BOCA DA MATA

ESCOLA ESTADUAL JOSEFA CAVALCANTE SURUAGY

PROFESSORA: Data
TURMA: Reading activity
DAIANE COSTA _____° ano
______/______/_______
ALUNO: Nº
HAMLET
Willian Shakespeare
Chapter III – The Play
Two university friends come to visit Hamlet. Their names are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. At first Hamlet
was very pleased to see them. But they ask a lot of questions and he becomes suspicious.
- Why are you behaving so strangely? Tell us what you are thinking about. We are your friends.
- What’s the matter with you?
- I think the King has sent them. They are spying on me. I shall not tell them anything. I cannot trust
anyone except Horatio…

Some travelling actors arrive at Elsinore. Hamlet loves the theatre and greets them like old friends.
- We have come to perform a play for the King and the Queen.
- Welcome to Elsinore! That gives me an idea, Horatio. I shall out some extra words in their play. I shall
put the Ghost’s story on the stage!

That night, Claudius and Gertrude watch the play. There are three characters – The Player King, The Player
Queen and Lucianus, the Queen’s lover… the murderer!
- I shall always love you.
- But if I die, you will marry again.
- No, never!
- Do you like the play, mother?
- The lady speaks too much about love.

All the court of Denmark watch the play. Ophelia, Polonius, Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are all
there. But nobody knows the secret of King Hamlet’s death, except Claudius and Hamlet. On the stage, while
the Player King is sleeping, the murderer pour poison in his ear. Hamlet watches Claudius’s face carefully.
- This is the Ghost’s story. If Claudius is afraid, I shall know he is guilty.

Suddenly, Claudius stands up and runs out of the court. Everybody follows him. The actors do not know what
the problem is.
- Lights! Lights! Stop the play!
- Did you see that, Horatio? The king is frightened. The Ghost’s story is true!

After the play, Claudius feels very guilty so he goes to pray in the chapel. Hamlet finds him there.
- I want God to forgive me for my brother’s murder. Perhaps, if I pray, He will help me. I cannot repent! God
doesn’t listen to my words.
- It would be easy for me to kill him now. But if I kill him while he is praying, his soul will go to heaven. I
want him to go to hell. I shall wait for another opportunity.

1. What happened in Chapter 3:

a. Why didn’t Hamlet trust Rosencranstz and Guildenstern?
b. When the actors arrived, what was Hamlet’s idea?
c. What was the story of the play?
d. Did Hamlet watch the play carefully?
e. Why did Claudius go to pray?
f. Why didn’t Hamlet kill Claudius?

2. Read the definition and complete the cross word.

1. The person who writes plays. 2. S
2. The place where the actors stand. H
3. Ophelia is one of these. 1. A
5. 8. K
4. A play with an unhappy ending.
3. E 7.
5. A play with a happy ending. S 6.
6. The people who watch the play. 11. P
7. The clothes for the actors. E
8. You need this to go inside the auditorium. 4. A
9. This is where you buy 8. R
E
10. The moment when you eat an ice cream.
11. The name of a famous Italian playwright.
9. -
10.

3.