Hamlet
by
William Shakespeare
Act V
Hamlet – Act V Scene I

As they dig, two gravediggers debate
about whether Ophelia should be given a
Christian burial since it is believed she
killed herself.
 Hamlet
enters and asks who the grave is for.
 The men do not answer.
 Hamlet muses over death and how brief and
unimportant we all really are.
Hamlet – Act V Scene I

A funeral procession arrives
 Upon
seeing Laertes, Hamlet realizes the
funeral is for Ophelia
 Grief-stricken, Laertes jumps into the grave.
 Hamlet jumps in, too.
 Hamlet and Laertes fight.
Hamlet – Act V Scene II

Hamlet confesses to Horatio that while he
was on the ship to England, he stole a
packet of letters Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern were ordered to take to the
King of England.
 The
letters were from Claudius, asking the
king to have Hamlet beheaded.
 Hamlet replaced the letter with one he wrote,
ordering the death of Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern.
Hamlet – Act V Scene II

A messenger arrives and tells Hamlet
about the fencing match against Laertes.
 Against
Horatio’s advice, Hamlet agrees to the
fight.
 At the match, Hamlet asks Laertes for
forgiveness.
 Claudius puts on a show, rooting for Hamlet in
the fight.
Hamlet – Act V Scene II

Claudius offers Hamlet a drink which has
been laced with poison (just in case the
poisoned tip of the sword does not work).
 However,
Hamlet does not drink.
 Instead, Gertrude drinks the wine, unaware of
her husband’s plan.
 The men continue to fight.
 Hamlet is wounded with the poisoned
sword.
Hamlet – Act V Scene II

In the scuffle, Hamlet and Laertes have
switched swords.
 Hamlet
wounds Laertes with Laertes’ sword.
 As they both begin to die, Gertrude
announces that the cup was poisoned and she
is dying.
 Laertes confesses about the poisoned sword,
declaring that it was Claudius’s idea.
Hamlet – Act V Scene II

Hamlet stabs Claudius with the poisoned
sword, then forces Claudius to drink the
poisoned wine.
 The

king dies.
Upset, Horatio wants to kill himself, but
Hamlet pleads with him not to kill himself.
 Hamlet
then asks Horatio to live to tell
Hamlet’s story.
Hamlet – Act V Scene II
Hamlet dies.
 Fortinbras arrives, and Horatio tells
Hamlet’s story.

 The
story designates Fortinbras as king.
 Fortinbras vows to give Hamlet a hero’s burial.
The End