Character Overview
Key Characters:
Laertes is consumed by grief for his murdered father and dead sister and seeks revenge against Hamlet under Claudius’ influence.
Quotes
Gertrude is grieved and conflicted by the truth about Ophelia's death and her husband being a murderer. She also worries for Hamlet's well-being.
Claudius is anxious because the returned and very much alive Hamlet is a threat to his reign and life. Since he tried to kill him once he will not hesitate to do so again.
Hamlet feels like he has been forsaken by God and thinks life is futile. He awaits an opportunity to avenge his father but continues to delay action because of the meaninglessness he attributes to life. On top of that, he has to continue the ruse of madness while facing the consequences of his mistakes.
Quotes
Horatio is compelled by loyalty and friendship to advise Hamlet and keep him grounded.
The Gravediggers are a representation of the common people. They joke about death and ironically provide a lot of comic relief.
Fortinbras seeks the restoration of a kingdom that was taken from his father.
Quote
Themes
Mortality
Circle of Life
Revenge
Retribution
Corruption/Decay -> Restoration
Plot
As Act V opens, two gravediggers enter the scene to dig a grave for the recently departed Ophelia. They comment that Ophelia almost definitely killed herself unless the water came with its own mind and drowned her. This would mean that she did not deserve a Christian burial. They note that the wealthy can be granted special privileges to circumvent details like that. Ironically, this grave scene offers a lot comic relief amid jokes about death and mortality. Shortly thereafter, Hamlet and Horatio show up together and begin making conversation with one of the gravediggers. They engage in witty exchanges with one another as the gravedigger deliberately takes everything literally, telling Hamlet that the grave they are digging is for someone “that was a woman sir; but, rest her soul, she’s dead.” Coincidentally, one of the gravediggers began his career on the very same day Hamlet was born. All the while, they are completely unaware that they are speaking to the prince--they are under the impression that he is in England to recover from his madness. This represents Claudius’ deception of the public and the corruption that has permeated the country. Hamlet then comes across an unearthed skull belonging to the former court jester, Yorick.
The tone of the play shifts here when Hamlet broods about and ponders the futility and brevity of life. He reminisces about fond memories involving Yorick and faces the harsh reality that all men--no matter how great--will die and return to dust. Even men as powerful as Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar might be one day used to stop up a beer barrel.
As soon as he finishes his thoughts, a funeral procession including the king, queen, and Laertes approaches and Hamlet and Horatio hide away. Hamlet only then realizes that Ophelia has died. A funeral by itself is a sad enough occasion, but it is amplified by the fact that the priest is reluctant to offer the normal rites since Ophelia technically forfeited those when she chose to drown. Laertes lashes out at the priest, claiming that she lived a life of purity and would be an angel in heaven while the priest rotted in hell. He jumps down into her grave in a melodramatic display of mourning just as Hamlet chooses to reveal himself and profess his grief and love for Ophelia, saying that “forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum.” This infuriates Laertes so a fight immediately breaks out and Claudius has to break it up. He tells Hamlet to go cool off and he tells Laertes to remember that Hamlet will soon be dead.
Scene 2 opens the next day with Hamlet explaining (in a remarkably unrepentant fashion) to Horatio how he sent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths. The irony is that as Hamlet goes about proving the pointlessness of life, he is simultaneously living for the purpose of avenging his father! His hatred for Claudius justifies his actions against his minions, but Hamlet is somewhat sorry for fighting with Laertes since they both seek retribution for their father’s murderers and are consequently in equally difficult positions. As they finish their discussion, a courtier named Osric comes in to deliver a long-winded invitation to Hamlet for a duel with Laertes. The king has wagered that Hamlet will hold his own and do well. Horatio tries to warn Hamlet that it could be a trap, but Hamlet is determined to go anyways since he is in a nihilistic mood and does not care what happens. In parting, he quips that if God has willed for Claudius to fall now then it will happen now. Or if it is not to be now, but later, then it will happen later. This shows an interesting contrast of ideals within Hamlet because he is simultaneously trusting God’s providence and going because he does not care about life.
