Act 5

Act 5 begins in a graveyard and hones in on a discussion between two gravediggers. The “clowns” accuse Ophelia of committing suicide. They believe that because she decided to take her own life, Ophelia does not deserve a proper burial. One of them even points out that no one can drown themselves in self-defence, making it clear that suicide is Ophilia’s only possible cause of death. Due to Ophelia’s high rank in society, she is given a proper and honorable Christain burial.

After returning home, Hamlet walks in the graveyard the same day of Ophelia’s funeral. He is startled by a skull and a gravedigger singing in the graveyard. We learn that the gravedigger does not realize who Hamlet is, as he begins to gossip about royal happenings with Hamlet. The gravedigger also mentions that the skull belongs to King Hamlet’s jester, Yorick. Hamlet, having known Yorik, begins to feel sick. After seeing Yorik lifeless, he realizes that all men decompose, revert back to the earth, and become unimportant objects.

Soon, Hamlet stumbles upon Ophelia’s funeral. Hamlet confesses his love for Ophelia and claims that his love for her was greater than Laertes’s love for her. Hamlet continues to compare himself to others, but this time he compared himself publicly. After fighting with Laertes in the graveyard, tensions rise.

Hamlet argues that because Claudius “hath killed my king, and whored my mother,” Hamlet is justified in murdering Claudius. While Hamlet sees Laertes as a fellow avenger, Hamlet’s hotheadedness encourages him to accept the duel posed by Laertes. Hamlet feels as though his character is in question because of the duel and believes he can win despite heavy protests from Horatio.

Before entering the duel where the true Shakespearen tragedy shows, Hamlet attempts to blame his madness for Polonius’s death. During the duel, Claudius prepares to poison Hamlet, but instead kills Gertrude. While Hamlet was already poisoned by Laertes's sword during the intense jousting, he still avenges both King Hamlet’s and Gertrudes’s deaths by forcing Claudius to drink from the poisoned cup. Laertes forgives Hamlet before dying as well. Horatio, surrounded by dead and dying people confesses his desire to commit suicide. Hamlet tells Horatio to live on and “draw thy breath in pain / To tell my story.”

When Fortinbras, Hamlet’s choice for King of Denmark, enters the room, he is shocked by the death in the room. The English ambassador shares the news that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were executed, which followed Hamlet’s plan. Truly, the most Shakespearean tragedy ending I have ever read.