Please choose two questions from ACT IV to respond to in at least a 150 word post. Please state the scene and the question. (ex. ACT IV Scene 2 - How is suspense built in this scene?) Be sure you provide textual evidence to support your claims. You must respond to two of your peers as well. DUE by midnight 12/28/15.
51 Comments
Sarah
12/23/2015 02:16:36 pm
Act VI Scene V
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Elizabeth
12/26/2015 09:55:56 am
It is very interesting how Claudius always assumes people have gone mad when they enter into deep stages of grief. Everyone has a different way of coping with loss- Hamlet becomes prickly and taciturn, and Ophelia attempts to convince herself that Polonius's death didn't happen at all. While they're ways of coping may not be the most healthy avenues to deal with loss, they shouldn't be labeled as mad right off the bat. Maybe Claudius jumps to conclusions so quickly because of his tendency to assume his judgment is best.
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Jenny Glidewell
12/27/2015 06:11:18 pm
I agree with you that Laertes is a much more formidable foe because he wants to avenge his father. It has been proven that people who have a reason for fighting are much more successful. In wars, the reason a country may win is because they have a reason for fighting while the other side does not. That is one of the reasons we won the revolutionary war because we wanted our freedom from Britain so badly.
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Holmes
1/4/2016 05:42:14 pm
Yes, but the rage can also blind those who seek revenge and thwart their quest.
Kristen DennyI
12/27/2015 07:35:39 pm
I agree that Ophelia became distraught over her father's death. It even took her as far as drowning. She had not been given a proper ceremony for the passing of her father and this was revealed in a song she sang; "Larded all with sweet flowers; / Which bewept to the grave did not go / With true-love showers" (Shakespeare 186). I believe that without a proper funeral it just further damaged her grieving process over her father.
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Holmes
1/4/2016 05:40:13 pm
Q1- I must disagree. Ophelia has gone quite insane.
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Nora Skinner
12/24/2015 10:47:59 am
Act IV Scene 3 - 1. What is the King’s plan to get rid of Hamlet?
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Elizabeth
12/26/2015 10:02:14 am
I wonder why Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are still sailing towards England and not returning to Denmark. I would have assumed that the kidnapping of the crown prince of Denmark would be a terrible problem for the country and Hamlet's two travel companions would sail home as quickly as possible for aid to retrieve Hamlet or at least spread the news. Do you think that it's possible they are dead and not actually sailing to England?
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Kaitlyn Denny
12/27/2015 11:28:46 am
I agree that the King is selfish and just wants to protect himself. He did kill the previous King, his brother, in order to be King himself. How does he not expect this plan to fall through. One would think that the King would know how clever Hamlet is at this point, considering he knows that Hamlet is aware of his killing the previous King.
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Sarah
12/27/2015 11:28:56 am
Elizabeth makes a good point, why would Rosencrantz and Guildenstern keep sailing? Assuming they knew that Hamlet wasn't on board, it could be that they are afraid of what Claudius might do to them, or that they aren't even alive anymore.
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Kristen Denny
12/28/2015 08:21:17 am
Claudius is a coward and will do anything to protect the crown that he stole from his brother. At this point, he knew that Hamlet knew his dark secret and in order to keep his throne, he would go to extensive lengths to keep Hamlet out of the way.
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Nicole Rogers
1/1/2016 05:21:44 pm
Since when do pirates show mercy? This event seems very odd and fishy to me. I think there is likely another story behind Hamlet’s return to Denmark. I also think it is odd that they were attacked by pirates, Hamlet was taken, yet returned, and his best friends continued on their voyage to England. I think there is a lot more to this story than we have seen. What do you think?
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Holmes
1/4/2016 05:53:23 pm
I think you may be on to something in one regard. Hamlet is not without friends who would indeed assist him...
Holmes
1/4/2016 05:48:44 pm
What was to be done to R and G? What do you think of this reversal of plot?
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Elizabeth
12/26/2015 09:51:17 am
Act IV, Scene I
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Kaitlyn Denny
12/27/2015 11:32:14 am
Nice use of a vocab word. I personally found it interesting that he compared them to sponges; however it was the mot juste for the situation. I agree that his anger will drive him to kill Hamlet before the King. Not only is Laertes more invested in revenge, the King is also afraid because he knows what is coming for him.
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Holmes
1/4/2016 05:57:20 pm
mot juste!
Sarah
12/27/2015 11:35:25 am
Yes, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are most definitely sponges, taking in everything, and spitting back nothing that's original. Laertes is potent for the very reason that you said, he's both emotionally unstable and skilled with his weapon.
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Lauren Collins
12/27/2015 08:06:29 pm
It is true that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are obsequious sponges that aim to please, probably for their own benefit. They are servants to the King and listen to every wish and whim he has to offer. They seem less than friends to Hamlet, but more of information seekers.
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Nora
12/27/2015 09:02:31 pm
I agree with everyone. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are indeed loyal to the King, but when it came down to it I don't think they'd be able to kill their childhood friend. Laertes however would not hesitate to kill Hamlet because he is doing it to avenge his father. He is willing to do anything in order to get revenge, unlike Hamlet who was not willing to act on his feelings.
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Kristen Denny
12/28/2015 08:08:20 am
It was quite witty of Hamlet to relate Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to sponges. Also, I saw a parallel between Hamlet and Laertes. They both wished to avenge their fathers' deaths and shared the passion of killing their fathers' murderers. This drive of avenging his father further proves Laertes to be the most fitting foe.
