ACT IV, 4: EGGSHELL AND STRAW
METAPHORS
The reader should recall how Fortinbras, the young prince of Norway, had gathered up a mercenary army to attack Denmark. But persuaded by his uncle, the King of Norway, Fortinbras agreed not to attack Denmark. So, instead, Fortinbras decided to use his paid army to attack another of their enemies, Poland. Fortinbras is a man of action, in contrast to Hamlet, a man of hesitation.
Fortinbras, in the fourth scene of this act, is moving his army across Denmark in the direction of Poland. Hamlet encounters one of the Norwegian captains, and he asks him about the army led by Fortinbras. The captain tells Hamlet that Norway is going to fight Poland over a small piece of land that is basically worthless (lines 9.7-9.8). It is small; it is too rocky for farming; and it has no real strategic value as a military base. Hamlet responds by saying that if the land has absolutely no value, then the army from Poland will never defend it. However, the captain tells him that the Polish army is already there to defend it.
Hamlet is surprised at this news. He is surprised that a nation will spend large amounts of money and sacrifice the lives of many men for what is essentially no real reason at all:
Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats Will now debate the question of this straw.
(9.15-9.16)
A ducat was a gold coin of considerable value. And 20,000 ducats was a significant fortune. Hamlet uses the metaphor of a straw (like a piece of dry grass) to indicate the value of the land. Thus, Hamlet is pointing out the irrational behavior of man. Here, man is throwing away countless lives and significant sums of money in a ridiculous manner. In a way, though, Hamlet is making a connection between action and irrational thinking. The man of action (in this case, Fortinbras) is a man who acts irrationally. But the man of thought and inaction (in this case, Hamlet) is a man who thinks too much and who attempts to find reason and logic in the world. The man of thought does not really seem to fit in or get along with society.
Another soliloquy by Hamlet appears in this scene. Once again Hamlet criticizes himself for failing to take action. Fortinbras, who has no real motive for taking action, is nevertheless taking action. But Hamlet, who has great motive for taking action (for seeking revenge), is still hesitating.
Again Hamlet thinks too much. He thinks that God has given man “god-like reason” (9.28) for a purpose, and that if man does not use that reason, he is just like the beasts, just like the animals.
Hamlet then wonders whether it is his reason or his cowardliness that prevents him from acting:
Now whether it be
Bestial oblivion or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on th’event …
I do not know. (9.29-9.33)
The expression “bestial oblivion” suggests forgetting or ignoring his bestial or animal nature. If man is not like an irrational beast, then he is more like the purely rational god. Hamlet, thus, is wondering whether he is being rational or being a coward (suggested by the word craven) in regards to his failure to act. Hamlet still cannot explain his hesitation. He still does not know why he has failed to seek vengeance upon Claudius.
Hamlet directly contrasts himself to
Fortinbras in the soliloquy as well (line 9.36 and following). Hamlet suggests that Fortinbras is risking his life and his honorable name for an “eggshell” (9.43). Like the straw, the eggshell also refers to the piece of worthless property that Norway and Poland are fighting over. Hamlet repeats the straw metaphor in the following key lines from the speech:
Rightly to be great
Is not to stir with great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
The word argument in this passage refers to purpose or reason. Hamlet is indicating that honor and greatness in the world come not from intelligence and reasonable behavior. Rather, honor and greatness come from action, even if the action is trivial or fanatical. But Hamlet is not like Fortinbras. Hamlet thinks too much. Hamlet is too rational. Yet Hamlet wants to be like Fortinbras. He wants to be able to act without his thoughts getting in his way. So, once again, Hamlet decides, “My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!” (9.56). He is saying that he should only think about action, about his bloody and violent revenge. If he thinks about anything else, then he is worth nothing. He is worthless to himself and to a society that demands action.
ACT IV, 5: OPHELIA’S MADNESS
In the fifth scene Horatio informs Queen Gertrude about Ophelia, who has gone mad. The source of the madness is twofold. Hamlet’s declaration of not loving her caused her initial suffering. But then the news of the death of her father at a time when she was already feeling distressed was too much for her to bear. The problem is made much worse because Hamlet is the one who murdered her father.
Ophelia sings two wild songs in this scene. In the first one, she sings about a lady whose true love has died (beginning with “How should I your true love know” in line 23). The song reflects the madness of Ophelia since the subject matter is not directly related to Ophelia. But the song does combine two themes that do relate to Ophelia: (1) death and (2) the loss of a lover. The second song also thematically relates to Ophelia’s condition (which begins with “Tomorrow is Saint Valentine’s day” in line 47). This is a song about an unfaithful lover who promises to marry a maiden but, after the two of them have a sexual encounter, the man breaks his promise. Although the details are certainly different in regards to Hamlet and Ophelia, Hamlet did break his promise to her.
ACT IV, 5: THE RETURN OF LAERTES
Before King Claudius has adequate time to moan his grief about Polonius and Ophelia, Laertes returns home to Denmark from France. Laertes is also a foil or figure of contrast to Hamlet. Like Hamlet, Laertes has a lost a father. And, again like Hamlet, that father had been murdered. But unlike Hamlet, Laertes does not hesitate. Rather, he has come home to take immediate action. He has come home to seek his revenge.
Laertes does not know who was responsible for his father’s murder. Wisely, King Claudius had kept the details concerning that death a secret from the public. So, when Laertes enters the castle, he is hot-blooded and hot-headed. And, so, he comes to the king to demand vengeance: “I’ll be revenged most thoroughly for my father” (131-32). Laertes does not want to think or talk, he wants to act.
King Claudius quietly and calmly gets Laertes to settle down and cool his temper before he tells him about what has happened. King Claudius handles the passionate Laertes extremely well (just as he had handled the matter with the hot-headed Fortinbras earlier). When Laertes sees his sister Ophelia, who has lost all reason and has become completely mad, he becomes more overwhelmed and desires revenge even more urgently than before. But Claudius still is able to get Laertes to calm down before Claudius tells him about the manner of Polonius’ death. Claudius instructs Laertes to be patient and that soon he will be receive “satisfaction” for the death of his father (lines 204-05). Claudius is promising Laertes that he will be get satisfaction, he will get his revenge.