Scenes in this act
- Scene I Gertrude tells Claudius of Polonius's death
Gertrude, distraught, tells Claudius that Hamlet killed Polonius by striking the arras.
- Scene II Hamlet mocks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Hamlet has disposed of Polonius's body and does not say where.
- Scene III Claudius sends Hamlet to England
Claudius tells the councilors that he has sent for Hamlet and Polonius's body, but cannot punish the prince by law, because the people love him, and the crowd's affection obeys the eyes and not the judgment.
- Scene IV Hamlet and Fortinbras's army
On a plain, Fortinbras sends a captain to ask the king of Denmark for the passage promised to march against Poland.
- Scene V Ophelia driven mad, Laertes at the castle
Weeks later, a gentleman, in front of Horatio, persuades Gertrude to receive Ophelia, who has gone mad: she speaks much of her father, in riddles, and the gentleman fears the conjectures this provokes.
- Scene VI Horatio receives Hamlet's letter
Sailors deliver to Horatio a letter from Hamlet.
- Scene VII Claudius's plot and Ophelia's death
Claudius tells Laertes that Hamlet killed Polonius while attempting the king's life, and explains why he did not punish him: the queen lives for her son, and the people love him.
Reading the act
Analysis
Subscription
The complete analysis of every act of Hamlet comes with a subscription, along with the explanation of each quote, the quiz, the PDF guide, and the study workbook.