1.
What insult does Hamlet have for
Rosencrantz and why is this term fitting?
2. Why
is Gertrude so concerned with what Ophelia is saying in her madness?
3. Why
would Laertes demand the throne? Is he an heir?
4. Why
is Laertes upset by the manner of Polonius’ burial?
5. What is the significance of Hamlet
sending the letter about the ship he was on being taken over by pirates, and
was the letter true?
6. How will Laertes and the King insure
Hamlet’s death in their plot?
Answer to number 6:
Laertes and the King insure Hamlet's death by tricking him into fencing with Laertes because the King claims that when Hamlet found out about Laerte's high regard as a fencer he could not stop talking about it. The first plan is to switch Laerte's fencing sword out with a real sword and put a type of poison on the end, where if it even touches a part of the skin it should kill the person. However, if that plan does not work then the second plan is, while the two are fencing Laertes intends on wearing Hamlet out to the point in which he needs a drink of water and King Claudius will already have the cup ready for him (with poison in it) so that they will be sure to kill him if the first plan doesn't work.
Matt's answer to #4:
ReplyDeletePolonius was buried without a proper funeral procession. The fact that they buried him so quickly and did not go about burying him in the proper way raised suspicion throughout Denmark. Laertes comes home to find his father dead and his sister in disarray. This has him upset and without any proof he accuses the king of being responsible for his father's death. The circumstances surrounding his father's death have made him furious. All Laertes is concerned about now is getting his revenge, a common theme found throughout the play.
#1. Hamlet insults Resencrantz by calling him a sponge, a very fitting term. He says that Rosencrantz is like a King's sponge: He soaks up information for the King and repeats it to the King at his bidding like a sponge soaks up liquid and squeezes it out again when wrung.
ReplyDelete-Shannon
Blehhhhhhhh
ReplyDelete