Act V: Scene 2
1. What does Hamlet find in Claudius’s letter to England?
2. What letter did Hamlet write as a substitute? How does he
justify this?
3. How does Hamlet justify killing Claudius to Horatio?
4. Why is Hamlet sorry that he lost his temper to Laertes?
5. What information does Orsic bring? How does Hamlet show his
disdain for Orsic?
6. What bet has Claudius made?
7. Does Hamlet think he will win or lose? Why?
8. In what line does Hamlet answer the question, “To be or not to
be”?
9. What does Hamlet blame for the death of Polonius? Why does
Hamlet apologize to Laertes? How does Laertes react?
10. In literature a foil is one character whose differences are used to
illuminate or magnify the qualities of another character. What does
Hamlet mean when he says, “I’ll be your foil.”? How are Hamlet
and Laertes foils?
11. What did Claudius do to Laertes’ sword? How does Hamlet end
up with it?
12. What does Claudius do for Hamlet’s wine? What is the pearl?
Why doesn’t Hamlet drink it?
13. Who drinks from Hamlet’s cup?
14. What happens to Laertes?
15. What is ironic about the deaths of Laertes and Gertrude?
16. What does Hamlet do to Claudius?
17. What does Laertes do before he dies?
18. What request does Hamlet make to Horatio before he dies?
What are Hamlet’s last words? What do they mean?
19. Who claims the throne of Denmark? Why is this appropriate?
What does Fortinbras do for Hamlet? Why?