Explain the significance of Hamlets fourth major soliloquy (solo speech), delivered after his encounter with Fortinbrass army in Scene 4.

The action continues to build in Act 4.? In Scene 1, the queen (Gertrude) reports to King Claudius that Polonius has been slain by Hamlet.? Claudius summons his lackeys Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to once again attempt to get something out of Hamlet.? This time he wants them to find out where Hamlet stowed Poloniuss body, so that he can recover it before the bad news spreads throughout the kingdom.? As usual, Claudius is trying to put a positive political “spin” on the events, even as these events continue to spiral out of his control.? When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern cannot get anything out of Hamlet (Scene 2), Claudius interrogates him directly (Scene 3).? This confrontation between the king and Hamlet is worth reading closely.? While it is very funny, it also shows Hamlet being outrageously disrespectful to the king.? At the same time, Hamlet reveals the depth of his obsession with death and the apparent meaninglessness of ambition in life.? (After dying, even a king “may go progress through the guts of a beggar.”)? After Hamlet finally tells Claudius where the body is, Claudius informs him that he is sending him to England “for thine especial safety” (4:3:40).?

For homework, please answer the following questions about Scenes 4 through 7:

Scene 4: Explain the significance of Hamlets fourth major soliloquy (solo speech), delivered after his encounter with Fortinbrass army in Scene 4 (lines 30-65).

Scene 5: In Scene 5, Ophelia appears to have lost her mind.? While dealing with this new crisis, Claudius is confronted by the arrival of an angry Laertes, who has heard rumors about his fathers murder.? What is the significance of this confrontation?? In answering the question, consider the following.? A foil is a character who is similar to the main character in many ways, but sheds light on the main character by way of contrast, by some important difference. We have seen several “foils” for Hamlet already in this play (Fortinbras and Pyrrhus).? In what sense is Laertes also a foil for Hamlet?