| Describe the tone at the beginning of Act 5, scene 1. | There was a comic relief. |
| What are the gravediggers debating? | They were talking about death and suicide by drowning. |
| Provide and explain one quote where the gravediggers are being comic. | Gravedigger: How can that be, unless she drowned herself in her own defense?Other: Why, tis’ found so.Gravedigger: It must be se offendendo…This quote shows how the gravedigger pokes fun at the girls death by joking replacing the concept of self defense with self offense. |
| Why is it that the ‘gravemaker’ builds the strongest of all? | Houses he makes last until Doomsday. This is ironic because no one lives in houses (dead). |
| What does Hamlet ask Horatio and why is it significant? | How is the gravedigger happy and cheerful in his line of work? |
| To whom does Hamlet speculate the second skull could belong? What is the general meaning of the jokes? | The skull could belong to a lawyer and accomplishments from the past are turned into dust and worthless. All cases lead him to the skull. (line 100) |
| Whose grave is the gravedigger digging? | He says it’s for himself but in reality it is for Ophelia. Lie= lay in the grave and not telling the truth; grave is not for him. |
| What does the gravedigger say of men from England? | The men of England are mad (joke). |
| Who is Yorick? Why is he mentioned in this scene? | Yorick is a dead man; the king’s jester and Hamlet takes back to carefree childhood and the good ol’ days. |
| According to Hamlet, what becomes of the body in death, even of the bodies of great men? | They become dust. |
| Explain why Laertes is upset about the funeral. | Laertes is upset about the funeral because he is contemplating whether Ophelia committed suicide. |
| What does the queen say about Ophelia? | She wanted Ophelia to be Hamlet’s wife, “sweet by sweet” |
| What curse does Laertes call upon the person responsible for Ophelia’s death? | Ten times trouble woe, wishing a curse 10 times death to cause her to do this. |
| What does Hamlet say about his love for Ophelia? | He is madly in love. |
| Is Hamlet’s love for Ophelia sincere? | Yes |
| How does Laertes respond? | He attempts to fight Hamlet. |
| What does the king say to Laertes to justify Hamlet’s words? | Hamlet is “mad” |
| What is Hamlet willing to do to show his grief? | Eat a crocodile, drink vinegar etc. |
| What does the king say to Laertes at the end of the scene? | Be patient, we will put the plan in action soon. Plan isn’t successful it ended up killing herself, doesn’t get why Hamlet was mean but it was only to keep her safe. |
| What does Hamlet believe “shapes our ends” in this scene? | God in heaven shapes our true ends. Divinity |
| Explain the contents of the letter that Hamlet reads. | The letter says from Claudius to Laertes to cut off his head, without even waiting to sharpen the ax. |
| How does he respond to reading this letter (include how it is credible)? | Hamlet responds by making and writing a letter of his own that had new instructions in the bureaucrat’s neat handwriting. The letter was a sincere plea from the king, who commands the respect of England, and who hopes that the love between the two countries can flourish, and that peace can join them in friendship—and other fancy mumbo jumbo like that—saying that, once they read this document, without any debate, the ones delivering the letter should be put to death immediately, without giving them time to confess to a priest. Hamlet sealed it with his father’s signet ring that had the royal seal of Denmark on it. |
| Use textile evidence to show how Hamlet feels about the outcome of his plan. | Hamlet feels his plan is perfect and it is completely moral and right and everyone that dies deserves it. (pg 263) |
| What does Hamlet again debate with, “is’t not perfect conscience, /To quit him with this arm? And is’t not to be damn’d, / To let this canker of our nature come / In further evil? | Hamlet is debating that isn’t it completely moral to kill him now with this sword—and an easy conscience? And wouldn’t he be damned if he let this monster live to do more harm? |
| What is Horatio’s warning to Hamlet? | Horatio tells Hamlet that the King will find out about what happened in England soon. |
| How does Hamlet feel about his altercation with Laertes? | Hamlet feels bad for Laertes and understands his pain he also feels bad for going off on him and says he will be nice to him. |
