Act V Discussion Questions:

1.  Why does this scene begin with two clowns trading jokes?  Do their jokes make any sense in the context of the play?

2.  Where do Hamlet and Laertes fight in Act V Scene ii?

3.  Who is Osric and why is he included in the play?  What is the PURPOSE of his presence?

4.  Does Hamlet realize that he might not come out of this fight alive?  Does he care?  Why or why not?

5.  When Gertrude drinks from the cup, Claudius asks her not to drink and she refuses.  Has she ever         disobeyed Claudius before?  Why now?

6.  Who is alive at the end of the play, and how do the others die? Why is the order of their deaths        important?

7.  Why is Fortinbras' presence so important?

Act IV Discussion Questions

Act IV Discussion Questions:

1.  Is Hamlet really mad in this play, or is he merely pretending to be mad?  Find lines that support your answer.

2.  A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character.  Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?

3.Do Hamlet and Fortinbras meet in Act IV?  Why is the answer to this question significant?
Why is Ophelia mad?  Does anything she says make sense?  What happens to her at the end of Act IV?  What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?

4.  Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius.  what plans do they have for Hamlet?  How does the scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?

5.  Why is Hamlet less present in this act than in the previous three?