| Act 4 starts with a discussion of hamlet’s behavior between Claudius and Gertrude. What is it that Gertrude says she has seen? | Hamlets madness |
| How does Gertrude describe polonius’ death to Claudius? | Hamlet heard something behind the tapestry (Polonius), he cried out “rat,” killed the rat (Polonius) |
| “O come away! My soul is full of ____ and ____.” | Discord, dismay |
| When Rosencrantz asks hamlet what he did with Polonius’ body, what is hamlets response? | He compounded it with dust |
| Why does hamlet call Rosencrantz a sponge? | He soaks up all the Kings favors |
| What does Hamlet tell Rosencrantz that the king will do with him? | Use him like a sponge to soak up information, and the king will squeeze the info out of him |
| What does hamlet mean when he says “the body is with the king, but the king is not with the body…?” | Claudius acts as king, and has the body of kingship, but the act of king doesn’t rightfully belong to Claudius |
| Why is it that Claudius believes he can’t arrest hamlet? | Hamlet is popular with the people |
| What does Claudius mean when he says “diseases desperate grown by desperate appliance are relieved, or not at all?” | Critical diseases are cured by drastic treatments, or you die |
| Where does hamlet tell Claudius Polonius is? | At supper |
| What does hamlet mean when he says “your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service- two dishes but to one table?” | They are both dishes for the worms, it’s the same meal and everyone is equal once dead |
| Describe hamlets view of how one may eat a king through a worm. | Burry the king > worm eats decayed king > use worm to bait a fish > fish eats worm that has eaten king > one eats the fish (eats the king) |
| Why does the king tell hamlet he is sending him to England? What is ironic about this? | Sending him to England for his safetyIronic because he is really sending him there to kill him |
| Why does the king think that England will follow his orders and kill hamlet? | Because England owes Denmark |
| What mistake did hamlet make by not killing Claudius and in turn killing Polonius? | He’s being sent away by Claudius, now he can’t kill him |
| Whose army does hamlet come across and where are they going? | Fortinbras’ army, going to conquer Poland |
| How does the captain describe the land that they are off to try and attack? | They paid 5 ducats and the land isn’t even farmable; its a wasteland |
| (Hamlet’s soliloquy) What is hamlet questioning this time? Has this been a topic before? | Procrastination, yes |
| “What is a man, if his life’s only purpose is to ____ and ____? A ____, nothing more.” | Sleep, eat, beast |
| Explicate, and who is “he?” “Sure, he that made us with such large discourse / looking before and after, gave us not / that capability and God-like reason / to fuse in us unused.” | Sure, God gave us great understanding / the ability of foresight and reflection, but he didn’t give us / this capability of godlike reason to not be used”He” = God |
| What is hamlet questioning (regarding Claudius) in the previous explication? | Why hasn’t he killed Claudius yet |
| What sort of examples for revenge does hamlet see before him in this act? | An army, fortinbras |
| Describe hamlets view of fortinbras | He’s a youthful prince, ambitious, risking his life, danger, fate, death, everything, all for a little piece of land |
| Who does hamlet compare himself to in the soliloquy at the end of 4:4? | Fortinbras |
| “Rightly to be great” (to be truly great) is to what? | 1. Don’t fight without a great argument 2. Find an argument in the littlest thing when honor is at stake |
| Hamlet then states “how stand I then…” What are three things that describe how he stands? | His father was killed, his moms a *****, and motives are urged by passion and reason |
| “O, from this time forth my thoughts be ____ or be ____ worth.” | Bloody, nothing |
| What decision has hamlet finally reached by this point? (End of scene 4) | All thoughts need to be bloody, and about getting revenge |
| How does the gentleman at the beginning of scene 5 describe Ophelia’s condition? (6) | 1. She speaks a lot of her dad2. The world is filled of tricks3. She coughs, beats her chest4. Takes offense at the littlest things 5. Making odd remarks that makes no sense 6. So incoherent, people are leaning in to try to understand her |
| Why does Horatio say (concerning Ophelia) “twere a good thing she were spoken with, for she may strew…?” | It is good she was talked to, or she may spread false rumors about hamlet |
| What does the queen say concerning her sick soul? | Every little rumor foreshadows something horrible is about to happen |
| “So full of artful jealousy is guilt / it spills itself fearing to be split…” What is it that Gertrude is saying about guilt? | Her guilt is so full of suspicion that it’s giving herself away that she is seriously paranoid |
| Ophelia sings a song about saint Valentine’s Day. At the end of the song she sings “let in the maid, that out a maid never departed more.” What does she mean? Also, what does this say concerning the theme of innocence concerning the characters? | She went in a virgin and innocent, but came out without her virginityIt suggests she’s not as innocent as she was thought to be |
