Act 1 Scene 3

Question 1

How does Shakespeare present Laertes’ attitude to Ophelia and her relationship with Hamlet through metaphorically comparing it to ‘A violet in the youth of primy nature’

Answer 1

-Presents their relationship as futile as violets are quick to bloom and die
-Love can’t come and fade so quickly so it is lust not love

Question 2

Laertes uses another metaphor to describe Ophelia’s virginity as being a ‘chaste treasure’. What does Shakespeare suggest about how Laertes defines his sister?

Answer 2

Laertes suggests her innocence is valued and should be protected. Laertes also suggests her virginity is the most valuable thing about her.

Question 3

What is significant about how Polonius describes Ophelia’s relationship with Hamlet ‘you have ta’en these tenders for true pay/which are not sterling. tender yourself more dearly’

Answer 3

-Suggests she will no longer be valued without her innocence
-semantic field of currency

Question 4

How does Shakespeare show that Polonius sees his daughter as immature and naive?

Answer 4

-‘new-hatched’
-‘you speak like a green girl’
-‘think yourself a baby’

Question 5

How does Ophelia respond to her father’s command that she does not ‘give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet’?

Answer 5

she responds ‘I shall obey my lord’
-Branagh version- Claudius pushes her into a confession booth

Question 6

What critics can be connected to this scene?

Answer 6

-‘maiden saints or loathesome sinners’ (McGrory)
-‘Ophelia is deprived of thought, sexuality and language’ (Showalter)
-‘In Shakespeare’s society, the ideal female is cherished for her youth, beauty, and purity’ (Rogers)

Question 7

‘springs to _____ woodcocks’

Answer 7

catch