Act 4 Study Questions

Act IV, Scene 1

What is Claudius' main fear in the immediate aftermath of Polonius' death?

· That he will be blamed for Claudius’ death, not directly but because Hamlet is his responsibility he is going to get blamed for not being able to control him.

Act IV, Scene 2

What does Hamlet refuse to tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

· Where Polonius’ dead body is.

Act IV, Scene 3

What image does Hamlet use (ll. 19-29) to warn Claudius he's only king temporarily?

· He says that killing a skinny beggar and a fat king are just two dishes for one meal, which is basically saying two birds with one stone. And that killing Polonius was just a plus before he kills Claudius.

Claudius ends the scene by writing a letter: to whom, and what order does it contain?

· It is a letter to the King of England asking him to kill Hamlet immediately after he arrives.

Act IV, Scene 4

What's the value of the land Fortinbras' army is marching to capture in Poland (l. 20)? What will the invasion itself cost (l. 25)?

· The land they are planning to take over has absolutely no value, but it is just something to put his name to. The captain says that he wouldn’t pay 5 ducats for the land but it is costing Fortinbras 20,000 ducats.

Hamlet's soliloquy (ll. 32-66) is self-critical; summarize his main fault.

· He is ultimately saying that his he needs to stop being a coward and go ahead and kill the king already. He has all the tools and ability to do it but he keeps putting it off.

Act IV, Scene 5

Ophelia's songs during her first appearance in this scene deal with love, death and sex. Why? What do they tell us about her at the moment? What might they reveal about Her, Hamlet and Polonius?

· The last few songs talked about how hamlet took her virginity but refused to marry her because she was un pure because they slept together.

Why is Laertes a danger to Claudius' throne (ll. 98-103)? (Actually two or three related reasons.)

· Because he has an armed army

· Because he has the people’s support and they want him to be king.

What does Claudius offer as assurance that he had no part in Polonius' death (ll. 190-9)?

· He tells him to go choose his wisest friends and have them listen to both sides of the story and if they find him guilty he will give up his kingdom, crown, and life.

Act IV, Scene 6

Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet explaining how he escaped from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. How did he?

· They were sailing to England and pirates attacked their ship. And before much could happen Hamlet hopped over to the other boat and since the pirates had him they kept him captive and left Rosencrantz and Guildenstern on the ship alone.

Act IV, Scene 7

What reason does Claudius give Laertes for Hamlet's killing of Polonius (ll. 1-4)?

· He says that Hamlet was trying to kill Claudius and accidentally killed Polonius, assuming it was Claudius. Even though we know this to be untrue because Hamlet did indeed know it was Polonius spying on him and his mother.

What are his two reasons for not charging Hamlet with murder (ll. 9-24)?

· Because Gertrude loves Hamlet and Claudius loves Gertrude and he cant put her through that pain and sadness.

· And the public loves Hamlet and to convict him of murder would upset the people, which isn’t something the king wants to do.

3. Claudius reveals that Laertes is famous for his skill with the rapier (a fencing weapon) and that Hamlet is envious of this fame. How does Claudius plan to exploit this envy to give Laertes a chance for (publicly) guiltless revenge (ll. 126-38)?

· He tells Laertes that he is the best fencer around basically and Hamlet has challenged him and that he should put hamlet in his place. The king does this so he will be motivated and willing to fence with Hamlet. However the king says that instead of having a normal fencing sword, he is actually going to have a sword with a sharp end so that he can kill Hamlet.

5. How does Laertes refine the plan (ll. 138-147)?

· He says that he will coat the sword with poison just to make sure that when he stabs him he dies, incase the sharp sword isn’t enough.

6. What announcement does Gertrude make to end Act IV?

· She tells Laertes and the king that Ophelia has drown.

Act 3 Scenes 3 & 4

Scene III

1) What does Claudius plan to do with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Hamlet?