| Explicate the stanza of the songYoung men will do it, if they come to it / by cock, they are to blame / quoth she, before you tumbled me / you promised me to wed / so would I ha’ done, by yonder sun / and thou hadst not come to my bed” | Young men will have sex whenever the chance / they think with their penis / she said , before you took me to bed / you promised to marry me / (he says) I would have done that, I swear by the sun / if you hadn’t come to my bed |
| How does Claudius describe the coming of sorrows? | They don’t come in singles, they come all at once |
| What did this coming of sorrows bring for all involved? (7) | 1. Polonius is dead2. Hamlet is gone3. Rumors of polonius’ death4. Secretly buried him5. Ophelia is crazy6. Laertes secretly came home from France7. Hearing rumors of his father accusing the royalty |
| Poor Claudius feels “this / like to a murdering-piece, in many places / gives me superfluous death.” What is it that he feels (interpret)? | It’s like a cannon that’s shot all over the kingdom, piercing him repeatedly |
| What do the mob call laertes? | King |
| What does laertes say about the “drop of blood that is calm” and himself? Also, how does this parallel hamlets view of revenge? | If there’s one calm drop of blood in him, he is betraying his fatherSaying he shouldn’t have calm blood like hamlet– his thoughts must be bloody |
| Why does Claudius insist that Gertrude let him go? He doesn’t seem to worry about being hurt by laertes. What is his reasoning on why laertes wouldn’t hurt him? | The king is protected by his right to ruleLaertes can’t kill him |
| What does laertes mean when he states (in reference to the Kings question “who shall stay you?”) | Nobody but me, I’ll use any means possible for revenge because the littlest goes a long way |
| What does laertes mean when he states “By heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight, till our scale turn the beam..?” | Her madness will be revenged, and more |
| What is it that laertes is saying when he states “is’t possible, a young maids wits should be as moral as an old mans life?” | It is possible that s young woman’s sanity is as fragile as an old mans life |
| What does laertes mean when he states “this nothing’s more than matter?” | There’s meaning to this madness |
| Ophelia starts giving away imaginary flowers. For each flower state the meaning behind it and who she gives it to. Also, why do you think she gives this flower to this person (7) | 1. Rosemary – remembrance, remembering her brother, father (Laertes)2. Pansies – thoughts, generally thoughts of love (Laertes)3. Fennel – flattery (Gertrude)4. Columbines – adultery (Gertrude/Claudius)5. Rue – “herb of grace,” repentance (Gertrude/Claudius)6. Daisies – lying, faithlessness (Gertrude/Claudius)7. Violets have died – faithfulness and/or sanity dying (Polonius) |
| After Ophelia gives away her bouquet what does laertes say she does? | She is turning bad stuff into pretty little things |
| What does the king promise laertes in terms of guilt? | If your councils find out that I am guilty die polonius’ death, I will give you my kingdom |
| Describe polonius’ funeral. | It’s a secret, no display of swords, no memorial, no cost of arms above his grave, no rights of nobility, no funeral ceremonies |
| What does hamlets letter to Horatio say? | They were captured by pirates on the way to England, they took the ship over, hamlet called them merciful thieves, he’s a cool guy though so it’s okay, he’s safe. He’s on his way to do a favor for the pirates |
| In his first few lines of this scene, how does Claudius begin to earn laertes’ trust? What does he tell him? | He that killed your father polonius, he’s now after me |
| Laertes asks why the king didn’t take action against hamlet. The king says for 2 reasons. What are they? | 1. The Queen is his mom and absolutely loves him3. Everyone adores him |
| Claudius asks laertes “will you be ruled by me?” Laertes says yes, but under what conditions? | Laertes doesn’t have to make peace with anybody |
| Laertes agrees to be ruled by him, but only under what conditions? | He gets to do the stabbing |
| Claudius asks laertes “was your father dear to you? Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, a ____ without a ____?” | Face, heart |
| “And nothing is at a like goodness still / for goodness, growing to a plurisy / dies in his own too much…” What is Claudius saying about goodness? | Goodness grows like an inflammation and it grows in its own excess, the more it grows, the more it kills itself off |
| What does Claudius tell laertes to do? | Stay in his chamber and out of the way |
| How does laertes further decide to ensure victory? | Put poison on the sword |
| What is Claudius’ back up plan? | Put poison in the wine |
| What news does Gertrude bring concerning Ophelia? | She drowned herself |
| What do the clowns question concerning the burial of Ophelia in the opening of act 5? Why do they question this? | Wether its a christian burialBecause she killed herself |
| What are the 3 branches of an act? | To act, to do, to perform |
| The gravedigger tries to explain his reasoning with the example of water and man. What is this example/reasoning? | If the man goes to the water, it’s suicide. If the water goes to the man, it’s not suicide. The reasoning is whether Ophelia went to the water, or if she was killed |
