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Hamlet: Act 4, Scene 7 – analysis
Claudius manipulates Laertes into a treacherous murder plot, which is interrupted by the heartbreaking news of Ophelia's drowning.
Scene Profile – At a Glance
Location: A Room in the Castle.
Characters: King Claudius, Laertes, Queen Gertrude, (A Messenger).
Key Event: Claudius and Laertes plan the fencing match murder; Ophelia drowns in the brook.
The Atmosphere: Machiavellian, conspiratorial, and ultimately sorrowful.
Key Quote: "No place, indeed, should murder sanctuarize; / Revenge should have no bounds."
Significance: The two antagonists align to destroy the protagonist; the subplot of Ophelia ends in tragedy, fueling Laertes' rage.
Scene Summary
Claudius explains to Laertes why he could not publicly punish Hamlet for Polonius’s death: the Queen’s love for her son and the "great love" the general public bears for the Prince. A messenger arrives with letters from Hamlet, announcing he has been set "naked" (stripped of possessions) on the kingdom’s shore. Realising Hamlet has escaped execution in England, Claudius swiftly devises a new plan. He manipulates Laertes into a fencing match with Hamlet. Laertes agrees to use an "unbated" (sharpened) sword rather than a blunt sporting one, and adds his own twist: he will poison the tip. Claudius proposes a backup plan: a poisoned chalice of wine. Just as the pact is sealed, Gertrude enters with the news that Ophelia has drowned in a brook while hanging garlands of flowers on a willow tree. Laertes, overwhelmed by grief, leaves the stage weeping.
Context
The Gentleman's Code: Fencing was a noble sport in the Renaissance, governed by strict rules of honour. By agreeing to use an unbated, poisoned sword, Laertes perverts a gentlemanly exercise into a cowardly assassination.
The Willow and the Brook: The setting of Ophelia’s death is rich in symbolism. The willow represents forsaken love (traditionally worn by rejected lovers). The "weeping" brook emphasises the passivity of her death—she does not jump; she falls and is pulled down by her clothes.
The Diplomatic Pivot: Claudius shows his adaptability here. He moves seamlessly from the failure of his "England plan" to the creation of the "Fencing plan" within moments, proving his dangerous political intellect.
Character Focus
Laertes - The Corrupted Revenger
Laertes stands in stark contrast to Hamlet. Where Hamlet hesitated to kill Claudius at prayer because of theological ethics, Laertes declares he would "cut his throat i' the church." He has no qualms about "sanctuary." His grief for Ophelia is genuine, but it makes him vulnerable to Claudius's manipulation, turning a noble desire for justice into a shameful plot.
Language and Technique
Ekphrasis (Descriptive Imagery): Gertrude’s speech about Ophelia’s death ("There is a willow grows aslant a brook") is a prime example of ekphrasis—a vivid, poetic description of a scene. It transforms a horrific drowning into a beautiful, painting-like image, distancing the audience from the physical horror of death.
Manipulation Strategy: Claudius uses questions to goad Laertes ("Laertes, was your father dear to you? / Or are you like the painting of a sorrow"). By questioning the authenticity of Laertes' grief, he forces Laertes to prove his love through violence.
Irony: Laertes tries to suppress his tears ("I forbid my tears"), asserting his masculinity ("The woman will be out"). Yet, he leaves the stage weeping. It highlights the futility of trying to suppress natural human emotion with rigid codes of manliness.
Key Quotes
Original:
High and mighty, You shall know I am set naked on your kingdom. (Hamlet's Letter)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
High and mighty, I’ve been brought back naked to your country.
Analysis: The word "naked" is key. It means "stripped of retinue and weapons," but also suggests "defenceless" and "truthful." Hamlet is returning without his royal guards or subterfuge, ready to face the King man-to-man. It signals his new vulnerability and confidence.
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Original:
Laertes, was your father dear to you?
Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,
A face without a heart? (King Claudius)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Laertes, did you really love your father?
Or are faking it, just like a painting
That’s just a heartless face?
Analysis: Claudius plays on Laertes' insecurity. By suggesting his grief might be a "painting" (fake/superficial), he challenges Laertes to prove his sincerity through action. It is a masterful psychological trigger.
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Original:
To cut his throat i’ the church. (Laertes)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
I’ll kill him in the church.
Analysis: The ultimate blasphemy. Churches offered "sanctuary" (protection from violence) in medieval law. Laertes is so consumed by rage that he is willing to violate the holiest law of the land, contrasting sharply with Hamlet's refusal to kill Claudius in Act 3 Scene 3.
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Original:
There is a willow grows aslant a brook,
That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream...
Till that her garments, heavy with their drink,
Pulled the poor wretch from her melodious lay
To muddy death. (Gertrude)
Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
There is a leaning willow by a stream
Whose greying leaves reflect within the water…
And soon her clothes were heavy by the water,
And pulled the poor girl, singing on her back,
To die a muddy death.
Analysis: The imagery is pastoral and serene ("glassy stream," "mermaid-like"), contrasting with the grim reality of "muddy death." It suggests Ophelia died in a state of madness-induced innocence, unaware of her danger, returning to nature rather than committing a sinful suicide.
Study Prompts (with suggested answers)
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Benchmark Points:
The Queen's love for Hamlet.
The public's love for Hamlet ("the general gender").
Claudius's need to maintain appearances.
Suggested Answer: Claudius explains that he is "fettered" (chained) by two things: Gertrude, whom he loves and cannot upset, and the general public, who love Hamlet so much they would overlook his crimes. Executing Hamlet publicly would turn the Prince into a martyr and cause a rebellion against Claudius.
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Benchmark Points:
Flattery of his fencing skills (Lamord's report).
Questioning the sincerity of his grief.
Offering him a chance for "secret" revenge.
Suggested Answer: Claudius softens Laertes with flattery, praising his reputation as a swordsman. He then stings his pride by asking if his grief is real or just a "face." Finally, he offers a solution that satisfies Laertes' bloodlust while keeping Claudius's own hands clean—a secret murder disguised as a sporting accident.
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Benchmark Points:
Unbated = sharp (not blunt).
Anointed = poisoned.
The dual nature of the treachery.
Suggested Answer: In a fencing match, swords are usually "bated" (blunted) for safety. Laertes plans to "unbate" his foil (remove the button/sharpen it) so he can stab Hamlet. To ensure death even from a minor scratch, he also "anoints" (poisons) the tip with a mortal venom ("unction").
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Benchmark Points:
"Accidental" fall (breaking sliver).
Passive behaviour (singing while floating).
Ambiguity of "muddy death."
Suggested Answer: Gertrude describes it as an accident: a branch broke, and Ophelia fell. However, Ophelia's lack of attempt to save herself ("incapable of her own distress") suggests a passive suicide—she allowed the water to take her. This ambiguity becomes the central conflict of the Gravedigger scene in Act 5.
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Benchmark Points:
To validate Laertes' skill.
To introduce the fencing plot naturally.
To create a sense of international reputation.
Suggested Answer: The story of Lamord serves a plot function: it establishes Laertes as a master fencer, making the proposed duel credible. It also strokes Laertes' ego, making him more receptive to Claudius’s suggestion. It provides a "neutral" reason for Hamlet to accept the challenge (envy of Laertes' reputation).