Scene 1: Gertrude tells Claudius than Hamlet stabbed Polonius in a rage. Claudius says that Hamlet is a threat to everyone and must be removed. Claudius decides to ship Hamlet of to England quickly. He sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to go recover Polonius' body and bring it to the chapel.
Scene 2: Hamlet refuses to tell the guys where the body is hidden. He calls them yes men, because they yearn for the kings praise and affection.
Scene 3: Claudius tell Hamlet that he is going to be sent to England and tries to get him on the ship as quickly as possible. Hamlet calls Claudius his mother, because if they married they are of one flesh. You find out that Claudius has written to the King of England instructing him to kill Hamlet right away.
Scene 4: Fortinbra's troops enter Denmark and ask for permission to cross. Hamlet asks about what is going on and is told. He decides that people have too much power for their own good. Hamlet then talks himself into needing to commit his act of revenge soon.
Scene 5: Ophelia has become crazy after her father's death and is brought in to talk to Gerturde. Ophelia sings about death and it frightens those around her. Claudius feels bad for Ophelia, but is more worried about her brother Laertes. He has returned early from France and is threatening to overthrow the king. Laerte then crashes through the door with a crowd and demands to speak to the king. Laertes is thrown into rage when his sister wanders back in obviously insane. He wants revenge right away, but Claudius convinces him to hear his side of the story first.
Scene 6: Hamlet sends Horatio a letter. Hamlet's letter instructs Horatio to show the sailors the king, and then go with the sailors to where Hamlet is.
Scene 7: Claudius receives the letters from Hamlet and reads them aloud. Hamlet is supposedly back in Denmark. Claudius tells Laertes that Hamlet killed his father and Laertes wants his revenge when Hamlet comes back. The boys plan to kill him in a way where it looks like no one will be to blame. They try to think of the best way to kill him. During planning Gertrude comes bearing news that Ophelia has drown while trying to hang flowers.
Act 4 consists of a big power struggle between everyone. Hamlet shows power over Rosencrantz and Guildenstern when he refuses to tell them where the body is. Fortinbra's troops and Norway's leader show power by wielding troops for an extremely small piece of land. Claudius believes that he has power over Hamlet by shipping him out. Hamlet still hasn't gotten his revenge, but believes he has power, because he knows that his uncle is up to. Laertes comes into the town to take power. He comes in with a power struggle with Claudius, but that changes when he finds out that Hamlet killed his father. He then sides with Claudius and the form a super power against Hamlet.
This Act also shows the psychological theory. Ophelia has gone completely mad, because of her father's death. She sings songs that relates to death, and her babble means just as much as words would, because they convey her emotion. At one point she conveys her thoughts of others through flowers and their meaning. Although she can't express her thoughts in the normal way, she does a good job of showing her feelings in her own way.
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