Hamlet, Act III, Scene IV
E717096
"Hamlet, Act III, Scene IV" is the pivotal closet scene in Shakespeare’s tragedy where Hamlet confronts his mother Gertrude, accidentally kills Polonius, and deepens the play’s psychological and moral crisis.
Statements (47)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
dramatic scene
ⓘ
scene in a play ⓘ |
| characterDevelopment |
deepens Gertrude’s awareness of her moral position
ⓘ
intensifies Hamlet’s alienation from Gertrude ⓘ reveals Hamlet’s capacity for sudden violence ⓘ triggers Laertes’ later desire for revenge through Polonius’s death ⓘ |
| containsMotif |
ghostly visitation
ⓘ
misrecognition and error ⓘ surveillance and spying ⓘ |
| creator | William Shakespeare NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| dramaticDevice |
intense dialogue and stichomythia
ⓘ
onstage appearance of the Ghost visible only to Hamlet ⓘ use of the arras to conceal Polonius ⓘ |
| dramaticFunction |
pivotal confrontation between Hamlet and Gertrude
ⓘ
turning point in psychological conflict ⓘ |
| featuresCharacter |
Ghost of King Hamlet
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Hamlet NERFINISHED ⓘ Polonius NERFINISHED ⓘ Queen Gertrude NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| genre | tragedy ⓘ |
| language | Early Modern English NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| locationType | interior chamber ⓘ |
| moralSignificance | heightens the play’s ethical and psychological crisis ⓘ |
| notableLine |
“Do not forget: this visitation / Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose.”
ⓘ
“O Hamlet, speak no more: / Thou turn’st mine eyes into my very soul.” ⓘ “You go not till I set you up a glass / Where you may see the inmost part of you.” ⓘ |
| partOf | Hamlet NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| plotEvent |
Gertrude witnesses Hamlet’s emotional turmoil
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Ghost of King Hamlet appears to Hamlet NERFINISHED ⓘ Hamlet confronts Gertrude about her marriage to Claudius ⓘ Hamlet kills Polonius behind the arras ⓘ |
| positionInWork | Act III, Scene IV ⓘ |
| setting | Gertrude’s closet ⓘ |
| structuralRole |
major turning point in the play’s action
ⓘ
prepares for Ophelia’s madness and Laertes’ return ⓘ |
| theme |
appearance versus reality
ⓘ
family conflict ⓘ guilt and conscience ⓘ madness and sanity ⓘ moral corruption ⓘ sexual revulsion and disgust ⓘ violence and unintended consequences ⓘ |
| timeOfComposition | around 1600–1601 ⓘ |
| tone |
confrontational
ⓘ
intense ⓘ psychologically charged ⓘ |
| workPeriod | English Renaissance drama ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.