Act 4, Scene 1

Key Events & Ideas in Act 4, Scene 1

Gertrude tells Claudius of Hamlet’s killing of Polonius. The King declares that Hamlet is a danger “to all” and must be shipped to England that day.

Gertrude & Claudius lie

Gertrude and Claudius lie to each other.
- This is the only scene in play where we see Claudius and Gertrude alone together in a moment of intimacy – all other occasions have been in public with one or other members of the royal court. But we see the distance between them at this moment in the play. The Queen does not reveal any knowledge of her first husband being murdered and tells Claudius that Hamlet acted in madness. Likewise, Claudius does not share his fear that Hamlet knows the truth.

Claudius' question about Hamlet

Claudius: “Where is your son?”
- The King’s question may seem insignificant at first, but it marks a change in Claudius’ thinking and signals the growing distance between King and Queen.

Significance of "your"

The pronoun “your” subtly implies that Hamlet is Gertrude’s responsibility. Previously, (e.g. Act 1, Scene 2) Claudius referred to Hamlet as “my son”, urged him to “think of us / As a father” and then called him “our son”.
Significantly, these previous expressions of parental love are made in public. Now, privately, Claudius thinks of Hamlet as an enemy or rival for his crown.

Test to Claudius' kingship

Claudius realises that this crisis is a serious test of his kingship and that it will take “all our majesty and skill” to explain Polonius' murder by the heir to the Danish throne to his court, public and foreign ambassadors.
His reputation as King is in grave danger of being seriously damaged at home and abroad.

Claudius' fear for reputation

Claudius has to find a way of explaining the murder while being seen to have served justice in a way that protects the King and Queen’s “name” from any “slander” which may lay the blame for the murder, or how it has been punished, at their door. His first reaction is to fear that the murder will be “laid to us”.

Claudius' priority: politics

Significantly, these thoughts about the potential damage to his reputation come before any words of grief at the death of his loyal councillor, Polonius.
Claudius is presented as a politician first and foremost.

1Introduction

1.1Introduction & Background to Hamlet

1.1.1Introduction to Hamlet

1.1.2The Literary Tradition of the Hamlet Story

1.1.3Introduction to the Settings in Hamlet

1.1.4Introduction to Social Issues Raised

2Plot Summary

2.1Act 1: Key Events & Ideas

2.1.1Act 1, Scene 1

2.1.2Act 1, Scene 2

2.1.3Act 1, Scene 3

2.1.4Act 1, Scenes 4-5

2.2Act 2: Key Events & Ideas

2.2.1Act 2, Scene 1

2.2.2Act 2, Scene 2

2.3Act 3: Key Events & Ideas

2.3.1Act 3, Scene 1: Key Events

2.3.2Act 3, Scene 1: Key Ideas

2.3.3Act 3, Scene 2

2.3.4Act 3, Scene 3

2.3.5Act 3, Scene 4

2.4Act 4: Key Events & Ideas

2.4.1Act 4, Scene 1

2.4.2Act 4, Scenes 2-3

2.4.3Act 4, Scene 4

2.4.4Act 4, Scene 5: Key Events

2.4.5Act 4, Scene 5: Key Ideas

2.4.6Act 4, Scene 6

2.4.7Act 4, Scene 7

2.5Act 5: Key Events & Ideas

2.5.1Act 5, Scene 1: Key Events

2.5.2Act 5, Scene 2: Key Events

2.5.3Act 5, Scene 2: Key Ideas

3Character Profiles

3.1Hamlet

3.1.1Hamlet's Speech & Mind

3.1.2Hamlet's Heroic Status

3.1.3Hamlet's State of Mind

3.1.4Hamlet's Indecision/Action Taking

3.2Claudius

3.2.1Claudius' Crime

3.2.2Changing Impressions of Claudius

3.3Gertrude

3.3.1Mystery & Hamlet's View of Gertrude

3.3.2Gertrude's Character

3.3.3Gertrude's Relationship with Hamlet

3.4Ophelia

3.4.1Ophelia

3.5Polonius

3.5.1Portrayal of Polonius & Treatment of Ophelia

3.5.2Polonius' Spying & Death

3.6Laertes

3.6.1Laertes' Popularity & Relationship with Ophelia

3.6.2Laertes' Character Traits

4Key Themes

4.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.1.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.2Madness in Hamlet

4.2.1Madness in Hamlet

4.3Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet

4.3.1Guilt in Hamlet

4.3.2Punishment in Hamlet

4.4Settings in Hamlet

4.4.1Physical Settings & Historical Setting of Hamlet

5Writing Techniques

5.1Structure

5.1.1Structure of Hamlet

5.1.2'Play Within a Play' Structure

5.1.3Play-Acting Motif

5.2Form

5.2.1Soliloquy

5.2.2Comedy

5.3Imagery

5.3.1Imagery of Corruption & Decay

5.3.2Imagery: Healing, Performance & Costume

5.4Language

5.4.1Word Usage & Hendiadys

5.4.2Questions & Classical Allusions

6Context

6.1Social & Historical Context

6.1.1Elizabeth I & Succession

6.1.2Cosmic & Social Hierarchy

6.1.3Renaissance & Emergence of Humanism

6.1.4Regicide

6.1.5The Reformation

6.2Literary Context

6.2.1Seneca Tragedy

6.2.2The Revenge Tragedy

6.3Performance & Textual History

6.3.1Performance History of Hamlet

6.3.2Textual History of Hamlet

7Critical Debates

7.118-19th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.1.1Introduction to Critical Debates

7.1.218th Century Commentary on Hamlet

7.1.3Romantic Commentary on Hamlet

7.220th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.2.1Freudian Response to Hamlet

7.2.2Other Early 20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.3Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.1Introduction to Feminist Criticism

7.3.2Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.3Presentation of Ophelia

7.4Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet

7.4.1Introduction to Marxist Criticisms

7.4.2Marxist Readings of Hamlet

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