Anisha Riggs
In Act 4 of Hamlet, the protagonist encounters Fortinbras and his army en route to Poland, which inspires him to resolve upon bloody action in avenging his father's murder. This encounter is followed by reports of Ophelia's madness, with Claudius agonising over her state and the return of Laertes. The act concludes with Claudius and Laertes conspiring against Hamlet's life, setting the stage for the climactic events to come.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Act and Scene | Act 4, Scene 1 |
| Major Events | Gertrude reports Polonius's death to Claudius. Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find Hamlet and recover Polonius's body. Hamlet talks to the actors before they perform a play mirroring the events leading up to his father's death. Hamlet instructs Horatio to observe Claudius's response to the play. Claudius rises in fury and calls for light before storming out of the performance. Hamlet reveals that he found a sealed letter from Claudius ordering his death in England. Hamlet used his father's seal to write another letter ordering the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet delivers a soliloquy on the irony of soldiers marching to their deaths over worthless land while he delays his revenge on Claudius. Fortinbras and his army cross Hamlet's path on their way to Poland. Ophelia's drowning death is reported, reigniting Laertes' rage. |
| Notable Characters | Hamlet, Gertrude, Claudius, Polonius, Horatio, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Fortinbras, Laertes, Ophelia |
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What You'll Learn
Hamlet's soliloquy on irony and bloody thoughts
In Act 4, Scene 4 of Hamlet, Hamlet delivers a soliloquy on irony and his resolve to turn his thoughts to bloody action. This soliloquy is prompted by his encounter with Fortinbras and his army, who are on their way to Poland to fight for a "worthless patch of ground". Hamlet is struck by the irony of these men risking their lives for such a trivial cause, while he himself, with a just cause for revenge against Claudius, remains inactive.
In his soliloquy, Hamlet expresses frustration with his own inaction and tendency to overthink. He acknowledges that he has every reason to rage and battle Claudius, who murdered his father and married Gertrude. Hamlet's introspection and melancholy have paralysed him, preventing him from taking decisive action. He recognizes the irony of his situation, where he engages in monologues and contemplation instead of acting on his desire for revenge.
This soliloquy is significant as it provides insight into Hamlet's mental state and his struggle between thought and action. It reveals his self-criticism and awareness of his own cowardice. Despite his good reasons for seeking revenge, Hamlet is unable to change his contemplative nature, which he curses. This moment highlights the tragic irony of Hamlet's character, as he is aware of his own flaws but unable to overcome them.
The soliloquy also serves as a turning point for Hamlet, as he resolves to turn his thoughts to bloody action. This marks a shift towards the violent conclusion of the play. Hamlet's encounter with Fortinbras inspires him to emulate his vigour in seeking justice for his father's murder. He decides to recast his mind and embrace violent thoughts, foreshadowing the upcoming duel with Laertes and the tragic outcome that follows.
Overall, Hamlet's soliloquy on irony and bloody thoughts in Act 4, Scene 4 of Hamlet reveals the character's inner turmoil, self-reflection, and determination to act. It showcases the tragic irony of his situation and provides a glimpse into his mindset as he moves towards the play's violent conclusion.
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Fortinbras and his army cross Hamlet's path
In Act IV, Scene 4 of Hamlet, Fortinbras and his army cross Hamlet's path as they make their way to Poland. This encounter occurs as Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern are leaving Elsinore Castle in Denmark, where they meet the Captain of Fortinbras' army.
Hamlet engages in a conversation with the Captain, inquiring about the purpose of their mission. The Captain reveals that Fortinbras is leading his army to war over a small piece of Polish land that holds little to no value. This interaction serves as a pivotal moment for Hamlet, as he reflects on his own inaction in avenging his father's death. He contrasts his hesitation with Fortinbras' bold determination, questioning his own lack of action despite having a just cause.
The meeting with the Captain inspires Hamlet to take decisive action, adopting a more resolute and bloody mindset. He admires Fortinbras' courage and ambition, recognizing that the young prince is willing to risk everything for a seemingly meaningless cause. This foil highlights Hamlet's internal struggle between action and inaction, as he grapples with his inability to confront his uncle, the murdering and incestuous Claudius.
Fortinbras, like Hamlet, has lost his father and is under the rule of his uncle, the King of Norway. However, Fortinbras is a man of action, attempting to avenge his father's death by reclaiming Denmark's lands. In contrast, Hamlet is a scholar, contemplative and hesitant in his pursuit of revenge. The encounter with Fortinbras' army underscores Hamlet's determination to finally fulfil his revenge, marking a turning point in his character development.
The crossing of paths between Fortinbras' army and Hamlet highlights the complexities of human nature, honour, and duty. It serves as a catalyst for Hamlet's resolution to avenge his father's murder, setting the stage for the events that follow in the play's final acts.
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Ophelia's drowning and madness
In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia is a young noblewoman of Denmark and the daughter of Polonius. Ophelia's potential suitor, Prince Hamlet, is grieving the death of his father, the king. When Hamlet's mother, Gertrude, marries Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, who then becomes the new king, Hamlet is thrown into a state of distress. Hamlet's behaviour becomes erratic, and he mistakenly kills Polonius, thinking he is Claudius. This event, along with the death of her father, pushes Ophelia into a state of madness.
