Act 3, Scene 4 of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

 

Act 3, Scene 4 of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is a pivotal moment in the play, in which Hamlet confronts his mother, Queen Gertrude, in her private chambers. Here is a brief summary of the scene:

The scene begins with Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain, hiding behind a tapestry in Gertrude's chamber, eavesdropping on her conversation with Hamlet. Hamlet enters the room and begins to berate his mother for her hasty marriage to his uncle, Claudius, who he believes murdered his father, the former king.

As the conversation between Hamlet and Gertrude becomes more heated, Polonius tries to intervene, only to be mistaken for Claudius and stabbed to death by Hamlet, who believes he is killing his uncle. Hamlet then continues to berate his mother, accusing her of complicity in his father's murder and demanding that she confess her sins and repent.

At one point, the ghost of Hamlet's father appears, visible only to Hamlet, and urges him to spare his mother and focus on avenging his death. Hamlet, still full of rage, refuses to listen and continues to condemn Gertrude's actions.

The scene ends with Hamlet dragging Polonius's body out of the room and Gertrude left alone, deeply shaken by the encounter. This scene is a turning point in the play, as Hamlet's actions have now escalated to murder and his relationship with his mother has been irreparably damaged.