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Summary by Dorothy Cao Summary for Act IV, Scene 1, 2, 3, and 4
Laertes is coming back from France due to his father's secret death. Laertes, a bold and impulsive man who prepares to avenge for his father's death. Meanwhile, because of Polonius' death, Ophelia turns to insanity. However, like Hamlet's “insanity”, there is sanity in Ophelia's madness. When she uses flowers to describe Gertrude and Claudius, the meaning of each flower she uses fit Gertrude and Claudius's negative character: “There's fennel for you,/ and columbines: / there's rue for you; / and here's some for me: /we may call it herb-grace o' Sundays:/ O you must wear your rue with a difference. / There's a daisy: / I would give you some violets, / but they withered all when my father died: / they say he made a good end…” (Act IV, Scene 5) Laertes is experiencing deep grief after seeing Ophelia's sanity. He ensures his ambition for revenging. Claudius considers Laertes as a tool for eradicating Hamlet. He advices Laertes to have a sword competition with Hamlet after Claudius receives a letter notifies Hamlet's return. Laertes aggress and will uses real sword and put poison on the sword to kill Hamlet without penalty: “We'll make a solemn wager on your cunnings: / I ha't. / When in your motion you are hot and dry- As make your bouts more violent to that end-- And that he calls for drink…” (Act IV, Scene 7) Meanwhile, Gertrude announces Ophelia's death and Laertes flees out and burst his anger toward Hamlet extremely. Quotes “Besides, to be demanded of a sponge! What replication should be made by the son of a king?” by Hamlet (Act IV, Scene 2 ) “The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing.” by Hamlet (Act IV, Scene 2) “Deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown by desperate appliance are relieved, or not at all.” by Hamlet (Act IV, Scene 3) “Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots…” by Hamlet (Act IV, Scene 3) "When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions." by Claudius (Act IV, Scene 5) Interpretation By Dorothy Cao, Jeffrey Aikens Act IV Scene 7
I was not surprised by the turn of events in this act, such as Claudius turned the table from being passive to plotting to kill Hamlet because King Claudius was tactful person. Before Claudius takes an action, he needs to contemplate and evaluate the cost. In the beginning of the play, Claudius has perceived that if he involve in the conflict with Hamlet directly, he would lose the public support since Hamlet was always the treasure of the public. After Polonius and Ophelia's death, Claudius used Laertes as an organ as well as an umbrella to hide his enmity toward Hamlet. Claudius' ulterior motives were apparent, he needed to bring Laertes into his coterie so he can goad Laertes into turning his anger and desire for vengeance towards Hamlet. No matter what the result would be-whether Hamlet dies or Laertes dies, Claudius would be the most innocent one in front of the public. This is why Claudius turned passive to active for eradicating Hamlet since he won't pay any penalty for plotting to killing Hamlet. I were not surprised by Hamlet's interactions with other characters in the play because Hamlet admired Fortinbra's resolution after both of them met in Act IV, Scene 4. Hamlet concludes that if Fortinbras can lead these soldiers into battle and death by impulse, why can't he revenge his father's murder and his mother's ruin since they are the most ignominious stigma in his life?! This notification swept away Hamlet's scruple and hesitation, retaliation toward Claudius became the categorical task for Hamlet. Act IV Scene 7 Line 204-210 (Text Page 217) Describe the symbolic meaning of each flower that Ophelia distributes to the King, Queen, and Laertes. Laertes: Rosemary- Ophelia used it to represent her remberence of Laertes since it was the first time she saw him after he came back from France . After Polonious ' death, Laertes had became the closest brother to Ophelia. In her subliminal thought, Ophelia clearly perceived that Laerte was preparing a revenge for their father, and his target is Hamlet. There must be one of them, if not all, dies for the vengeance. Ophelia wanted to remember Laertes deeply in her mind because she might not see him in the future. Pansies- Ophelia tried to caution Laertes that Claudius was using him as a tool to decimate Hamlet. Laertes might become a scapegoat for Claudious ' wicked machination. Pansie represents thoughtfulness and pensiveness, Ophelia hoped Laertes always ponder before taking