Friday, May 10, 2013

Act IV Scene IV & V

      In Act IV Scene IV, Hamlet finds out that the prince of Norway, named Fortinbras, is sending his troops across Denmark to fight the Poles for a tiny piece of land. When Hamlet heard this, he became very bothered. He started feeling very ashamed and angry at himself because he has been saying he will have revenge for his father, but he still has not done anything, he keeps putting it off. Hamlet says, "Examples gross as earth exhort me. Witness this army of such mass and charge, led by a delicate and tender prince, whose spirit, with divine ambition puffed, makes mouths at the invisible event, exposing what is mortal and unsure to all that fortune, death, and danger dare, even for an eggshell" (4.4.46-53). Hamlet is inspired by Fortinbras' courage to risk his life for something so small.

     In Scene V Laertes finds out about his father's death and accuses Claudius of the act. A messenger comes to Claudius and says, "...young Laertes, in a riotous head, o'erbears your officers. The rabble call him lord..." (4.5.101-102). Everyone thought that Laertes was going to kill Claudius, then Laertes himself would become king. And, of course, everyone loves Laertes. Hamlet and Laertes actually have a lot in common, considering their family conditions. Their fathers were both murdered for the most part. Both Hamlet and Laertes both want revenge on their fathers' murderers. Although they have very similar things going on in their life at the moment, how they react to those situations is very different. For example, Laertes is much more forceful and determined and quick about trying to get that revenge. On the other hand, Hamlet said he was going to get revenge, but he still hasn't. He has been pushing it off and waiting for the right time to do it. It seems more hesitant about killing his father's murderer. Maybe Hamlet does have a guilty, sensitive side.

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