1. HAMLET
Act V
Annie Carew, Carolyn Caggia, Joan
Koh, Kelsey Lowden, Saran Allen

2. Summary: Scene 1
• Hamlet and Horation
find two gravediggers
• Skulls (Yorick)
• Ophelia’s funeral
procession (suicide?)
• Hamlet and Laertes fight
in Ophelia’s grave

3. Scene 1 Study Questions
• What was the significance of the various skulls
the gravedigger digs up during this scene?
How do they contribute to the evolution of
Hamlet’s understanding of death?
• How does the entrance of Ophelia’s funeral
procession continue this evolution?
• What does Laertes and Hamlet’s fight in
Ophelia’s grave foreshadow?

4. Scene 1 Study Questions
• Why is this scene in prose?
• How do Hamlet and the gravedigger view the
sociological implications of death
differently?

5. Summary: Scene 2
• Hamlet explains incident with letters and
pirates to Horatio
• Interrupted by Osric: there is
to be a duel
• Hamlet wins first point,
offered a drink, declines

6. Summary: Scene 2
• Gertrude drinks the
poison, Laertes wounds
Hamlet, Hamlet wounds
Laertes
• Hamlet kills Claudius and
they all die
• Fortinbras arrives and
becomes king

7. Scene 2 Study Questions
• What does Horatio learn about the real
purpose for the trip to England?
• What is ironic about
Rosencrantz's and
Guildenstern's approaching
deaths?
• How does Shakespeare
establish that Hamlet
is indeed a noble
gentleman?

8. Scene 2 Study Questions
• How does the
impending duel with
Laertes complete Hamlet's concept of death
that has been developing through the play?
• Why does Hamlet apologize to Laertes
• Explain how each character dies in the end.

9. Scene 2 Study Questions
• Why does the play end
with such bloodshed and
death?
• What is significant about the
fact that Fortinbras delivers the
last lines of the play?

10. Literary Criticism: Feminism
• Weak women
– Ophelia is rumored to have committed suicide
– “Is she to be buried in Christian burial, when she
willfully seeks her own salvation?” (5.1.1)
• Women should always obey men
– Gertrude drinks against Claudius’ orders and dies

11. Literary Criticism: Psychoanalytic
• Incest between Laertes and Ophelia
– “Hold off the earth awhile, Till I have caught her
once more in mine arms.” (5.1.261-2)
• Incest between Hamlet and Gertrude
– Gertrude’s last cry is to Hamlet
– “Oh, my dear Hamlet!” (5.2.340)

12. Literary Criticism:

13. Literary Criticism:

14. Literary Criticism:

15. Quotes
• “Custom hath made it in him a
property of easiness.” (5.1.69)
– Hamlet is talking to Horatio while
watching the gravedigger sing
over his work
– Not everyone takes death
seriously

16. Quotes
• “Alexander died, Alexander was buried,
Alexander returneth to dust; the dust is earth;
of earth we make loam; and why of that loam
whereto he was converted might they not
stop a beer bottle?” (5.1.216-9)
– Hamlet is talking to Horatio about the skulls
– Great men die and their remains are used by
commoners

17. Quotes
• “It is but foolery, but it is such a kind of
gaingiving as would perhaps trouble a
woman.” (5.2.229-30)
– Hamlet scoffs at Horatio’s concerns about the duel
– Women are weak and are more easily perturbed

18. Quotes
• “Gertrude, do not drink.” “I will, my lord; I
pray you pardon me.” (5.2.178-8)
– Claudius and Gertrude speaking for the last time
at the duel
– Gertrude’s last action is to disobey Claudius in
favor of her son

19. Quotes
• “He is justly served. It is a poison tempered
by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me,
noble Hamlet. Mine and my father’s death
come not upon thee, Nor thine on me.”
(5.2.359-63)
– Laertes’ last words (to Hamlet)
– Hamlet’s death could be viewed as payback for
Polonius, but Laertes forgives him

20. Allusions
• Adam’s Profession (5.1.32)
• Cain (5.1.79)
• Alexander the Great (5.1.204)
• Caesar (5.1.220)
• Pelion/Olympus/Ossa (5.1.265)
• Hercules (5.1.310)
• Barbary Horses (5.2.174)

21. Symbols
• Yorick’s Skull

22. Major Themes