hamlet review 4 + 5 review

5. Describe Hamlet's view of how one may eat a King through a worm.

"A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm."

How does Gertrude describe Polonius' death to Claudius?

"Behind the arras hearing something stir,Whips out his rapier, cries, 'A rat, a rat!'And, in this brainish apprehension, killsThe unseen good old man."

2. Why does Horatio say (concerning Ophelia) "'Twere good she were spoken with, for she may strew..."? (i.e., what is it that "she may strew?" )

"Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds..." (Dangerous rumours to slanderous minds)

4. Laertes agrees to be ruled by him, but only under what conditions?

"If I might be the organ."

Act 4 starts with a discussion of Hamlet's behavior between Claudius and Gertrude. What is it that Gertrude says she has seen? (Note: not killing Polonius)

"Mad as the sea and wind, when both contendWhich is the mightier" Hamlet acting crazy

3. Claudius asks Laertes, "Will you be ruled by me?" Laertes says yes, but under what condition? (ln. 58)

"So you will not o'errule me to a peace." - as long as you don't force me to make peace

10. What do the mob call Laertes?

"The rabble call him lord...Laertes shall be king." (lns. 102)

7. How does Claudius describe the coming of sorrows?

"They come not single spies, but battalions." (lns. 78-79)

3. How does the Captain describe the land that they are off to try to attack?

"To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it..."

7. What is the final answer given to the gravedigger's riddle, right before Hamlet shows up?

"a gravemaker...The houses he makes last till doomsday."(5.1.60)

14. What did it take for Hamlet to finally kill his uncle?

A threat on his own life.

Why does Shakespeare put the scene of Hamlet's conversation with the gravedigger in the play at this point? What does Shakespeare hope to achieve for his audience? To answer this, you must be aware and make reference to what has happened previously and what will happen next.

Act 4, Scene 7 marks the suicide of Ophelia. After Polonius' death it is continuation of the tragic turning point. However, Ophelia we feel sorry for, Polonius we didn't. After the conversation with the clowns, Ophelia's burial and the fight between Laertes begins. The conversation with the gravedigger was witty, full of puns. It gives the audience a stark contrast to what will come.

3. Where does Hamlet tell Claudius Polonius is?

At supper

6. Why does the King tell Hamlet he is sending him to England? What is ironic about this?

Because he killed Polonius, Claudius is sending him there for his safety. Ironic because the letters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are carrying are to Instruct England to put Hamlet to death.

13. "O, from this time forth my thoughts be _______________ or be _______________ worth."

Bloody / nothing

4. What does hamlet mean when he says, "The body is with the King, but the King is not with the body...?"

Claudius has a body, but he is not fit to be a King. The kingship of Denmark does not belong to Claudius.

14. What is the tone of the conversation between hamlet and the gravedigger? How does this contrast to the early Hamlet we know and love so well?

Comedic / sarcastic / full of puns / lighthearted He is serious and over contemplative / worried about revenge / questioning life and death

1. When Rosencrantz asks Hamlet what he did with Polonius' body, what is Hamlet's response?

Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin.

2. What does Claudius mean when he says, "Diseases desperate grown by desperate appliance are relieved, or not at all?"

Critical diseases are cured by drastic measures, or not at all. Making reference to the decision to send Hamlet away.

11. "Rightly to be great" (to be truly great) is to do what? ( 2 parts to this)

Don't stir without great argument Find quarrel in little/trivial thing when honor is at stake

3. What does the queen (Gertrude) say concerning her sick soul?

Each trivial thing foreshadows a great calamity (Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss)

7. Why does the King think that England will follow his orders and kill Hamlet?

England was defeated by Denmark. Since the scars are weak and England must pay tribute money as terms of submission, they will take Claudius' orders seriously.

16. Hamlet again contemplates death and our remains when he speaks of Alexander the Great. Like the fish and the worm (4:3, lns. 27-28) and his previous conversation concerning death to the king, what does Hamlet say concerning death?

Essentially that we are all made equal through death. We all end up in the same place becoming dust in the end. (5.1.210-213)

6. Hamlet says , "there is special providence in the fall of a sparrow." What does he mean by this? Also what does Hamlet further say concerning providence? What the heck is providence anyways?

