Hamlet - Act 4 Scene 1
A room in the castle.
The action of this scene continues directly from the end of 3.4, and may take place in the same space (Gertrude's closet) by having Gertrude remain on stage, met by Claudius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern as they enter.
Enter CLAUDIUS, GERTRUDE, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN
CLAUDIUS
There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves:
You must translate: 'tis fit we understand them.
Where is your son?
GERTRUDE
Bestow this place on us a little while.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
Ah, my good lord, what have I seen tonight!
CLAUDIUS
What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?
Gertrude's response is ambiguous: is she obeying Hamlet's wishes in convincing Claudius of his madness, or does she truly believe that Hamlet is mad, given the compelling evidence of his murder of Polonius? At the very least, she does not mention Hamlet's "Is it the King," and so does not reveal the threat to Claudius' own life.
Once again, the image of hidden disease is brought up, this time to be used against Hamlet: as far as Claudius is concerned, Hamlet himself is the rot at the centre of things, threatening the stability of Denmark (and Claudius' guilty reign).
GERTRUDE
Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend
Which is the mightier: in his lawless fit,
Behind the arras hearing something stir,
Whips out his rapier, cries, 'A rat, a rat!'
And, in this brainish apprehension, kills
The unseen good old man.
CLAUDIUS
O heavy deed!
It had been so with us, had we been there:
His liberty is full of threats to all;
To you yourself, to us, to every one.
Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answered?
It will be laid to us, whose providence
Should have kept short, restrained and out of haunt,
This mad young man: but so much was our love,
We would not understand what was most fit;
But, like the owner of a foul disease,
To keep it from divulging, let it feed
Even on the pith of Life. Where is he gone?
GERTRUDE
To draw apart the body he hath killed,
O'er whom his very madness, like some ore
Among a mineral of metals base,
Shows itself pure; he weeps for what is done.
The extent to which Gertrude has been affected by Hamlet's words is left up to individual actors and directors. She does not mention any suspicion of Claudius, but she may be more distant, avoiding physical contact, and resistant to command, especially when Claudius mentions Hamlet's exile.
CLAUDIUS
O Gertrude, come away!
The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch,
But we will ship him hence: and this vile deed
We must, with all our majesty and skill,
Both countenance and excuse. Ho, Guildenstern!
Re-enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
Friends both, go join you with some further aid:
Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,
And from his mother's closet hath he dragged him:
Go seek him out; speak fair, and bring the body
Into the chapel. I pray you, haste in this.
Claudius follows many of his orders to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern with a command to swiftness. This is logical enough, given the urgency of the issues at hand, though it may also indicate a sluggishness or a hesitation on their part.
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends;
And let them know, both what we mean to do,
And what's untimely done. O, come away!
My soul is full of discord and dismay.
Exeunt