In the queens bedroom, both the queen and polonius are waiting for hamlet to arrive. Polonius tells the queen to be honest and blunt to hamlet, to tell him that the pranks he has done have been too troublesome, and that the king has taken too much heat from them. The queen agrees to do what he says.
Hamlet calls out before storming into the room, he then asks his mother why he’s here and what it’s about. She says that he has offended his father (meaning step father). Hamlet then interrupts and says that she has offended his father (meaning the dead king) by marrying Claudius. The queen then says that he is answering her with an idle tongue, Hamlet comes back saying that she is answering with a wicked tongue. Hamlet talks to his mother in a violent, aggressive manner, trying to make her fully aware of what she has done. ” No, by the rood, not so. you are the queen, your husband’s brothers wife, and—would not were it so—you are my mother.” in this quote hamlet is saying that he has not forgotten who the queen is (which is the question that she has just asked) and then continues to say that she is her husband’s Brothers wife and that she is his mother, and wishes she wasn’t. What Hamlet said is quite insulting, especially when he says that she is her husband’s brothers wife.
The queen feeling threatened, cries out, afraid Hamlet is going to kill her. This is when Polonius calls out for help, Hamlet realises that someone is behind the arras, or curtain. He then draws his sword and stabs into the curtain, hoping it is his father. Gertrude asks Hamlet what he has just done, he answers saying that he doesn’t know, he also asks if it is the king. The queen then says that these actions are senseless and horrible, Hamlet replies saying that it is almost like murdering a king and marrying his brother. The queen exclaims “as kill a king?”, hamlet replies that this is indeed what he said.
Hamlet lifts the curtain/arras to find out that it is Polonius, so he has not achieved his revenge and instead killed somebody who is quite innocent. Hamlet says goodbye, by calling Polonius a fool. He then goes back to his mother saying that he will wring out her heart. The queen asks what has she done wrong for Hamlet to talk to her so rudely. He answers by saying that she has done an act that has destroyed modesty, turned virtue into hypocrisy, and made false marriage vows. He turns to portraits of the dead king and the current king, Claudius. He comments on how his father is superior and compares him to Greek and Roman gods, he describes Claudius as a weakling compared to his actual father. Hamlet asks what has driven her to marry a man like Claudius. after the long speech the queen asks for him to stop, saying that he is making her look into her own soul. He continues with his rant, he describe the queen lying in the bed that is wet with corruption, making love, the queen yet again pleads for him to stop and this still doesn’t stop him.
The ghost/apparition suddenly appears, stopping Hamlet. The queen cannot see it, so when Hamlet is talking it, she thinks that he is indeed crazy. The ghost tells hamlet to not forget his purpose of killing Claudius. the ghost describes Hamlets appetite for revenge as dull and that he has come there to sharpen it. The ghost also notes that Gertrude cannot see him and that he should describe him to her. Hamlet tries to describe the ghost to her, but she can’t see it, in that moment the ghost also disappears. After this he tries to convince his mother that he isn’t crazy and has just been pretending all along, he tells for her not to seduce her into bed in order to regain her good conscience. he also tells her to not reveal the fact that he is only acting mad to Claudius. she agrees to keep all of what he said a secret. Hamlet reminds his mother that he is going to England, with his two friends, who he trusts ” as much as the snakes in charge”, this is because he assumes they are loyal to Claudius.
Hamlet leaves his mothers room dragging Polonius’ body with him.
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