Jacqueline GoPeriod 5February 27, 2009
Analyzing Act IVIdentifying Facts
1.The King does not confront Hamlet directly because he is more concerned withhimself which is why he asks him about his own adviser, Polonius instead. He isalso intimidated with what Hamlet has done and he is also convinced that Hamlethas gone mad which is why it’s futile to reason with him.2.Hamlet mocks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern they do not understand Hamlet’swords. That they are just a sponge that sucks up the King’s rewards and they are just used for tasks that the king needs. Claudius is mocked when Hamlet claimsthat he is just an ordinary man just the same as a beggar.3.He decides to take affirmative action just as what Fortinbras has done and herealizes that he should as well stop just thinking and do what Fortinbras is doingwhich is to do what he is planning to.4.Ophelia sings about her lover and about love in general. Her songs tell us that sheis devastated by the death of her father though most of the things in the song can be said as random; they convey words of love and sorrow.5.People have become angry and have lost their trust on their monarchy that theydecide to revolve against it and make Laertes the new king. Removal of Hamlethas annoyed the crowd because everyone loves the young prince Hamlet.Everything has been quite a mess after Polonius’s death as we learn that Opheliahas died, Laertes is angered and the angry mob has gone against the monarchy.6.Laertes becomes Claudius’s new ally against Hamlet. Claudius proposes thatHamlet is mad and that is why he killed Polonius. Laertes should then becautioned because Hamlet is a threat to the Kingdom especially because he iscapable of killing.7.Ophelia was sitting down a tree branch near the weeping brook when the branchsnapped. However, her clothes were buoyant enough that kept her afloat butinstead of saving herself, she sang songs until she drowned instead.8. Horatio receives a mail from Hamlet saying that he has boarded a pirate ship andhe has become their prisoner but he will do something for them in return for their trust. Hamlet is going back to Denmark while Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arestill going to England since they haven’t noticed that Hamlet has gone.
Interpreting Meanings
9. Hamlet goes mad due to his anger while Ophelia goes mad due to her vulnerability as she finds out about her father’s death. Hamlet is not as vulnerableas her because he uses his madness to calculate what he needs to do next.10.Horatio must give letters to King Claudius that Hamlet has enclosed with theletter. Horatio’s course of action is very small because Hamlet is going back to
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