As they prepare for the duel, Hamlet makes a half-hearted attempt at apologizing to Laertes for killing his father and Laertes half-heartedly accepts it because he still plans on killing him with the poisoned sword. Both Hamlet and Laertes try to appear humble to one another and lower one another’s guard while Claudius ushers the fight along and tells Hamlet there is a drink of wine awaiting him when he wins a point. The fight begins and Hamlet quickly scores a hit on Laertes but refuses to take a drink. After another point for Hamlet, Gertrude instead takes the cup despite the king’s protest and drinks to her son’s success. As Claudius panics inwardly about accidentally killing his wife, the duel gets out of control. Laertes draws blood on Hamlet and in retaliation, Hamlet takes Laertes’ weapon and in turn slashes Laertes.
This is when things start to fall apart in Denmark. The queen falls and cries out that the drink was poisoned. Also Laertes, knowing that he would soon die, shouts the he is justly killed by his own treachery, that Hamlet would soon die too, and that it was all the king’s fault. Hamlet, the reluctant avenger, finally has enough anger to kill Claudius so he stabs him with the poisoned sword and makes him drink the rest of the wine for good measure. With Claudius out of the picture dying an agonizing death, Hamlet and Laertes exchange true forgiveness with one another before Laertes dies too. Also, Horatio demonstrates his true loyalty by telling Hamlet that he wants to kill himself--but, of course, someone needs to live to tell the story so Hamlet persuades him to remain awhile longer to tell Fortinbras what happened since he will be the next king. Then Hamlet draws his final breath and dies.
As soon as the cleansing of the house of Denmark is complete, Fortinbras strolls in with his entourage bearing important news. Given that Horatio is the only one left, he announces to him that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were definitely executed. Horatio responds that he has a story to explain why everyone in the room is dead but first and foremost, they agree to award Hamlet with an honorable soldier’s funeral. The circle of retribution comes to a close because every wrong-doer dies in the wake of Ophelia and Polonius’ unjust deaths and Fortinbras receives the kingdom taken from his family by Hamlet’s father.
Key Characters:
Laertes is consumed by grief for his murdered father and dead sister and seeks revenge against Hamlet under Claudius’ influence.
Quotes
- “Lay her i’ the earth: And from her fair and unpolluted flesh May violets spring!”
- “I am justly killed with mine own treachery.”
- “He is justly served. It is poison temper'd by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me.”
Gertrude is grieved and conflicted by the truth about Ophelia's death and her husband being a murderer. She also worries for Hamlet's well-being.
Claudius is anxious because the returned and very much alive Hamlet is a threat to his reign and life. Since he tried to kill him once he will not hesitate to do so again.
Hamlet feels like he has been forsaken by God and thinks life is futile. He awaits an opportunity to avenge his father but continues to delay action because of the meaninglessness he attributes to life. On top of that, he has to continue the ruse of madness while facing the consequences of his mistakes.
Quotes
- “No, faith, not a jot; but to follow him thither with modesty enough and likelihood to lead it, as thus: Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth into dust, the dust is earth, of earth we make loam, and why of that loam, whereto he was converted, might they not stop a beer-barrel?”
- “I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum.”
- “Of thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, absent thee from felicity awhile, and in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain to tell my story.”
Horatio is compelled by loyalty and friendship to advise Hamlet and keep him grounded.
The Gravediggers are a representation of the common people. They joke about death and ironically provide a lot of comic relief.
Fortinbras seeks the restoration of a kingdom that was taken from his father.
Quote
- “Let us haste to hear it, and call the noblest to the audience. For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune. I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.”
Themes
Mortality
Circle of Life
Revenge
Retribution
Corruption/Decay -> Restoration
Plot
As Act V opens, two gravediggers enter the scene to dig a grave for the recently departed Ophelia. They comment that Ophelia almost definitely killed herself unless the water came with its own mind and drowned her. This would mean that she did not deserve a Christian burial. They note that the wealthy can be granted special privileges to circumvent details like that. Ironically, this grave scene offers a lot comic relief amid jokes about death and mortality. Shortly thereafter, Hamlet and Horatio show up together and begin making conversation with one of the gravediggers. They engage in witty exchanges with one another as the gravedigger deliberately takes everything literally, telling Hamlet that the grave they are digging is for someone “that was a woman sir; but, rest her soul, she’s dead.” Coincidentally, one of the gravediggers began his career on the very same day Hamlet was born. All the while, they are completely unaware that they are speaking to the prince--they are under the impression that he is in England to recover from his madness. This represents Claudius’ deception of the public and the corruption that has permeated the country. Hamlet then comes across an unearthed skull belonging to the former court jester, Yorick.
