Act 4 Scene 7 Flashcards
Now must your conscience my acquittance seal.
And you must put me in your heart for friend,
Sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear,
That he which hath your noble father slain,
Pursued my life.
S: King
C: Claudius is convincing Laertes that Hamlet was responsible for Polonius’ murder. Claudius manipulates Laertes into a plan to kill Hamlet in a dueling match. Laertes sides with him.
1) trying to convince Laertes to be on his side and manipulate him.
2) This further demonstrates Claudius’ arrogance. He is angering Laertes and creating a common enemy (Hamlet).
3)The king telling Laertes that Hamlet was trying to kill him instead of Polonius in Gertrude’s room which creates dramatic irony because we know that’s actually not true; Hamlet was simply reacting to the noise he heard behind the arras.
Why to a public count I might not go,
Is the great love the general gender bear him;
S: King
C: Claudius is convincing Laertes that Hamlet was responsible for Polonius’ murder. Claudius manipulates Laertes into a plan to kill Hamlet in a dueling match. Laertes sides with him.
1) It can’t look like the king is taking out Hamlet because the public will turn on him because they love Hamlet so much.
2) This characterizes Claudius as a man that knows his limitations.
3)Reinforces the idea that Claudius is afraid of losing Gertrude and the public’s approval
I am lost in it , my lord. But let him come:
It warms the very sickness in my heart,
That I shall live and tell him to his teeth,
“Thus diddest thou!”
S: Laertes
C: Claudius is convincing Laertes that Hamlet was responsible for Polonius’ murder. Claudius manipulates Laertes into a plan to kill Hamlet in a dueling match. Laertes sides with him.
1) Laertes is a man of action (unlike Hamlet), Laertes would do anything to kill Hamlet, including killing him in a church, which is the reason Hamlet didn’t kill the king at one point (bringing up Hamlet’s fatal flaw again- he is a man of inaction).
2) “Tell him to his teeth” relates to Francis Bacon, because he believed that if you’re taking revenge it shouldn’t be an arrow in the dark. It should be straight to the person’s face.
Ay, my lord;
If so you’ll not o’errule to a peace.
S: Laertes
C: Claudius and Laertes have just received and read Hamlet’s letter and Laertes is ready to confront him.
1) Claudius is testing Laertes, he is seeing if can use Laertes as a weapon
2) Laertes gave him a clear answer. He would say anything Claudius wants to hear because of how much he wants Hamlet dead
3) Laertes will let Claudius rule over him if he allows him to kill/seek revenge on Hamlet for his father. This is a win-win situation for both since the King can’t kill Hamlet himself and Laertes wants to be the one to kill Hamlet. They’ll both get what they want: Hamlet dead.
4) man of action bs
My lord, I will be ruled:
The rather, if you could devise it so
That I might be the organ.
S: Laertes
C: Claudius and Laertes have just received and read Hamlet’s letter and Laertes is ready to follow whatever plan Claudius is making (conditionally)
1) Laertes would tell Claudius whatever he wants to hear as long as he is the one who gets to kill Hamlet
2) Now that they’re on the same page, Claudius knows Laertes is his guy
3) Laertes will let Claudius rule over him if he allows him to kill/seek revenge on Hamlet for his father. This is a win-win situation for both since the King can’t kill Hamlet himself and Laertes wants to be the one to kill Hamlet. They’ll both get what they want: Hamlet dead.
Foreshadows Hamlet’s death.
Laertes, was your father dear to you?
Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,
A face without a heart?
S: King
C: They are talking about revenge against Hamlet as Claudius and Laertes are a team to kill Hamlet now. They are speaking privately.
1) Claudius is trying to figure out if Laertes is telling the truth
2) Dramatic Irony: we know that Hamlet put on a false face and was pretending to act crazy. Claudius doesn’t realize that this is what he’s really asking Laertes.
3) Recall of “painting of tyrant”
4) Plays into the theme that not everything is as it seems in Denmark
Speaker: King Claudius
Context: The King is speaking privately with Laertes in the hopes of him helping kill Hamlet. Laertes is getting angry at Hamlet and now becomes a team with Claudius. Therefore, Claudius has succeeded in manipulating Laertes into killing Hamlet for him.
Importance: Claudius is asking Laertes if he truly means that he will act and carry out his revenge and if he actually wants to avenge his father’s death. As a result, this reinforces the motif that nothing is as is it seems. This is interesting and ironic since Hamlet does not truly mean that he wants to avenge his father’s death as evidenced by his constant procrastination. This echoes the Tyrant portrait with Hamlet and revenge at the beginning of the play. Laertes is actually grieving and seeking revenge, contrasting to Hamlet who isn’t.
Dies in his own too-much: that we would do
We should do when we would; for this “would” changes
S: King
C: They are talking about revenge against Hamlet as Claudius and Laertes are a team to kill Hamlet now. They are speaking privately.
1) The King is telling Laertes that he must act sooner rather than later because if he waits too long he might lose his opportunity.
2) Dramatic Irony: If everyone thought this way, Claudius would be dead already
3) Echoes the Player King talking about how time changes feelings
To cut his throat i’ the church.
No place indeed should murder sanctuarize; Revenge should have no bounds.
S: Laertes and then king
C: They are talking about revenge against Hamlet as Claudius and Laertes are a team to kill Hamlet now. They are speaking privately.
1) Claudius is still testing Laertes by asking him how far he would go. Claudius asks Laertes while speaking in a room together how far he’d go to prove he truly loves his father.
2) Shows the contrast between Hamlet and Laertes again. Hamlet didn’t kill Claudius when he was praying, Laertes claims he would if he had the chance. (man of action vs man of inaction)
2) Dramatic Ironic because Claudius being in the Church (sanctuary) is what saved his life, Hamlet probably would probably have killed him otherwise. Claudius is alive because Hamlet disagrees with him.
How much I had to do to calm his rage!
Now fear I this will give it start again;
Therefore let’s follow.
S: King
C: Gertrude has finished telling Claudius and Laertes about Ophelia’s death.
1) When the King says let’s follow, Gertrude doesn’t usually follow. Ophelia’s death is Gertrude’s last straw and her loyalty to Claudius is quickly fading if not completely faded.
2) Claudius lied to Gertrude…doesn’t actually want to “calm Laertes rage”, he wants to stroke his anger so he can use it to his advantage and have him kill Hamlet.
