Question

Read the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet.

Rosencrantz:My lord, you once did love me.

Hamlet:So I do still, by these pickers and stealers.

Rosencrantz:Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? you do surely bar the door upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend.

Hamlet:Sir, I lack advancement.

Rosencrantz:How can that be when you have the voice of the king himself for your succession in Denmark?

Hamlet: Ay, sir, but ‘While the grass grows,’—the proverb is something musty.

Hamlet’s character is complex in the excerpt because

A. his loyalty to his ally endures hardship.
B. his erratic behavior confuses his friend.
C. his desire for revenge defines him.
D. his quest for political power is unwavering.

Answer 1

Hamlet's character in the excerpt is complex because his erratic behavior confuses his friend.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the excerpt from Act III of Hamlet, Hamlet's character is complex because his erratic behavior confuses his friend. Rosencrantz, concerned about Hamlet's state of mind, questions the cause of his distemper. Hamlet responds with a mix of wit, sarcasm, and self-deprecating humor, making it difficult for Rosencrantz to understand Hamlet's true emotions and motivations.

Answer 2

His erratic behavior confuses his friend