Through his fear of further consequences the King recognizes that Hamlet cannot have his freedom and liberty as he is a danger to everyone. The line, “Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answered?” (4.1 16), is Shakespeare 's way of letting the audience know that the consequences are coming directly because of the event of Polonius ' death, bloody deeds create bloody consequences in history, in literature and especially in Shakespeare. But, the regret the King shows is for ignoring the dangerous bitterness and anger that Hamlet was …show more content…
Hamlet shows a lack of concern for his actions, where as the Uncle is shown to worry intensely (for great reason). Hamlet 's madness and lack of concern for those around him drives him from the protagonist that the reader can stand behind completely to a protagonist that has strong flaws as a character, something that Shakespeare obviously meant to show, to create a bit of tension between the viewer and the play. Who does the viewer stand behind now? A king who murdered his brother for power, but also worries for the well-being of his people or a prince whose father was murdered but shows little care or empathy for those around him? Shakespeare flips Hamlet on it 's head during Act 4 and the play never settles back into a comfortable experience, as the audience knows now that the “bloody deed” shall be