The Summary of Act 4, Scene By Scene

Scene 1:  Gertrude reports to Claudius that Hamlet was crazy when he stabbed Polonius.  The king has 
           Rosencrantz and Guildenstern help Hamlet move Poloniuses body to the chapel.  Claudius
           says he will get Hamlet out of the country and defend his action.

Scene 2:  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are have choosen to take sides with the king instead of thier
            "friend" Hamlet.

Scene 3:  Claudius' forces try to get Hamlet to tell where to find Polonius' body. Hamlet toys
            with them, riddling.  Alone, Claudius reveals (to us) that Hamlet is to be executed in England, the
            Claudius can be joyful again.

Scene 4:  Hamlet is seeing the army of Fortinbras on its way to fightwith the Polish.  In the soliloquy, he
           wonders how these men can die for dirt and he can't summon up the courage to die for a
           murdered father and a stained mother.

Scene 5:  Ophelia is out of her mind.  Laertes, with a mob behind him calling for him to become king,
           arrives intent on revenge for his father's death.  Claudius easily convinces Laertes that it's not his
           fault, but he doesn't turn the blame on Hamlet in Gertrude's presnce.

Scene 6:  Hamlet was captured by piratesand lets it be known by writing a letter to Horatio.

Scene 7:  Claudiud turns Laertes against Hamlet when he receives a note from Hamlet that he is returning to
           Denmark--alone.  Claudius' plot to have Hamlet executed has failed. Gertrude tells Claudius and
           Laeretes both that Ophelia has drowned.