Joshua Bryant
Period 3
Hamlet ACT 4
Answers to Reading Questions
4.1
1. Gertrude does tell Claudius some of the truth of what happened between herself
and Hamlet. She tells Claudius of Hamlet murdering Polonius but refrains to tell
Claudius of Hamlet not being mad. She says that his act of killing Polonius has shown
his madness pure like a vein of gold in a mine. This goes completely against Hamlet
telling her to reveal the truth that he is not insane.
2. Claudius responds to the death of Polonius by saying that this shows that Hamlet
is dangerous not only to himself but also to the throne and to the people of
Denmark. Claudius does understand the implications of the Prince of Denmark
killing one of the trusted councilors to the king by stating that his soul is in turmoil
at the end of the scene. He will have Polonius’ body brought to the church for a
ceremony or burial and will have Hamlet shipped off to another country.
4.2
1. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern both learn that although Claudius may be the
physical king, the kingship of Denmark may not always remain his.
4.3
1. Claudius believes that he simply can’t arrest Hamlet because the general public
loves Hamlet too much and he feels that this would undermine his authority as king.
2. Hamlet’s joking about the worms and death tells Claudius that he is not
invulnerable and event the greatest of people will be reduced to equals to those on
the lowest level of society.
3. Hamlet is told that he is being sent to England in the guise of a royal
representative but is truly being sent as a prisoner to his execution. Claudius only
tells Hamlet that he is being sent to England to keep him safe yet Claudius later
reveals that he will have those in England kill Hamlet soon upon arrival.
4. Claudius’ letters tells the King of England to kill Hamlet. Claudius believes that
England will obey his orders because they still pay homage to Denmark.
4.4
1. Fortinbras’ army is passing through Denmark to conquer back some lost territory
from Poland.
2. ask about this question. No demarcation in my book for the “Folio text” that
“contains line 1-9 of this scene.”
3. The captain describes the piece of land as useless aside from the name of it and
that it is not worth anything. Hamlet says that it is a situation that will not be solved
by the loss of two thousand men or twenty thousand ducats but that it is caused by a
Joshua Bryant
Period 3
man who has an issue that he keeps within himself and shows no outward signs of
what it is.
4. Hamlet is going to England when he meets the captain.
5. It is unusual because it is the first time he has admitted that he has not had a plan
to accomplish what he wanted to achieve. He had pictured the outcome but never
concentrated on how to accomplish it and it is odd that he realizes this much after
his chance to actually do something. He is on his way to England and out of the
country when he says that he has had no plan. He compares himself to a beast.
6. ask about this line reference and the reference at the end (Falstaff)
7. Is there a question in here?
4.5
1. Gertrude’s soul is in torture right now. She says that everything she has done has
lead to some great misfortune and that she is destroying herself in fear of being
destroyed. She has not reacted well to Hamlet’s accusations and recommendations
in 3.4 if she is beating herself up this much.
2. No, Ophelia’s death is not just caused by her father’s death but also by her last
interaction with Hamlet. She is also thinking of her love with Hamlet and how the
next day is the day of love.
3. Laertes’ approach to revenging his father is to go right out and kill the person
with no reservations as to the consequences. This is hugely different from Hamlet’s
way of taking revenge with absolutely no plan as to how to accomplish it. Laertes
initially doesn’t have much support but later gains the support of Claudius. Laertes
initially blames Claudius for the murder.
4. A revolt of Claudius to put Laertes in the thrown is being threatened as Laertes
enters. Claudius handles this by telling Laertes to find out from his trusted friends
who really killed his father. If Claudius is then accused of having a hand in the
murder, then he consents to handing over the thrown and everything to Laertes but
that if he is not connected to the murder, then to have Laertes wait and give him
patience.
5. Laertes reacts with anger and sadness to his sister’s madness. Claudius offers
Laertes support in revenging his father’s death to get their discussion back on track.
4.6
1. A sailor brings Hamlet’s letters to Horatio. Hamlet has been taken as the sole
prisoner of some pirates. While Rosencrantz and Guildenstern remain on their
voyage to England, Hamlet will be brought back by the pirates.
Joshua Bryant
Period 3
4.7
1. We learn that the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude is very close.
Claudius is easily influenced by Gertrude’s feelings and thoughts.
2. Hamlet’s letter tells Claudius that he is back in Denmark and wishes to meet with
Claudius alone to tell Claudius of the strange circumstances of his return.
3. Claudius and Laertes plan to kill Hamlet when he comes back. When Lamord came
to Denmark two months ago he bragged about Laertes’ skill in fencing and of how
there was no one who could hold their own against Laertes. This caused Hamlet to
become very jealous and want to duel Laertes immediately. Claudius and Laertes
will use Laertes’ reputation to get revenge by further increasing Hamlet’s jealousy to
the point where he can’t resist a duel against Laertes. Laertes will then duel with a
sharp sword that is laced with a lethal poison at its tip so that he can lunge at
Hamlet and “accidentally” stab him causing him to die. They also devise a backup
incase the first plan doesn’t work to where they will lace Hamlet’s drink with poison
after the duel.
4. Laertes wants to slit Hamlet’s throat in the church, a common place that is bound
to be in front of the masses. This is vastly different from Hamlet’s plan of killing
Claudius in private. Claudius insists on a different way of killing Hamlet to make it
less conspicuous. Claudius suggests killing Hamlet through a duel with a poison
tipped sword and an “accidental” stabbing.
5. It apparently takes a sharpened sword laced with poison and paired with an
“accidental” stabbing along with a poison laced drink to guarantee Hamlet’s death.
6. Ophelia drowned and died. Based on this description, she drowned accidentally
because she was unaware of her situation and her soaked clothes pulled her down
and killed her.
7. Laertes responds with outrage at his sister’s death. Claudius is afraid that this will
cause him to not act rationally and to become careless when killing Hamlet.