Active Reading Journal: "Hamlet" Act IV

In Act IV Scene I Claudius and Gertrude enter with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Gertrude tells of what she is witnessed, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are asked to go fetch Hamlet and bring the body to the chapel. 

In Act IV Scene II Hamlet has safely hidden the body. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern come in asking for the corpse and Hamlet will not tell them (for what I assume he feels betrayed). He calls them fools and Hamlet tells them to bring him to the King.

In Act IV Scene III we learn that Claudius has sent someone to go find the body. Rosencrantz comes in telling Claudius that Hamlet refuses to tell them where the body is and is outside waiting to see him. Hamlet comes in and Claudius asks where it is and Hamlet replies that it is at a feast being eaten by worms. Hamlet gives a slight hint to where the body is hidden and Claudius sends his servants to go look. Claudius tells Hamlet that the ship is ready for him to sale to England. After Hamlet exits Claudius writes a letter to the King of England instructing him to kill Hamlet.

In Act IV Scene IV Hamlet is on the ship. He learns that Fortinbra is heading to attack Poland. Rosencrantz tries to advise Hamlet to come with him, but Hamlet told him to go along and he'd be there in a minute. In yet another soliloquy the scene ends.

Act IV Scene V

In Act IV Scene V Gertrude refuses to see Ophelia, but after Horatio mentions her worsening state of insanity Ophelia comes in. Ophelia sings songs of death and other dreary things and neither the King or Queen can get any intelligent/helpful replies from her. Meanwhile Laertes is outside with a mob of people trying to break the castle. He asks for his father but his sister Ophelia comes out being completely incoherent. She allows him to focus his attention on Claudius who promises that there will be a way to avenge his fathers death.

In Act IV Scene VI sailors come with a letter for Horatio and some for the King. The letter to Horatio is from Hamlet and it says that he has become prisoner on ship because of a pirate invasion. He asks him to let the sailors see the King and ends the letter by saying that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are off to England he has a lot to tell Horatio when he gets back.

In Act IV Scene VII Claudius and Laertes are discussing Polonius's death, he praises Laertes in hopes that he will agree to kill Hamlet (as he has just discovered that Hamlet is on his way home). Claudius believes that Hamlet will agree to a duel with Laertes and allows a pick of swords. In the next bit of the scene Gertrude comes in telling of how Ophelia has drowned in a brook.