action. Queen Gertrude: Fennel- Ophelia used it to insinuate Gertrude's marital infidelity and cuckoldry because of her treachery to King Hamlet. Columbines- Ophelia used it to innuendo Gertrude's insincerity and immorality. Ophelia also referred to Gertrude's solely dependence on men because only few days after King Hamlet's death, Gertrude opened her arms for Claudius and became partisan for him. King Claudius: Rue- It symbolized the repentance of Claudius. However, it was irony that Claudius has deprived young Hamlet's kingship and even wanted to decimate him after Claudius confession under the God. Daisy- forsaken love Violets- "I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died." Ophelia expressed vividly that Polonius enabled to receiving violets. However, the violets all withered after the death of the most loyal person in the world. Claudius, an apostate to his closest brother, King Hamlet, of course, was totally not qualified for receiving violets, a symbol of faithfulness. Act IV Scene 7 Describe the symbolic meaning of each flower that Ophelia distributes to the King, Queen, and Laertes. Queen Gertrude: King Claudius: Rue- It symbolized the repentance of Claudius. However, it was irony that Claudius has deprived young Hamlet's kingship and even wanted to decimate him after Claudius confession under the God. Interpretation Act 4, Scene 7 At Ophelia's death, and Hamlet's return, what state of mind is Claudius in? Why? Of all the characters in Hamlet Claudius may well be the most complex. Claudius's state of mind varies depending on the situation. In scene 5 of Act 4 we see Claudius show his compassionate side towards Ophelia, “O, this is the poison of deep grief. It springs all from her father's death, and now behold! O Gertrude, Gertrude, when sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions: first, her father slain; next, your son gone, and he most violent author of his own just remove; the people muddied, thick, and unwholesome in (their) thoughts and whispers for good Polonius death, and we have done but greenly in hugger-mugger to inter him; poor Ophelia divided from herself and her fair judgment, without the which we are pictures or mere beasts.” But in scene 7 of Act 4 we see more of Claudius's compassionate and clever side when he justifies his reason for not killing Hamlet, “The Queen his mother lives almost by his looks, and for myself (My virtue or my plaque, be it either which), she is so (conjunctive) to my life and soul that, as the star moves not but in his sphere, I could not but by her. The other motive why to a public count I might not go is the great love the general gender bear him, who, dipping all his faults in their affection, work like the spring that turneth wood to stone, convert his gives to graces, so that my arrows, too slightly timbered for so (loud a wind,) would have reverted to my bow again, but not where I have aimed them.” In my mind Claudius is a man of many talents but when he showed sympathy towards Laertes I felt it was just one of his many talents an act if you will because this was a speech that I felt was a setup so Laeters can fall into Claudius's plan to kill Hamlet, “Laertes, was your father dear to you? Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, a face without a heart?” Claudius sounds sincere but this was the set up that led to his plan of kill, “Hamlet comes back; what would you undertake to show yourself indeed your father's son more than in words?” This is when Claudius's state of mind became deadly when the news of Hamlet's return was announced, “He, being remiss, most generous, and free from all contriving, will not peruse the foils, so that with ease, or with a little shuffling, you may choose a sword unbated, and in a (pass) of practice requite him for your father.” But his malevolence doesn't end here because he becomes even more dubious, “Let's further think of this…we'll make a solemn wager on your cunnings…when in your motion you are hot and dry (As make your bouts more violent to that end) and that he calls for drink, I'll have prepared him a chalice for the nonce, whereon but sipping, if he by chance escape your venomed stuck, our purpose may hold there.” However, his state of mind quickly changed to fear when they heard of Ophelia's death, “How much I had to do to calm his rage! Now fear I this will give it start again. Therefore, let's follow.” It would be very difficult to pin point the character of Claudius to one thing or the other because of the complexity of his character he cannot be at complete fault for the situations he is involved in.
