Read the excerpt from Act IV of Hamlet . Gentleman: She speaks much of her father; says she hears There's tricks i' the world; and hems, and beats her heart; Spurns enviously at straws; speaks things in doubt, That carry but half sense: her speech is nothing . . . Horatio: 'Twere good she were spoken with, for she may strew Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds. Gertrude: Let her come in. [ Exit Gentleman.] To my sick soul, as sin's true nature is, Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss: So full of artless jealousy is guilt, It spills itself in fearing to be spilt. How does Gertrude’s reaction advance the plot of the play?
Answer
A
by resolving readers’ concerns about Ophelia’s madness
B
by reaching a height of conflict as Gertrude decides to punish Ophelia
C
by suggesting that Ophelia’s madness is a sign of greater troubles
D
by introducing her maternal kindness toward Ophelia
Explanation
Gertrude says that, because she feels guilty, even a small thing seems like the beginning of a great disaster. Her remark suggests that Ophelia’s strange behavior may point to larger troubles, advancing the play’s suspense. Gertrude does not decide to punish Ophelia, and the scene does not resolve the mystery of her madness.
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