Hamlet Acts 4 & 5 Flashcards
What is the meaning behind hamlets “what is a man” speech after meeting with fortinbras’ captain?
Hamlet is asking a reflective question, he asks what a man who does nothing but eat and sleep rather then acting on his convictions, is. He says this man is a beads and us humans are created with power of reasoning not so we can grow lazy so it can be used
What does it mean to foil?
Foiling means to compare and contrast with two characters (one usually being the protagonist) to highlight qualities in the other one
How is fortinbras foiled with hamlet?
Fortinbras is a man of action, and hamlet acknowledges his superiority once he sees him. Hamlet then beats down on himself for his failure to take action unlike fortinbras.
Hamlet had a much better reason for action then fortinbras does and he still can’t do it
Why does Ophelia hand out flowers to everyone?
Distribution of flowers at funerals and marriages was an old custom and Ophelia imagines herself at her father funeral now
What flowers does Ophelia give Claudius and what do they mean?
Fennel- for deceit and flattery
Columbines- for cuckoldry (stealing a mans wife)
Daisy- for falsity, faithlessness and infidelity
What flowers does Ophelia give Gertrude and what do they mean?
Rue- for sorrow and repentance
Daisy- for falsity, faithlessness, and infidelity
What flowers does ophelia give to herself and why?
Rue- for sorrow and repentance
Because of her marriage with hamlet that could have happened
How is laertes foiled with hamlet?
Laertes is now like fortinbras and hamlet in that he has a father to avenge. Laertes is a man of action and is near doing what hamlet has been saying he is going to do for so long
For what two reasons did Claudius not put hamlet on trial?
- Gertrude loved hamlet too much
2. The love the general public has for hamlet, destroying hamlet would hurt Claudius
How is the timing of hamlets letter so dramatic and ironic?
Hamlets letter arrives just as Claudius and laertes have been discussing hamlets fate.
Ironic because the letter arrives right after Claudius had told laertes he had plans in play that would kill hamlet
What flowers does Ophelia give laertes and what do they mean?
Rosemary- for remembering
Pansies- for thoughts
Why do the gravediggers believe Ophelia shouldn’t have a proper Christian burial?
They believe she purposely drowned herself and there’s no way she didn’t. She chose to go in the water and drown therefor it’s her fault
They believe it’s cause she’s rich she gets this
What does nemesis mean?
The inescapable agent of someone’s or somethings downfall
Long standing rival or arch enemy
Retributive justice, a deserved punishment or reward for evil or good done
What is irony?
Irony is a figure of speech in which a contradiction or incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs
What is dramatic irony?
It occurs in movies or acts when the audience is aware of something that the characters in the story are not aware of
