You will choose one question and respond to it. You will also comment on another classmate's post. (Two posts total for Act IV).
1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
2. Do Hamlet and Fortinbras meet in IV.iv? Why is this significant?
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
4. Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
5. Why is Hamlet less present in this act than in the previous three?
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5. Why is Hamlet less present in this act than in the previous three?
ReplyDeleteHamlet has a diminished role in Act IV because he is physically absent for the majority of the Act. When Claudius sends Hamlet to England, he removes him from the principal stage of events, Denmark. Shakespeare uses his absence to steer the focus of the playgoer/reader away from Hamlet's deteriorating sanity, and towards that rotten thing in Denmark (which appears to be sharing the consequence of its nature and rotting the minds of the Danes). Ophelia's "crazy daisy" episode is a prime example. Several descents into madness are showcased. It could be argues that Laertes was driven mad by the news of his sister's suicide and previously his father's death at the hands of Hamlet. Claudius compounds this by fabricating and manipulating in Laertes an intent to murder Hamlet. So, is Claudius washed further down the cascade of plots and counter-plots; from murderous and repenting to murderous and manipulative. He, experiences a graded plunge into the creek of insanity. Just as Ophelia takes a similar, though sadly literal, plunge into madness, Laertes and Claudius are weighed down by their garments, heavy with drink, Though, whereas Laertes bears the weight of a manipulative, kingly, father figure, Claudius bears the weight of his own transgressions, not in guilt but in keeping.
With all this needing to be shown, a nice vacation for Hamlet was in the best interest of the play. His attempted murder aside.
1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
ReplyDeleteHamlet has three principal foils; Laertes, Claudius, and Horatio. Newly Laertes is one of Hamlet's foils illuminating Laertes' determination when trying to avenge his father Polonius' death contrasting Hamlet's hesitation when taking vengeance for his own father's death. Claudius is the foremost foil to Hamlet reflecting Hamlet's struggle for morality and indecisiveness when Claudius will do anything at the drop of a hat to maintain power. Finally Horatio also serves as a foil to Hamlet by highlighting Hamlet's erratic and unpredictable behavior while Horatio is faithful and unwavering in his actions.
In response to Noah Guiberson...
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. In this act a lot is going on and Hamlet is physically absent for most of it he is in England and they are in Denmark. He is sent away after murdering Polonius and people are mostly just reacting to what he has done. Laertes and Ophelia are taking their father's death very hard. Ophelia commits suicide and Laertes plots to avenge his father's death with Claudius by murdering Hamlet. In this act Hamlet is either being sent away or talked about which decreases his presence greatly.
4. Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteClaudius and Laertes discuss the cause of the death of Polonius, which leads to Laertes wishing revenge upon Hamlet; very convenient for Claudius. Upon receiving a letter from Hamlet saying he will return, they plot a duel in which Hamlet may die in three different ways: the sharpened end of a fencing sword, the poisoned end of said sword, or a poisoned cup of wine offered to him if he wins the duel.
This establishes that Laertes is a foil for Hamlet, for he wishes to avenge his father but he is driven by discoordinate anger and lacks less interest in the reasoning for the murder rather than the actual act of murder.
1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
ReplyDeleteIn the play I consider Laertes and Claudius the "foils" of Hamlet (the main character).
Claudius, though there are significant differences between Hamlet and him. There are some similarities. Both Claudius and Hamlet are ambitious. Both can kill there relatives or harm their closed ones for their own purposes i.e. in case of Hamlet for revenge and Claudius for power and lust of this material world. Claudius and Hamlet both have this habit of 'pre-planning' every step they are going to play. Although there are acts when the characters just do a hasty move but Claudius and Hamlet do know how to act and what to do to harm the other. We can see a woman by both of them. Gertude on the side of Claudius and Opelia on Hamlet's side, although later the conditions change and circumstances lead to different scenes.
Laertes and Hamlet are also some what similar. Laertes had lost his father just like Hamlet did and both of them are seeking revenge. Laertes and Hamlet both try to pressurize Ophelia in their own ways. Again, like Hamlet Laetes also is an amibitious person and would do things that might be considered evil or bad for his own advantage. Both are brave and valent.
