Question
Read the passage from Hamlet, Act III, Scene iv.
Gertrude: What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me?
Help, help, ho!
Polonius: [Behind.] What, ho! help! help! help!
Hamlet: [Draws.] How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead! [Makes a pass through the arras.]
Polonius: [Behind.] O! I am slain.
Gertrude: O me! what hast thou done?
Hamlet: Nay, I know not: is it the king?
Gertrude: O! what a rash and bloody deed is this!
Which element of tragedy does Shakespeare most develop in this passage?
A: conflict among characters
B: suspense in the plot
C: hero overcoming tragedy
D: unhappy ending for the main character
Gertrude: What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me?
Help, help, ho!
Polonius: [Behind.] What, ho! help! help! help!
Hamlet: [Draws.] How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead! [Makes a pass through the arras.]
Polonius: [Behind.] O! I am slain.
Gertrude: O me! what hast thou done?
Hamlet: Nay, I know not: is it the king?
Gertrude: O! what a rash and bloody deed is this!
Which element of tragedy does Shakespeare most develop in this passage?
A: conflict among characters
B: suspense in the plot
C: hero overcoming tragedy
D: unhappy ending for the main character
Answers
GPT-4o mini
In this passage from Hamlet, Shakespeare most develops **A: conflict among characters**. The interaction between Gertrude and Hamlet reveals intense emotional conflict, as Gertrude is alarmed and distraught over Hamlet's violent action, while Hamlet is caught up in the situation, unsure of what he has done. This moment heightens the tension and illustrates the tragic conflict that drives the narrative forward.