is
concerned to discover whetherreally murdered the late Kingor if the ghost making that claim was
sent by Satan to lure Hamlet into murdering an innocent man. Having rejected suicide as a way
out of this dilemma, Hamlet seizes on the traveling players (actors) when they arrive at the
castle as a solution.
Hamlet wants them to perform the play "The Murder
of Gonzago," which he edits to include new elements, such as a pantomime of the murder ofas
the ghost described it. Hamlet wants to observe Claudius closely and forto do the same. Hamlet
is hoping Claudius will react in a way that confirms that he is (or isn't) the murderer. Hamlet
renames this play "The Mousetrap" because, with the "bait" of the play, he
hopes to trick Claudius into revealing his guilt. "The Mousetrap" is referred to as a
play-within-a-play because it is enacted within the framework of the larger play,
Hamlet, itself.
Ironically, Claudius, who has been
worried about the moping Hamlet, is thrilled to see him develop an interest inand encourages him
to pursue it, not knowing Hamlet's intent.
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