Hamlet Act 4 Scene 3 Extract Question
Discuss the following passage from Act 4 Scene 3, exploring Shakespeare’s use of language
and its dramatic effects.
In Act 4 Scene 3, we see King Claudius plotting as to how to dispose of Hamlet, and Hamlet
taunting Claudius and not demonstrating much remorse for having killed Polonius a few
scenes earlier. Shakespeare uses imagery of disease and decay, political imagery, appearance
versus reality and punctuation to create a tense atmosphere despite the comedic aspects of the
scene.
Firstly, as the scene begins, Claudius is deciding how to be rid of Hamlet, as “he’s loved of
the distracted multitude” who may riot against him if he tries to kill Hamlet. The people of
Denmark are fond of Hamlet, and Claudius, ever concerned with his public image does not
want to risk his public turning against him, as he could lose the throne and power that he
gained through regicide (so there is suspicion surrounding his rule already). He then decides
that sending Hamlet to England would be the best solution, and at this point it isn’t clear if he
plans on having Hamlet killed once there or not. He justifies this decision by stating “diseases
desperate grown/By deliberate appliance are relieved,/Or not at all.” This conveys a sense of
Hamlet’s madness as a disease, which to a modern reader appears cruel and insensitive, but
also hints at the idea that his madness could only be cured by the most desperate of remedies.
This probably isn’t true, but Claudius needs to ensure that his attendants who entered the
scene with Claudius don’t think that he is trying to get rid of Hamlet without justification, as
his attendants are probably of a lower class and could be involved with the “distracted
multitude” that love Hamlet, and could then ruin his chances of remaining in power without
the threat of Hamlet. Claudius’ mention of disease around Hamlet could also more likely be
read as him declaring Hamlet as a disease himself, that would spread without ceasing if he
doesn’t manage to control it and could threaten Claudius and his throne. Disease is a motif
throughout the play, and often particularly surrounds Claudius, but more rarely does Claudius
use this imagery, normally he is the disease being spoken about, and by reversing this role
onto Hamlet, Shakespeare evokes a sense of Claudius’ awareness of the danger that Hamlet
could pose to his power as King.
Furthermore, Hamlet also uses imagery of decay and disease, but he uses it to taunt Claudius
when he tries to interrogate Hamlet over the whereabouts of Polonius’ body. When asked
where Polonius is, Hamlet uses his wordplay again to mock Claudius and replies “not where
he eats, but where ‘a is eaten” which conveys a sense of Polonius’ mortality as he soon
becomes the food for the “politic worms” at the bottom of the food chain. This degrades
Polonius to being of a lower value than a worm, which heightens the audience’s
understanding of the lack of remorse or grief that Hamlet feels over having murdered
someone, even though it was the wrong person. Hamlet continues to taunt Claudius with
further wordplay, and then eventually after being satisfied that he has had his enjoyment out
of the conversation, gives up the location of Polonius’ body, admitting “if indeed you find
him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.” This is
a very practical approach to death and decay, much more so than we have seen from Hamlet
in the past, which highlights how he could either truly be losing his sanity as he can no longer
contemplate death and the human condition as before, or reveals Hamlet’s indifference over
the murder of Polonius, and the thrill that he feels by irritating Claudius through his
wordplay. Hamlet strives to do anything he can to aggravate Claudius and make his life more
difficult, and he has just forced him to endure his word games and insults, and by revealing
Discuss the following passage from Act 4 Scene 3, exploring Shakespeare’s use of language
and its dramatic effects.
In Act 4 Scene 3, we see King Claudius plotting as to how to dispose of Hamlet, and Hamlet
taunting Claudius and not demonstrating much remorse for having killed Polonius a few
scenes earlier. Shakespeare uses imagery of disease and decay, political imagery, appearance
versus reality and punctuation to create a tense atmosphere despite the comedic aspects of the
scene.
Firstly, as the scene begins, Claudius is deciding how to be rid of Hamlet, as “he’s loved of
the distracted multitude” who may riot against him if he tries to kill Hamlet. The people of
Denmark are fond of Hamlet, and Claudius, ever concerned with his public image does not
want to risk his public turning against him, as he could lose the throne and power that he
gained through regicide (so there is suspicion surrounding his rule already). He then decides
that sending Hamlet to England would be the best solution, and at this point it isn’t clear if he
plans on having Hamlet killed once there or not. He justifies this decision by stating “diseases
desperate grown/By deliberate appliance are relieved,/Or not at all.” This conveys a sense of
Hamlet’s madness as a disease, which to a modern reader appears cruel and insensitive, but
also hints at the idea that his madness could only be cured by the most desperate of remedies.
This probably isn’t true, but Claudius needs to ensure that his attendants who entered the
scene with Claudius don’t think that he is trying to get rid of Hamlet without justification, as
his attendants are probably of a lower class and could be involved with the “distracted
multitude” that love Hamlet, and could then ruin his chances of remaining in power without
the threat of Hamlet. Claudius’ mention of disease around Hamlet could also more likely be
read as him declaring Hamlet as a disease himself, that would spread without ceasing if he
doesn’t manage to control it and could threaten Claudius and his throne. Disease is a motif
throughout the play, and often particularly surrounds Claudius, but more rarely does Claudius
use this imagery, normally he is the disease being spoken about, and by reversing this role
onto Hamlet, Shakespeare evokes a sense of Claudius’ awareness of the danger that Hamlet
could pose to his power as King.
Furthermore, Hamlet also uses imagery of decay and disease, but he uses it to taunt Claudius
when he tries to interrogate Hamlet over the whereabouts of Polonius’ body. When asked
where Polonius is, Hamlet uses his wordplay again to mock Claudius and replies “not where
he eats, but where ‘a is eaten” which conveys a sense of Polonius’ mortality as he soon
becomes the food for the “politic worms” at the bottom of the food chain. This degrades
Polonius to being of a lower value than a worm, which heightens the audience’s
understanding of the lack of remorse or grief that Hamlet feels over having murdered
someone, even though it was the wrong person. Hamlet continues to taunt Claudius with
further wordplay, and then eventually after being satisfied that he has had his enjoyment out
of the conversation, gives up the location of Polonius’ body, admitting “if indeed you find
him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby.” This is
a very practical approach to death and decay, much more so than we have seen from Hamlet
in the past, which highlights how he could either truly be losing his sanity as he can no longer
contemplate death and the human condition as before, or reveals Hamlet’s indifference over
the murder of Polonius, and the thrill that he feels by irritating Claudius through his
wordplay. Hamlet strives to do anything he can to aggravate Claudius and make his life more
difficult, and he has just forced him to endure his word games and insults, and by revealing
