Act 5 Summary
Act 5.1 Character List
 Gravediggers
 Gertrude
 Claudius
 Hamlet
 Horatio
 Laertes
Scene 1 Details
 Hamlet 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 details
 Laertes 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
Act 5.2 Character List
 Hamlet
 Horatio
 Laertes
 Gertrude
 Claudius
 Osric
 Young Fortinbras
 Ambassador
 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
beheaded
 Gives letter to Horatio
 Hamlet rewrites orders to have R & G executed instead;
seals it with his dad’s royal seal to make official
 Hamlet doesn’t feel bad at all about it; he believes they
deserved it; he feels justified
Scene 2 Details
 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
 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
Scene 2 Details
 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
 Fortinbras 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!
Who died and how?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
King Hamlet
Polonius
Ophelia
Gertrude
Laertes
Hamlet
Claudius
Rosencrantz
Guildenstern
Poison
Stabbed by Hamlet
Drowned
Poison
Poison
Poison
Poison
Beheaded
Beheaded
Act 1
Act 3
Act 4
Act 5
Act 5
Act 5
Act 5
Act 5
Act 5