In response to Jesssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee : :P
ReplyDeleteYes, I would agree with you that after discussing the death of Polonius, Laertes does decides to take his revenge on Hamlet and this is important in establishing the fact that Laertes is Hamlet's foil.
The death of Polonius can actually be a climax of the whole play because this particular event leads to the future events that are important in the play.
There are several comparisons that join them both together. Both Hamlet and Laertes want to prove themselves in the sword fight i.e. both are fearless and are ready to die for their cause. Which they do, both die of their own ambitions. Laertes died because he wanted to avenge his father but decided to take his revenge out of anger and agreed with Cladius. Hamlet also died wanting to avenge his father and Hamlet thought of this duel as a stair to killing Claudius. Both of them love Ophelia.
This is an important scene when Hamlet decides to come back to England and a duel is prepared because that actually leads to the conclusion of the play and shows how each of them because of their intentions end up.
4. Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteIn this scene, claudis and Laertes talk about hamlet killing polinius and how Laertes wants to kill Hamlet for revenge, so Claudius takes advantage of the situation so Laretes can kill hamlet!!!!!
And they poison a sword wich is how hamlet and laertes die and claudius, but i dont quite remember but i think that claudius drinks out of a poisoned cup.
to jessssie...
ReplyDeletei agree with you because i have the same point of view :)
And ok, i dont know if its because im really sleepy right now...but i dont understand this..
"This establishes that Laertes is a foil for Hamlet, for he wishes to avenge his father but he is driven by discoordinate anger and lacks less interest in the reasoning for the murder rather than the actual act of murder."
Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteOphelia has DIED!! I think that Ophelia is “mad” because every male in her life has pushed her aside. She no longer has the man she loves, the man who raised her, or her brother. Her father’s death just pushed her over the edge. Her and Polonius death start the cycle of everyone else’s death.
Why is Hamlet less present in this act than in the previous three?
ReplyDeleteI think Hamlet is not in this act as much because this is when they plan and plot to kill him. Also Claudius sent him away to die. So Hamlet should be died.
Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteIn Act IV, a change in Ophelia is seen. She acts crazy and eventually drowns herself. Ophelia is mad due to her dad’s death. She seems almost as mad and insane as Hamlet does. Ophelia has depended on males her whole life. When her father is killed, one of the males in her life is gone. This partly leads to her madness. Hamlet’s creepy and perplexing behavior and rejection of her drives her crazier. Once again a man has left her life. Her brother Laertes is also in France. It seems as if Ophelia cannot deal with this new freedom. Her madness and death, foreshadow the events that are about to occur. Ophelia’s lunacy seems to be come about due to the insatiability and self-centeredness of the men within the play. Hamlet’s lunacy leads to all the happenings throughout the rest of the book. I believe that if Hamlet was to cope with the issue at hand in a healthier manner, then Ophelia and Hamlet could live a happy and fulfilling life.
Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteClaudius explains to Laertes that he buried Polonius and didn't tell him in order to spear Hamlet which leads into Laertes wanting to get revenge on Hamlet. The plan was to kill Hamlet. That when Hamlet came back Laertes would challenge him to a duel with a poisioned sword that way if the blade didn't kill, the poison would. If Hamlet were to win, then he would be rewarded with a cup that also contained poison. It seemed like a plan that couldn't fail but did. This scene establishes Laertes as a foil of Hamlets character by showing how quick one will take revenge. Both Hamlet and Laertes were trying to avenge their fathers death. Which I don't think either got to fully do.
I agree with Maleeh. I do think that Ophelia goes mad do to the face all the men in her life are either crazy or absent from her life. She doesn't have one normal person she can go to which would probably make anyone crazy. Also the man she loves is treating her insanely and her father dies on top of everything else. In a way, Ophelia could see it as Hamlet is dead as well since her turned into someone that he wasn't before.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Chelsea..
ReplyDeleteI agree that Cladius manipulated Laertes to have his own selfish wants fulfilled (AKA kill Hamlet). I believe that Claudius wanted to kill Hamlet so that the pressure and heat would get off his back. I also do believe that Claudius plan seemed "fool proof". Claudius took advantage of Laretes and his emotions to get what he wanted. I also agree that Hamlet and Laertes were both trying to get revenge for there fathers' deaths.
