Hamlet

Act 3, Sc. 1, lines 50-55: What does Claudius reveal here?

King. [aside] O, 'tis true.

How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!

The harlot's cheek, beautied with plast'ring art,

Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it

Than is my deed to my most painted word.

O heavy burden!

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Claudius reveals that he actually does have a conscience. He feels it a "heavy burden" to keep pretending that he is innocent.

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