Act 1, Scene 3

Key Events and Ideas in Act 1, Scene 3

We are introduced to Polonius, the King’s councillor, to Laertes, his son, and Ophelia, his daughter. Both Polonius and Laertes advise Ophelia to reject Prince Hamlet’s love.

Portrayal of Polonius & Laertes

Polonius and Laertes are portrayed as being very protective of Ophelia.
- This scene introduces a key sub-plot in the play: the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.
- Both Polonius and Laertes caution Ophelia not to accept Hamlet’s advances.

Laertes' warning to Ophelia

Laertes: “Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister”.
- Laertes urges his sister to resist Hamlet’s shows of affection, repeating the warning that she must “fear” Hamlet.
- He argues that Hamlet’s intentions are not serious and that his shows of love are a “trifling” or “toy”, something which will not “last”.
- Ophelia’s “honour” will be lost if she allows herself to be seduced by Hamlet and her “chaste treasure open” (i.e. lose her virginity).
Hamlet is portrayed as a dangerous character here.

Ophelia's obedience to men

Ophelia is shown as being obedient to her father and brother.
- Ophelia can be seen as a very passive character who lacks control over her own life. Although we learn of Hamlet’s advances towards her, we are not given any insight into Ophelia’s own feelings towards Hamlet.

Ophelia's relationship with Polonius

Ophelia (to her father): “I do not know, my lord, what I should think.”
- Ophelia’s response reveals her helplessness and confusion.
- She is infantilised (treated like a child) by her father, Polonius, who chastises her as a naïve and foolish “green girl”. He advises her to think of herself as a “baby”, incapable of protecting her own honour.
- The final line of the scene (“I shall obey, my lord”) underlines how submissive she is towards her father.

Money imagery

Love is presented as a commercial transaction. The two male characters both use money/finance imagery when urging Ophelia to resist Hamlet’s advances.
- Laertes refers to her virginity as a “treasure”.
- Her father urges her to “tender” [sell, or value] herself “at a higher rate”.
  - While these metaphors may reflect reality (that marriage in Elizabethan England was often motivated by financial factors), they also help to portray Polonius in an unflattering light as a calculating and conniving character.

1Introduction

1.1Introduction & Background to Hamlet

1.1.1Introduction to Hamlet

1.1.2The Literary Tradition of the Hamlet Story

1.1.3Introduction to the Settings in Hamlet

1.1.4Introduction to Social Issues Raised

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1: Key Events & Ideas

2.1.1Act 1, Scene 1

2.1.2Act 1, Scene 2

2.1.3Act 1, Scene 3

2.1.4Act 1, Scenes 4-5

2.2Act 2: Key Events & Ideas

2.2.1Act 2, Scene 1

2.2.2Act 2, Scene 2

2.3Act 3: Key Events & Ideas

2.3.1Act 3, Scene 1: Key Events

2.3.2Act 3, Scene 1: Key Ideas

2.3.3Act 3, Scene 2

2.3.4Act 3, Scene 3

2.3.5Act 3, Scene 4

2.4Act 4: Key Events & Ideas

2.4.1Act 4, Scene 1

2.4.2Act 4, Scenes 2-3

2.4.3Act 4, Scene 4

2.4.4Act 4, Scene 5: Key Events

2.4.5Act 4, Scene 5: Key Ideas

2.4.6Act 4, Scene 6

2.4.7Act 4, Scene 7

2.5Act 5: Key Events & Ideas

2.5.1Act 5, Scene 1: Key Events

2.5.2Act 5, Scene 2: Key Events

2.5.3Act 5, Scene 2: Key Ideas

3Character Profiles

3.1Hamlet

3.1.1Hamlet's Speech & Mind

3.1.2Hamlet's Heroic Status

3.1.3Hamlet's State of Mind

3.1.4Hamlet's Indecision/Action Taking

3.2Claudius

3.2.1Claudius' Crime

3.2.2Changing Impressions of Claudius

3.3Gertrude

3.3.1Mystery & Hamlet's View of Gertrude

3.3.2Gertrude's Character

3.3.3Gertrude's Relationship with Hamlet

3.4Ophelia

3.4.1Ophelia

3.5Polonius

3.5.1Portrayal of Polonius & Treatment of Ophelia

3.5.2Polonius' Spying & Death

3.6Laertes

3.6.1Laertes' Popularity & Relationship with Ophelia

3.6.2Laertes' Character Traits

4Key Themes

4.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.1.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.2Madness in Hamlet

4.2.1Madness in Hamlet

4.3Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet

4.3.1Guilt in Hamlet

4.3.2Punishment in Hamlet

4.4Settings in Hamlet

4.4.1Physical Settings & Historical Setting of Hamlet

5Writing Techniques

5.1Structure

5.1.1Structure of Hamlet

5.1.2'Play Within a Play' Structure

5.1.3Play-Acting Motif

5.2Form

5.2.1Soliloquy

5.2.2Comedy

5.3Imagery

5.3.1Imagery of Corruption & Decay

5.3.2Imagery: Healing, Performance & Costume

5.4Language

5.4.1Word Usage & Hendiadys

5.4.2Questions & Classical Allusions

6Context

6.1Social & Historical Context

6.1.1Elizabeth I & Succession

6.1.2Cosmic & Social Hierarchy

6.1.3Renaissance & Emergence of Humanism

6.1.4Regicide

6.1.5The Reformation

6.2Literary Context

6.2.1Seneca Tragedy

6.2.2The Revenge Tragedy

6.3Performance & Textual History

6.3.1Performance History of Hamlet

6.3.2Textual History of Hamlet

7Critical Debates

7.118-19th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.1.1Introduction to Critical Debates

7.1.218th Century Commentary on Hamlet

7.1.3Romantic Commentary on Hamlet

7.220th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.2.1Freudian Response to Hamlet

7.2.2Other Early 20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.3Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.1Introduction to Feminist Criticism

7.3.2Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.3Presentation of Ophelia

7.4Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet

7.4.1Introduction to Marxist Criticisms

7.4.2Marxist Readings of Hamlet

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