Act IV

Study Questions


Act IV, Scene 1
1. What is Claudius' main fear in the immediate aftermath of Polonius' death?
Act IV, Scene 2
1. What does Hamlet refuse to tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
Act IV, Scene 3
1. What image does Hamlet use (ll. 19-29) to warn Claudius he's only king temporarily?
2. Claudius ends the scene by writing a letter: to whom, and what order does it contain?
Act IV, Scene 4
1. What's the value of the land Fortinbras' army is marching to capture in Poland (l. 20)? What will the invasion itself cost (l. 25)?
2. Hamlet's soliloquy (ll. 32-66) is self-critical; summarize his main fault.
Act IV, Scene 5
1. Ophelia's songs during her first appearance in this scene deal with love, death and sex. Why? What do they tell us about her at the moment? What might they reveal about Her, Hamlet and Polonius?
2. Why is Laertes a danger to Claudius' throne (ll. 98-103)? (Actually two or three related reasons.)
3. What does Claudius offer as assurance that he had no part in Polonius' death (ll. 190-9)?
Act IV, Scene 6
1. Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet explaining how he escaped from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. How did he?
Act IV, Scene 7
1. What reason does Claudius give Laertes for Hamlet's killing of Polonius (ll. 1-4)?
2. What are his two reasons for not charging Hamlet with murder (ll. 9-24)?
3. Claudius reveals that Laertes is famous for his skill with the rapier (a fencing weapon) and that Hamlet is envious of this fame.
4. How does Claudius plan to exploit this envy to give Laertes a chance for (publicly) guiltless revenge (ll. 126-38)?
5. How does Laertes refine the plan (ll. 138-147)?
6. What announcement does Gertrude make to end Act IV?