Hamlet Act Four

Act Four Scene One Gertrude informs Claudius of Polonius’ death. Claudius maintains that ‘this mad young man’ is a danger to everyone and must be shipped off to England next morning. He sends R and G to locate Hamlet and to recover Polonius’ body.

Act Four Scenes Two and Three Hamlet has hidden Polonius’ body and leads R and G on a chase. Claudius reveals that he is unable to put Hamlet on trial because of his popularity. Hamlet taunts Claudius. Claudius reveals to the audience that he is sending Hamlet to his death.

Soliloquy Task Each group will be assigned certain lines of Hamlet’s final soliloquy. Your task is to explain these lines as fully as you can. You should also refer to any techniques you can identify, or any similarities with other speeches in the play.

How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge!

‘How all occasions do inform against me,’ Personification is used here to create an image of Hamlet being on trial and one event after another coming in to testify against him. ‘And spur my dull revenge!’ Here, Hamlet goes on to compare his revenge to a dull, spiritless horse. No matter how much it is spurred, it will not get started. This recalls the Ghost’s: ‘And duller should’st thou be. . .’ Therefore, it appears clear that Hamlet imagines the Ghost as his judge.

Act Four Scene Five The death of Polonius has driven Ophelia mad. Laertes returns from France to avenge his father. Laertes is manipulated by Claudius, who promises to give him a full account of the death.

Subplot A second plot which helps us to reflect on the ideas presented by the main plot. Similarities: A father is dead; we watch the way his children respond. Shakespeare develops O and L as extreme versions of two contrasting aspects of Hamlet’s personality – the active and the passive. Laertes rashly vows to take revenge, whatever the consequences. Ophelia collapses into madness.

‘Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person: There's such divinity doth hedge a king, That treason can but peep to what it would, Acts little of his will.’ Kings are so protected by God that traitors do not openly reveal their intentions, and cannot do what they want. Considering Claudius’ murder of Old Hamlet, this is clearly hypocritical. However, it demonstrates his skill as a manipulator.

Four, Six A short scene Horatio reads a letter from Hamlet detailing how his ship was attacked. Hamlet boarded the pirate vessel that was attacking his ship and was thus able to escape R and G. Hamlet is returning to Elsinore.