| What is Osric’s mission? | Osric’s mission is to tell Hamlet that the king has bet that in a dozen rounds between him and Laertes, he won’t beat you by more than three hits. He basically is telling him to fight Laertes in fencing. He is trying to get Hamlet to take part in the match and that he is doing something for Laertes. |
| What explanation does Osric give for the match? | The king has bet that in a dozen rounds between him and Laertes, he won’t beat you by more than three hits. (178) |
| How does Hamlet respond? | First he says no, then Hamlet says he will do it, he’s gonna be there anyway, so he might as well. He will try to win the king’s bet but if not he will be embarrassed. |
| How does Hamlet feel in response to Horatio’s belief that he will lose? | Hamlet doesn’t think so. He’s been practicing fencing constantly since he went off to France. With the handicap they’ve given his, he thinks he’ll win. But he has a sinking feeling anyway. Oh well. |
| What does Hamlet say about augury (find the quote)? | “Not a whit. We defy augury. There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ’tis not to come. If it be not to come, it will be now. If it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is all. Since no man of aught he leaves knows, what is ‘t to leave betimes? Let be”(Lines 205-210).Hamlet is saying that he thumbs his nose at superstitions. God controls everything—even something as trivial as a sparrow’s death. Everything will work out as it is destined. |
| When Hamlet apologizes to Laertes, what does he claim is his excuse? | Hamlet claims he has a serious mental illness. |
| What does the king state he will do during the match? | The King says he will give Laertes a handicap because he’s better meaning he has to outdo Hamlet by 3 hits to win. If Hamlet makes the first or second hit, or gets back at Laertes by making the third hit, then let his soldiers give him a military salute. He will drink to Hamlet’s health, and into his goblet he will drop a pearl even more costly than those in the crowns of the last four Danish kings. |
| Who makes the first hit? | Hamlet |
| Who makes the second hit? | Hamlet |
| What action does Gertrude take with her quote, “The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet”? | The queen drinks to his good luck and happiness, Hamlet. She lifts the cup with the pearl. |
| Find a quote that represents feelings of Laertes before the third hit. | “(aside) And yet it is almost ‘gainst my conscience” (324) |
| According to Laertes, what kills him? | Poison on the sword |
| What does the queen reveal before her death? | The queen reveals that she’s been poisoned |
| What does Laertes reveal before his death? | 1. Hamlet will die and nothing can cure it because of the sword2. This is all Claudius’ fault3. The plan has backfired on him |
| What two actions does Hamlet then execute? | Hamlet forces Claudius to drink the poison and stab him with the sword. |
| What does Laertes ask of Hamlet? | He asks for forgiveness. The election lies on Fortinbras. |
| What does Horatio attempt to do? What is Hamlet’s response? | Horatio attempts to kill himself, Hamlet doesn’t allow it because he needs to tell everyone what happened; set the story straight. |
| What does Hamlet request of Horatio? | He needs to tell everyone what happened; set the story straight. |
| What do we discover about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern? | They died |
| How does the play end? | Everyone dies, Fortinbras comes and says how great Hamlet was and has cannons fired for him. |
| Explain the dramatic climax. How does it meet the criteria of both a Greek Tragedy and a Roman Revenge Play? | Everyone dies Falling ac. All of act 4 and act 5 scene 1 Laertes turns in the king. Climax- Polonius is killedThe climax at the end was the sword fight and everyone dying and order is restored because Fortinbras comes in and takes control. Resolution- fortinbras taking control |
| List all of the dead. How many characters deserved to die? Is there any symbolic significance with the number of people dead? | Queen, Hamlet, Polonius, Claudius, Laertes, King Claudius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Ophelia. 9 people dead, 9 levels of hell and nine levels of purgatory. Revolving to dante’s inferno. |
| What is the pearl? | pearl = poison |
Hamlet: Act 5
July 19, 2019