Personal Impressions
King Cladius is totally taking charge of Polonius' death. Great, but he is also telling the queen that Hamlet is going to be sent away. Shouldn't that be the queen's job, it is her son. The queen doesn't say anything though. It's a good thing this guy doesn't live in our world today. -E.B.
The queen tells Cladius, Hamlet is angry and how he accidentally killed Polonius. The king sends Guildenstern and Rosencrantz to go find Hamlet and take Polonius' body to a chapel. The king tells the queen that they are going to tell their "wisest" friends what really happened so no rumors start. -J.D.
This queen has some nerve. Seems like she's betraying her son. She's going to put a guy in front of her own son. No, No! She's a pushover. -R.H.
4.2
Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to find Hamlet so they can get Polonius' body. Hamlet will not tell them exactly where the body is though. He does tell them to take him to the king. -E.B.
Hamlet says, "Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin." Meaning Hamlet has already buried Polonius. Hamlet is not telling anyone where Polonius' body is, which may not be too smart of Hamlet to do. -J.D.
Hamlet is a smart guy. He knows what to do by handling the body. But then he messed up by talking crap about the king in the presence of Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. Now that gives the king a reason to kill Hamlet. -R.H.
4.3
Hamlet comes and tells the king where Polonius is (in his way of talking of course). Then the king tells Hamlet that he is going to England. And after everyone has left the king tells us how Hamlet will die in England. -E.B.
Hamlet tells Cladius that it's good he's going to England. But Hamlet does not reveal, at all, his own plans of killing Cladius. -R.H.
When Hamlet says, "good" he sort of reveals that his plan is working. The king is sending Hamlet to England, and the king has a little plan; but Hamlet has one of his own that's going to go down in England. -J.D.
4.4
Hamlet says, "My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth." He's saying that the only thing that he's going to think about is telling his uncle (the king) revenge is going to come anytime now. -J.D.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are not very good friends to Hamlet. What kind of friend would knowingly, take you somewhere to be killed? All of that just to be on the king's good side. Not very good friends at all. -E.B.
This scene doesn't seem too important. Nobody is really doing anything. -R.H.
4.5
Ophelia has lost her wits. She goes around yelling that her father (Polonius) has been murdered. Ophelia had a nervous break down. -R.H.
The queen is talking to some guy then Ophelia enters singing then the king enters. Ophelia is singing some weird song, and the king says that she is singing because her father has been killed. -J.D.
Ophelia has gone totally mad. She sings of her father's death and her love that she has lost. She talks of Laertes and how he will come for Cladius. Laertes does come and puts a sword to Cladius. The queen tries to stop him, but Cladius is not afraid. -E.B.
4.6
This scene is short, but important. There are some sailors that have a letter for Horatio that is from Hamlet. Hamlet has been taken prisoner by pirates. Hamlet says in it that he has more to tell Horatio but must whisper it in his ear. -J.D.
Hamlet writes in his letter "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern held their curse for England." This means they are cowards and they don't want to go save Hamlet from the pirates. -R.H.
4.7
Cladius tells Laertes that Hamlet is the one who killed Polonius. The king develops a plan for Hamlet's death. The king is going to poison a cup for Hamlet to drink. -R.H.
The king and Laertes are talking about killing Hamlet when a messenger comes in and gives the king a letter from Hamlet. It says that he's coming back to Denmark. -J.D.
Laertes is talking about poisoning a sword to kill Hamlet. The king says he will poison the wine for Hamlet to drink. Then Laertes will stab him with the poisoned sword. Then the queen comes in and says that Ophelia has just drowned. -E.B.
AUTHOR INFO.
QUSETIONS
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
INTERVIEW
OTHER WORK
QUOTES
SCENE SUMMARYS
THEME
VOCABULARY
PERSONAL IMPRESSIONS
ACT TWO AND THREE
ACT FOUR
ACT FIVE