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeleteI think Ophelia is mad because of all the things she has been through with Hamlet going crazy, her father's death, and her brother not being there for her. When she is talking she is discussing death. It doesn't so much make since word for word but the idea of death is prevelent. At the end of act 4 she drowns herself. Her madness and death symbolize the maddness and death the kingdom is going to experience in the coming act.
in response to leslie...
ReplyDeleteI think Hamlet is less present in the these act because it is important to develop the other plot lines. If he was in the act things would not go the same way because Hamlet being gone alows a lot to happen. So yes i agree with you, but i think there is more to it.
2. Do Hamlet and Fortinbras meet in IV.iv? Why is this significant?
ReplyDeleteHamlet does not meet fortinbras in person, but he speaks to one of his captains. Fortinbras' men are on their way to Poland, to capture a small, worthless piece of land, for which the Poles have already fortified and prepared to defend. The battle will cause thousands of casualties, and the spoils are of almost no worth.
This is significant because Hamlet, after hearing of this, wonders about how these men are giving their lives for something worthless; how ironic it is that this is happening when he hasn't yet avenged his father's death by killing Claudius, a much more valiant cause. This causes him to resolve to keep his mind on retribution, yet, he still continues onward to England.
Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom?
ReplyDeletethe death of Ophelia is the beginning of all the bad things that are going to happen next in the kingdom, because after Ophelia drowned herself everything went down everybody started to die. Ophelia was mad because of all the things that are going on for example hamlet going crazy, and the death of her father it seems that all the things that are going on are meant to mess up her life. she could not take it any more so she killed her self! :(
Look at the scene with Laertes and Claudius (IV.vii). What plans do they have for Hamlet? How does this scene establish Laertes as a foil for Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteboth laertes and claudius have a plan to kill hamlet because they both have reasons for him to die. they made 3 different plans for him to die the sharpened end of the swore, the poison swore or if not the cut with poison wine. here laertes is a foil for hamlet because they are both willing to die and because they both want to prove their selfs in swore fighting.
1. A foil is a character who is like the protagonist in some respects but who has contrasting qualities that "reflect" or illuminate the traits of the main character. Who are Hamlet's foils, and in what ways do their characters shed light on his?
ReplyDeleteFortinbras and Laertes serve as parallel characters to Hamlet because they are all trying to avenge there father's death.They have very strong emotions but they each decide to grief and take action differently.
Laertes and Hamlet grew up together and had a lot in common: they both loved Ophelia, they were studying out of the counttry, they had good swordsmanship, they admired and respect their fathers and they were both very devious when planning to avenge their father's death. But there grieving process seemed to be the exact opposite. Laertes shows direct and outwards anger and leads a riot outside Castle Elsinore, which Polonius' death and quick burial served as a catalyst. Hamlet, on the other hand, is very shady about everything no one ever could guess how he was truly feeling because he was very private. Laertes anger leads him to take immediate action with little though. His actions were very rash making it easier for claudius to use him. But Hamlet slowly mourned for his father's death contemplating the situation in his head for too long.
Fortinbras losses his Dad, King of Norway, during a battle by King Hamlet. Through and trough a compact, the lands of Fortinbras are forfeited to Denmark. So, Fortinbras vows to avenge his father's death and reclaim the territory lost. Hamlet and Fortinbras have nothing else in common. Hamlet was a scholar and and undecisive procrastinator while Forinbras is a soldier, a man of reason and action.
In response to Miranda
ReplyDeleteI agree that the death of Ophelia serves as a catalyst for the rest of the story. It makes Hamlet take action and confess his feelings to Ophelia. It's what pushes him out his little shell. Laertes is full of anger because of her death and would commit any rash actions. Claudius seemed to have the perfect timing for the duel everyone was shaken by her death and were full of emotions.
3. Why is Ophelia mad? Does anything she say make sense? What happens to her at the end of Act IV? What does her madness and death symbolize about the kingdom? Ophelia is going mad because she's getting beleaguered by Hamlet, Laertes, Polonious, and even Claudious who are all forcing their contradictory opinions on her. On top of that, her father is accidentally murdered by Hamlet which is the last straw in her lunacy.She rambles about the death of her father and her grievances. At the end of the Act Ophelia commits suicide. Her madness and death symbolizes the decadence of the kingdom and ultimately the downfall of the kingdom.
ReplyDelete