ACT IV, 1: O HEAVY DEED!
In the first scene of Act IV, Claudius learns of the death of Polonius. Claudius, up to this point in the play, had only noble intentions toward Hamlet. Claudius did want to help Hamlet. But Claudius realizes he had made a blunder. He should not have allowed the “mad” Hamlet to roam freely about the castle (lines 17-18). So, Claudius blames himself for the death of Polonius. The reason why Claudius allowed Hamlet to walk freely about the palace was his love for his nephew: “But so much was our love, we would not understand what was most fit” (18-19). This was the one occasion when Claudius, who otherwise acts responsibly and wisely in regards to important matters, slips up. This is his one big mistake. Claudius is extremely bothered and dismayed by what has happened, and he realizes that he can no longer allow Hamlet to do as he pleases.
ACT IV, 2: A RIDDLE
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, in the second scene, go to Hamlet and attempt to find out where Hamlet has hidden the body of Polonius. Hamlet continues to speak madly to them, and responds in a riddle: “The body is with the King, but the King is not with the body” (25-26). The reference to the king is most likely a reference to old King Hamlet, whom the prince would recognize as being the only true king of Denmark. So, Hamlet may be saying that Polonius’ body is with or near the body of the dead King Hamlet, but King Hamlet’s soul is not with his own body or corpse. Other possible interpretations also have been given for Hamlet’s odd statement. Hamlet speaks in a mad manner, and this often gives his speech more than one possible interpretation.
ACT IV, 3: HOW DANGEROUS IS IT THAT THIS MAN GOES LOOSE!
By the third scene, King Claudius has made up his mind as to how he will deal with the mad prince. Claudius realizes that the people of Denmark love their prince (line 4), and the queen also would not accept any kind of severe punishment of her son. So, Claudius wisely decides not only to ship Hamlet to England immediately. But, once there, the King of England will put Hamlet to an immediate death. England, at this point in history, is under the authority of Denmark (indicating the time of the Danelaw in the 10th century). Thus, Claudius intends to send a private message to the English king ordering “the present death of Hamlet” (66). And Claudius knows full well that the King of England will do as Claudius requests.
In this scene there is also a return to the existential theme introduced earlier. When Claudius asks Hamlet about the location of the dead body of Polonius, Hamlet responds by saying that Polonius is at supper: “not where he eats, but where a is eaten” (20). Hamlet explains that Polonius is buried and being eaten by worms or maggots. Hamlet adds that both the skinny beggar and the fat king share the same fate. This is an irony of life, and Hamlet expands on that first irony with a second one: Hamlet explains how a beggar may eat a king. (1) A dead king is buried and eaten by a worm. (2) A beggar digs up the worm to use as bait in fishing. (3) A fish eats the worm and is caught by the beggar. And (4) the beggar eats the fish. Thus, the beggar has eaten the king (lines 27-31). Hamlet is continuing to speak madly to the king; but, at the same time, he is also commenting upon the basic and natural progress of the life cycle. This is a philosophy that concerns only the body and ignores the idea of soul. The implication is that man is soulless, and life (even the life of a king) is essentially meaningless.