Act 5 notes
 The
death of the tragic hero as well as other
major characters
 Why
does the play have to end with the
deaths of most major characters?


“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”
All of the evil and corruption must end and peace
must be restored (Fortinbras = rightful king)
 The
scene opens with the gravediggers
digging the grave of Ophelia.
 They discuss the fact that she should not be
receiving a proper Christian burial.
 Hamlet enters and seems puzzled that the
gravediggers are making jokes and singing as
they dig.
 Hamlet sees the skill of Yorick, the king’s
jester, and comes to the realization that all
are equal in death.
 Hamlet wonders whose grave the diggers are
digging.
 The
entire court enters with the body of
Ophelia.
 Hamlet realizes that Ophelia is dead.
 Ophelia receives a very short burial service
given the nature of her death.
 Laertes jumps into her grave while the angry
Hamlet follows him and claims that there is
no way that he could have loved Ophelia
more than Hamlet.
 The scene ends with these two grappling in
her grave which foreshadows the next scene.
Hamlet and Horatio talk in private. Hamlet
explains to Horatio that he used his father’s
Danish seal to change the orders, sending
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths
(FATE)
 Osric enters and gives Hamlet the news that the
King has placed a wager on Hamlet’s life and
that he is to enter into a dual against Laertes, a
skilled fencer.
 Horatio is nervous for Hamlet’s safety, but
Hamlet says that whatever happens, he is ready
to die.
 Hamlet accepts the wager and the two begin to
fence in front of the entire Danish court.

 Hamlet
apologizes to Laertes for killing his
father and for the death of Ophelia.
 Hamlet seems to be keeping up with Laertes,
so the King offers Hamlet a drink from the
poisoned cup.
 When Hamlet refuses, the Queen sips from
the poisoned cup, and Laertes wounds
Hamlet with the poisoned sword.
 At which time, Hamlet and Laertes
accidentally switch swords, and Laertes also
becomes wounded with the poisoned sword.
Laertes reveals his part in the plan to kill Hamlet
before he dies, and Hamlet then stabs Claudius
with the poisoned sword. He forces his to drink
the poison to finish him off.
 Hamlet finally gets his revenge!
 Before he dies, Hamlet asks Horatio to tell the
story of the once noble Hamlet so that his name
can live on, untarnished.
 Horatio gives Hamlet the last of the poison to
speed up his death.
 Hamlet gives his dying voice to Fortinbras, the
rightful heir to the throne.


Fortinbras enters and asks for the bodies to be
“taken up.” He restores order to the once evil
and corrupt Danish court.

Characters who die:







King Hamlet—poisoned by Claudius
Polonius—stabbed by Hamlet
Ophelia—drowns in the brook
Queen Gertrude—drinks poison
King Claudius—stabbed by Hamlet/drinks poison
Hamlet—stabbed by Claudius/drinks poison
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern—put to death in
England
 “Has
this fellow no feeling of his business?
He sings in grave-making.” –Hamlet, IV.i.6768
 “Dost thou think Alexander looked o’ this
fashion I’ th’ earth?” –Hamlet, V.i.204-205
 “Lay her I’ th’ earth,/And from her fair and
unpolluted flesh/May violets spring!” –
Laertes, V.i.248-250
 “Sweets to the sweet, farewell!/I hoped thou
shouldst been my Hamlet’s wife.” –Gertrude,
V.i.254.255
“I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers/Could
not with all their quantity of love make up my
sum.” –Hamlet, V.i.285-287
“I had my father’s signet in my purse,/Which was
the model of that Danish seal;/Folded the writ
up in the form of th’ other,/Subscribed it, gave
‘t th’ impression, placed it safely,/The
changeling never known.” –Hamlet, V.ii.54-60
“Free me so far in your most generous
thoughts/That I have shot my arrow o’er the
house /And hurt my brother.” –Hamlet, V.ii.256258
 “I’ll
be your foil, Laertes; in mine
ignorance/Your skill shall, like a star I’ th’
darkest night,/Stick fiery off indeed.” –
Hamlet, V.ii.272-274
 “No, no, the drink, the drink! O, my dear
Hamlet!/The drink, the drink! I am
poisoned.” –Gertrude, V.ii.340-341
 “Exchange forgiveness with me, noble
Hamlet./Mine and my father’s death come
not upon thee./Nor thine on me.” –Laertes,
V.ii.361-362
 “If
thou didst ever hold me in thy
heart,/Absent thee from felicity awhile/And
in this harsh world draw thy breath in
pain/To tell my story.” –Hamlet, V.ii.381-384
 “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night
sweet prince,/And flights of angels sing thee
to thy rest.” –Horatio, V.ii.397-398
 “Take up the bodies. Such a sight as
this/Becomes the field but here shows much
amiss./Go, bid the soldiers shoot.” –
Fortinbras, V.ii.447-449
 Revenge
 Fate
 Life/Death
 Corruption
 Rightful
King