ACT+IV

Samantha Krohn Natural vs. Unnatural

//"Ay, sir, that soaks up the King's countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the King best service in the end. He keeps them like an ape an apple in the corner of his jaw, first mouthed, to be last swallowed. When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again."//
 * Scene 2: p. 191, lines 15-20**

This particular segment in scene 2 accurately demonstrates an instance where the natural vs. unnatural motif is prevalent. The context of this line takes place shortly after Polonius is murdered by Hamlet. After hearing of the news, Rosencrantz immediately asks Hamlet where he has disposed of the body. Hamlet, confused by the notion that Rosencrantz could possibly expect him to "keep your counsel and not mine own", replies with this interesting metaphor. It is natural for Rosencrantz to feel loyalty to the king; after all, that's who he has been working for all along. What's unnatural is the new perspective Hamlet gives to this position. He refers to Rosencrantz as a "sponge" as he "soaks up the King's countenance, his rewards, his authorities." While Rosencrantz has probably always viewed these duties as responsible and civic, he is now beginning to question them, and wonder if Hamlet is really right. Hamlet implies that, as soon as the king gets what he wants/needs from Rosencrantz (and the sponge is "dried out" so to speak), the whole process will repeat itself, making Rosencrantz seem like a pathetic and useless assistant to the king's deeds. Because Rosencrantz is now questioning his own responsibilities, the natural vs. unnatural motif is starting to show itself.

//"Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar."//
 * Scene 3: p. 195, line 28**

In this scene, Hamlet has just been questioned by Claudius about the whereabouts of Polonius, or Polonius's body. After Hamlet alludes to the fact that Polonius is now being eaten by worms, he makes this interesting analogy. He explains to the king that "A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king and eat of the fish that hath fed to that worm," implying that, as much of a rich and cultured life the king has led, nothing will stop him from someday finding himself in the "guts of a beggar." This, clearly, is unnatural not only to Claudius, but to all readers/viewers of Hamlet. Obviously, it's natural for worms and maggots to eat rotting flesh, just like it's natural for people to fish with those worms and maggots, and then to eat the fish they catch. But, using his interesting words and twisted thoughts, Hamlet has, once again, managed to make the natural seem completely unnatural.

//"And let all sleep, while to my shame I see the imminent death of twenty thousand men that for a fantasy and trick of fame go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot whereon the numbers cannot try he cause, which is not tomb enough and continent to hide the slain?"//
 * Scene 4: p. 203, lines 62-66**

This scene is probably one of the most defining moments in this entire play. It is a climactic moment in that Hamlet is making a decision, and coming to a conclusion about where he stands and where he wants things to go from this point on. While fighting a war for your country and defending the honor of its people certainly seems natural, fighting over a worthless piece of land that is not even big enough to fight on, let alone bury all the killed soldiers, seems very unnatural. Hamlet, at this point, realizes that. This line is also significant for the reason that it leads Hamlet to his ultimate decision: that every action he takes from now on will be meaningful and revengeful, or worth nothing at all.

Aaron Cranfill The Concept of Time/Timing

Hamlet: //"Why, then, the Polack never will defend it."//
 * Scene 4: p. 199, Lines 24**

This is an important point in this scene as far as timing goes because of the significance of when it transpires in the chronological order of the story. Hamlet has just been dismissed by the King to England as basically exile, and then to be killed eventually. Hamlet's fortunes are looking pretty bleak at this point and then he meets the captain of this army, an army with no purpose. This is a turning point in the story in how it gives Hamlet a little spark of an idea as you can almost see the wheels turning in Hamlets head during the movie. It seems this might be the thing to turn it around for Hamlet and puts the idea in the readers mind of why this army is in there and "why it has no purpose," yet later we learn it needs one which adds to the growing turmoil as the events unfold and the story nears its end.

Laertes: //"How, Now what noise is that?// (Enter Ophelia) Laertes: //O heat, dry up my brains! Tears seven times salt Burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye!//
 * Scene 5: p. 227, lines 160-162**

Laertes comes to Denmark with the only idea of avenging his fathers death. He believes he his about to have all his questions answered and get his revenge, when Ophelia enters the picture. He had probably completely forgotten about her in his fit of rage, and now she comes crashing back into his life with such a force that all his anger turns to sadness. This is such a monumental point of the scene a the Audiences sympathy then goes with Laertes as his family is pulled apart even more, and fuel is added to his internal struggle and The stage is now set for what he must do since all this pain in his life is caused by one man, Hamlet, and he must avenge his father and sister.

