Question

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

Explanation:

Hamlet's statement about a king's body being eaten by worms, which then become bait for fish that a beggar might eat, symbolizes the equality in death. Regardless of one's status (like being a king), death reduces everyone to a basic biological state. Option A aligns with this theme of universal mortality. Option B misinterprets the metaphor as a direct comparison of worth in life. Option C has no basis in the excerpt. Option D distorts the metaphor into a prediction of a specific death scenario (by a beggar's hand) which isn't implied.

Answer:

A. Everyone dies, no matter their wealth or social status.