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Nicole Rogers
1/1/2016 05:20:56 pm
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern seem to be the worst friends a person could have. Yes they may not be as easily persuaded to kill Hamlet, but in actuality, they really are delivering Hamlet to his death by taking him to England. Why are they so easily going against their “friend” and taking Claudius’s side? Could they have come to their senses of being a good friend and had something to do with Hamlet being able to return to Denmark unharmed?
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Holmes
1/4/2016 05:56:46 pm
Good points about the sponges - you could go on for a while discussing the metaphor.
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Nicole Rogers
12/26/2015 10:24:56 am
Act IV Scene 1
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Hannah Ross
1/3/2016 01:45:26 pm
I agree with what you said about Claudius. I feel his in most protecting himself and his throne. But could he also be trying to put distance between Gertrude and Hamlet. Now that Claudius knows Hamlet has no boundaries, he knows he would tell Gertrude, and Claudius could be trying to prevent that. Little does he know that she already in a way knows.
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Holmes
1/4/2016 06:01:45 pm
Very well put. Good work referring to and citing from Act 1 to support your response.
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Nicole Rogers
12/26/2015 10:27:07 am
Act IV Scene 1
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Nicole Rogers
12/26/2015 10:40:29 am
Act IV Scene 1
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Kaitlyn Denny
12/27/2015 11:25:32 am
Act IV Scene 1 Why does Hamlet’s departure have special urgency?
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Jenny Glidewell
12/27/2015 06:48:30 pm
I completely agree with you! I think Claudius knew that the person Hamlet had actually intended to kill was him. He is in such a hurry to send Hamlet away because he fears his own life. He is also afraid Hamlet may tell others that he knows he murdered King Hamlet.
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Lauren Collins
12/27/2015 07:57:21 pm
I definitely agree that Claudius made Hamlet leave to England for his own safety and for his own state of mind. He knows that Hamlet is capable of detecting "rats" and probably expects that Hamlet knows all about his "rat tendencies", such as committing murder and marrying the victim's wife.
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Nora
12/27/2015 08:59:10 pm
Yes, the King just wanted to send Hamlet away so that he himself would be protected. I wonder if anyone else in the kingdom would notice that something is up with Claudius...it seems a little strange just to send your son away to a foreign land just for "his safety".
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Holmes
1/4/2016 06:06:29 pm
We know something is fishy in the state of Denmark at the onset of the play. Claudius' courtiers may follow his orders, but what about the likes of the hoi polloi and Horatio et al?
Destiny
1/7/2016 08:58:56 am
I think you are right. But i think another reason the king is sending hamlet to England is so no one in the country would think he had anything to do with Hamlets death, he does not want people to become suspicious of him, and the fact that the king and the prince was killed.
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Jenny Glidewell
12/27/2015 05:43:43 pm
Act IV Scene 3: What is the King's plan to get rid of Hamlet?
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Holmes
1/4/2016 06:08:00 pm
Good of you to note Claudius' recognition of how the populace feel about Hamlet.
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Kristen Denny
12/27/2015 07:16:36 pm
Act IV Scene 2
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Alyssa Hagerman
12/31/2015 11:38:44 am
I did not fully understand why Hamlet would not just tell the king where the body was. It had already come out that Hamlet had stabbed Polonius, so why could the body not be turned over? Even if he supposedly had been going after a mouse with the sword, there was no secret surrounding the cause of death of Polonius. Hopefully the final act of the play will shed some light on the secrecy of Polonius' body.
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Holmes
1/4/2016 06:11:59 pm
Are Hamlet's actions not in keeping with his character? Do they not show his blatant disregard and disrespect for Claudius and at the same time continue on with the act?
Lauren Collins
12/27/2015 07:37:59 pm
Act IV, Scene 5 – What is wrong with Ophelia? What is the cause? How does she behave?
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Alyssa Hagerman
12/31/2015 11:34:07 am
I also believe that Ophelia is crazy from grieving for her father. When Hamlet was acting strange and distant, she only seemed concerned, but it didn't consume her in the same way. I found it strange that everything she said suddenly came out in the form of song, and I certainly did not expect Ophelia to let her grief cloud her judgement so much so that she would accidentally drown.
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Holmes
1/4/2016 06:13:25 pm
She is singing, but what/how is she singing? What is her mental state? How does the "singing" exemplify her mental state?
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Nicole Rogers
12/29/2015 07:37:08 am
Act IV Scene 1
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Alyssa Hagerman
12/30/2015 08:12:41 pm
Act IV, Scene 1
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Hannah Ross
1/3/2016 01:39:34 pm
I agree with your observations about Gertrude. She is protecting him by downplaying the murder. But is she also protecting him by downplaying his behavior in general. She acknowledges his odd actions but is none to quick to call madness as Claudius is. Also, do you think she is protecting him because she feels guilty for marrying his father's brother so quickly?
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Holmes
1/4/2016 06:25:16 pm
Do you think Claudius is just sending Hamlet away?
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Destiny
1/7/2016 06:58:43 am
I think that Gertrude is more like Claudius, she is protecting Hamlet by explaining what happened, but it isn't for him, it is for herself and her own-self image. Claudius is just sending Hamlet away in case he knows something and decides to tell everyone of his knowledge.
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Hannah Ross
1/3/2016 02:06:33 pm
Act 4 Scene 5
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Holmes
1/4/2016 06:28:14 pm
With all of the commonalities between Hamlet and Laertes, what is the major difference between the two? How do you think their mutual losses will affect/influence Hamlet?
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Destiny
1/7/2016 06:51:42 am
Act Four Scene five
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Holmes
1/13/2016 10:39:32 am
What are shame your comments were posted late. You have good points regarding Ophelia and a discussion on those would have been nice.
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