George Washington University
Laertes' Return to Elsinore
Author(s): L. S. Champion
Reviewed work(s):
Source: Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 1 (Winter, 1966), pp. 81-83
Published by: Folger Shakespeare Library in association with George Washington University
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2867609 .
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QUERIES AND NOTES
8i
we are left only with the darkening mirror, the visions fading and leaving not
a rack behind. Once again the Epilogue reminds us that Prospero has used up
all his magic in the play, and what more he can do depends on us."5
When one reads the Epilogue in the context of Ecclesiasticus, these comments seem definitely to move in the right direction. The "cloud-capp'dtowers"
among which the members of the audience live will vanish, leaving "not a rack
behind", just as the masque dissolved earlier in the play and as the play itself
has now ended. But the solemn upward movement of the closing lines has a
more positive implication. Although in the play's most striking lines our world
is dispelled like a cloud, in the close the image seems to be one of penetrating
upwards through the vanishing clouds of appearance to a reality beyond. Prospero's "despair"is a condition of not being able to penetrate these clouds. He
might cry like Jeremiah, "Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our
prayer should not pass through" (Lamentations 3:44). But the way out is
through mutual pardon, and through prayer. "The prayer of the humble
pierceth the clouds", "assaults/ Mercy itself, and frees all faults", even the fault
of mortality.
University of Massachusetts
5
The Tempest, ed. Northrop Frye (Baltimore:Penguin Books, i960),
p.
22.
LAERTES' RETURN TO ELSINORE
L.
S. CHAMPION
Although virtually every line in Hamlet has been dissected and examined
from numerous points of view, the series of short scenes in Act IV depicting
Laertes' return to Elsinore has remained an irritating crux. Critics have either
ignored the scenes altogether, explained away "slapdash inconsistencies", or
related the action broadly to "the theme of the play". Yet, these scenes, viewed
as a part of a narrative unfolding on stage (something the armchair critic always has to struggle to do when working from a text neatly chopped into Act
and Scene), reveal a genuine dramatic importance. First, one notes a subtle
character development in Claudius, who, withal a determined antagonist, is
weakening under the constant pressure of both conscience and external danger.
Secondly, and ultimately more important, the spectator is prepared for the
otherwise enigmatic manner in which Laertes and Claudius react to the news
of Hamlet's return, Laertes with anticipation, Claudius with profound concern.
Specifically, my discussion involves the las'tthree scenes of Act IV. Laertes, bent
on immediate revenge for his murdered father, storms into the castle and
threatens the very life of the reigning monarch; Claudius subsequently diverts
the wrath of the young courtier; together they receive the sudden news that
Hamlet has returned to Danish soil and shortly will confront the King in
person.
The critics' dilemma regarding these scenes is obvious. Harley GranvilleBarker' writes, for instance, "I have always felt that Laertes' appearancewas a
l Preface to Hamlet (Princeton University Press, 1946), p.
47.
82
SHAKESPEAREQUARTERLY
little too surprising, that the king's excuse only made the matter worse, that
Shakespeare has, for once, been too slapdash." Similarly, it is asserted that
Laertes has not had time to incite a rebellion between his return from France
and his entrance, and J. Dover Wilson2 points out that Scene vi does not allow
ample time for Claudius to convince Laertes of his innocence, especially since
Laertes had first to "make choice" among his "wisest friends".3 On only two
matters is there general agreement. Laertes' aggressiveness acts as a foil to
Hamlet's lethargy; his "Let come what comes, only I'll be revenged / Most
throughly for my father" (IV. v. I32-I33)4
is in direct contrast with Hamlet's
"How all occasions do inform against me / And spur my dull revenge" (IV. v.
32-33).
And, the king, through his mental dexterity, again asserts himself as
a "worthy antagonist"5just as earlier in his prudent dispatching of Voltemand
and Cornelius to Old Norway in order to prevent an open conflict with
Fortinbras, Claudius with remarkable swiftness is able to persuade Laertes and
the "wisest friends" of his innocence of Polonius' murder, thereby averting
Laertes'intended wrath and directing this anger upon Hamlet.