· He is going to send all three of them to England. Now that Hamlet has killed Polonius he has good reason to exile him for a while, and he is sending Rosencrantz and Guildenstern along to keep an eye on him and probably to let the King know when he has stopped acting mad.

2) What is Polonius going to do while Hamlet speaks with his mother?

· He is going to hide behind the tapestry in her room and listen to the conversation Hamlet and her have. He is betting on her yelling at him.

3) List three important things about Claudius’ soliloquy. 4) Why is it odd that Hamlet sees the king praying? 5) Why doesn’t Hamlet take this opportunity for revenge?

· Claudius is talking about how guilty he feels for killing his brother. He really wants to pray but he can’t because he is still living and benefiting from his brother’s murder and he isn’t willing to give up everything he gained, such as the queen and the crown. Because of this he is incapable of praying. He wants to be able to pray because otherwise that means he is going to hell because God cannot forgive his sins. However when Hamlet walks in on him he thinks he is praying and Hamlet believes if you are praying when you die that you will go to heaven. Since Claudius doesn’t deserve to go to heaven Hamlet decides to pass up his perfect opportunity and wait to kill him.

(4&5 are above)

Scene IV

1) Describe Polonius’ advice to Gertrude.

· He basically says she needs to scold him and tell him that his pranks and all the bad things he has been doing are bad and that they are having harsh effects on her and the King.

2) What is the significance of the following quote: “How now, a rat? Dead! For a ducat, dead!

· Hamlet realizes that Polonius is spying on them so he stabs him with his sword. He knew it couldn’t be the king because he just saw him praying. He calls him a And often times people who spy and sneak around are compared to rats.

3) What is odd about the following quote: A bloody deed; almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.

· This is the first time Hamlet shares his theory that Claudius killed the king. And he is also implying here she is actually the one who killed the king and then married his brother, which is not what he originally had in mind. He may have been doing this, not only to see her reaction, but to see if she would blame Claudius for it instead of herself, therefore confirming Hamlet’s theory.

4) Why might Gertrude say, “What have I done, that thou dar’st wag thy tongue in noise so rude against me.”

· This is her reaction to Hamlet accusing her of killing her husband. This kind of shows us that she most likely didn’t kill the king because she seems so surprised, but it also reinforces the idea that she doesn’t find anything wrong with marrying her brother in law so shortly after her husbands death.

5) What descriptions does Hamlet use to compare his father and his uncle?

King Hamlet

· A gentleman

· With curly hair and a forehead with a Greek God.

· He had the natural ability to command and have control

· He was very agile

· Seemed as though God created him especially for a greater purpose, like being a king.

Claudius

· He compares him to a mildewed ear of corn

· There is no comparison between the two men, Old King Hamlet was obviously of higher standing and quality then Claudius

6) What point does Hamlet make by comparing the men?

· He is showing his mother how big of a mistake she made by going from her gallant strong husband to marrying his worthless brother.

7) What is disturbing about the following: Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed; stewed in corruption; honeying, and making love over the nasty sty.”

· What’s right about it? Hamlet is talking about his mothers sex life and telling her that it is gross to sleep with Claudius because he considers it incest. Also they are having sex in the same bed as her and Old King Hamlet had before.

8) What stops Hamlet’s ranting and raving at Gertrude? What does this figure tell Hamlet?

· His fathers “ghost” appears again. However Gertrude cannot see him. He tells Hamlet that he is confusing and overwhelming his mother and he needs to back off and just talk to her regularly. Also that his need for revenge is starting to fade and it isn’t his primary focus, and it needs to be.

9) By the end of the act, Hamlet has made many statements about humanity, in general. Explain a few of his points. Do his opinions reflect his madness.

· He talks about Denmark being a prison and says that the afterlife would be better because he hates everyone around him, mostly being his mother and Claudius. And these thoughts come in after he found out his father’s ghost was walking around so he maybe thinking killing himself would bring him closer to his father. These could be words of madness. He also blames women for making men act like monsters and says that by putting on make up and doing up their faces adds to the world dishonesty, which is somewhat true but also pretty irrational and crazy.

