Summary
Summary 'Hamlet' Act IV notes
- Module
- A2 Unit 4 - Shakespeare
- Institution
- WJEC
All significant parts of 'Hamlet' Act IV, with notes explaining their significance.
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‘Hamlet’ Act IV Scene I• L4 Queen speaking – she has to continue with him, the king, as usual.
• L8/10/11-2 “In his lawless fit,” / “cries ‘A rat, a rat!’” / “kills / The unseen
good old man”: protecting Hamlet against the King.
• L13 “It had been so with us had we been there”: thinking of himself – of
course, Hamlet did intend to kill him (Cl).
• L27 “’a weeps for what is done”: he didn’t – not just protecting H’s intentions
on Cl, also his actual character. Now afraid for his public position.
• L30-2 “But we will ship him hence, and this vile deed / We must with all our
majesty and skill / Both countenance and excuse.”: reason to get Hamlet away
from him.
‘Hamlet’ Act IV Scene IV
• L21 “ranker rate”: again with the word.
• L25 “Will not debate the question of this straw”: negative image of the
Renaissance prince.
• L26 “impostume”: scab, boil.
• L26 “th’impostume of much wealth and peace”: incongruous image.
• L32/33/37 “What is a man” / “Be but to sleep and feed? A beast – no more.” /
“capability and godlike reason”: two alternatives.
• L35 “he that made us with such large discourse”: question of reason, question
behind creation and the creation of consciousness.
• L37 “godlike reason” ➔ “how like a god” 2.2.272.
• L39 “craven” → coward.
• L39 “craven scruple” ➔ “what a rogue and peasant slave am I?” 2.2.2485 – he
killed Polonius, and not really a coward: he is only a coward when he thinks
about it, not when he acts impulsively.
• L46-7 “Witness this army…/Led by a delicate and tender prince”: Renaissance
prince combined with traditional fighting prince. Associated with femininity,
but Hamlet is very angry at women – incongruity; hypocrisy?
• L48 “divine ambition”: envy – not to say Fortinbras is to be admired, Hamlet
is despairing of his own failure.
• L49 “Makes mouths at the invisible event”: not as contemplative.
• L51-2 “all that fortune, death and danger dare / Even for an eggshell”:
delicate; Fortinbras risking his honour for something unnecessary –
Antithesis of what Hamlet sees himself as.
• L54-5 “greatly to find quarrel in a straw / When honour’s at the stake”.
‘Hamlet’ Act IV Scene V
• L23 “How should I your true love know”: no ‘antic disposition’, rather is
utterly grief-stricken. Young, innocent love.
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