Hamlet Act IV

What doesn’t Gertrude want to see Ophelia? She is feeling guilty that her son Hamlet killed her father Polonius.
Why does Gertrude decide to speak with Ophelia? Ophelia could make false accusations about her fathers death and spread rumors if she doesn’t speak to someone.
What is Caludius’s theory on why Ophelia is acting so odd? Is he right? Claudius believes it is due to the grief of her her fathers death and having nobody left. Her brother isn’t around either. Yes, Claudius is right.
Why does Laertes return from France? He is avenging his fathers death.
Why does Claudius feel he has to placate Laertes? Laertes storms into ther oom very angry at Claudius because he just found it his father died and wanted to know where he was because he thought it was him at first. He had come to avenge his dad’s death. Laertes followers want Laertes to be king.
How does Claudius calm doesn Laertas? by telling him he had nothing to do with the death of Polonius and it hurt him too. Claudius promises Laertes if he was apart of it he’d give him everything his royal family had, including his kingship.
What happened to the ship Hamlet was on? It was attacked by pirates
How does Hamlet return to Denmark? on the pirates ship
How does Haratio find Hamlet? by getting a letter from Hamlet stating what happened to him. Haratio will ask the sailor.
What are the 2 reasons Claudius gives Laertes for why he didn’t punish Hamlet for killing Polonius? 1) Gertrude couldn’t live without her son and couldn’t stand to see her miserable 2)he agrees he needs to be punished but in a way where everyone would think it is an accident
How does Claudius learn Hamlet is back in Denmark? he receives letters form him and the messengers say they saw him earlier.
What was the kings original plan to kill Hmalet? send him to England to deliver a message to authority whomb would put him to death
How do Laertes and the king plan to kill Hamlet? 1.)have a fencing fight with Laertes and Hamlet and Laertes sword would not have the bead at the end and he’d make sure it was pointy, but he would play it off as an accident. 2.) when Hamlet went to get a drink because Laertes would make him so tired out, there would be poison in his drink
How does Ophelia die? When she was picking flowers she fell into the water and her dress filled up and she was singing and had no clue what was going on, but then she was pulled under and drowned because her dress weighed her down.
Explain Rosencrantz and Guildensterns sponge/ape/orange metaphor: Hamlet tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Claudius is like an ape and they are the sponges. Claudius will use them only to get information about Hamlet, much like a sponge absorbs water.He says Rosencrantz and Guildenstern chose to do this because they wanted to gain reward by it and soak them up, but when they would get to claudius they would squeeze out all of the information just to get rewards. Claudius is like an ape, because how apes keep their apples in their cheek for later and then swallow them, Claudius will use Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to get all of the information he needs about Hamlet, but once he is through with them, like the ape swallows the apple later, Claudius will find no use in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern anymore and will kill them.