Hamlet's soliloquy while he is on his way to kill Claudius is extremely gripping. Hamlet longs to have revenge on his uncle; however, he does not want to kill his uncle while he (Claudius) is praying for forgiveness. Rather, he wants to kill him when he is doing something sinful. Hamlet says that he wants to kill him "When he is drunk asleep, or inhis rage, or in th' incestous pleasure of his bed, at game a-swearing, or about some act that has no relish of salvation in't..." (III.3.89-92). So, it is tough to believe that Claudius really does hear Hamlet. If he did hear Hamlet, then he would have most likely said something to him about it, but rather he just says, "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thoughts never to heaven go" (III.3.97-99). From what the script tells the reader, it does not seem like Claudius hears Hamlet's soliloquy.
Gertrude is very upset when Hamlet begins to tell her of the way he feels about her marrying the murderer of his father and her husband. One can only sympathize with Gertrude because of her weakness and brokeness towards Hamlet. "...Thou hast cleft my heart in twain" (III.4.157) means that she is torn between Hamlet and her second husband. She loves her son, more then anything in the world, but she would also love to continue to be Queen and have a husband who "loves" her and "cares" for her both emotionally and physically. Hamlet goes on to beg his mother to "Confess yourself to heaven, repent what's past, avoid what is to come, and do not spread the compost on the weeds to make them ranker" (III.4.150-153). She loves her son; however, it is tremendously difficult for her to give up the satisfaction of royalty, sex, and "romance." Gertrude is torn between herself and her son; the only question is who will she pick?
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