Hamlet, Act IV, scenes 5-7

1
Hamlet, Act IV, scenes 5-7

• What important information does Claudius reveal?
• Claudius tells Gertrude that the people of
  Denmark are grumbling and in turmoil over the
  death of Polonius. Further, Polonius was buried
  quickly without any of the ceremony that would
  have been fitting for a person of his rank.
  Laertes has secretly entered Denmark, has kept
  himself in hiding, and has been rousing the
  people against Claudius.

2
What do they assume is the cause of Ophelias
apparent madness?

• They assume that Ophelias madness is a
  combination of the stresses of her fathers
  death, Hamlets being sent away, and the fact
  that Hamlet is her fathers killer.

3
Why do you suppose Ophelias madness take on the
form it does?

• Ophelia enters the room singing vulgar songs
  about country girls losing their virginity. In
  the famous nunnery scene, Hamlet essentially
  accused Ophelia of being a whore, a seductress,
  and a temptress. In the play-within-a-play scene
  he again assaulted her with vulgar jokes. Laertes
  and Polonius had both warned her about
  surrendering her virtue to Hamlet. Therefore,
  whether Hamlet and Ophelia had a physical
  relationship or not, certainly all of the men in
  Ophelias life seem to make certain assumptions
  about Ophelias behavior, and she is now enacting
  those assumptions.

4
Describe Laertes response to his fathers death.
How is he a foil for Hamlet?

• Laertes is in a rage and intent upon revenge.
  Because Laertes is able to gather a small army of
  supporters, the implications is that Hamlet, who
  is popular, could have unseated Claudius this
  way. Laertes contrasts with Hamlet because he
  focuses his energy on action while Hamlets
  energy is focused on thought.

5
How do the flowers Ophelia distributes relate to
the characters and their actions?

• The fennel and columbines that she gives to the
  Queen represent unfaithfulness because the queen
  has been unfaithful to her husband and her son.
  She gives the King rue for repentance, signifying
  that he should repent for the murder of his
  brother. She also gives him a daisy, the symbol
  of unrequited love. Perhaps she is alluded to the
  idea that the queen does not truly love him.

6
Act IV, scenes vi-vii

• What news is revealed in Hamlets letter to
  Horatio? What does this show about Hamlet?
• The ship bringing Hamlet to England was attacked
  by pirates. The pirates are bringing Hamlet back
  to Denmark. He is clever enough to have
  negotiated this arrangement.

7
What will happen to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

• Hamlet has opened the sealed orders that decreed
  his death. He changed them to order Rosencrantz
  and Guildensterns death.

8
How does this episode illustrate the role of
coincidence in Shakespeares tragedy?

• While coincidence does not directly cause any of
  the tragic action, it can and usually does
  contribute to the tragic action. For example, it
  is simply by coincident that Hamlet has the
  kings seal with him so that he can open and
  reseal the letters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
  are carrying. It is coincidence that the ship
  taking him to England happens to be beset by
  pirates, that he happens to board their ships,
  etc.

9
Why does Claudius tell Laertes he will not kill
Hamlet himself?

• The King will not kill Hamlet for two reasons.
  First, the queen loves Hamlet and since the king
  loves her, he will not hurt her. Secondly,
  Claudius cannot kill him because the people love
  him.

10
In Gertrudes description of Ophelias drowning,
what suggests that Ophelia committed suicide?

• After falling into the water, Ophelia neither
  calls out for help nor takes any action to help
  herself.

11
In Gertrudes description of Ophelias drowning,
what suggests that Ophelias death was an
accident?

• Gertrude describes her falling into the water as
  apparently accidentala branch broke while she
  was hanging a garland of flowers and she fell in.
  Gertrude also points out that Ophelia did not
  seem to have any idea of the danger she was in
  while she sang the old songs and sank.

