Hamlet Notes ~ Act III Scene I

• scene opens with the questioning of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern by Claudius and Gertrude > they have no satisfying answers about Hamlet, only that he has invited King and Queen to the play
• Gertrude continues to wonder if Hamlet acts lunatic because of his love for Ophelia, and they hope to conclude the answer with their meeting > belief that Ophelia can "save" Hamlet
• the famous soliloquy occurs moments before Hamlet encounters Ophelia, strategically placed and posed with a book
• Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner
  transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the
  force of honesty can translate beauty into his
  likeness: this was sometime a paradox, but now the
  time gives it proof. I did love you once.
• Hamlet responds to Ophelia's love as never having felt it, he tells her to go to a nunnery, where she will be protected from all men
• When Ophelia lies about her father being at home, Hamlet is outraged and insults her, twice saying farewell and returning to heap on insults
• I say, we will have no more marriages:
  those that are married already, all but one, shall
  live; the rest shall keep as they are. > Suggesting the approximating death of King Claudius "all but one, shall live"
• After Hamlet's exit, Claudius wants to send him far, feeling as though Hamlet has an idea about the murder, but Polonius still believes in the despised love idea and forms a second scheme involving Queen Gertrude