Hamlet - Act III, Scene II

Act III, scene II begins with Hamlet consulting the actors, telling them to "hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature". In other words, to make the performance as genuine as possible, probably to be the most effective in bringing out the King's response. I remember in previous study that Shakespeare uses this moment to vent his pet peeves of actors through Hamlet's dialogue. Hamlet makes some very clever puns when everyone is moving to take their seats. It is relieving to have Hamlet's sarcastic and clever humour in the play, it really takes away uncomfortable tension.

The climax of this scene is when the players essentially enact the death of Old Hamlet and Claudius responds. Both the King and Queen become uneasy, and Cladius wants to know if there's "any offense in this". Hamlet basically says yes, and continues on to say the play is entitled "Mouse-trap" - which is a clever name revealing the intentions of this play in a round-about way. Shortly thereafter, the King is overcome with guilt and exits with "Give me some light: away!". The play is halted and everybody exits with the King.

Hamlet is overjoyed in a warped sense. He asks Horatio for confirmation of the King's guilty response. When Horatio "very well did note" Claudius' guilt, Hamlet begins to celebrate by reciting poetry. Rozencrantz and Guildenstern re-enter the scene to tell Hamlet he has done wrong and made the King angry, and they both press in effort to uncover the root cause of Hamlet's actions. Hamlet then puts the pair in their place in the lines:

"Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me! You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass: and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ; yet cannot you make it speak. 'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?"

Here Hamlet has finally stood up for himself and expressed what he truly felt. I believe that these lines are a long time overdue in the play. Hamlet is showing signs of confidence, and for the lack of a better phrase, getting a spine.

Polonious is sent to give orders to see his mother in her chambers - and Hamlet says to himself "I will speak daggers to her, but use none". To me, this almost suggests he is also on the verge of killing his mother. I love this scene in Hamlet because of the amount of humour, wit, interaction, and complete chaos. I find it one of the most eventful scenes in the play.

- Tyler Scott