In act iii of hamlet, why did hamlet choose not to kill claudius when he was praying?
hamlet felt sorry for claudius as he heard him pray.
hamlet was unsure whether he could kill claudius on his own.
hamlet reconsidered making his mother a widow a second time.
hamlet did not want claudius to go to heaven with a clean soul.
hamlet chose to forgive claudius after hearing him pray.

Hamlet did not kill Claudius because he did so while Claudius was still in prayer, his soul would go to Heaven but the Spirit of his father will remain in Purgatory.  He instead quarrels with his mother while Polonius listens behind the tapestry.  When Hamlet stabs the tapestry he kills Polonius instead. Things take a turn for the worse after that as Ophelia commits suicide and during a fencing Gertrude drinks poison while Hamlet wounds Laertes with a poisoned sword and Hamlet uses that sword on him.  As Gertrude dies, she reconciles with her son.  Laertes confesses that Claudius caused all this and Hamlet kills Claudius.  Before he dies he names Fortinbras the successor to the throne.