6 December 2016

HAMLET Acts IV and V Study Guide

ACT IV SCENE I
1. Claudius realizes that if he had been behind the curtain, he would have been killed; the
murder was meant for him. He decides he needs to rush Hamlet out of the country.
2. Gertrude defends Hamlet by telling Claudius that Hamlet is guilty and is sorry for what
he did. She does agree to send him to England, though.
3. The King asks them to find Hamlet and find Polonius body in the lobby.
ACT IV SCENE II
1. Hamlet will not tell anyone where he hid the dead body; he jokes around and insults his
uncle.
2. Hamlet insults them as well, calls them out; he also leaves to find the king soon after.
ACT IV SCENE III
1. The King plans to exile him to England and get him executed.
2. Hamlet cracks a joke about the worms eating Polonius at his supper, and ironizes the
cycle of life, discussing how once a worm eats a king, it could cycle back to a beggar.
ACT IV SCENE IV
1. Fortinbras is planning to attack Poland; thousands of his men will die over a tiny, useless
plot of land.
2. Hamlet cycles through humility, affected by the choice of Fortinbras men. He feels guilty
for not being willing to kill for his fathers death, he feels inspired and brave, frustrated,
and ultimately cultivates the bitterness and hardness necessary to kill the king.
ACT IV SCENE V
1. Ophelia has gone completely mad upon the death of her father; she is singing,
hallucinating, confusing the Queen.
2. Laertes begins with the same anger and drive to murder Polonius as Hamlet did- he
enters with a riot, furious at the king for the death of his father. Claudius manipulates
Laertes anger by fueling it towards Hamlet.
ACT IV SCENE VI
1. Hamlet has been taken prisoner on a pirate ship and struck a deal with them to escape.
ACT IV SCENE VII
1. Claudius hatches another plan to kill Hamlet, this time with Laertes. Laertes wants to
finish Hamlet off, and he decides to dip his sword in extremely powerful poison so that
even if he nicks him he will die.
2. Laertes is close with Hamlet, so Hamlet will trust him.
3. Claudius manipulates Laertes by complimenting him telling him he is liked, and talking
about the Kings friendship with Polonius.
4. Both Laertes and Hamlet are trying to avenge their fathers deaths, but Hamlet has been
hesitating much more than Laertes.
5. Ophelia slipped into the creek, sang while her clothes held her up like a mermaid, and
then drowned as her clothes filled with water and dragged her down.
ACT V SCENE I
1. Hamlet went to visit Ophelias gravesite.
2. Ophelia has just died.
3. Hamlets more philosopher side is shown as he questions the skulls in the room; his
doer side is displayed as he hops to the chance to fight Laertes.
4. Because Laertes is trying to kill Hamlet as revenge.
5. Hamlet displays regret and angst which portray that his feelings for Ophelia were truly
very intense.

6. I always thought he was around 18-21 because he is so young and angsty, but he is
actually 30. What!?
ACT V SCENE II
1. Hamlet reveals the entire story to his best friend to display how people, including
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, have betrayed him. He also wants to let everyone know
the real intention behind the letter sending him to England and the intention to execute
him.
2. Hamlets willingness to fight reveal that he is about to die- Claudius and Laertes plan is
in practice.
3. The anticipation of the fight and the foreshadowing of Hamlets death.
4. Gertrude realizes the Kings plan as she is dying from the poisoned wine that was meant
to kill Hamlet.
5. Fortinbras is approaching and the entire royal family is dead; revenge has been
achieved; Hamlet is finally understood.