Hamlet remains unconvinced that the Ghost has told him the truth, but the arrival of a troupe of actors at Elsinore presents him with a solution. He will stage a play, re-enacting his father's murder, and determine Claudius's guilt or innocence by studying his reaction. The court assembles to watch the play; Hamlet provides a running commentary throughout. After seeing the Player Kingmurdered with poison in the ears, Claudius abruptly rises and leaves the room: proof positive for Hamlet of his uncle's guilt. Gertrude summons Hamlet to her bedchamber to demand an explanation. On his way, Hamlet passes Claudius in prayer. Claudius has just been talking to himself about the impossibility of repenting since he still had possession of the ill-gotten goods: state power, "my ambition," and sleeping with the queen he married. "There is no shuffling," he points out, " He talks to the state ("O wretched state!"), to his bosom ("O bosom black as death!"), to his soul ("O limed soul, that, struggling to be free, Art more engaged!"), to angels ("Help, angels! Make assay!"), and finally to his knees ("Bow, stubborn knees)". Hamlet then sneaks up behind them, but hesitates to kill him, reasoning that killing Claudius right after Claudius prayed and cleansed himself of his sins would send Claudius straight to heaven while his father is stuck in purgatory. After Hamlet unsheaths his sword and leaves, Claudius mutters that his praying doesn't seem to be getting anywhere.