Everything is preordained, even a swallow's death. Fate gets everyone. He further says, If it be now,'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will benow; if it be not now, yet it will come: thereadiness is all (ln. 221-224) Meaning: If it is not still to come, it will be bow. If it is going to be now, it will still be to come. What matters is to be ready. Providence is a. divine guidance or care b. capitalized : God conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny

5. Claudius asks Laertes, "was your father dear to you?Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,A _______________ without a _______________ ?" (fill in the blanks) (lns. 106-108)

Face / heart

4. What does Hamlet mean when he says, "Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service - two dishes, but to one table"?

Fat king and skinny beggar are just two different courses in the same meal for a worm.

12. Hamlet then states, "How stand I then,..." What are the three things that describe how he stands?

Father killed / mother stained / motives urged by passion and reason

10. Who does Hamlet compare himself to in the soliloquy at the end of 4:4?

Fortinbras

2. Whose army does Hamlet come across and where are they going?

Fortinbras / they are off to conquer a part of Poland.

12. What does Hamlet predict?

Fortinbras will be made the Danish King

5. What are the professions of "ancient gentlemen" and what's the common job? ( 4 pts.)

Gard'ners, ditchers, gravediggers (5.1.31) they all dig

10. In the final fight, who dies and how?

Gertrude drinks the wine Laertes by a switch of weapons and Hamlet gets the poisoned sword. Hamlet by the poisoned sword King by Sword and poison forced on by Hamlet.

What is Claudius saying about goodness in the following lines? "And nothing is at a like goodness still;For goodness, growing to a plurisy,Dies in his own too much..." (lns. 116-118)

Goodness grows like an inflammation / grows in excess. In it's own excess it dies in its own success.

4. "So full of artful jealousy is guilt / It spills itself fearing to be split" What is it that Gertrude says about "Guilt?"

Guilt is so full of suspicion that its very paranoia give it away.

1. Why is it that Claudius believes he can't arrest Hamlet?

Hamlet is loved by the public whose approval is based on appearances and not reason.

1. What mistake did Hamlet make by not killing Claudius and in turn killing Polonius?

He has given Claudius a reason for punishment of Hamlet.

2. Why does Hamlet call Rosencrantz a sponge?

He is soaking up the king's countenance (favors), rewards, authorities (powers).

5. Ophelia sings a song about Saint Valentine's Day. At the end of the song she sings, "Let in the maid, that out a maid Never departed more." What does she mean? Also, what does this say concerning the theme of innocence concerning the characters?

He let in a virgin, but when he let her out, she was a virgin no more. Opehlia represents innocence lost.

5. How confident is Hamlet in winning the wager?

He says he will win by the odds (5.2.212)

Why does Hamlet want Horatio to "absent thee from felicity awhile? (ln.348)" and what does the quote mean?

He wants Horatio to tell the world his story. Abstain from death for a bit.

Why does the King (according to what he tells the court) put the "stoup of wine" upon the table? What else is he planning to do (that he tells the court)?

If he gets first or second hit, or if he wins the third bout after Laertes wins the first 2, let all the castle battlements fire their cannon. The king will drink to Hamlet's approval and throw a pearl into the cup. All of this is to say now the king is drinking to Hamlet.

11. What does Laertes say about the "drop of blood that is calm" and himself? Also, how does this parallel Hamlet's view of revenge?

If one drop of blood stays calm it is the drop that proves I am a bastard (illegitimate) of my father and this also proves that my father was an adulterous and it brands my faithful mother's chaste face as that of a *****. Laertes is throwing himself to revenge in the same way that Hamlet proclaims he will.

3. The gravedigger tries to explain his reasoning with the example of water and man. What is this example/reasoning?

If the man goes to the water and he drowns himself, it is the end of him. (and he is guilty) But if the water comes to him and he drowns, he doesn't drown himself. Therefore the man isn't guilty of his own death and it can't shorten his life (make him be guilty). The implication is that he dies with a clean conscious. (5.1.15-21)

9. How are people like sheep and calves?

If they seek safety in parchment paper (legal documents). (5.1.117)

What does the king promise Laertes in terms of guilt? If by direct or by collateral handThey find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give,Our crown, our life, and all that we can ours,To you in satisfaction; (lns. 204-207)

If your councils find we are directly involved in the death of Polonius, or guilty of an accessory we will pay you with our kingdom our crown our life, all that we own.

