Question

select the correct answer.

read the excerpt from act 4, scene 3 of hamlet.

(30) hamlet: a man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.

king claudius: what dost you mean by this?

hamlet: nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar.

what message does hamlet convey to king claudius?

everyone dies, no matter their wealth or social status.
king claudius is destined to die at the hands of a beggar.
though he is king, claudius is no better than a beggar.
he knows claudius does not come from a royal family.

Explanation:

Analyze Hamlet's metaphor of the worm and the fish

Hamlet describes a biological cycle: a worm eats a deceased king, a fish eats that worm, and a beggar eats that fish. This chain connects the highest social class (a king) directly to the lowest (a beggar) through the equalizer of physical decay.

Determine the underlying message

By stating "how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar," Hamlet emphasizes that death strips away all earthly power, wealth, and social hierarchy, reducing everyone to the same biological level.

Evaluate the answer choices

• Option 1 ("Everyone dies, no matter their wealth or social status") directly aligns with this theme of death as the ultimate equalizer.
• Option 2 is too literal and incorrect, as Claudius is not destined to be physically killed by a beggar.
• Option 3 focuses on moral superiority rather than the universal physical reality of mortality.
• Option 4 is factually incorrect regarding the plot and the meaning of the passage.

Answer:

• Everyone dies, no matter their wealth or social status. (Correct answer)
• King Claudius is destined to die at the hands of a beggar.
• Though he is king, Claudius is no better than a beggar.
• He knows Claudius does not come from a royal family.