Hamlet 
Lesson 14  His Liberty is Full of Threats to All
(Act IV, scenes 1, 2, 3, 4 )
Objectives
To become aware of a changed Hamlet in decline, being acted upon rather than acting

To analyze Hamlet as a personality in contrast to Fortinbras
 
Journal Writing
Sometimes we see a color more clearly when it is contrasted with another color.  Why can we often see our own situation more clearly when we compare it with some other person's?  Can you illustrate this from you own experience?

New Concepts
Fortinbras may be seen as a contrast to Hamlet.  In drama we often call such a person a "foil"(read about the origin of foil ).  Although his problems are some what similar, his manner of dealing with them is much different.  Notice how Hamlet himself sees the parallel between himself and Fortinbras.
 
Learning Activities
A.  CLAUDIUS FEELING THREATENED (Scene 1, 2, 3)
1.    How true is Gertrude's report of the death of Polonius?  How much does she try to "cover up" for her son?  Has she  been touched at all by Hamlet's castigation of her actions?

2.    When the king says, "It had been so with us, had we been there", about the death of Polonius, what does he mean?  (Explain, if necessary the use of the "royal we".)  Claudius clearly recognizes the threat that Hamlet poses for him.  What does he plan to do about it?  Why does he not proceed openly against Hamlet?  How does the King fear that the death of Polonius will be explained?

3.    Why does Hamlet refer to Rosencrantz as a sponge?  What purpose does this foolery serve?  What else do we learn about Hamlet in this scene?

4.    How much truth is there in the King's statement,  "Disease desperate grown by desperate applianace are relieved, or not at all"?  How does he apply this idea to Hamlet?

Homework Assignment:
What implied accusations and threats can you find in what Hamlet says to the King in scene 3?  What do we discover about Claudius's sinister plans at the end of this scene?  Is Hamlet aware of the King's plans for him?
 
B. HAMLET VIS-A-VIS FORTINBRAS

6.     Fortinbras, until this point only talked about, finally appears on the scene in this act.  What kind of man is he?  What is the meaning of his name?

7.    How does Fortinbras happen to be traveling through Denmark at this time? (Check out the map of Denmark)(Also check out the map of Norway).

8.    What is the Captain's attitude towards the battle he is about to engage in?  Does Shakespeare expect us to look upon the expedition of Fortinbras with admiration or with irony?  How might he have looked upon it had this incident occured early in Act I?

9.    Before the reading of the soliloquy, ask:  What part of this speech presents the theme or underlying idea?  Which part points up the startling contrast between Hamlet and Fortinbras?

10.    How is Hamlet's soliloquy's, beginning on line 34, similar to the soliloiquy delivered after he heard the First Player recite the lines about Hecuba?  What triggered each train of thought?  How does Hamlet compare himself with another in each of these speeches?  How does each conclude?

11.    Where does Hamlet once again hint that he is coward?  What is Hamlet's attitude towards Fortinbras's expedition?  What would a modern opinion be of such a war?  Undre what conditions is "honor" worth the loss of life?
 

Summary (Homework)

   1. Compare Fortinbras with Hamlet, showing the strengths and weakness of each.  Under what circumstances would the character of each be more desirable?  To what extent is being a good soldier the same thing as being a good man?  Which type is the world in greater need of?
2. See a painting of Hamlet by Manet. Comment on the image.