Hamlet Reading Questions: Act 4

Act IV
1. What is the real reason, as revealed at the end of 4.3, Claudius has sent Hamlet away?

The real reason Hamlet was sent away was because Claudius wants him dead.

2. What has Hamlet done with the body of Polonius? What kind of a funeral did Polonius receive, according to the King (4.5)?

Hamlet put his body “upstairs into the main lobby”. Polonius received a secret funeral, no funeral rites or military display, no noble rites or formal ceremony. It wasn’t a proper burial.

3. On his way out of Denmark, Hamlet encounters a captain from the army of Fortinbras (4.4). Where are they headed? What are they fighting for?

They are headed to invade some part of Poland and they are fighting to win a little patch of ground that isn’t worth anything according to the Captain.

4. How is Ophelia described in the stage direction that marks her entrance to 4.5? What does she sing about in her songs? What does she hand out to the court?
She is described as insane. In her songs she sings about Hamlet and love. She also sings about her father and how he died but more about her love, hamlet. She hands out flowers to the court.

5. What news does the Messenger bring of Laertes in 4.5? Has he returned to Denmark alone? Compare his state to Hamlet’s report at 4.7.

That Laertes is leading the group of supporters that will rebel against Claudius for the death of Polonius.

6. Note how Laertes describes his motivation for revenge in 4.5. What is driving him?
He describes his motivation by saying that if he is his father’s son he must do something about his death but the only thing that is stopping him is his free will. Someone who also seems to push him on to getting revenge is Claudius.

7. What turn of events does Hamlet report to Horatio in his letter in 4.6?
In Hamlet’s letter he tells Horatio that he has been kidnapped and he wants him to come save him.

8. Claudius comes up with a very complicated plan for Laertes to execute his revenge in 4.7. What is it? Notice what Laertes wants to do (4.7)!

Plan A is to have both Hamlet and Laertes play a sword fight and then Laertes would kill/ stab Hamlet with a poisonous sword.

Plan B is that if that doesn’t work then Claudius will give him a drink that will have poison in it.

9. How do we learn of Ophelia’s death? What are its odd circumstances?

According to Gertrude, she drowned intentionally. She was singing songs like she wasn’t aware of the dangers and her clothes became heavy and she drowned.