Act 4 study questions

Act IV, Scene 1

1. What is Claudius' main fear in the immediate aftermath of Polonius' death?
His fear is of Hamlet, since it is obvious that Hamlet knows what his uncle did by this time.

Act IV, Scene 2

1. What does Hamlet refuse to tell Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?
He refuses to tell them where he hid Polonius's body.

Act IV, Scene 3

1. What image does Hamlet use (ll. 19-29) to warn Claudius he's only king temporarily?
"Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service–two dishes, but to one table. That's the end."

2. Claudius ends the scene by writing a letter: to whom, and what order does it contain?
Writes it to the captain of the ship, and to not let Hamlet arrive to his destination.

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)?
The value of the land that Fortinbras is going to invade has literally no value to it. The invasion will cost more than what is gained.

2. Hamlet's soliloquy (ll. 32-66) is self-critical; summarize his main fault.
His main fault is leaving Ophelia on a hard note, causing her to kill herself. He also probably should NOT have stabbed the curtain knowing that it was Polonius.

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?
They tell us that she wants things to be back how they were with her, Polonius, and Hamlet. She is depressed at this moment.

2. Why is Laertes a danger to Claudius' throne (ll. 98-103)? (Actually two or three related reasons.)
He is way too wise and vengeful, causing many people to look up to him as a leader.

3. What does Claudius offer as assurance that he had no part in Polonius' death (ll. 190-9)?
He shows proof that he was one of Polonius' best friends.

Act IV, Scene 6

1. Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet explaining how he escaped from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. How did he?
He tricked them into going a certain way, then he walked off the other way.

Act IV, Scene 7

1. What reason does Claudius give Laertes for Hamlet's killing of Polonius (ll. 1-4)?
He gave the reason that Hamlet was mad.

2. What are his two reasons for not charging Hamlet with murder (ll. 9-24)?
The people looked up to him, and he is royalty.

3. Claudius reveals that Laertes is famous for his skill with the rapier (a fencing weapon) and that Hamlet is envious of this fame.
Ok??

4. How does Claudius plan to exploit this envy to give Laertes a chance for (publicly) guiltless revenge (ll. 126-38)?
He tells Laertes that he will poison a drink and give it to Hamlet.

5. How does Laertes refine the plan (ll. 138-147)?
Laertes steps it up and poisons his sword.

6. What announcement does Gertrude make to end Act IV? 
She tells Laertes that Ophelia is dead. That she drowned.