Act 4 Scene 4 Flashcards
As Hamlet prepares to leave for England, he encounters Fortinbras and his army returning to do battle for ‘a little patch of ground’
How does hamlet feel of this
Cynical on point of it ‘imposthume of much wealth and peace’
Plot summary
Fortinbras returns to plot
Capitain of army meets hamlet and tells him what Fortinbras is doing in Denmark
Captain says they’re going for nothing more than honour - which pricks hamlets conscience further and in another soliloquy Hamlet says that this is the final straw
He really must act now or he is worth nothing
Key themes
Honour and duty - army hamlet meets is lead by Fortinbras heading to invade Poland simply for Norway’s honour
While a modern audience might find the idea of war for honour stupid- makes hamlet reconsider his own definition of honour and how he is failing
Form structure and language
Return of fortinbras
Key quote
‘We go to gain a little psych of ground/ That hath in it no profit but the name’
Soliloquy
!!
