. To find him and send him to England.

Scene 2

1. Hamlet says that Horatio is just and well balanced. He will do the right thing, so Hamlet enlists him to trap Claudius.

2. He asks him to watch Claudius during the play to see his reaction to the plot.

3. A queen and a king confess their love for one another. Then the queen leaves the king alone to nap. As he sleeps, his nephew pours poison in his ear then marries the queen.

4. He is using the plot to trap Claudius into revealing his own involvement in the murder of Old Hamlet.

5. He reacts with suspicion about Hamlet's motives for putting on the play.

6. He compares himself to an instrument, more specifically a pipe. He does this to show he cannot be "played" or tricked out of getting his revenge.

7. He claims that he will speak harshly to his mother, but not kill her. He will kill Claudius though. He believes this makes him a hypocrite, so he admonishes himself.