Asked by Bob

Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet.

Ophelia:What means this, my lord?

Hamlet:Marry, this is miching mallecho; it means mischief.

Ophelia:Belike this show imports the argument of the play.

Enter Prologue.

Hamlet:We shall know by this fellow: the players cannot keep counsel; they’ll tell all.

Ophelia:Will he tell us what this show meant?

Hamlet:Ay, or any show that you’ll show him; be not you ashamed to show, he’ll not shame to tell you what it means.

Ophelia:You are naught, you are naught. I’ll mark the play.

What word from the excerpt suggests that Hamlet has hidden motives in showing the play?

mischief
argument
counsel
naught

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
mischief

Hamlet's line "this is miching mallecho; it means mischief" signals he has a secret, mischievous purpose in staging the play.