The tone of the play shifts here when Hamlet broods about and ponders the futility and brevity of life. He reminisces about fond memories involving Yorick and faces the harsh reality that all men--no matter how great--will die and return to dust. Even men as powerful as Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar might be one day used to stop up a beer barrel.
As soon as he finishes his thoughts, a funeral procession including the king, queen, and Laertes approaches and Hamlet and Horatio hide away. Hamlet only then realizes that Ophelia has died. A funeral by itself is a sad enough occasion, but it is amplified by the fact that the priest is reluctant to offer the normal rites since Ophelia technically forfeited those when she chose to drown. Laertes lashes out at the priest, claiming that she lived a life of purity and would be an angel in heaven while the priest rotted in hell. He jumps down into her grave in a melodramatic display of mourning just as Hamlet chooses to reveal himself and profess his grief and love for Ophelia, saying that “forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum.” This infuriates Laertes so a fight immediately breaks out and Claudius has to break it up. He tells Hamlet to go cool off and he tells Laertes to remember that Hamlet will soon be dead.
Scene 2 opens the next day with Hamlet explaining (in a remarkably unrepentant fashion) to Horatio how he sent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths. The irony is that as Hamlet goes about proving the pointlessness of life, he is simultaneously living for the purpose of avenging his father! His hatred for Claudius justifies his actions against his minions, but Hamlet is somewhat sorry for fighting with Laertes since they both seek retribution for their father’s murderers and are consequently in equally difficult positions. As they finish their discussion, a courtier named Osric comes in to deliver a long-winded invitation to Hamlet for a duel with Laertes. The king has wagered that Hamlet will hold his own and do well. Horatio tries to warn Hamlet that it could be a trap, but Hamlet is determined to go anyways since he is in a nihilistic mood and does not care what happens. In parting, he quips that if God has willed for Claudius to fall now then it will happen now. Or if it is not to be now, but later, then it will happen later. This shows an interesting contrast of ideals within Hamlet because he is simultaneously trusting God’s providence and going because he does not care about life.
As they prepare for the duel, Hamlet makes a half-hearted attempt at apologizing to Laertes for killing his father and Laertes half-heartedly accepts it because he still plans on killing him with the poisoned sword. Both Hamlet and Laertes try to appear humble to one another and lower one another’s guard while Claudius ushers the fight along and tells Hamlet there is a drink of wine awaiting him when he wins a point. The fight begins and Hamlet quickly scores a hit on Laertes but refuses to take a drink. After another point for Hamlet, Gertrude instead takes the cup despite the king’s protest and drinks to her son’s success. As Claudius panics inwardly about accidentally killing his wife, the duel gets out of control. Laertes draws blood on Hamlet and in retaliation, Hamlet takes Laertes’ weapon and in turn slashes Laertes.
This is when things start to fall apart in Denmark. The queen falls and cries out that the drink was poisoned. Also Laertes, knowing that he would soon die, shouts the he is justly killed by his own treachery, that Hamlet would soon die too, and that it was all the king’s fault. Hamlet, the reluctant avenger, finally has enough anger to kill Claudius so he stabs him with the poisoned sword and makes him drink the rest of the wine for good measure. With Claudius out of the picture dying an agonizing death, Hamlet and Laertes exchange true forgiveness with one another before Laertes dies too. Also, Horatio demonstrates his true loyalty by telling Hamlet that he wants to kill himself--but, of course, someone needs to live to tell the story so Hamlet persuades him to remain awhile longer to tell Fortinbras what happened since he will be the next king. Then Hamlet draws his final breath and dies.
As soon as the cleansing of the house of Denmark is complete, Fortinbras strolls in with his entourage bearing important news. Given that Horatio is the only one left, he announces to him that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were definitely executed. Horatio responds that he has a story to explain why everyone in the room is dead but first and foremost, they agree to award Hamlet with an honorable soldier’s funeral. The circle of retribution comes to a close because every wrong-doer dies in the wake of Ophelia and Polonius’ unjust deaths and Fortinbras receives the kingdom taken from his family by Hamlet’s father.