Tuesday, December 6, 2016
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?
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Hamlet is less present in this act because he was sent off to England where he was supposedly killed. While Ophelia is going mad and the kingdom is going through turmoil, Hamlet is preparing for revenge against Claudius. By letting everyone think that he is in England he has the element of surprise.
ReplyDeleteAlso in this act it is focusing more on the hidden conflicts and corrupt endeavors being uncovered as well as the death of Ophelia.
DeleteI agree, there was no reason for Hamlet to be present all the time in this act, due to the fact that he was assumed to be in England by everyone back home in Denmark.
DeleteAlso, because Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sent hamlet to continue to go deal with the ship so he had bigger priorities to focus on at the time
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DeleteAlso, he didnt really have a reason to be in the act he had other priorities like what had been happening with the ship
DeleteHamlet's foil characters are Laertes and Fortinbras. All three have had their fathers murdered, but the differences between the three are that Laertes and Fortinbras are doing something about their fathers' deaths, where as Hamlet hasn't done a whole lot, other than accidentally murder Polonius. This sheds a light on Hamlet's character by showing that he is more emotional in a sense and that he's very indecisive whereas the other two know that they need to avenge their fathers and will do what ever it takes.
ReplyDeleteI would also like to add that Laertes and Fortinbras are unafraid of repercussions such as purgatory or even hell itself for committing murder. That as well as Fortinbras and Laertes being lower ranked citizens in the play but accomplishing and striving much more in the play compared to Hamlet make them distinct foil characters.
DeleteId say that Hamlet is doing something about his fathers death but he ism planning it out more because he has to kill Claudius at a certain time
DeleteLaertes and Claudius are arranging plans in the hope of securely eliminating Hamlet without the public or Gertrude's knowledge by having a duel in which Laertes will have a poisoned rapier and poison Hamlet during the duel. In case Laertes fails at this task Claudius will have a cup poisoned and will have Hamlet drink it after their match. Laertes is a foil character compared to Hamlet because he is willing to avenge his father even full heartily knowing the consequences of murder. Also another reason is because of the lengths Laertes will go to his vengeance even if it is something as dishonorable and passive aggressive as using poison.
ReplyDeleteI think it is very important to understand how passive poison is and how Claudius always uses this method of murder.
DeleteThroughout this play i believe that hamlet is not mad that he is just pretending to be because at one point in time hamlet is talking about how manhood is a great thing
ReplyDelete"What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and godlike reason
To fust in us unused."
I partly disagree, because Hamlet does not have an evil spirit to start with, however he reaches the point where he thinks life is insignificant, and it's hard to find the sign of guilt from Hamlet for Polonius's death.
DeleteThere is plenty of evidence to support the idea that Hamlet is both grieving and laboring under extreme stress, but not "mad." In Act IV, Scene 2, Hamlet uses a pointed metaphor with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He recognizes their duplicity and how they are being used by Claudius and calls them sponges; when Rosencrantz objects.
DeleteHamlet was less present because he had been dealing with the whole ship situation and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern had sent him to deal with what was going on. Also, the act didnt have much to do with him.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the act was more about letting everything else unfold so that Hamlet could come back in for the final act when all the drama really starts to rise.
DeleteI would also like to add that the reason he was sent away is so Claudius could have him killed without anyone knowing.
DeleteHamlet wasn't present in this act as much because he was sent to Denmark by his uncle to deliver a message. Instead of delivering the message Hamlet hired pirates to take over his ship and hold him captive to take him back home. So he was dealing with all of that throught the act.
ReplyDeleteHe was sent away to England, Denmark is his home. Also as he was away Ophelia was losing control throughout the kingdom.
DeleteOphelia is mad because she lost her father and is confused by Hamlet's feelings towards her. Nothing she says makes any sense because she is singing everything she says. At the end of the act she dies from drowning. Her madness and death symbolizes the madness and rottenness of the Kingdom.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think that Ophelia's madness is caused by Hamlet's feelings towards her and the murder of her beloved father. She is so confused by everything and she doesn't know how to handle her emotions.
DeleteThe symbolism she uses when she is speaking mad also is very important. Ophelia chooses specific flowers and recipients in order to shed light on her inner turmoil. This is important to show how she is truly feeling.
DeleteBridgett Woodward
I would argue that Ophelia makes perfect sense, she is in extream pain and cant stay on one topic for long.