Queen: //"One woe doth tread upon another's heel, So fast they follow. Your sister's drowned, Laertes."//
 * Scene 7: p. 235, Lines 166-167**

The King and Laertes have just set the stage for Hamlet's murder. Laertes is finally calmed down now that he can focus solely on thee task at hand since he is now going to avenge his fallen father. With this sudden outburst, everything crumbles for Laertes and even though he has to kill Hamlet, the composure he had just recovered is lost. The second death of the story is unfortunate, but the second one to be in Laertes family, when the issue was just resolved minutes before keeps the plot rolling and conflict continuing. Shakespeare once again makes a terrible situation into a horrible one as the feelings Laertes are experiencing are also apparent for the audience and the timing adds to the hurt.

Kelly Bertzyk speak/speech

//Queen "I will not speak with her."//
 * Scene V. pg 121 Line 1**

This particular line comes when the queen is asked to speak to Ophelia, after Ophelia has started to go insane. The queen immediately says the above line, expressing her undesire to speak with Ophelia. This represents the motif because it shows how speech can be denied. At times. one doesn't want to speak, even when given the opportunity to do so. This shows reader's a different side to Gertrude, because it shows that she doesn't really care. Even after her talk with Hamlet, part of her is still aprrehensive about everything, and this is shown when she does not want to speak to Ophelia.

//King: "Let him go, Gertrude. Speak, man."//
 * Scene V. pg. 127 lines 126-127**

Here, Claudias is telling Gertrude to let Laertes go, and then ordering Laertes to speak. He orders him to do this after Laertes appears to almost kill teh king. this scene/line is particularly important to the motif because it shows the power of speech. Laertes was about to potentially kill the king, when all of a sudden given the chance to speak, he refrained from doing so. Also, after the kind talked with Laertes, he was able to convinve him that it was Hamlet that he should be after. Speaking allowed the king to completly reverse laertes actions, and now, kill Hamlet. This proves how much power speech alone can have.

//Captain: "Truly to speak, and with no addition, we go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name."//
 * Scene V pg. 118-119 lines 17-19**

This line cleary demostartes the motif, because it puts things inot perspective for Hamlet. After talking to the captain, Hamlet goes into his soliloquy about what makes a true man. In this soliloquy, Hamlet talks about man's gift of speech and reason, and how he should use that gift, rather than let it go to waste. The line above really makes hamlet think about all of these things, and put his whole situation into perspective. From there, he comes to the conclusion that he will begin his revenge, and that his only thoughts from now on will be bloody. This line lets him understand the power he has, and makes him go forth in his efforts for revenge.

Jaime Kozlik Time/Timing // Hamlet: “High and mighty, you shall know I am set naked on your kingdom” // The line 44-45 clearly displays the motif of timing, with the sense of being in "The right place at the right time." While Claudius had explained to Laertes that Hamlet had killed polonious, a messenger ironically distributes a letter to the King sencerely from Hamlet. The letter indicated that Hamlet is returning to Denmark by himself. Laertes is excited because now with Hamlet coming back home he will have an opportunity to revenge his fathers death. If Laertes wouldn't have been sitting there with the king, and would have heard the news of Hamlet returning home, the outcome of Hamlet's death could have altered.
 * Scene 7 pg 237 lines 44-45 **

Laertes: //let come what comes, only I'll be revenged most throughly for my father"//
 * Scene 5 pg 215 lines 140-141**

This line demonstrates another example of "timing" but instead of being in the right place at the right time, perhaps Laertes was in the wrong place. With the news of his fathers death Laertes bursts through a pair of doors with a mob of peasents ready and willing to get revenge. While Laertes is threatheng the king and deamanding for an explanation of his fathers murder, Orphelia enters the room. Laertes withdraws his sword and his anger and rage turn into pitty and sorrow. He cannot believe what has happend to his sister resulting in him to slow down and think about what had happened, giving Claudius the change to truly explain the tradgic result of his fathers mishap. With Orphelia's timing of entering the room of distraught and distracting her brother from the current confrontation between Cladius and him, it than braught Hamlet to the center of the dinner table, with revenge as the main course.

Hamlet : //O, from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!"//
 * Scene 4 pg 203 lines 67-68**

Fortinbras sends his captain to deliver a message to the king that, they are still marching through Denmark, and they mean no harm. Hamlet approaches the captain and asks what whose army is down below. He is than confronted with their plan to march through Denmark, and invade Poland. Hamlet than asks the captain, what they are fighting for and he responds by saying " //We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profice but the name//" meaning that they have no reason to be fighting for this land, other than the fact that it would be there to call their own. After hearing Fortinbras plan Hamlet begins to ponder the fact that nearly twenty thousand men are in an army and are willing to die for no cause, no reason, but hear his father was murdered by his uncle who took over the kingdom in a matter of "minutes" if you will, and married his mother, his fathers wife, and yet he hasn't taken action. He finally comes to realize that he has waited to long and it is finaly **time** to revenge his fathers death.