Hamlet+3.4

4. "This man shall set me packing" (3.4.234). I thought this line was really interesting in that it is a double entendre (as the side footnotes suggest). Hamlet is saying that not only has Claudius sent him packing for England (making him leave) but since Hamlet is the one that ends up killing people, he carries the guilt and is now "packed" with that.

5 / 3. Hamlet's supposed madness is emphasized in this scene as he realizes that his mother/Gertrude does not see the ghost, only Hamlet does. Does the ghost actually exist then? Or is it that only Hamlet can see the ghost/feel the conscience/sense of his father because he is the only one that is faithful to him? However, when Hamlet says, "It is not madness/ that I have uttered," Shakespeare confirms my thesis in my mini-analysis paper that Hamlet is pretending to be mad/is not actually mad when he says that he is, but now, when he is actually reaching an uncontrollable mindset/insanity/murdering people, he says that he is not mad and sees complete reason in his aggressive actions (due to his loyalty to his father) (3.4.162-3).

6. Gertrude and Hamlet's relationship is kind of destroyed in this scene. Although it did not appear that they had a strong relationship before Hamlet "spoke daggers" to her, he definitely hurts her with his words. This might imply that Gertrude has more affection for Hamlet? Or maybe Hamlet is just now forcing Gertrude to feel the guilt of marrying her brother-in-law that she did not face before?