10) Explain the differences between the ghost in Act I with the ghost in Act III. Why might these differences reflect Hamlet’s insanity?

· In act 1 the ghost is all gung-ho and adamant about getting revenge and killing Claudius. But in act 3 the ghost sees how overwhelmed and upset his ex wife is and he tells Hamlet to back off. He tells him that he is after Claudius not his mother. This shows that the Old King still cares about his wife.

Act 3 Study Questions

Act 3

Scene 1:

1. What do Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report to Polonius?

There is something definitely off about him. He admitted to the two men that he is confused and that there is something going on with him but he refused to talk about it and tell them.

2. How does Claudius react when Polonius says, "…with devotion's visage, And pious action we do sugar o'er/ The devil himself"?

Well Polonius is saying that Ophilia should sit there and read the bible, and often times people pretend to be devoted to god to cover up there sins and secrets and the king realizes he is doing the same thing except he is doing it with his words. This makes him feel really guilty.

3. What plan do Polonius, Claudius and Ophelia now put into action?

Polonius and Claudius are going to hide and use Ophelia as a decoy so they can spy on Hamlet.

4. What is the nature of Hamlet's soliloquy, lines 57-91?

It is very dark and depressing. He is contemplating whether it is better to be alive or dead. Because in death you get to escape all the commotion and hardships in life and it is like one never ending dream.

5. What is Hamlet's main argument against suicide?

You don’t know what really lies in the afterlife so he doesn’t know if it will be good dreams, nightmares, hell, heaven or even nothing. That variable is what makes it so hard for hamlet to decide which is better, life or death.

6. Why does Hamlet treat Ophelia as cruelly as he does? What has changed him?

Well he is trying to act crazy because of seeing his father’s ghost first of all. But he also finds out that her father is lurking and spying on him and he feels betrayed by Ophelia so he lashes out against her.

7. What thinly veiled threat to Claudius does Hamlet voice, after he becomes of his hidden presence? (lines 148-150)

He says that he is going to kill him, that everyone will live except for him.

8. At the end of this scene, what does the King decide to do with Hamlet?

He wants to send him to England. Unfortunately he really doesn’t have a reason to send him away. Aside from Hamlet acting crazy he really hasn’t done anything wrong.

Scene 2:

9. What qualities in Horatio cause Hamlet to enlist his assistance?

He takes everything life hands him and really just takes advantage of it and appreciates everything that happens in his life, both good and bad. He also manages to keep his composure in all situations and with all matters. He also doesn’t let his emotions get in the way of his thinking and he has a good control over them.

10. What does Hamlet ask Horatio to do?

He asks him to watch the play and watch King Claudius’s reaction to the scene because what he is about to see is going to be very close to what happened in real life. And if Claudius reacts like he is guilty then he will know the ghost was right and that Claudius did kill his father and that the ghost is most likely his father, not an evil demon.

11. Summarize what happens in the play-within-a-play.

The play is called “the mouse trap.” The king and queen show off their love for each other. Then the Queen leaves to King asleep in bed and a man comes in and pours poison in his ear. That was like a pre-play thing. And then they do a fuller longer play. And we find out that the man who kills the king is the kings nephew. So this is telling Claudius that Hamlet knows about what he has done to his father and that he is going to get revenge and kill him.

12. Why, in line 233, does Hamlet refer to the play-within-a-play as "The Mouse-trap"?

Because he knew that if it were true that Claudius killed his father he would have to react and if he reacted it would be in front of everyone and he would have to explain him self to them and to Hamlet.

13. What is the King's reaction to the play?

Claudius stands up and starts yelling and crying out for light. And then he runs out of the room and all the people follow him.

14. In lines 354-363, to what object does Hamlet compare himself? Why?

He compares himself to an instrument that he people play. And he is saying that Guildenstern can’t play instrument just like he can’t play Hamlet because Hamlet isn’t a fool or someone who can easily be played.

