Hamlet Act IV

This is a pivotal act in the play. He not only conveys the message he has so longingly wanted to instill in his mother, but he also mistakenly murders Polonius confusing him for King Claudius himself. Because of this act, the rest of the story unfolded the way it did. His mother had enough reason to believe him to be mad after this course of action, and King Claudius made his final decision to send him to England because of the results of his insanity. In this act, the reader is also exposed to Ophelia's mournful lunacy as she realizes her father's death. This act is also important because Laertes is also informed of his father's passing, and begins to accumulate the hate that caused him to eventually cause Hamlet's demise. This act is definitely one of the most action-packed and decisive in the play.