| What does the other gravedigger believe is the reason for Ophelia’s christian burial? | She’s a person of nobility / she has money |
| What do “ancient gentlemen” do? | They dig gardens, ditches, or graves |
| The clown asks the following riddle “what is he that builds stronger than either Mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter?” What is the others response? Then tell hoe the gravedigger twists his fellow workers words. | The gallows maker, makes gallows for hangings because the frame outlived a thousand tenantsSays he is saying the gallow is stronger than the church, the church should be the strongest, the gallow should be for him for not saying the church is the strongest |
| What is the final answer given to the gravediggers riddle, right before hamlet shows up? | His job/profession – gravedigger He houses you until doomsday |
| How are people like sheep and calves? | They seek safety in parchment paper (made from sheep/calve skin) |
| What sort of pun does hamlet have with the gravedigger concerning the grave being dug? | He’s lying in his lying -> physically lying in his grave, telling it’s not his grave (a lie) |
| What does the clown mean when he states “tis a quick lie sir, twill away gain, from me to you?” | That was a very lively lie that now gets me to you– your turn to make a pun |
| According to the gravedigger how old is hamlet? How do we know this? | 30 – the gravedigger says he’s been a gravedigger since Denmark overtook Fortinbras, the same time hamlet was born |
| 1. Why does hamlet put the scene of hamlet’s conversation with the gravedigger in the play at this point? 2. What does Shakespeare hope to achieve for his audience? To answer this, you must be aware and make reference to what has happened previously and what will happen next. | Ophelia dead, that’s sad, right after polonius’ death rosencrantz and guildenstern also dead, need to add humor between so much death |
| What is the tone of the conversation between hamlet and the gravedigger? How does this contrast to the early hamlet we know and love so well? | Comedic/sarcastic, at the same time contemplativeLighter tone than his doom and gloom outlook |
| Who was yorick to hamlet and what does his reflections tell us about the prince? | A court jesterHe’s still emotional, contemplative |
| Hamlet again contemplates death and our remains when he speaks of Alexander the Great. Like the fish and the worm, and his previous conversation concerning death to the king, what does hamle say concerning death? | We all will be equalized through death |
| How does hamlet feel toward Ophelia at the end of scene 1? | Undying love for ophelia |
| “The cat will ____, and the dog will have his ____.” | Mew, day |
| “Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well / when our deep plots do pall: and that should teach us / there’s a divinity that shapes our ends / rough-hew them how we will” Explicate. What is it that hamlet is essentially saying concerning divinity? | Sometimes our sins serve us well, when our plans come to nothing and teaches us that there’s a God and no matter what plans we have, God will do what he wants There’s a God, he’s going to do his own plans |
| What does the letter say that hamlet stole? Also, who did he steal it from? | Said to chop hamlets head off as he steps off the boat Stole it from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern |
| What reasons does hamlet give to horatio as verifiable reasons for killing Claudius? | Killed his father, made a ***** of his mother, took his throne, secretly tried to kill him |
| How confident is hamlet in winning the wager? | Going to win by the odds |
| Hamlet says “there is special providence in the fall of a sparrow.” 1. What does he mean by this? Also, what does hamlet further say concerning providence? 3. What is providence anyways? | 1. Fate controls all2. If not now, it will happen in the future. If it isn’t preordained it will happen now. If not now, it will eventually come. The only thing that matters is being ready3. Divine guidance, everything is preordained by God– even a sparrow’s death |
| What does Hamlet blame his upsetting Laertes on? | Madness |
| (I forgot a question!) What is the wager? | King: waging six Barbary horsesLaertes: six French rapiers with all the gear |
| Why does the king put on the “stoup of wine” upon the table? What else is he planning to do (that he tells the court)? | If he gets the 1st or 2nd hit, or he wins the 3rd battle after Laertes wins the first 2, then he is going to put a pearl in the cup |
| Who does Laertes blame on his death? | The king |
| In the final fight, who dies and how? | Gertrude: poisoned wineClaudius: poisoned sword / poisoned wineHamlet: poisoned swordLaertes: switched weapon with hamlet, scratched by poison sword |
| Why does hamlet want Horatio to “absent thee from felicity awhile?” And what does the quote mean. | To tell the story of what happened, he’s the only one who truly knows the whole storyAbstain from death– don’t kill yourself yet |
| What does hamlet predict? | Fortinbras is going to become the king |
| Horatio: “now cracks a noble heart. Good night ____ ____: and flights of angels ____ the to thy ____! Why does the drum come hither?” | Sweet, prince, sing, rest |
| What did it take for hamlet to finally kill his uncle? | A threat on his own life |
Hamlet Act 4/5
July 14, 2019