Analysis By Dorothy Act 4 Scene 7
Interestingly, Ophelia's understanding of Gertrude and Claudius was exact and insightful. Ophelia understood them thoroughly during her madness, she saw a virulent villain behind King Claudius' unctuous mask, and she saw a nymphomaniac greed behind the Queen's sympathy. When Ophelia died, she gave the audience a impression that she extricated herself by drown into the river since the limpid water washed away her dust of fetter. Ophelia's "melodious lay to muddy death" indoctrinated a message to the audience that there will be no more self-restraint, no more blind obedience, and no more squanderer of life for her next transmigration. Act 4, Scene 7 Questions by Hang Cheng Zheng, Jeffrey Aikens Questions based on Act IV, Scene 5, 6, 7 . In this act, both Fortibras and Laertes are foils to Hamlet. What important aspects of Hamlet's character are revealed by means of the contract between Hamlet and these two foil characters? In Hamlet , both Laertes and Fortibras were served as foils to highlight the characteristics of Hamlet. Shakespeare portrayed three extremely different personalities for these three characters. Laertes is a man of rashness and impulse, willing to do anything even not to mind being despicable to revenge for his father. Fortibras is a brave revenge hero who suffers from the disgrace of prior generation and believes that Hamlet must pay his father, the old king's debts. Hamlet, a complex character who thought before action, always hesitates on his decisions and contemplates his death and fate. By comparing their different responses to the death of their fathers, a sharp contrast can be seemed. When Laertes hears his father is dead (though he isn't sure it was a murder), his first action is to gather a mob who supports him, and crash into Denmark to confront Claudius. When Hamlet finds out his father was murdered, his cowardice and rejection of the “outrageous fortune” delay him from revenging Claudius, and even make him longing to end his torture by committing suicide. (Though his fear of the “dread after death” has held back his thought of doing it.) Questions based on Act IV, Scene 5, 6, 7 . In this act, both Fortibras and Laertes are foils to Hamlet. What important aspects of Hamlet's character are revealed by means of the contract between Hamlet and these two foil characters? In Hamlet , both Laertes and Fortibras were served as foils to highlight the characteristics of Hamlet. Shakespeare portrayed three extremely different personalities for these three characters. Laertes is a man of rashness and impulse, willing to do anything even not to mind being despicable to revenge for his father. Fortibras is a brave revenge hero who suffers from the disgrace of prior generation and believes that Hamlet must pay his father, the old king's debts. Hamlet, a complex character who thought before action, always hesitates on his decisions and contemplates his death and fate. By comparing their different responses to the death of their fathers, a sharp contrast can be seemed. When Laertes hears his father is dead (though he isn't sure it was a murder), his first action is to gather a mob who supports him, and crash into Denmark to confront Claudius. When Hamlet finds out his father was murdered, his cowardice and rejection of the “outrageous fortune” delay him from revenging Claudius, and even make him longing to end his torture by committing suicide. (Though his fear of the “dread after death” has held back his thought of doing it.) Questions, Act 4, Scene 4 Fortinbras, until this point only talked about, finally appears on the scene in this act. What kind of man is he? What is the meaning of his name? Fortinbras is a very gun-ho person that has a very take charge personality. He is very brave and arrogant or as Hamlet put it “Led by a delicate and tender prince, whose spirit with divine ambition puffed makes mouths at the invisible event, exposing what is mortal and unsure to all that fortune, death, and danger dare, even for an eggshell.” What is the Captain's attitude towards the battle he is about to engage in? Does Shakespeare expect us to look upon the expedition of Fortinbras with admiration or with irony? How might he have looked upon it had this incident occurred early in Act I? The Captain feels the battle he is about to engage in is worthless and somewhat foolish; “We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name. To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it.” I felt Shakespeare wanted us to look at the expedition of Fortinbras with admiration. Fortinbras's actions sparked a roar within Hamlet to pursue his revenge but if this occurred early in Act I Hamlet would have thought Frotinbras was fool and his actions naïve. Before the reading of the soliloquy, ask: What part of this speech presents the theme or underlying idea? Which part points up the startling contrast between Hamlet and Fortinbras? The part of the soliloquy that presents the theme is, “O, from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!” but the section I thought presented the contrast between the two characters was, “How I stand, then, that have a father killed, a mother stained, excitements of my reason and my blood, and let all sleep, while to my shame I see the imminent death of twenty thousand men that for a fantasy graves like beds, fight for a plot whereon the numbers cannot try the cause.”
Journal Written by Hang Cheng Zheng
JournalAct IV, Scene 7: Why do you think Claudius responds as he does to Laretes ? Shrewd Claudius is trying to stir up troubles between Leartes and Hamlet. His plan is to use Laertes' hand to get rid of Hamlet. He advises Laertes to duel with Hamlet with a poisoned tip sword. To ensure Hamlet's death, he will present him with a poisoned wine. His plan seems flawless and despicable indeed. In fact, he has already been practicing use other people to kill Hamlet. (For instance, he forces the king in England to kill Hamlet in ACT III). The reason that he does not kill Hamlet himself is that he doesn't want people to have more suspicions on him since the old King has died inexplicably.
Act 4, Scene 5, Hamlet reborn by Jeffrey Aikens
Act 4 by Juan Guerrero
Act 4 by Juan
These images were used for the Hamlet Illustrations http://www.clt.astate.edu/wnarey/Shakespeare%20Survey%20pictures/Gibson%20as%20Hamlet%20Movie%20Poster.gif http://www.marville.org/photos/support/pma-59.jpg |
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