act 5 summary. gravediggers gertrude claudius hamlet horatio laertes act 5.1 character list
TRANSCRIPT
Act 5 Summary
GravediggersGertrudeClaudiusHamlet HoratioLaertes
Act 5.1 Character List
Scene 1 DetailsHamlet and Horatio enter churchyard where
two men are digging a grave
Hamlet reflects on how death is the great equalizer: brings everyone down to the same level
Hamlet questions gravediggers about the “mad prince” and recognizes Yorick’s skull (the King’s jester)
Hamlet and Horatio step aside to observe the funeral procession
Scene 1 detailsLaertes is upset that Ophelia doesn’t get full
funeral rites b/c her death is suspect
Leaps into her grave and curses Hamlet
Hamlet reveals himself; declares his love for Ophelia:
He would fast, eat a crocodile, and be buried alive for her; what would her brother do for her?
Laertes and Hamlet fight; both are pulled apart
Claudius reminds Laertes of his plan and to be patient
HamletHoratioLaertesGertrudeClaudiusOsricYoung FortinbrasAmbassador
Act 5.2 Character List
Hamlet explains to Horatio how he got back to Denmark:
He had a gut feeling that something wasn’t right Discovered a letter from King to English to have Hamlet
beheadedGives letter to HoratioHamlet rewrites orders to have R & G executed instead;
seals it with his dad’s royal seal to make officialHamlet doesn’t feel bad at all about it; he believes they
deserved it; he feels justified
Hamlet recognizes need to make peace with Laertes; he will “court his favor”
Osric comes in to deliver the duel challenge to Hamlet; Claudius believes Hamlet can beat Laertes in the duel; Hamlet accepts challenge
Horatio has a bad feeling Hamlet will lose
Hamlet is willing to accept whatever will happen; his death will come sooner or later
Scene 2 Details
Hamlet and Laertes meet in front of King, Queen and court
Hamlet asks for Laertes’s forgiveness; he blames his madness for the death of Polonius
Laertes accepts the apology with reservation
They get ready to duel; Claudius says it is the best of three hits; he will put a “jewel” into a cup for each hit Hamlet gets (it’s really poison).
Scene 2 Details
Hamlet gets first and second hit
Claudius offers poison cup; Hamlet declines
Gertrude is excited that Hamlet will win; dotes on Hamlet and drinks from cup despite Claudius’s reaction (She’s will soon be a goner!)
Laertes needs to get Hamlet (though Claudius is doubtful); Laertes now second guesses himeself: “and yet is almost against my conscience” (5.2.303).
Scene 2 Details
Scene 2 Details
Laertes wounds Hamlet with poisoned sword; their swords get exchanged; Hamlet wounds Laertes with poisoned sword
Laertes will die by his own treachery
Queen collapes; King tries to cover it up; she admits she was poisoned
Hamlet seeks out treachery; Laertes blames King and tells Hamlet he will soon die because of the poisoned sword
Hamlet goes after Claudius and kills him with his own poison (after Claudius calls out for help…no one comes to his aide!)
Before he dies, Laertes asks for Hamlet’s forgiveness; releases Hamlet from any blame for his or his father’s death
Hamlet begins to fade; Horatio wants to die with him; but Hamlet asks Horatio to “tell my story”
As Hamlet dies, Fortinbras advances on castle; Hamlet gives his “dying voice” for Fortinbras to be king of Denmark
Hamlet dies
Scene 2 Details
Scene 2 detailsFortinbras enters ready to take over only to be
greeted by a massacre; wants to know what has happened
Ambassador from England comes in to report R & G are dead
Horatio will report to everyone what has happened here and also give Hamlet’s voice to support Fortinbras’s take over.
Fortinbras takes over “with sorrow” and asks that Hamlet be buried like a soldier
The end!
1. King Hamlet Poison Act 12. Polonius Stabbed by Hamlet
Act 33. Ophelia Drowned Act 44. Gertrude Poison Act 55. Laertes Poison Act 56. Hamlet Poison Act 57. Claudius Poison Act 58. Rosencrantz Beheaded Act 59. Guildenstern Beheaded Act 5
Who died and how?