Shakespeare
Hamlet Study Guide
Hoffman
Name:
Act V
Scene 1
1. What are the gravediggers debating over?
A.
2. How does the gravedigger answer Hamlet’s questions? (lines 125-145)
A.
3. How does Hamlet react to the skull that the gravedigger shows him? Why? (lines 186-199)
A.
B.
4. What does the gravedigger state about England? (lines 155-157)
A.
5. About how old is Hamlet? (lines 145-173)
A.
6. Describe Laertes and Hamlet’s actions at the funeral.
A.
7.
Relate Hamlet’s musings on the skulls to his earlier reference to man as a “quintessence of
dust” (Act 2, Scene 2). How is Hamlet’s attitude toward death in this scene different from that
in his earlier speeches?
A.
Scene 2
1. What does Hamlet relate to Horatio? (lines 15-29)
A.
2. What is Hamlet’s opinion of Osric?
A.
3. What message does Osric bring and what is Hamlet’s response?
A.
B.
4. What is Horatio’s opinion about Hamlet’s above response? (lines 220-222)
A.
5. What is Hamlet’s state of mind just before he goes to fence with Laertes? In answering,
consider these questions: Is Hamlet still troubled by his conscience? Does he still seem to
want revenge? Does he still fear death?
A.
6. What is Hamlet’s attitude toward Laertes in this scene?
A.
7. How do the deaths of the King and Queen and Laertes and Hamlet come about? What do you
think is the significance of the slaughter in this scene?
A.
B.
8. As Hamlet dies, what does Horatio agree to do?
A.
9. Who arrives at the end of the play? What is his reaction to what he finds in Denmark?
A.
B.
10. Why do you think Fortinbras orders that Hamlet be given a soldier’s burial?
A.
Review Terms:
Comic Relief
Falling Action
Denouement
Tragedy