Questions on Act Five                                     

 Gravediggers are preparing a grave for                    
 Hamlet/Ophelia/Polonius. They speculate about the      
 possibility that the death was suicide and the chief
 gravedigger makes two jokes about the power of death to 
 conquer all. The second gravedigger leaves to fetch some
 "liquor", leaving his boss singing a song about death's   
 victory as he continues digging.                        
                                                         
 Hamlet and Horatio enter. Hamlet is appalled by the     
 rough treatment that the bones of the grave's former
 occupants receive from the gravedigger. He speculates   
 about the identity of a skull/skeleton/coffin thrown up 
 during the digging, revealing that his bones "ache" to   
 think of this waste of power and energy. Hamlet attempts
 to discover the identity of the person who is to be     
 buried, but is, uncharacteristically, outsmarted.       
                                                           
 Hamlet is handed the skull of Yorick, whose death he     
 mourns and then proceeds to wonder at the way in which  
 even the greatest of men, such as
 Caesar/Anthony/Hannibal, are returned to the earth.      
                                                         
 Hamlet and Horatio hide as Ophelia's funeral procession 
 enters. Laertes and the priest/King/Queen quarrel over   
 the brevity of the service. Gertrude throws             
 flowers/soil/sweets into the grave which are swiftly    
 followed by the distraught Laertes. Hamlet realises that
 Ophelia is dead and reveals his presence, taunting        
 Laertes to outdo his grief/bravery/wit. Laertes attempts
 to throttle/stab/punch Hamlet. They are parted and the   
 King counsels Laertes to follow the plan they decided   
 upon at the end of Act Four.                             

 Back at the castle, Hamlet tells Horatio about the plot
 to kill him in England and how he was able to turn
 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's treachery against them.
 He credits unthinking/planned/careful action and God's
 will for his escape. He is now determined to kill the
 King, but regrets losing his patience with Laertes.
 Osric enters with the offer of a fencing match between
 Hamlet and Laertes. Hamlet mocks Osric's pretentious
 speech and accepts the challenge. A Lord arrives to ask
 confirmation of Hamlet's acceptance.

 Horatio tells Hamlet he will lose, but the Prince is
 confident. He has decided to ignore the troubled
 feelings he has about the match and trust to providence.
 He reflects that being ready for death is
 all/important/difficult.

 The court enter to see the match. Hamlet apologises to
 Laertes, who says that his feelings are satisfied though
 his honour is not. They select swords. Claudius puts a
 pearl/ring/medal into the poisoned goblet of wine he has
 prepared for Hamlet and puts it on a table.

 The fencing match begins and Hamlet wins the first two
 bouts. Accidentally, the Queen drinks from the poisoned
 cup. Laertes stabs Hamlet with his poisoned and
 sharpened foil between rounds. They fight and exchange
 swords. Hamlet then stabs Laertes with the sword. The
 Queen faints and swiftly dies. Realising that he too is
 dying, Laertes reveals the plot and the King's
 complicity. Hamlet stabs the King and as Claudius dies,
 forces him to drink from the poisoned cup. Laertes begs
 Hamlet's pardon and dies. Hamlet forgives Laertes and
 prevents Horatio from killing himself with the remains
 of the wine. He wants him to be alive to tell the story
 to world. Hamlet dies.

 Fortinbras and the English/Norwegian/French ambassadors
 enter. They are shocked by the carnage before them.
 Horatio promises to explain how it all happened.
 Fortinbras says he will take over the throne and sends
 Hamlet's body off to a soldier's funeral.

 What? Why? How?

      1. What do you feel are the point of the
      gravedigger's riddles and song?

      2. In what ways do Hamlet's reactions to the
      skulls in the graveyard seem to suggest a
      change in his outlook?

      3. How old is Hamlet?

      4. What does the violent argument between
      Hamlet and Laertes add to the play?

      5. What developments in Hamlet's character are
      presented through the story of what happened
      on the boat? (V.ii.1-62)

      6. How do Hamlet's motives in killing Claudius
      seem to have shifted according to his speech
      beginning 'Does it not, think thee...'
      (V.ii.63)?

      7. What concerns of the play are reinforced in
      the Osric episode? (V.ii.80-170)

      8. Why does Hamlet 'defy augury'? (V.ii.192)

      9. What does Laertes say is his motive in
      still resenting Hamlet? How has he already
      lost this? How does this contribute to the
      presentation of revenge in the play?
      (V.ii.216-223)

      10. How might the dying lines of Gertrude,
      Claudius and Laertes be viewed as typical of
      the way their characters have been presented
      throughout the play?

 Stagecraft

      1. What means does Shakespeare use to raise
      suspense during the graveyard scene?

      2. What means does Shakespeare use to raise
      suspense during the fencing match?

 Language and Imagery

      1. In V.ii., Hamlet refers to Claudius as
      "this canker of our nature". What makes this
      so appropriate?

 Themes

      1. Which characters view the ending as bloody
      carnage and which as poetic justice? Why such
      confusion?

      2. Who "wins" in Hamlet? How?

Ê
Ian Delaney.
Copyright © 1997
Shakespearean Education
Last Updated: Monday, 23-Feb-98 11:35:06 EST
email: ian@hamlet.hypermart.net