DeleteHamlet is less present in this Act because he is sent away to England. He was sent away by his Uncle the new king since Hamlet killed Polonius. As him getting sent away he was supposed to be executed. While him getting sent away Ophelia then goes on an outburst around the kingdom.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is more absent in this scene because he was sent to England by Claudius because everyone thinks he is insane. At the end of scene three he says, " I see a cherub that see them. But come, for England. Farewell, dead mother." (4.4 50) Claudius has other purposes for sending Hamlet to England however, he wants Hamlet to get killed there. Lucky, Hamlet finds out of Claudius evil plan, and he returns to Denmark at the end of chapter 4.
ReplyDeleteWhen Laertes and Claudius meet they come up with a plan where Laertes uses a poison sword to challenge Hamlet to a duel and a backup plan to poison Hamlet's drink if it doesn't work. Laertes is a foil to Hamlet because both of their fathers were killed and they both want revenge for it.
ReplyDeleteIt is also important to note that this plan does not initilly work and ends up backfiring.
DeleteIt is also important to note that this plan does not initilly work and ends up backfiring.
DeleteI believe Hamlet has actually reached the point of insanity throughout the play. When Hamlet is questioned about Polonius’s dead body from Claudius, he responds in a very inhumanly way. He casually talks about a corpse rotting and being eaten by conference of worms. He compares the corpse rotting to humans feeding ourselves with other creatures.
ReplyDeleteHamlet shows NO signs of guilt, Hamlet might actually be going mad because of inner guilt and what he has become. His act seems very immoral and selfish.
I didn't really catch that, because I had thought that Hamlet wasn't really insane, but was just really depressed and pissed off about his father. But once I read this I can kinda see what you are talking about.
DeleteI don`t think Hamlet was actually insane. He was plotting out a way to find out if Claudius killed his father. If you read closely at the end of act 1 Hamlet says that he may act strange and that is shall not be questioned.
DeleteHamlet is less seen in this act unlike all of the other acts because shakespeare wanted to shed light on the supporting characters and what they contribute to story. For example, this is where Laerties and Claudius plan to kill Hamlet.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting point of view and I really like your thinking. It makes a lot of sense why Shakespeare would send Hamlet who is the main character away for almost a whole act.
DeleteShakespeare was more focused on what was happening inside of the other characters heads and their conflicts. That's way Hamlet is less present.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good point, and since Hamlet is being sent away for his execution, it is the perfect time in the play to be considering how the other characters are feeling and thinking.
DeleteHamlet is not in this act as much as the others simply because he is being sent off to England to be "killed" by the orders of Claudius. This act is more focused on Ophelia killing herself and Laertes coming home to find out the death of his father. I think from a writers perspective the author doesn't include Hamlet very much because if he is being sent off, having him be less in the play at this part would come off to as him actually being away. At this moment in the book it is to let all the other conflicts other than the ones (mainly involving Hamlet) resolve themselves.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is less present in Act Four because it is more about after he killed Polonius, and he is not around for Ophelia and all the other drama. Also he is being sent for his death across seas where the king has ordered his execution with Rosencrantz and Guildenstein going with him.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is pretending to be mad and it is all part if his plan to become insane in order to figure out who killed his father. At the end of Act 1, Scene 5 Hamlet says, "How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself(As I perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition on)..." This quote proves that Hamlets insanity is plotted because he states that he may find it appropriate to act a little crazy in the near future.
ReplyDeleteOne of Hamlet's foil character is Laertes, they are both around the same age become more and more alike as the play goes on, and end up in very similar situations. They were both off at college in the beginning of the play and by act 4 the both have lost someone very close to them. However they are different in many ways, for example Laertes is more of a leader than Hamlet and immediately takes action in situations unlike Hamlet.
ReplyDeleteIn your opinion, what was the most important line Ophelia shared during her madness and why?
ReplyDeleteBridgett Woodward
Hamlet is less present in this Act because he has been sent to England. Therefore he is not needed in the kingdom. In fact, Hamlet being sent to England to be killed and escaping is possibly more important than anything he could be doing in the kingdom right now. The act more so focuses on Ophelia`s madness and Claudius` revenge.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is less present because he is mad at the ones who speak in this act. He wants to not be with the king who killed his father. Instead be alone by himself
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I think that hamlet is not around because he is planning his revenge against the king Claudius in this act also.
DeleteHamlets foil is Laertes, because both he and Laertes have their fathers killed. They have similar reactions because it both sends them out of control wanting to have revenge on the people who killed their fathers. Although they have these similar reactions, though, they are working against each other.
ReplyDeleteHamlet has two foils, Laretesse, and Fortinbras, both of them are men of action and fallow their emotions where as Hamlet his more methodical and self loathing.
ReplyDelete