15. As Hamlet goes to his mother at the end of this scene, what does he admonish himself to do?

He is saying that he hates his mother very much but he isn’t going to kill her. He talks about Nero, a roman guy who killed his mother, and how he cant bring himself to do that.

Act 2 Scene 2 Summaries

Part 1

(Ln. 1-86) The King calls upon Hamlet’s childhood friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, both of whom serve no real importance, meaning they are interchangeable characters. The King asks them to observe and spy on Hamlet to see what’s going on with him. Since they are friends they know him pretty well and will be able to tell if something is up with him.

Part 2

(Ln. 86-216) Polonius starts rambling to the Queen but eventually he made his point, saying that Hamlet has gone mad. He shows the Queen the love letter that Hamlet supposedly sent Ophelia. I say supposedly because Hamlet was huge fan of the theater and was very elaborate in his writing, and he gave this crappy letter to Ophelia, it just doesn’t quite make sense. Unless of course his was only writing it to write it and not actually writing his true feelings. And then Polonius talks to Hamlet. Hamlet acts as if he doesn’t know who Polonius is and just insults him repeatedly, with terms such as a fishmonger: a pimp.

Part 3

(Ln. 217-358) Hamlet starts talking to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He tells them how he sees Denmark as a prison. Since he is a prince he has an obligation to Denmark therefore he cannot leave and his life is hell right now because his father has died and his mother married his uncle. It is a terrible place and he wishes he can escape from it, much like being in a prison. Then Hamlet addresses the fact that they have been sent there to spy on him. In Hamlet’s monologue he says that there are many great things about mankind but Hamlet can only see dust. Then Rosencrantz says that the actors are coming, this makes Hamlet happy because he loves the theater.

Part 4

(Ln. 358-592) Polonius comes and tells Hamlet that the players are in Elsinore and they welcome them to the kingdom. Polonius tells Hamlet the kind of work that these players do, but Hamlet already knows. Hamlet again bashes on Polonius, comparing him to Jephthah, which is an allusion to the bible. Jephthah sacrificed his daughter for politics, much like Polonius is doing to Ophelia. The players start off by doing a play based on the fall of troy but then one of them gets all emotional and instead Hamlet has them perform a play that he has written. Then they go there separate ways and Hamlet gives a soliloquy. In it he talks about how he wants revenge and that heaven and hell are telling him to get revenge (the ghost), but instead all he is doing is walking around whining about everything and not getting anything done. This is ok that he is being cautious because we really don’t know if this ghost is really his father or an evil demon that is just tempting and tricking him

Dibs!

Choose a novel or play that depicts a conflict between a parent (or a parental figure) and a son or daughter. Write an essay in which you analyze the sources of the conflict and explain how the conflict contributes to the meaning of the work. Avoid plot summary.

Act 2 Questions

1) What is does Polonius tell Reynaldo in the opening of Act II? How does he plan to trap his son?

Polonius tells Reynaldo to go to Denmark and spread rumors about his son and to see how the people respond and see if they are true. Again here is the idea of spying.

2) What does this say about Polonius?

It reinforces the idea that he is only looking out for himself. He doesn’t want his son to disgrace or embarrass him, however he really doesn’t care if his son is embarrassed.

3) What particularly in Act II scene 1 has disturbed Ophelia?

Hamlet has gone crazy. He is really starting to scare her. He grabs her by her wrists and stared really oddly at her.

4) Why have Rosencrantez and Guildenstern been sent to Denmark?

They were sent by the king to spy on Hamlet.

5) What does Hamlet ask the players to recite? How does the allusion mimic Hamlet’s position?

He wants them to recite the murder of Gonzago, which is a play that he has written, and the plot of the play is much like what has just happened to hamlet. Hamlet is going to try and add some lines into the play that will trick the king into confessing to murder.

Identify the following speaker of the following lines and discuss to whom the lines are being delivered, and what do the lines mean?

