Are you smarter

than Shakespeare?
 Pick a Subject
1st Grade Emotions 1st Grade Language

2nd Grade Directing 2nd Grade Cause and Effect

3rd Grade Gossip 3rd Grade Relationships

4th Grade Motives 4th Grade Questions

 How does Claudius feel about
the events in Act 4?
• Scene 1: Claudius finds out that Hamlet has killed
Polonius and decides he needs to be sent away
because he has become a threat.
• Scene 3: Hamlet is found and questioned. Claudius
reveals his motive in sending Hamlet to England.
• Scene 5: Claudius defuses Laertes anger and directs it
towards Hamlet. He convinces Laertes that the best
way to get back at Hamlet is to kill him
 What questions that you’ve previously
had are answered by Claudius words
and/or behavior in this act?
• What new information did you learn about your character in
Act 4 that would help an actor or actress understand him or
her better?
• How does your character feel about the events in Act 4? About
Hamlet?
• How does your character affect the events of each scene in
which he or she appears? How is he or she affected by the
events of each scene in which he or she appears?
 What new information did you
learn about Claudius in Act 4 that
would help an actor or actress
understand him better?
• The information learned about Claudius in
ACT 4 could help an actor or actress further
understand his persuasive nature. Claudius
has the ability to manipulate almost anyone.
 How does Claudius affect the events of each scene in
which he appears? How is he affected by the events
of each scene in which he appears?
• Scene 1: Claudius expresses his fear of Hamlet's actions and
convinces Gertrude to send Hamlet away to England.
• Scene 3: Claudius reveals his true motive for sending Hamlet
to England. Hamlets' mockery makes Claudius anger
• Scene 5: Claudius convinces Laertes that Hamlet is to blame
for his father's death and devices a plan to kill Hamlet.
• Scene 7: Gertrude brings Claudius and Laertes news of
Ophelia's death. Claudius further manipulates Laerte's anger
into his plan to kill Hamlet.
What do other characters say about Claudius and how do
they react to him or her? How does your character feel
about other characters?

• Most characters respect Claudius because he is

the king and they are unaware of his actions.
Hamlet knows what he has done and shows his
hatred for his uncle by mocking him. The kind is
very manipulative and uses the other characters
as fools for his plans for self-advancement.
How is Claudius important to this act? In other words, do you
learn something new about the plot through him? Do you gain
any insights about Hamlet by comparing/contrasting him to
claudius?

• Claudius manipulates the emotions of all the

other characters n ACT 4. Through Claudius we
find out what Hamlet's fate should be when he
reaches England and the plan to use Laertes to
kill Hamlet when he returns safely.
 In each scene where Claudius appears, what
is his motivation and objective? In other
words, what does he really want?

• Scene 1: His motive is to get rid of his problem by killing

Hamlet.
• Scene 3: Claudius decides to send Hamlet to England.
• Scene 5: He focuses Laertes’ anger on Hamlet instead of on
Claudius himself.
• Scene 7: Wants Laertes to kill Hamlet so he doesn't have to do
it himself.
 What questions are raised by
Claudius’ words and/or behavior in
this act?

• Why is Claudius so eager to send Hamlet to

England? Why is he so eager to find Polonius's
body