Question

the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark
act iii. scene iii.
a room in the castle.
enter claudius, rosencrantz, and guildenstern.
claudius: i like him not, nor stands it safe with us
to let his madness range. therefore prepare you;
i your commission will forthwith dispatch. (5)
and he to england shall along with you.
the terms of our estate may not endure
hazard so dangerous as doth hourly grow
out of his lunacies.
guildenstern: we will ourselves provide. (10)
most holy and religious fear it is
to keep those many many bodies safe
that live and feed upon your majesty.
rosencrantz: the single and peculiar life is bound
with all the strength and armour of the mind (15)
to keep itself from noyance; but much more
that spirit upon whose weal depend and rest
when he is fit and seasond for his passage?
no.
which statement best describes hamlet’s complexity in the excerpt?
hamlet wants to end claudius’s life, but he realizes he is incapable of violence.
hamlet wants to kill claudius, but he wants to be sure claudius will suffer.
hamlet wants to avenge his father’s death, but he doubts claudius’s guilt.
hamlet wants to commit murder, but he worries about his own fate.

Explanation:

In the context of "Hamlet", Hamlet's goal is to avenge his father's death by killing Claudius. However, he is complex as he doesn't just want a quick kill; he wants Claudius to suffer (e.g., when Claudius is in a state of sin, so his soul is damned). The first option is wrong as Hamlet is capable of violence (he kills Polonius). The third is wrong as Hamlet is sure of Claudius's guilt (from the play - within - a - play). The fourth is wrong as his main concern isn't his own fate in this context but Claudius's suffering.

Answer:

Hamlet wants to kill Claudius, but he wants to be sure Claudius will suffer.