15. What is it that Laertes is saying when he states; "is't possible, a young maid's witsShould be as moral as an old man's life?" (ln. 159-160)

Is it possible that a young lady's sanity is as fragile as an old man's life?

What does the clown mean when he states: 'Tis a quick lie, sir; 'twill away gain, from me toyou.

It is a lively lie, it goes from me to you. (5.1.130)

7. What does Hamlet blame his upsetting Laertes on?

It was madness (ln. 238)

3. What reasons does Hamlet give to Horatio as verifiable reasons ("...is't not perfect conscience to quit him with this arm...") for killing Claudius?

Killed his Father Made a ***** of his mother Intruded in the throne and Hamlet's succession Tried to evilly, secretly kill him

12. Why does Claudius insist that Gertrude let him go. He doesn't seem to worry about being hurt by Laertes. What is his reasoning on why Laertes wouldn't hurt him."Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person: There's such divinity doth hedge a king,That treason can but peep to what it would,Acts little of his will." (lns. 122-126)

King is shielded by right to rule. It protects him like a hedge. Treason can only look to it from a distance.

4. After Hamlet discovers that the weapons to be used in the duel with Laertes are a Rapier and a dagger, he also learns what the wager is between the King and Laertes. What is this wager?

King will give: six Barbary horses Laertes will give: six French rapiers and poniards with all the accompanying belts, straps, etc.

8. What sort of examples for revenge does Hamlet see before him in this act?

Large costly army Led by fine youthful prince

9. Describe Hamlet's view of Fortinbras:Examples gross as earth exhort me:Witness this army of such mass and chargeLed by a delicate and tender prince,Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'dMakes mouths at the invisible event,Exposing what is mortal and unsureTo all that fortune, death and danger dare,Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be greatIs not to stir without great argument,But greatly to find quarrel in a strawWhen honour's at the stake.

Large costly army led by youthful prince. Spirit led by inflated divine ambition makes faces at what can't be foreseen Makes risks life And limb, faces death, fate, and danger for nothing.

13. What does Laertes mean when he states (in reference to the King's question "Who shall stay you?" - ln. 137):

My will, not all the world: And for my means, I'll husband them so well, They shall go far with little. No one but me. I'll use any means possible [for revenge] I'll use my means frugally - for a little goes a long way.

17. How does Hamlet feel toward Ophelia at the end of Scene 1?

Now proclaims undying love for her (5.1.271)

Explicate the following lines. What is it that Hamlet is essentially saying concerning divinity? "Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well,When our deep plots do pall: and that should teach usThere's a divinity that shapes our ends,Rough-hew them how we will,--"

Our slip-ups sometimes serves us well when our plans come to nothing. It teaches us that divinity shapes our ends. No matter what plans we sketch out.

9. What is Claudius' back up plan?

Poison in a chalice

8. How does Laertes further decide to ensure victory?

Put poison on sword.

4. Oh my Gosh...Hamlet has another soliloquy! I'm sooooo.....surprised! So what the heck is he questioning this time? Has this possibly been a topic before (can't answer question two without answering one!)? Oh yeah...explicate the speech.

Questions his procrastination. Yes How all occasions do inform against me,And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,If his chief good and market of his timeBe but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,Looking before and after, gave us notThat capability and god-like reasonTo fust in us unused. Now, whether it beBestial oblivion, or some craven scrupleOf thinking too precisely on the event,A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdomAnd ever three parts coward, I do not knowWhy yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'Sith I have cause and will and strength and meansTo do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:Witness this army of such mass and chargeLed by a delicate and tender prince,Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'dMakes mouths at the invisible event,Exposing what is mortal and unsureTo all that fortune, death and danger dare,Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be greatIs not to stir without great argument,But greatly to find quarrel in a strawWhen honour's at the stake. How stand I then,That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,Excitements of my reason and my blood,And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I seeThe imminent death of twenty thousand men,That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plotWhereon the numbers cannot try the cause,Which is not tomb enough and continentTo hide the slain? O, from this time forth,My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!

