Hamlet: Act IV.iv-v – Foils & Hamlet’s View of Mankind
In Hamlet’s seventh soliloquy in Act IV.iv, Hamlet questions man in general and himself in particular. This
soliloquy is analogous to Hamlet’s views of humanity in Act II.ii, as we will see.
In Act II, scene ii, Hamlet says,
What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how
express and admirable! in action how like an angel!
in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me,
what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not
me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling
you seem to say so.
In Act IV, scene iv, Hamlet says,
How all occasions do inform against me,
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused.
1. What is Hamlet’s situation in the play when he delivers each of the above speeches?
2. What positive statements does Hamlet make about humanity in each?
3. What is the overall tone of both passages?
4. What explanations can be given for Hamlet’s views of humanity?
5. How are the two speeches analogous?
Foils in drama are actors or characters that set off or mark the qualities of another. Typically,
the character foils are similar in some way while at the same time strongly differentiated in some
personality trait. Shakespeare uses character foils to contrast characters, for contrast helps
establish the qualities of the main character.
Hamlet can be contrasted with each of the characters named below. In the space provided, list
qualities that Hamlet possesses, and then contrast him with each of his foils.
Fortinbras
Horatio
Hamlet’s qualities:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Laertes
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern