Answer: By viewing this excerpt through a historical lens, the reader can conclude that Shakespeare uses the promise of violence <u>to keep his audience engaged.</u>
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Explanation:
<em>Hamlet</em> is one of the most popular Shakespeare's plays, about a man's attempt to revenge his father who has been murdered.
In<em> Act IV, Scene VII</em>, Claudius receives a letter and finds out that Hamlet is returning to Denmark. The King thus makes a plan with Laertes, and they agree that Laertes should kill Hamlet (Hamlet has previously killed Polonius, Laertes' father). In this particular scene, there is a promise of violence - Hamlet will be murdered. The two of them discuss strategies, which builds tension and reminds the audience that a tragic event is going to take place. The audience is, in this way, at the edge of their seats, fully engaged in the play.