As stated at the outset, however, two further observations clarify the dramatic validity of the scenes. First, this action displays much more than
Claudius' machiavellian adroitness; it also reveals the King beginning to stagger under the galling weight of guilt. On two previous occasions (III. i. 49-54;
III. iii. 36-72) the spectator has listened to Claudius, in asides, describe the soul
in anguish within him. He has also seen the King rush distractedly from the
play scene, to Hamlet at least, an obvious indication of guilt. Here again, it
simply makes good stage sense for the actor interpreting the role of Claudius
to display a frenzied fear, a temporaryloss of courage, in his call to his Switzers
or guards. Surely Shakespeare is consciously portraying the corrosive effects of
murder and usurpation with the fear and distrust which inevitably accompany
such sins. Quite probably the troubled thoughts of the king, soul-sick in his
inability to repent, fly first to Hamlet, and his reaction is almost a reflex. For, as
soon as the messenger informs Claudius to "save yourself" from "young
Laertes" who "o'erbearsyour officers",the king regains his presence of mind
and, as noted above, is able to cope with and master Laertes' passion. Clearly,
however, guilt is undermining the strong front-this is no longer the composed
ruler of Act I who could describe his wedding to Hamlet in dispassionate
terms and issue orders for personal and general security with such royal
aplomb. The spectator perceives in that moment of Claudius' terror a further
degeneration of character,a degeneration which will be complete in the climactic dueling scene of Act V. Here, in a desperate attempt to cover his treachery,
the King will cry out that Gertrude, dying from the poisoned draught of his
own composition, merely swoons to see the combatants bleed. Moreover,
Claudius' momentary anxiety that Hamlet might have returned prepares the
spectatorfor that very fact in the following scene.
Hamlet (Cambridge University Press, 1957), p. 227.
3 Wilson goes on to say that the audience might be relied upon to forget the point and would
2
be untroubled by such problems. Indeed, in such matters of chronology as these, it is wise to keep
in mind the remark by Christopher North, quoted by Furness in The Variorum Shakespeare,
Hamlet, I, xvii: "When we inspect the play in our closets, the Juggler does his tricks slowly. We
sit at the play and he does it quick."
4 All line references correspond with those of The London Shakespeare,V (New York, 1957).
5 E. K. Chambers,Shakespeare,a Survey (London, 1955), p. i86,
QUERIES AND NOTES
83
Secondly,then, to understandproperlythe diversereactionsto the news of
Hamlet's return,we must considerthe importanceof exactlywhat and how
much Claudiustells Laertes.The King, after assertingthat he is innocentof
Polonius'deathand is "mostsensiblyin grief",cravesa patientear fromLaertes
and promisesto "labourwith yoursoulto give it due content."And, afterthe explanation,Laertesis invited to "let the great axe fall .. . where th' offenseis."
When they next appear,two scenes later, Laertes,satisfiedof the King's innocence and of Hamlet's guilt, grimly proclaims"My revenge will come!"
In other words, Laerteshas not been told that Hamlet is far from Elsinore,
sailing toward England and presumablyhis execution;the King is actually
encouragingLaertes to anticipategaining personal revenge upon Hamlet.
Such manipulationof Laerteswould be impossibleif he were cognizant of
Hamlet'sbeing shippedto England.In short,Claudius,his wits fully regained,
has told Laertesonly so muchas he deemsprudent.Then, convincedof Laertes'
wrathtoward the young Prince,he plans to divulge the furtherinformation
("Youshortlyshallhearmore")that Hamlet has alreadybeendisposedof. It is
at this criticalmoment, ironically,that the messengerenters with Hamlet's
lettersto the king revealinghis returnto the kingdom. Now, certainly,it is
obvious why Claudiusreacts with amazement and startled disbelief, and
Laerteswith "Let him come.It warmsthe very sicknessof my heart."Laertes,
unaware of Hamlet's voyage, has no reason for consternation;he merely
sees his opportunityfor personalrevengeapproaching.Claudius,however,sees
another of his probes against Hamlet foiled and is again forced to scheme
quicklyto playLaertesagainstHamletwith the projectedfencingmatch.
In sum, these scenesare far from "slapdash",
"irrelevancies
to the plot",or
mere evidence,by analogywith Laertes'action,that Hamlet could haveraised
the peoplein his supporthad he been so disposed.6With Claudius'momentary
horror followed by his clever manipulationof Laertes (actions more easily
communicatedon stagethan on the printedpage), the scenesaresignificantfor
displayingan importantdevelopmentin the characterof the antagonistand
also for effectivelypreparingthe spectatorfor Hamlet's return in the grave
scenewhich follows.
North CarolinaStateCollege
6
A. C. Bradley, ShakespeareanTragedy (London,
1904),
p. 83.
THE OWL AND THE BAKER'S DAUGHTER:
A NOTE ON HAMLET IV. v. 42-43*
ROBERT TRACY
It is a critical commonplace to discern a pattern in Ophelia's apparently
random remarks during her mad scenes. While suggesting complete mental
derangement, Shakespeare advances the play by giving us a very clear indication of the reasons for Ophelia's madness: her irreconcilable attachments to
* A slightly different version of this paper was read
in English section I at the annual convention of the Philological Association of the Pacific Coast in Seattle, Washington, November i963.