Act 4 Scene 1

Act 4 begins with Gertrude divulging to Claudius all the details of her conversation with Hamlet, including his murder of Polonius. She says that he is “Mad as the sea and wind when both contend / Which is the mightier.” Claudius is visibly grateful that he was not hiding with Polonius behind the tapestry; otherwise he too would have been murdered. This comment demonstrates Claudius’ own instincts of selfprotection; he wishes to stay alive because he’s living the life he always dreamed of – he has a queen, a throne and a country that he can run ambitiously. He had little to no concern for Gertrude’s near-death experience, and instead considers his own wellbeing first. This is a big development of Claudius’ character, as he blames himself for trying to hide Hamlet’s mental condition for so long, assuming that he actually made it worse. He says, “like the owner of a foul disease, / To keep it from divulging, let it feed / Even on the pith of life.”