Claudius pulls Laertes aside at the end of the Act. He tells him, "Strengthen your patience in our last night's speech." What is Claudius telling him and why?

Remember what we planned last night. He is letting Laertes know that he will have a chance to fight Hamlet soon enough.

14. What decision has Hamlet finally reached by this point?

Revenge will be bloody and it will end in death

17. Ophelia starts giving away (imaginary?) flowers. For each flower state thew meaning (symbolism) behind it and who she gives the flower to. Also, why do you think she gives this flower to this person.

Rosemary = remembrance = remembrance of family, father, self and relationship (brother and sister) to Laertes Pansies = thoughts (also commonly symbolized love) = Laertes fennel = flattery = Gertrude columbines = cuckoldry (adultery) = Gertrude and/or Claudius rue = "herb of grace" = repentance Gertrude and/or Ophelia (sorrow for) daisy = lying / faithlessness = Gertrude and/or Claudius Violets died = faithful died. = faithfulness (sanity) died with Polonius

20. Describe Polonius' funeral:

Secret funeral / no memorial / no display of arms / no cat of arms above his grave to mark his bones / no nobility / no formal ceremony

10. What news does Gertrude bring concerning Ophelia?

She drowned

4. What does the Other gravedigger believe is the reason for Ophelia's Christian burial?

She is a gentlewoman, essentially she comes from money. (5.1.25-26)

1. How does the Gentleman at the beginning of Scene 5 describe Ophelia's condition? He lists 6 points. What are they?

Speaks a lot about her father says the world's is full of tricks (There's tricks I' th' world...) hems (coughs) and beats her chest. takes offense at things (spurns enviously at straws). makes obscure remarks that make no sense (speaks things in doubt / That carry but half sense) Words are nonsense, yet they are so incoherent one wants to figure out what they mean. ( Her speech is nothing / Yet the unshaped use of it doth move . The hearers to collection...)

7. What does Claudius tell Laertes to do?

Stay in his chamber. When Hamlet comes home he'll arrange people to praise his skill. Doubling the rumor from the Frenchman. We'll bring the two of you to a match with bets placed. He being "remiss, most generous minded and free from contriving..." won't examine the foils. You can (with shuffling) choose a sword not blunted. With a treacherous thrust, kill him.

Explicate the following lines (be sure to tell me who the he is). Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,Looking before and after, gave us notThat capability and god-like reasonTo fust in us unused.

Surely the God that created us with such powers of understanding, of memory and foresight, didn't give us that power and godlike reason for it to grow moldy in us, unused.

13. HORATIO Now cracks a noble heart. Good night _______________ _______________:And flights of angels _______________ thee to thy _______________!Why does the drum come hither? (Fill in the blanks)

Sweet prince / sing / rest

1. In the first few lines of this scene, how does Claudius begin to earn Laertes' trust? What does he tell him?

That he which hath your noble father slainPursued my life. He who killed your father is after me

9. Who does Laertes blame his death on?

The King's to blame

12. According to the gravedigger around how old is Hamlet? How do we know this?

The gravedigger says that he has been a digger since King Hamlet overcame Fortinbras. This was 30 years ago when hamlet was born, therefore Hamlet is around 30 years old.

2. What does the letter say that Hamlet stole? Also who did he steal it from?

The letter states that England must chop off Hamlet's head as soon as it finishes reading the letter. They are not even supposed to wait long enough to sharpen the axe. He stole it from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

2. Laertes asks why the king didn't take action against Hamlet. The king says for 2 reasons. What are they?

The queen his motherLives almost by his looks; and for myself--My virtue or my plague, be it either which--She's so conjunctive to my life and soul,That, as the star moves not but in his sphere,I could not but by her. The other motive,Why to a public count I might not go,Is the great love the general gender bear him; Mother dotes on him. People love him

6. The Clown (Gravedigger) asks the following riddle; "What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter?" What is the Other's response? Then tell me how the gravedigger twists his fellow worker's words.

The response from the other is "The gallowsmaker, for that frame outlives a thousand tenants." The Gravedigger further twists this by stating, "it does well to those that do ill. Now thou dost ill to say the gallows is built stronger than the church. Argal, the gallows may do well to thee."