6) “No, my lord, but as you did command/ I did repel his letter, and denied his access to me”

Ophelia talking to her father, telling him that she has sent back the letters from Hamlet and has stopped seeing him.

7) “More matter less art”

This is the Queen talking to Polonius. He is trying to tell her that her son has gone mad and instead of just getting to the point he is beating around the bush and she tells him just to get on with it and spit it out already.

8) “That I, the son of a dear father murdered,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words,

This is hamlet during his soliloquy. Basically he wants revenge, heaven and hell are telling him to get revenge (the ghost), but instead all he is doing is walking around whining about everything.

9) “Your bait of falsehood take this carp of truth/ And thus do we of wisdom and of reach,/ with windlasses and with assays of bias,/ By directions find directions out.”

He is basically saying that by telling lies about his son you will find out the truth of what he has been up to.

10) “For if the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?”

This is Hamlet talking to Polonius. Hamlet is the son of Denmark, but he is also the sun of Denmark and he brings light to it….help!

11) List three metaphors (1 direct, 1 implied, 1 extended) from the play.

A direct metaphor – “Excellent well. You are a fishmonger.” Hamlet is comparing Polonius to a pimp.

An extended metaphor – “Denmark’s a prison.” Denmark is like jail to Hamlet. His father has died and now his uncle is his father but he can not leave because he is royalty so he is trapped there.

An implied metaphor – lies are poison. Ears are a motif in this play and the idea that when you hear lies it is poison through your ears, which is the way Old King Hamlet dies.

12) What proof does Polonius have that he believe indicates Hamlet’s love for Ophelia?

The letter that Hamlet wrote to Ophelia…even though it was a terrible letter for Hamlet’s usual literary excellence.

13) Explain the quote, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” How does this relate to Hamlet.

There really isn’t anything good or bad in this world. Everything is “stereotyped” because of the way people interpret situations. Hamlet has this terrible view of Denmark because his father has died and his mother has remarried his uncle, therefore he hates Denmark and thinks of it like a prison whereas the two men really have no reason to hate Denmark. Hamlet could try to see these recent events in his life as good things and then he wouldn’t hate Denmark as much.

14) What is a fishmonger?

A pimp. Hamlet compares Polonius to one.

15) Who was Jephthah?

An allusion to the bible. He sacrifices his daughter for politics, much like Polonius is doing to Ophelia.

Act 1 Scene 4 Questions

8) In scene 4, what is Hamlet talking about in lines 13-38?

Hamlet says that he doesn’t like the custom of the King drinking and setting off cannons. It makes Denmark look like a bunch of drunks which at the same time makes them look weak.

9) Why doesn’t Horatio want Hamlet to follow the ghost?

Because some times ghosts can be evil spirits and they can either confuse a man into committing suicide or cause him to go mad. And there is no real way of knowing whether or not it is really old King Hamlet’s ghost or an evil spirit.

10) What is Hamlet’s command to the three guards?

He tells them that he is going to go talk to the ghost alone and that they have to let him go. He basically says his life isn’t really worth anything to him, it isn’t worth a “pin’s fee,” so he doesn’t have anything to loose by talking to the ghost.

Act 1 Scene 3 Questions

1) What is Laertes advice to Ophelia?

She needs to stop seeing Hamlet. Since he is a prince he is going to have to marry a woman who is good for the country, even if he doesn’t love her. And since Ophelia isn’t really in the same class as Hamlet there is no way that he can really marry her, so sooner or later he is going to break her heart.

2) How does “The canker galls the infants of the spring/ too oft before their buttons be disclos’d” fit into the ideology of the decaying garden?

It is the worm destroying a flower before it can bloom. Ophelia is the flower in the garden. If she is ruined she either goes to the nunnery or the whorehouse. So she is either saved or basically discarded.

3) What analogy does Ophelia give to her brother as an answer to his advice? What does she mean?

