s interrupted by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet’sjokes make it nearly impossible for them to deliver their message, that the queen has sentfor him. With Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet switches roles yet again. Here, hebecomes the mocking satirist. Hamlet challenges Guildenstern to play a wooden flute, hereveals that it is as easy as lying. He also remarks that he knows Guildenstern has beenmanipulating him, exactly what Hamlet is guilty of in this scene: You would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note to the top of my compass:and there is much music (III, ii. lns 355-359).Hamlet is asking if he is easier to play upon than a pipe. He states, “Call me whatinstrument you will, though you fret me, you cannot play upon me” (III, ii. lns 361-363) This is another pun because “frets” are the finger-rests on stringed instruments (Rose120). Polonius then arrives and Hamlet makes a fool out of him in front of Rosencrantzand Guildenstern. Hamlet is showing them that although they cannot play upon him, hecan make any of them sound whatever tune he pleases (Rose 120).The last role that Hamlet portrays is the revenger, tense but quietly determined. Though one may comment that this is the same as Hamlet the grieving son, there is adifference. Hamlet as the grieving son, witnessed in earlier scenes, did much whining andanalyzing, but could not decide to act. He is now behaving rationally and with a purpose. In his last and shortest soliloquy, he states: Tis now the witching time of night, When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breathes out contagion to this world: now I could drink hot blood, and do such business as the day would quake to look on (III, ii. lns 379-383).Hamlet has again set himself to the task that he was supposed to have done a long timeago. Now, instead of the mad passion that he displayed...
