Hamlet Juxtaposition In Act 3 Essay

Shakespeare’s use of scene juxtaposition in Act 3 of Hamlet emphasizes Hamlet’s conflicting feelings and actions, which works together to unveil his deeper emotions and establish change in tempo of the play. The significant juxtaposition of Scene 3 and Scene 4 in Act 3 provides insight into Hamlet’s thought process, showing that he is quick to think yet slow to act. It stimulates a better understanding of the underlying relationship between Hamlet and characters such as Claudius, King Hamlet, and Gertrude. Act 3 Scene 3 concludes with a guilt-driven Claudius reacting to the play Hamlet put on, while Hamlet contemplates the idea of killing Claudius in the middle of his prayers, but upon seeing Claudius pray, Hamlet retreats and once again, prolongs the kill that would avenge his father’s murder. Hamlet was quick in spotting Claudius and going for the kill, but contemplates whether killing Claudius in the middle of his prayers will send him to heaven. He says: Now might I do it pat, now he is praying. And now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged. That would be scann’d: A villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven.

Shakespeare illustrates Hamlet’s thoughts by showing a huge difference in the communicated thoughts employed in the back to back scenes. In Scene 3, Hamlet concluded the scene with intense feelings of anger and motivation to kill, although he was reluctant to act when he had the opportunity to take down Claudius. Shifting over to Scene 4, Hamlet is much calmer while speaking to Gertrude, but maintains a sense of cruelty and judgment within the words he uses to criticize and compare himself to his mother. In both scenes, Hamlet displays an enormous amount of respect for his father by reminding himself and others of what they have done to wrong the previous