12
Quotes, Act IV, pg. 203

• Scene iv
• Truly to speak, and with no addition, /We go to
  gain a little patch of ground / That hath no
  profit but the name. . .lines 17-24
• Captain

13
Scene v, pg. 209

• By Gis and by Saint Charity, / Alack and fie for
  shame, /Young men will do t, if they come to t
  By Cock, they are to blame. Quoth she Before you
  tumbled me, /You promised me to wed. Lines 61-68
• Ophelia

14
Pg. 205

• She speaks much of her father, says she hears
  /Theres tricks i th world, and hems, and beats
  her heart. . .her speech is nothing. Lines 5-9
• Ophelia

15
Pg. 203

• I do not know Why yet I live to say This
  things to do, /Sith I have cause, and will, and
  strength, and means to do t. Examples gross as
  earth exhort me Witness this army of such mass
  and charge, /led by this delicate and tender
  prince. . .O for this time forth / My thoughts be
  bloody or be nothing worth!
• lines 46-70
• Hamlet

16
Pg. 209

• We must be patient, but I cannot choose but weep
  to think they would lay him i th cold ground.
  My brother shall know of it. . . Lines 72-75
• Ophelia

17
Pg. 209

• O, this is the poison of deep grief. It springs
  /All from her fathers death, and now behold!/ O
  Gertrude, Gertrude, /When sorrow comes, they come
  not single spies, /But in battalions. . .poor
  Ophelia/ Divided from herself and her fair
  judgment, without the which we are pictures or
  mere beasts. . .lines 80- 93
• Claudius

18
Pg. 211

• . . .young Laertes, in a riotous head,/
  Overbears your officers. The rabble call him
  lord,. . .they cry, Choose we, Laertes shall
  be king! lines 110-116
• Messenger

19
Pg. 215

• How came he dead? Ill not be juggled with, /To
  hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil!/
  Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit ! I
  dare damnation. To this point I stand. . .Ill be
  revenged /Most thoroughly for my father. Lines
  148-154
• Laertes

20
Pg. 215

• Why , now you speak /Like a good child and a
  true gentleman. That I am guiltless of your
  fathers death/ And am most sensibly in grief for
  it. . .lines 171-73
• Claudius

21
Pg. 217

• Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!/O
  heavens, is t possible for a young maids wits/
  Should be as mortal as (an old) mans life? Lines
  182-3
• Laertes

22
Pg. 217

• Theres rosemary , thats for remembrance, Pray
  you love, remember. And there is pansies, thats
  for thoughts. lines 199-200
• Ophelia

23
Pg. 219

• Laertes, I must commune with your grief, /Or you
  deny me right. Go but apart, /Make choice of whom
  your wisest friends you will, and they shall hear
  and judge twixt you and me. . . To give it due
  content. Lines 226-235
• King Claudius

24
Pg. 219

• Let this be so. His means of death, his obscure
  funeral/ (No trophy, sword, nor hatchment oer
  his bones, /No noble rite nor formal
  ostentation). . .lines 236-242
• Laertes

25
Scene vi, pg. 221

• These good fellows will bring thee where I am.
  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold their course
  for England of them I have much to tell thee.
  Farewell. lines 26-29
• Hamlet

26
Pg. 223

• Now must your conscience my acquittance seal,
  /And you must put me in your hear for friend. .
  .lines 1-3
• Claudius

27
Pg. 223

• It well appears. But tell me/ Why you (proceed)
  not against these feats,/ So criminal and so
  capital in nature
• Laertes

28
Pg. 223

• O, for two special reasons,. . .line 10
• King Claudius

29
Pg. 227

• I will work him / To an exploit, now ripe in my
  device, Under the which he shall not choose but
  fall /And for his death no wind of blame shall
  breathe, /But even his mother shall uncharge the
  practice and call it an accident. lines 72-75
• Claudius

30
Pg. 227

• My lord, I will be ruled, /The rather if you
  could devise it so/ That I might be the organ.
  lines 77-79
• Laertes

31
Pg. 217

• Laertes, was your father dear to you?/ Or are
  you like the painting of sorrow, / A face without
  a heart? Lines 122-5
• Claudius

32
Pg. 231

• Hamlet comes back what would you undertake/ To
  show yourself indeed your fathers son/ More than
  in words? Lines141-145
• Claudius

33
Pg. 233

• Ill touch my point/ With this contagion, that,
  if I gall him slightly, / It may be death. Lines
  166-167
• Laertes
• I have prepared him a chalice for the nonce,
  whereon but sipping, / If he by chance escape
  your venom stuck, /Our purpose may hold there.
  Lines 182-5
• Claudius

34
Pg. 233

• One woe, doth tread upon anothers heel,/ So
  fast they follow. Your sisters drowned,
  Laertes. lines 186-189
• Queen