Hamlet -- Act IV Questions
DIRECTIONS: ANSWER ON YOUR OWN PAPER. ANSWERS MUST BE WRITTEN
IN COMPLETE SENTENCES. ALL ANSWERS MUST BE SUPPORTED WITH DIRECT
QUOTES (e.g., “frailty thy name is woman) AND REFERENCES (e.g., I.ii.32).
1. In scene i, Gertrude tells the King that Hamlet is “mad as the sea and wind.” Does
she sincerely believe her son is mad or is she only trying to convince Claudius that he
is? If you believe the latter, what motivates Gertrude to lie to her husband? What other
lie does the Queen tell her husband in this scene?
2. What seems to be the King’s two greatest concerns about Hamlet’s murder of
Polonius (as expressed in scene i)?
3. What inspires Hamlet’s solo pep talk in scene iv? What parallels are there between
the events/people that inspire Hamlet’s resolve in this scene and the scene with the
players?
4. In scene five, Ophelia gives out a variety of flowers to the King, the Queen, and her
brother, but the stage directions do not explain which flowers go to whom. Using your
knowledge of the characters, Ophelia’s pointed remarks and the “Flower Meanings”
handout, decide which flowers Ophelia gives to whom. What can you conclude about
her choices? Is there a “method in [her] madness”? Explain.
5. Claudius’ manipulative acumen dazzles us in scenes five and seven. List the steps
Claudius uses to not only diffuse Laertes’ volatile emotions but also to persuade Laertes
to join forces with himself against Hamlet.
6. What do scenes five and seven suggest about what commitment to taking revenge
does to people?