Hamlet Act IV

Hamlet’s Foils  Fortinbras = raises an army to fight a senseless battle for the principle of honor  Laertes = gives no thought for his immortal soul to avenge a father’s senseless death  Fortinbras = raises an army to fight a senseless battle for the principle of honor  Laertes = gives no thought for his immortal soul to avenge a father’s senseless death

Claudius’ Politic Genius  Pressures Fortinbras’ uncle to thwart Fortinbras’ advances  Sends off Hamlet to avoid upheaval from Danes devoted to him  Forges an alliance with Laertes to avoid overthrow  Pressures Fortinbras’ uncle to thwart Fortinbras’ advances  Sends off Hamlet to avoid upheaval from Danes devoted to him  Forges an alliance with Laertes to avoid overthrow

Claudius’ Politic Genius  Feeding imagery = dog-eat-dog court machinations  Disease imagery = underscores the corruption of the garden  Feeding imagery = dog-eat-dog court machinations  Disease imagery = underscores the corruption of the garden

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern  Increasingly in Claudius’ inner circle (sponge metaphor)  Sent to find Polonius’ body  Sent to dispatch Hamlet to England (petard metaphor)  Increasingly in Claudius’ inner circle (sponge metaphor)  Sent to find Polonius’ body  Sent to dispatch Hamlet to England (petard metaphor)

Hamlet’s Character  Hamlet now in league with darker elements (pirates?)  Accidental or intentional plan?  Follows Hamlet’s “thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth” soliloquy  Hamlet now in league with darker elements (pirates?)  Accidental or intentional plan?  Follows Hamlet’s “thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth” soliloquy

Hamlet’s Character  Weak = does not kills Claudius, foolishly kills Polonius  Over-intellectualizes actions  Torn between honor and taboo  Weak = does not kills Claudius, foolishly kills Polonius  Over-intellectualizes actions  Torn between honor and taboo

Hamlet’s Character  Strong = similar circumstances drive Ophelia truly mad and coax Laertes into criminal deceit  Strong = Hamlet’s polarized virtue leave him to struggle with the most complex of spiritual issues  Strong = similar circumstances drive Ophelia truly mad and coax Laertes into criminal deceit  Strong = Hamlet’s polarized virtue leave him to struggle with the most complex of spiritual issues

Ophelia’s Madness  Parallels Hamlet’s decline  Parent’s death  Loss of a confidant, discarded by Hamlet  Yet Ophelia is truly mad  Parallels Hamlet’s decline  Parent’s death  Loss of a confidant, discarded by Hamlet  Yet Ophelia is truly mad

Ophelia’s Madness  Associated with the perfect rose in the garden  Gives rue (regret) to Gertude = sorrow  Violets withered = no faithfulness/ garden gone to weeds  Associated with the perfect rose in the garden  Gives rue (regret) to Gertude = sorrow  Violets withered = no faithfulness/ garden gone to weeds

Ophelia’s Madness  Distributes the other flowers = to whom?  Fennel = deceit  Daisy = dissembling  Rosemary = remembrance  Distributes the other flowers = to whom?  Fennel = deceit  Daisy = dissembling  Rosemary = remembrance

Ophelia’s Madness  Favorite image of the Pre- Raphaelite artists  Image of abused womanhood  Innocence corrupted  Dutiful daughter  Virgin/whore archetypes (nunnery)  Favorite image of the Pre- Raphaelite artists  Image of abused womanhood  Innocence corrupted  Dutiful daughter  Virgin/whore archetypes (nunnery)

Millais

Waterhouse

Hughes