8. Hamlet calls the gravedigger a knave on several occasions. What does he say concerning the "knave" and the skulls that he is tossing about?

The skulls could be politicians (ln. 79), or courtiers (ln. 83) or even a lawyer (ln. 100). Hamlet implies that the gravedigger had to answer to them at one point and now they have to answer to him, "this ass now o'erreaches" (ln. 80).

What English word is nine letters long, and can remain an English word at each step as you remove one letter at a time, right down to a single letter. List the letter you remove each time and the words that result at each step.

The word is "startling." Remove the "l" and it becomes starting. Then remove the "t" and it is staring. The rest of the changes are as follows: string - sting - sing - sin - in - and finally, I.

16. What does Laertes mean when he states; "This nothing's more than matter."

There is meaning to this madness (ln 173)

Poor Claudius feels: "this,Like to a murdering-piece, in many places Gives me superfluous death." What is it that he feels? In other words interpret the lines.

This is like a cannon shot all over the place kills me again and again.

18. After Ophelia gives away her "bouquet" what does Laertes say she does? (Be specific please!)

Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself,She turns to favour and to prettiness. (lns. 186-187) She turns misery, suffering, passion and hell itself into pretty things

2. What are the 3 branches of an act?

To act, to do and to perform (5.1.12)

10. Who sort of pun does Hamlet have with the gravedigger concerning the grave being dug?

When Hamlet states, "...thou liest in it" he is already using lie as a pun. The gravedigger is physically being (lying) in the grave as well as lying by stating the grave is his (which it obviously isn't since he is alive). This Hamlet points out when he states, 'tis for the dead, not for the quick; therefore thou liest.

3. What does Hamlet tell Rosencrantz that the king will do with (to?) him?

When he finds the information that he needs from Rosencrantz he will squeeze him dry like a sponge.

1. What does Hamlet's letter to Horatio say?

When you have looked this over, arrange for these fellows to meet the king Less than 2 days into journey a well armed pirate ship chased us Too slow, we fought. I boarded their ship they got clear of our ship and I became their prisoner They were merciful thieves. They knew what they were doing, I have to do them a favor Let King have letters I have sent and come to me as fast as possible. I have words that will make you dumbstruck even those words will be too weak for this heavy matter. Ros. And Guild. Are on to England. I have much to tell you about them.

1. What do the clowns question concerning the burial of Ophelia in the opening of Act 5? Why do they question this?

Whether it is a Christian burial. Because she killed herself. (5.1.1-2)

7. What is Hamlet questioning (regarding Claudius) in the above lines.

Why he hasn't killed Claudius yet.

15. Who was Yorick to Hamlet and what does his reflections tell us about the Prince?

Yorick was the court jester of his childhood. It reveals that Hamlet is still concerned about people that he loved, still contemplative and emotional.

Explicate the stanza of the song: Young men will do't, if they come to't;By cock, they are to blame.Quoth she, before you tumbled me,You promised me to wed.So would I ha' done, by yonder sun,An thou hadst not come to my bed.

Young men will do it, if they come to it, By cock, they are to blame. She said; "before you sleepy with me, you promised we'd be wed." He answers; "By yonder sun, I would have done, if you hadn't come to my bed."

14. What does Laertes mean when he states; "By heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight, Till our scale turn the beam...?" (lns. 156-157)

Your madness shall be revenged and more

3. "O come away! My soul is full of _______________ and _______________ . (Fill I the blanks)

discord / dismay

8. What did this coming of sorrows bring for all involved? (lns. 79-88)

her father slain Hamlet gone (and violent cause of his own removal) people agitated - they are confused and whisper of Polonius' death We behaved like fools to secretly bury him Opehlia lost from judgment without which we are no more than beasts. Last, her brother is home from France Laertes broods over rumors and gossip accusing royalty

18. "The cat will _______________ , and the dog will have his _______________ ." Fill in the blanks )

mew / day (5.1.294)

5. "....."What is a man, if his chief good and market of his timebe but to _______________ and _______________ ? A _______________, no more." (Fill in the blanks - 3 pts.)

sleep/ feed/ beasts