Hamlet Act 4 Scene 7 Essay

Hamlet’s response to death reflects aspects of human nature today. People, then and now, want answers when they lose someone close to them; they want to know what happened to them and why they lost them in the first place. Depending on the loss, the mysteries surrounding a death can vary. This loss of a loved one can be sudden, like in Hamlet’s case, or unexpected, like in Ophelia and Laertes’ case, but the need for answers and justice remains. Moving forward, other aspects of human nature are revealed through looking at Ophelia and Laertes’ responses to death.

Laertes and Hamlet each set out to avenge the deaths of their fathers, but they end up committing far worse crimes than those crimes that they were punishing. When Laertes and Claudius invite Hamlet to a duel, they intend "To cut his throat i' the church…[and] Requite him for [Laertes'] father" (4.7.127, 140). Because the King is afraid

Laertes loses his family because of Hamlet’s actions. His father is killed by him and his sister kills herself because of her grief. Laertes and King Claudius begin to plot Hamlet’s murder, planning to poison him, by drink or wound, whichever comes first. However, the plan backfires on the both of them and Laertes dies from his own blade, but not before saying “The King, the King’s to blame.”

Laertes plots for vengeance due to Hamlet killing his father and second-handedly killing his sister, Ophelia. Hamlet, who is still a self-absorbed narcissist, is beyond clueless to Laertes intentions for fighting. In the end, Hamlet is cut with the poisonous sword, Laertes is stabbed with the poisonous sword, Gertrude drinks from the poisonous cup, and King Claudius finally gets what he deserves after Hamlet, as he’s dying, stabs him and forces him to drink the poison. Hamlet, who suffered through a road of vengeance, finally kills Claudius at the last possible second. All of Hamlet’s family and friends die because of his inability to be a man of action and a man of thought at the times when they are opportune. His delay of killing Claudius led him to become invested in his own issues and become the domino effect for the death of others. His moral ambiguity is questioned even at the end of the play because he killed Claudius at the last possible second. In Shakespeare’s tragedies, like Hamlet, Hamlet desire for vengeance ultimately corrupts the morals and decisions he makes further affecting the people around him as he is so self-involved. Hamlet’s morals suffer because he never once looked within himself to understand where he went wrong. Hamlet’s moral ambiguity creates this significance to the play by emphasizing the fact that

Laertes voices his concern of Hamlet's true intentions towards Ophelia and advises her to be wary of Hamlet's love. Laertes impresses upon Ophelia that Hamlet is a prince who, most likely, will have an arranged marriage. Hamlet's strong love for Ophelia withers after she rejects his affinity. Hamlet's extensive love for Ophelia resulted in grave suffering for Hamlet once his affection was rejected. Hamlet's appearance decays due to the rejection of his love for Ophelia "Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other" (Act 2, Scene 1, line 82). The loss of Ophelia's love for Hamlet causes Polonius to believe it has caused Hamlet to revert to antic disposition. Once Laertes learns of the death of his sister, he is afflicted with sadness. In the same way, Hamlet is shocked and enraged over Ophelia's demise. Both Hamlet and Laertes are so profoundly distressed at the death of Ophelia, they jump into her grave and fight each other.

Hamlet also jumps into the grave and accuses Laertes of putting on a show of emotion

As the play progresses, Hamlet’s actions tell he actively attempts to escape his self-proclaimed fate. Suspicions rise that Hamlet tests his free-will when he is inactive to plot the murder of his father. Instead, he develops a play to prove that the King is guilty, yet the play’s only effect is such, which does not bring Claudius closer to death. Finally, Hamlet has a chance to assassinate Claudius, but hesitates, believing that since the King is praying, he will go to heaven. This thought process and decision making demonstrates his attempt at free will. Hamlet’s assignment is solely to kill Claudius, yet his own thoughts get in the way, needing Claudius to waste away in hell and not heaven. In addition, when Claudius wishes to send Hamlet to England, he enthusiastically responds “For England!” (4.3.52), accepting being sent away, even though his mission is to kill Claudius, who resides in Denmark. In that instance, Hamlet is content with being shipped away, as he hopes to prolong his fate, hoping free-will will win over.

Hamlet says to Horatio “I

In her final moments: Gertrude, "No, no, the drink, the drink - O my dear Hamlet...The drink, the drink! I am poisoned." (5.2.288)

Laertes is mourning the loss of his sister, yet Hamlet immediately tries to turn the attention to himself as he claims he loved Ophelia more and would do anything to prove it. After Laertes and Hamlet have a physical fight in Ophelia’s grave, over her body, Hamlet begins attacking Laertes with words.

The scene opens with Gertrude’s refusal to see the distraught Ophelia. “I will not speak with her,” (4.5.1), says the Queen to the gentleman who reports about Ophelia’s madness – “She is importunate, indeed distract,” (4.5.2). Additionally, [she] “speaks things in doubt that carry but half sense.” (4.5.6-7). Horatio points out that “’twere good she were spoken with,” (4.5.14), as “she may stew dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds.” (4.5.14-15). The Queen, who was unsympathetic to Ophelia’s troubles, sees the threat of political unrest and changes her mind about seeing the girl. To herself, Gertrude murmurs, “So full of artless jealousy is guilt / It spills itself in fearing to be spilt,” (4.5.19-20). We observe the customary rhyme towards

Shakespeare expresses the theme of morality through the ghost of King Duncan, Laertes and Hamlet. Hamlet encounters the ghost where they speak of what truly happened during King Hamlet's death. As they speak to each other the ghost says, "A serpent stung me-so the whole ear of Denmark/is by a forged process of my death/ rankly abus'd- but know, thou noble youth,/ the serpent that did sting thy father's life/now wears his crown"(I,v, 35-40). The ghost of King Hamlet explains how there are false rumours about the way he died and informs Hamlet that he should not believe in them. He later clarifies that Claudius is the man who murdered him. Claudius’ act of betrayal presents his lack of morality which continues to show throughout the play. After this encounter, audiences feel a sense of revenge, lack of ethics and honesty amongst the characters. Moreover, as Hamlet and Laertes are in a fencing match, Laertes cheats as his sword is sharpened and coated with poison in order kill Hamlet. As both individuals fence, Laertes tells himself, “And yet it is almost against my conscience.”(V, ii,292). Laertes feels guilty for what he is about to do even though Hamlet was the cause of Polonius and Ophelia’s death. In spite of the fact that Laertes is willing to give up anything to kill the man who murdered his father and sister, he faces Hamlet in a fencing match, which makes him think back on his morality. Furthermore, the audience sees morality once again when Hamlet is telling Gertrude about how awful of a person she is for quickly moving on to a new king after king Hamlet's death. Hamlet is deeply hurt by Gertrude's affection towards the new king and says, "Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, stew'd in corruption,

as he was always off at war…who else to warm the royal bed than the

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most popular dramas in world literature, as it examines the passionate, but toxic ambitions of King Claudius. He murders his own brother, King Hamlet, to overtake the throne, power, and wife. As a result of King Claudius’ fratricide, he inherits the “primal eldest curse” of Cain and Abel, and the dispersion of his venom ends the lives of several major characters. Including, of course, Prince Hamlet, who gets drawn into a deep depression over his father’s death, who later visits him as an apparition. This essay will analyze Shakespeare’s symbolic use of poison, embodied by King Claudius and the unintended consequences of his wicked acts.

When it comes to Queen Gertrude and her heinous action of committing incest with the brother of her late husband, the stigma is undeniable. Yet, considering the circumstances of Old King Hamlet’s death, there remains an abstruseness. Gertrude neither defending or denying the enigmatic claim implies inquiry - inquiry that must be solved.