“Do not as some ungracious pastors do, Show me the steep thorny way to heaven, while like a puff’d and reckless libertine himself the prumrose path of dalliance treads, and recks not his own rede.” She is telling him that yeah is right about what he is saying but she isn’t going to listen to him. Also that he is pointing our her perfect way to heaven and saying she needs to do things right so she can go to heaven, when at the same time he is on the same path she is on. Basically she is saying he needs to take his own advice, instead of gallivanting with women in France because she actually knows what he has been doing over their.

4) List five of the “few precepts” that Polonius gives to Laertes.

He needs to think but not speak, he needs to think thoroughly before he acts and don’t make any rash decisions, be friendly to others but don’t make yourself cheap, when you have tested their friendships and they are good, attach to them with bonds of steal, don’t try and make friends with every new man you meet, and listen to everyone but only tell those who are privileged.

5) In lines 105-109, what is the metaphor that Polonius uses to describe Hamlet’s words of love?

He is saying that Hamlet’s love isn’t real. That he these tenders are not sterling.

6) List and explain one metaphor found in the lines 115-135.

“When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul lends the tongue vows.” This is basically saying that lust will make you say anything even if you know what your saying doesn’t make sense or isn’t justified.

7) What is Polonius’ command to Ophelia?

To stop seeing hamlet. And she agrees.

Act 1 Scene 2 Questions

1. What is odd about Hamlet’s appearance in the opening of scene two?

He is dressed in all black like as if he were going to a funeral. He is also upset with his mother for marrying his uncle and not seeming to show much remorse for having just lost her husband/the king.

2. Explain (give at least two reasons) why Claudius needs to justify his marriage in the opening of scene two.

He didn’t allow much time for his brother’s passing to settle in before he swooped in and married his sister in law. Which could upset people, especially Hamlet, considering he is now the King. Which is the other reason he needs to justify it, to let his people know why he did what he did so they can understand.

3. Laertes asks the King for leave to do what, specifically?

He came back to see the coronation of the King but now he wants to go to France to continue his education. (I think, it doesn’t really say here, but we do find out later that he was goofing off with the ladies over in France, so that may be what your asking for)

4. Explain Hamlet’s insult when he says, “A little more than kin and less than kind.”

Hamlet is mad it his uncle/new stepfather, not only because he married his mom but because it happened so quickly. So he is saying that they are a little more then just family but Hamlet hates him and thinks he disgraces “mankind” and thinks he is less the than human. On line 140 he compares him to a satyr (half man/half goat).

5. Explain Hamlet’s use of pun in the line, “Not so my lord, I am too much in the sun.”

Hamlet doesn’t like Claudious calling him son, especially since until a short while ago he was his nephew. And he really doesn’t want to be the son of two men, since he was the son to King Hamlet now King Claudious.

6. In Hamlet’s first soliloquy it is obvious that what troubles him most is?

That his mother remarried his uncle so suddenly and she doesn’t really seem to be too compassionate or sad about his father’s death.

7. What does Hamlet mean by the following lines

“Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not ‘seems’.

‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,

Nor customary suits of solemn black,

Nor windy suspiration of forc’d breath,

No, nore the fruitful river in the eye,

Nor the dejected havior of the visage,

Together will all forms, moods, shapes of grief,

That can denote me truly. These indeed seem,

For they are actions that a man might play;

But I have that within which passes show,

These but the trappings and the suits of woe.

She asks him why he unemotional state seems to be so personal to him. And he responded saying that he is basically in a lot of pain and he is wearing all black but even that is just a miniscule amount of pain he is feeling.

8. What does Hamlet say about the baked meats and the funeral and the wedding.

They served the same food from the funeral that they did at the wedding. However they served it cold at the wedding.

9. What news does Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo bring to Hamlet.

That his father, King Hamlet, came back to them as a ghost. However he wouldn’t talk to any of the men or respond to any questions. He then disappeared when the sun rose. Hamlet decided that he would stay up that night to see if he comes back so that he can talk to him.