Read the excerpt from Act IV of Hamlet . Claudius: Good Laertes, If you desire to know the certainty Of your dear father's death, is 't writ in your revenge, That, swoopstake, you will draw both friend and foe, Winner and loser? Laertes: None but his enemies. Claudius: Will you know them then? Laertes: To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my arms; And like the kind life-rendering pelican, Repast them with my blood. How does this confrontation advance the plot?
Answer
A
The play’s action reaches a climax as Laertes exacts revenge.
B
The suspense builds as Claudius clarifies Laertes's goal.
C
The concept of revenge is introduced for the first time in the play.
D
The play's action is resolved as Claudius and Laertes make peace.
Explanation
Claudius asks Laertes whether he would take revenge on everyone, including friend and foe, and Laertes replies that he would target only his father’s enemies. This exchange clarifies that Laertes wants revenge for his father’s death while building anticipation about what he will do next. Revenge has appeared earlier in the play, and Laertes has not yet carried it out, so the action is not resolved or at its climax.
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