1. Hamlet
Act 4

2. Scene 1
Claudius, Gertrude, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern discuss Hamlet
Hamlet has just murdered Polonius, so Gertrude is still very distressed by this experience which she is describing to her audience as an act of madness
Claudius asks R&G to find Hamlet and retrieve Polonius’ body

3. Scene 2
R&G find Hamlet
Hamlet insults Rosencrantz by calling him a sponge that “soaks up the king’s countenance, his rewards, his authorities” (lines 15-20).
Hamlet evades their questioning and does not reveal where Polonius’ body is hidden

4. Scene Three
R&G report to Claudius that they have not been able to get Hamlet to reveal where Polonius’ body is hidden
Hamlet enters and they converse—Hamlet attempting to unsettle the king, Claudius attempting to remain the benevolent king
Claudius tells Hamlet that he will be sent to England with R&G
At the end of the scene, Claudius reveals that he will have the English king send Hamlet to his death

5. Scene Four In this scene, the audience finally meets Fortinbras
Fortinbras’ captain reveals that they are headed to Poland to gain “a little patch of ground”
Hamlet’s soliloquy reveals
His continued disgust with humankind’s evil
His resolve to be “bloody”
A change in his tone from passionate and feelings of self-doubt to a kind of masculine firmness

6. Scene Five
Gertrude is told by a gentleman that Ophelia is mad—at first Gertrude does not want to speak with her, but then she is convinced by Horatio that she should
Ophelia is brought in and the Queen speaks with her
Ophelia speaks in riddle and song
Ophelia laments the death of her father and the loss of Hamlet’s love
Ophelia makes reference to customs surrounding marriage and funeral

7. Laertes enters with armed men demanding what happened with his father
Claudius diffuses the situation and Ophelia enters
Laertes is saddened by both Ophelia’s madness and his father’s murder
Flower imagery—fennel and columbines presented to Claudius stand for flattery and cuckoldry, rue is for sorrow or repentance, violets for faithfulness

8. Scene Six Horatio has a letter from Hamlet
Explains how they were met with pirates, Hamlet was able to flee to the pirate ship as they got clear of their ship, and they set him free
Hamlet sends letters to Claudius
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are headed for England

9. Scene Seven
Claudius manipulates Laertes into agreeing to battle Hamlet with a poisoned sword
Queen Gertrude enters and eloquently speaks of Ophelia’s drowning