Hamlet, Day 11: Act 4, Scenes 5 and 6
Lesson plan for day 11 of the Hamlet unit. Ophelia's madness, Laertes' return, and Hamlet's escape from the pirates.
ENGLISH 11AP/Language and Literature
Daily Plan
UNIT: Hamlet
DAY: 11
Assignment to have been completed: Students should have read 4.5-6 of Hamlet while following the study guide questions.
Activities:
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A. Use the following questions (and answers) to facilitate a discussion of 4.5-6 of Hamlet.
Act IV, Scene v
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1. Why has Ophelia gone mad? [Beware of offering too simplistic an answer.]
Line 4 implies that the death of her father has driven her mad. However, the loss of Hamlet may play some role as well as lines 48 - 51 suggest.
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2. What do you make of the fact that Laertes has returned from France secretly? What new threat does Laertes pose to Claudius?
Laertes wants to know the facts behind the death of his father whom Claudius arranged to be quickly buried as soon as he had Hamlet shipped off. In the meantime, the general population gossips and speculates about the manner of Polonius’s death. Some among them carry tales as truths to Laertes [81 - 94].
Claudius, who is already less popular as king than he would like, must face an angry young man supported in his complaint by many of Claudius’s subjects who riotously call for Laertes to ascend the throne by usurping Claudius.
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3. What is the meaning and tone of Claudius’ words in lines 137 - 140?
Essentially, Claudius attempts to calm Gertrude regarding the apparent rebellion by invoking the divine right of kings. He asserts that God preserves a true monarch from such treason. (This idea is ironic indeed coming from a man who gained the throne by murdering his brother who was the rightful king.)
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4. How do lines 150 - 151 reveal Laertes’ will to vengeance?
He cares nothing at all about those he offends in this world or what doom he lays for himself in the next as he pursues his quest to avenge his father’s death.
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5. What attitude underlies Claudius’ challenge to Laertes in lines 227 - 236?
Claudius seeks to save himself by leading Laertes to Hamlet.
Act IV, Scene vi
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1. How do you explain Hamlet’s adventure with the pirates?
It is a circumstance that allows Shakespeare to return Hamlet more quickly to the court. It shows he is, indeed, now a man of action rather than indirection.
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Assignment for next class meeting: Read 4.7 of Hamlet. Do the corresponding study questions.