An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 548 words)
CENE IV. A plain in Denmark.
Enter Fortinbras and Forces marching.
FORTINBRAS.
Go, Captain, from me greet the Danish king.
Tell him that by his license, Fortinbras
Craves the conveyance of a promis’d march
Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous.
If that his Majesty would aught with us,
We shall express our duty in his eye;
And let him know so.
CAPTAIN.
I will do’t, my lord.
FORTINBRAS.
Go softly on.
[Exeunt all but the Captain.]
Enter Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern &c.
HAMLET.
Good sir, whose powers are these?
CAPTAIN.
They are of Norway, sir.
HAMLET.
How purpos’d, sir, I pray you?
CAPTAIN.
Against some part of Poland.
HAMLET.
Who commands them, sir?
CAPTAIN.
The nephew to old Norway, Fortinbras.
HAMLET.
Goes it against the main of Poland, sir,
Or for some frontier?
CAPTAIN.
Truly to speak, and with no addition,
We go to gain a little patch of ground
That hath in it no profit but the name.
To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it;
Nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole
A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee.
HAMLET.
Why, then the Polack never will defend it.
CAPTAIN.
Yes, it is already garrison’d.
HAMLET.
Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats
Will not debate the question of this straw!
This is th’imposthume of much wealth and peace,
That inward breaks, and shows no cause without
Why the man dies. I humbly thank you, sir.
CAPTAIN.
God b’ wi’ you, sir.
[Exit.]
ROSENCRANTZ.
Will’t please you go, my lord?
HAMLET.
I’ll be with you straight. Go a little before.
[Exeunt all but Hamlet.]
How all occasions do inform against me,
And spur my dull revenge. What is a man
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more.
Sure he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and godlike reason
To fust in us unus’d. Now whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on th’event,—
A thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wisdom
And ever three parts coward,—I do not know
Why yet I live to say this thing’s to do,
Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means
To do’t. Examples gross as earth exhort me,
Witness this army of such mass and charge,
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit, with divine ambition puff’d,
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
To all that fortune, death, and danger dare,
Even for an eggshell. Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour’s at the stake. How stand I then,
That have a father kill’d, a mother stain’d,
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep, while to my shame I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men
That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth.
[Exit.]
Master this chapter. Complete your experience
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Let's Analyse the Pattern
When overthinking becomes a substitute for action, trapping us in endless planning while opportunities slip away.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to recognize when thinking becomes a substitute for doing, not preparation for it.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you're gathering 'just one more piece of information' before making a decision—set a deadline and act on what you have.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"We go to gain a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit but the name."
Context: Explaining to Hamlet why Fortinbras's army is marching to Poland
This reveals the absurdity of fighting for something worthless, yet it also shows commitment to honor over practical gain. It forces Hamlet to see the contrast between decisive action and his own inaction.
In Today's Words:
We're fighting over something that's basically worthless except for bragging rights.
"Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats will not debate the question of this straw!"
Context: Hamlet's reaction to learning about the cost of the Polish campaign
Hamlet is shocked by the enormous cost in lives and money for something so trivial. This highlights the waste of war but also makes him question his own inaction on something truly important.
In Today's Words:
They're willing to spend all that money and get people killed over basically nothing!
"How all occasions do inform against me and spur my dull revenge!"
Context: Hamlet's soliloquy after the encounter with Fortinbras's army
Hamlet realizes that everything around him shows up his own failure to act. He's been slow to pursue his father's revenge while others act decisively on far less important matters.
In Today's Words:
Everything I see just reminds me of how I keep putting off what I need to do.
"My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!"
Context: Hamlet's resolution at the end of his soliloquy
This marks a turning point where Hamlet commits to action over endless thinking. He's declaring that from now on, his thoughts must lead to decisive, even violent action or they're worthless.
In Today's Words:
From now on, I'm either going to do something about this or stop thinking about it entirely.
Thematic Threads
Indecision
In This Chapter
Hamlet's shame at his inaction compared to Fortinbras's decisive leadership
Development
Evolved from earlier hesitation to now painful self-awareness of paralysis
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when you've been 'thinking about' the same decision for months without moving forward.
Leadership
In This Chapter
Fortinbras demonstrates princely action while Hamlet wallows in princely contemplation
Development
Introduced here as contrast between different leadership styles
In Your Life:
You see this in managers who act decisively versus those who endlessly deliberate while problems worsen.
Honor
In This Chapter
Fortinbras fights for worthless land because honor sometimes transcends practical value
Development
Introduced here as motivation that goes beyond material gain
In Your Life:
You face this when deciding whether to stand up for principles even when it costs you personally.
Self-Knowledge
In This Chapter
Hamlet's brutal honesty about his own failures and excuses
Development
Deepened from earlier self-questioning to harsh self-judgment
In Your Life:
You experience this in moments of painful clarity about your own patterns of avoidance or delay.
Action vs Thought
In This Chapter
The stark contrast between Hamlet's endless thinking and others' decisive action
Development
Crystallized here after building throughout the play
In Your Life:
You see this tension whenever you know what needs to be done but keep researching, planning, or waiting for perfect conditions.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What specific comparison does Hamlet make between himself and Fortinbras, and what bothers him most about it?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Hamlet call himself a coward when he has legitimate reasons for hesitation that Fortinbras doesn't have?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see people today getting stuck in endless planning instead of taking action, even when they know what needs to be done?
application • medium - 4
When you're facing a situation that requires action but you keep analyzing it instead, what strategies could help you move from thinking to doing?
application • deep - 5
What does this scene reveal about the relationship between intelligence and action - can being too thoughtful actually work against you?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Break Your Analysis Paralysis
Think of one situation in your life where you've been overthinking instead of acting - maybe a difficult conversation you need to have, a job change you're considering, or a relationship issue you keep analyzing. Write down what you know for certain about this situation, then identify the smallest concrete step you could take this week to move forward, even if it's not the perfect solution.
Consider:
- •Focus on what you already know rather than what you're still trying to figure out
- •Ask yourself what Fortinbras would do - sometimes decisive imperfect action beats perfect inaction
- •Consider what you're really afraid of - is it failure, or is it having to stop thinking and start doing?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you waited too long to act on something important. What did that delay cost you, and what would you do differently now knowing what you learned from Hamlet's struggle?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 17: Ophelia's Madness and Laertes' Rage
Back at Elsinore, the consequences of Hamlet's earlier actions begin to unravel. Someone important has been pushed to the breaking point, and the castle's carefully maintained order starts to collapse.
