Act 3, Scene 1

Archana Chaudhary, Linta R

Claudius: Gertrude, my love, Polonius and I have a plan. As you know, Hamlet is in love with Ophelia. His love has

made him mad, I think.

Sweet Gertrude, leave us too; For we have closely sent for

Hamlet hither, That he, as 'twere by accident,

may here affront Ophelia.

Claudius: We have secretly sent for Hamlet and we’re going to listen, secretly, while Hamlet and Ophelia talk. We want to understand what’s wrong with the Prince.

Her father and myself, lawful espialsWill so bestow ourselves that, seeing unseen,

We 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.

Gertrude: I shall obey you, and you Ophelia, I hope you can help my son. My dear, if you love him, perhaps he will get better.Ophelia: I hope so, my lady.

I shall obey you.

And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish

That your good beauties be the happy cause Of Hamlet's wildness.

Madam, I wish it may.

Hamlet: To be or not to be, that is the question: to go on living, fighting against this sea of troubles, or to die and end everything?

To be or not to be: that is the question.

Hamlet: Oh, beautiful Ophelia!Ophelia: My lord, are you well?

The fair Ophelia!

My lord, how does your honor for this many a

day?

Hamlet: very well, thank you.

I humbly thank you; well, well,

well.

Ophelia: My lord, you have given me some presents, I want to give them back.

My lord, I have remembrance of yours, that I have longed long to re-deliver; I pray you, now receive them.

Hamlet: No. I never gave you anything.Ophelia: My lord, you know that’s not true. You sent letters, too, with beautiful words that made the presents even sweeter.

No, not I; I never gave you aught.

My honor’d lord, you know right well you did; and with them words of so sweet

breath compos’d As made the thing more

rich.

Hamlet: Perhaps, I loved you once.Ophelia: You did my lord. You did.

I did love you once.

Indeed, my lord, you made me

believe so.

Hamlet: But perhaps not. No, I never loved you.Ophelia: Please don’t say that!

I loved you not.

I was the more

deceived.

Hamlet: Love is nothing Ophelia. Get yourself to convent or you will give birth to sinners as your father. Where is your father?

Get thee to a nunnery: why

wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?

Where’s your father?

Ophelia: He is at home my lord.Hamlet: Lock him inside a room so that his sins doesn’t affect the

outside world. Remember go to nunnery as soon as possible and live your life in a convent. Now, Farewell.

At home,

my lord. Let the doors be

shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where

but in’s own house. Farewell.

Ophelia: Oh god. What happened to him? He was a good, kind man, and he loved me. Why has he changed so much? O, help him, you sweet heavens.

O, help him, you sweet heavens!

Restore him!

Claudius: Is he in love? Is he mad? I’m not sure, Polonius, But something is wrong. I’m worried, Polonius. Hamlet is the Prince. If he goes on saying these strange things, it will be dangerous for all of us.

Love? His affections do not that way tend; Nor what he spake,

though it lack'd form a little,

Was not like madness.

Claudius: If he leaves Denmark for a while, perhaps he will get better. Visiting a different country will be good for him. I’m going to send him away, Polonius. I’m going to send him to England. Polonius: Very well, my lord.

I have in quick determination

Thus set it down: he shall with speed to

England For the demand of our

neglected tribute.

It shall do well.

Now that it is decided, we will go.