The prince sees Claudius confessing but hesitates to kill him because he is praying. He continues on to his mother’s chamber.
Along with his buddy Guildenstern, Guildenstern is ordered by Claudius to travel with Hamlet to England.
Along with his buddy Rosencrantz, Guildenstern is ordered by Claudius to travel with Hamlet to England.
The courtier decides to hide in Gertrude’s room while Hamlet speaks with her, hoping to finally uncover the truth.
Disturbed by the contents of the play, Claudius orders Hamlet to be sent to England, and, once he thinks he is alone, confesses to the murder and begins praying.
Claudius and Polonius plot some more. Claudius wants to send Hamlet to England immediately, but Polonius tells him that he plans to spy on Hamlet’s conversation with Gertrude. He leaves to do just that. Left alone—or so he thinks—Claudius confesses to his crime and tries to pray for forgiveness. Hamlet, on his way to talk to Gertrude, stumbles upon the scene. He’s tempted to kill Claudius right now--after all, he has proof that the king is a murderer—but he realizes that if he kills him while he’s praying, Claudius will go to heaven, and that’s not what Hamlet wants. He wants to wait to kill him while Claudius is committing a sin—that way Hamlet will know for sure that he will go to hell.
