Act 4: Hamlet's done a bad thing

After killing polonius, things go very bad for Hamlet. he is sent away to england (to be killed), and laertes returns to the castle. Ophelia has an accident by the brook and drowns, which only upsets laertes further. Laertes and Claudius decide to kill hamlet, under the guise of a fencing match, which will occur in the final act.

Scene 1: The king and queen decide that hamlet is really nuts, and send R&G to go find polonius's body.

Scene 2: Hamlet gives R&G the run-around as to where polonius' body is.

Scene 3: Hamlet also defies the request of the king as to the location of polonius's body. hamlet eventually tells claudius that he is somewhere near the stairs that lead to the lobby. Hamlet leaves for england, followed by R&G.

Scene 4: Hamlet comes across fortinbras's army. fortinbras sends word to hamlet that he is crossing denmark to fight in poland. Hamlet reaizes that he should have taken action against claudius, but that instead he does nothing. He decides to go back and avenge his father.

Scene 5: Ophelia has gone mad now that her father is dead. Laertes returns, and wants to know what happened to his father. the king tells him.

Scene 6: horatio reads a letter from hamlet where he tells that they were captured by pirates and that hamlet is on his way back, and R&G are going to england to die.

Scene 7: Laertes and Claudius make devious plans against hamlet in the form of a bet. they plan to kill hamlet when he returns so that laertes can have revenge. The queen comes in and tells them that ophelia has drowned.

Reflection: This is another act that sets the stage for the next act. We don't see a lot of action, and most of the events are conveyed through dialogue. some notable events are ophelia's death, hamlet's decision that his "thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth," and that laertes plans to poison his blade to make killing hamlet a sure thing. he will regret that decision, but oh well, he'll be dead and won't have to stress about it that much.