Act 3
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To hear of it. They are about the court,
20And, as I think, they have already order
This night to play before him.
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They are here at court now, and I believe they’ve been
told to give a performance for him tonight.
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POLONIUS 'Tis
most true,
And he beseeched me to entreat your Majesties
To hear and see the matter.
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POLONIUS It’s true, and he asked me to beg you both to
attend.
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CLAUDIUS With all my heart, and it doth much content me
25To hear him so inclined.
Good gentlemen, give him a further edge,
And drive his purpose on to these delights.
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CLAUDIUS It makes me very happy to hear he’s so interested.
Gentlemen, please try to sharpen his interest even more, and let
this play do him some good.
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ROSENCRANTZ We shall, my lord.
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ROSENCRANTZ We will, my lord.
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Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and
GUILDENSTERN
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ROSENCRANTZ and
GUILDENSTERN exit.
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CLAUDIUS Sweet Gertrude, leave us too,
30For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,
That he, as ’twere by accident, may here
Affront Ophelia.
Her father and myself (lawful espials)
Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing unseen,
35We may of their encounter frankly judge,
And gather by him, as he is behaved,
If ’t be the affliction of his love or no
That thus he suffers for.
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CLAUDIUS Dear Gertrude, please give us a moment alone. We’ve
secretly arranged for Hamlet to come here so that he can run into
Ophelia. Her father and I, justifiably acting as spies, will hide in
the room and observe Hamlet’s behavior, to determine
whether it’s love that’s making him
suffer.
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GERTRUDE I shall obey you.
And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish
40That your good beauties be the happy cause
Of Hamlet’s wildness. So shall I hope your virtues
Will bring him to his wonted way again,
To both your honors.
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GERTRUDE Yes, I’ll go. As for you, Ophelia, I hope that your
beauty is the reason for Hamlet’s insane behavior, just
as I hope your virtues will return him to normal some day, for the
good of both of you.
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OPHELIA Madam, I wish it may.
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OPHELIA I hope so too, Madam.
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Exit GERTRUDE
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GERTRUDE exits.
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More Help
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No Fear Hamlet
NO FEAR -
Character List
CHARACTERS -
Hamlet: Character Analysis
CHARACTERS -
Plot Analysis
MAIN IDEAS -
Is Hamlet really mad?
MAIN IDEAS -
Quotes by Theme
QUOTES -
Themes
MAIN IDEAS -
Review Quiz
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