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All Site ContentHamletAct 4Scene 5
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"sweepstake"
Metaphor
Act 4,
Scene 5
Lines 137a-143b

An explanation of the “sweepstake” metaphor in Act 4, Scene 5 of myShakespeare’s Hamlet.

Claudius

Who shall stay you? 

Laertes

                                  My will, not all the world.
And for my means, I'll husband them so well
They shall go far with little.

Claudius

                                               Good Laertes,
If you desire to know the certainty
Of your dear father's death, is't writ in your revenge
That, sweepstake, you will draw both friend and foe,
Winner and loser?    

Laertes 

                               None but his enemies. 

In this metaphor, Laertes suddenly drawing his sword on both friend and foe alike is compared to a gambler sweeping all the stakes (wagered money) from the board.