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Act 4

Scene 1: Gertrude reports Polonius’s death to Claudius, who sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find Hamlet and recover the body.

 

Scene 2: Hamlet refuses to tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern where he has put Polonius’s body.

 

Scene 3: Hamlet is brought to Claudius, who tells him that he is to leave immediately for England. Alone, Claudius reveals that he is sending Hamlet to his death.

 

Scene 4: Fortinbras and his army cross Hamlet’s path on their way to Poland. Hamlet finds in Fortinbras’s vigorous activity a model for himself in avenging his father’s murder; Hamlet resolves upon bloody action.

 

Scene 5: Reports reach Gertrude that Ophelia is mad. Ophelia enters singling about death and betrayal. After Ophelia has gone, Claudius agonises over her madness and over the stir created by the return of an angry Laertes. When Laertes breaks in on Claudius and Gertrude, Claudius asserts his innocence with regard to Polonius’s death. The reappearance of the mad Ophelia is devastating to Laertes. 

 

Scene 6: Horatio is given a letter from Hamlet telling of t he prince's boarding of a pirate ship and his subsequent return to Denmark.

 

Scene 7: Claudius gets a letter from Hamlet announcing the prince's return. Claudius enlists Laertes's willing help in devising another plot agianst Hamlet's life. Laertes agrees to kill Hamlet with a poisoned rapier in a fencing match. If he fails, Claudius will give Hamlet a poisoned cup of wine. Gertrude interrupts their plottign to announce that Ophelia has drowned. 

 

Questions

  1. Does Gertrude tell Claudius the truth about what happened between her and Hamlet (4.1.6-7)? How does this characterise Gertrude?

    1. This ambiguity demonstrates that we don’t necessarily know where her intentions and alliances lie.

      And she states that Hamlet is crazy and have everyone against him. She protects and downplays Hamlet.

      Where do her true feelings lie? To Hamlet or Claudius.

    2. Perhaps that she wants to take a step back and watch the scene occur so she doesn’t have to deal with taking sides.

    3. Or she could be protecting Hamlet from others going against him.

    4. “we would not understand what was most fit, but, like the owner of a foul disease, to keep it from divulging , let it feed” (IV.4.22-23)

  2. What is Hamlet’s message behind the “worm dinner” conversation he has with Claudius (IV.3.22-35) and calling Claudius his mother (IV. 358-62)

  3. What is Laertes’ approach to revenging his father’s death? How does it compare to Hamlet’s? How much support does he have? Whom does he initially blame?

    1. ​Laertes is very closed and want to be alone “that swoop sick you will draw both a friend and foe. “Like a good child.”

    2. Revenge. Laertes knows what he wants. He want his revenge. “To hell with the blackest devil.”

    3. Laertes serves as a foil to the royal family because he knows what he wants and he doesn’t care.

    4. Poisonous sward and drink is the way to kill Hamlet

  4. Read Gertrude’s description of Ophelia’s death (IV.7.187-208) and that of the Doctor (V. 1.233-242) What is inconsistent in their story? What do you make of this?

    1. She killed herself, and was most likely not a virgin when she died, but she was still allowed a Christian burial. Gertrude made it seem more like an accident and more poetic but the Doctor makes it seem blunter and is doubtful of whether or not she really deserves the burial she is getting.

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