In Act 4, Scene 5, Ophelia reappears and is described as mad. She talks in riddles and rhymes and sings bawdy songs about death. She also hands out flowers, citing their symbolic meanings. The only herb that Ophelia gives to herself is rue, which is known for its symbolic meaning of regret. This scene marks the last time Ophelia appears in the play before her death.
Ophelia's madness would have been immediately recognisable to her first audiences. In early modern England, there was an established set of conventions for the representation of female madness on stage. Ophelia's dishevelled hair, white clothing, and adornment with wildflowers would have signified her state of mind to viewers. Additionally, the colour white would have conveyed specific gendered associations and contrasted with Hamlet's "nighted colour" and "solemn black".
Ophelia's drowning is reported by Queen Gertrude in Act 4, Scene 7. Gertrude describes how Ophelia climbed into a willow tree, and the branch broke, dropping Ophelia into the brook, where she drowned. Gertrude notes that Ophelia seemed incapable of her own distress and ignorant of the danger. Ophelia's death has been interpreted as a doubtful death, carrying associations with the feminine. At Ophelia's funeral, Gertrude sprinkles flowers on her grave, expressing her wish for Ophelia to have been Hamlet's wife.
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Laertes and Claudius plot against Hamlet
In William Shakespeare's tragedy 'Hamlet', the titular character, Hamlet, feigns madness to exact revenge on his father's murderer, his uncle Claudius, the current King of Denmark. Hamlet's father's ghost appears to him and reveals that Claudius poured poison in his ear while he slept, leading to his death. The ghost instructs Hamlet to avenge his murder.
Hamlet's madness causes him to act strangely, and he rejects Ophelia, the sister of Laertes. Ophelia's father, Polonius, attributes Hamlet's behaviour to lovesickness and sets a trap for him using Ophelia as bait. Hamlet, however, mistakenly kills Polonius, thinking he is Claudius. This results in Ophelia's madness and subsequent drowning. Laertes, consumed with grief and rage, returns to the court and seeks revenge against Hamlet.
Upon receiving a letter from Hamlet announcing his return, Claudius enlists Laertes' help in devising a plot to kill Hamlet. Laertes agrees to a fencing match with Hamlet, during which he plans to use a poisoned rapier. As a backup plan, Claudius prepares a poisoned cup of wine to give to Hamlet if the fencing match fails to kill him.
During the fencing match, Laertes wounds Hamlet with the poisoned rapier. In the ensuing scuffle, Hamlet manages to wound Laertes with the same rapier and forces an exchange of weapons. As Laertes lies dying, he discloses his and Claudius' plot against Hamlet. Hamlet then kills Claudius and, before dying himself, asks Horatio to reveal the truth behind the tragic events.
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Hamlet's return to Denmark
In Act 4 of Hamlet, incense is used symbolically during a pivotal moment in the play, offering a spiritual and ritualistic dimension to the scene and highlighting the underlying themes of mortality, corruption, and the struggle between appearance and reality. By having the characters burn incense, Shakespeare adds depth to the atmosphere and underscores the significance of the events taking place.
After Hamlet's return to Denmark following his narrow escape from death in England, he finds that his father's funeral has been hastily arranged, and the court is in a rush to move on and crown Fortinbras as the new king. In a rushed and ill-prepared ceremony, Hamlet is incensed—both emotionally and literally—by the superficial and disingenuous nature of the proceedings.
The use of incense in this act serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it represents an attempt to mask the stench of decay and corruption that Hamlet so vehemently denounces. The court, led by Claudius, is eager to cover up the rot and move on, symbolically burying the past with excessive haste. The incense, in this context, becomes a tool to create an illusion of purity and sanctity, masking the foul reality beneath. This ties into the broader theme of appearance versus reality that runs throughout the play.
Additionally, the incense also carries religious connotations. It is often associated with ritual purification and spiritual cleansing. By burning incense, the characters are not only trying to create an illusion of sanctity but also attempting to purify themselves and the environment from the moral decay and sin that plague them. This adds a layer of spiritual crisis to the scene, highlighting the dissonance between their outward display of piety and the corruption festering within their souls.
As Hamlet confronts Gertrude in her closet, the physical act of burning incense symbolizes the emotional and spiritual turmoil of the characters. Hamlet is incensed by what he perceives as his mother's complicity in Claudius' crimes, and the incense becomes a physical manifestation of the intense emotions burning within him—his anger, disgust, and sense of betrayal. The cloud of incense also creates a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere, adding to the sense of unreality and emphasizing the disconnect between Hamlet's vision of justice and the corrupt world he finds himself in.
Finally, the presence of incense underscores the sense of mortality and the passing of time. Incense is often associated with funerals and mourning rituals. In this context, it serves as a reminder of the death of Hamlet's father, whose murder remains at the heart of the tragedy. As the incense burns, its fragrant smoke disappearing into thin air, it also symbolizes the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death—a recurring motif in the play.
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