Question
Read the words of King Claudius in Act IV of Hamlet.
Come, Gertrude, we’ll call up our wisest friends;
And let them know both what we mean to do,
And what’s untimely done: so, haply, slander,
Whose whisper o’er the world’s diameter,
As level as the cannon to his blank
Transports his poison’d shot, may miss our name,
And hit the woundless air. O! come away;
How do his words reflect politics in Shakespeare’s day?
A: Royal leaders were respectful to ordinary people.
B: Royal leaders were concerned with their public image.
C: Common people were showing opposition to the queen.
D: Common people were afraid to speak out against leaders.
Come, Gertrude, we’ll call up our wisest friends;
And let them know both what we mean to do,
And what’s untimely done: so, haply, slander,
Whose whisper o’er the world’s diameter,
As level as the cannon to his blank
Transports his poison’d shot, may miss our name,
And hit the woundless air. O! come away;
How do his words reflect politics in Shakespeare’s day?
A: Royal leaders were respectful to ordinary people.
B: Royal leaders were concerned with their public image.
C: Common people were showing opposition to the queen.
D: Common people were afraid to speak out against leaders.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
B: Royal leaders were concerned with their public image.
In this passage, King Claudius expresses a need to manage both their internal plans and the perception of their actions by others. His concern about slander and the "whisper o’er the world’s diameter" indicates a keen awareness of how public perception can influence power and stability. This reflects the political context of Shakespeare's day, where leaders were highly concerned with maintaining their reputation and authority amidst public scrutiny and potential dissent.
In this passage, King Claudius expresses a need to manage both their internal plans and the perception of their actions by others. His concern about slander and the "whisper o’er the world’s diameter" indicates a keen awareness of how public perception can influence power and stability. This reflects the political context of Shakespeare's day, where leaders were highly concerned with maintaining their reputation and authority amidst public scrutiny and potential dissent.