Act 5 questions

HAMLET ACT 5: Questions

1) What do you feel is the point of the gravedigger’s riddles and song? How does it fit into the play?
The gravediggers song is mainly reinforcing Hamlets revelation that death is a natural part of life. He says that everyone is once young and loves, then they grow up and start to die ang go back to the land. Then they are in the grave. This fits into the play because everyone is about to die of either poison or sword. He also is a little bit of comic relief to the story of revenge and death. He is a clown. A pit of clay is obviously a grave but it could also be a metaphor for the mind and how it cages in a crazy person, like hamlet. The song could be used by shakespeare to put the point across that the relationship is over between Hamlet and Ophelia. he sings of a young love but then the relationship is over because of death. This is just like the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia.

2) In what ways do Hamlet’s reactions to the skulls in the graveyard seem to suggest a change in his outlook? Compare Hamlet’s attitude towards Yoric to Hamlet’s attitude to Ophelia or even his father? How is it different? How is it similar?
Hamlet is fond of Yorik, his childhood friend, he is always jesting or making fun of ophelia and he looks up to only his father. Yorik, along with horatio, is one of the few people that hamlet speaks straightly about. He regards them more as equals. He has changed from being gaurded and witty to being open to his emotions and his compassion for yorik.

3) How old is Hamlet? How do you know this?
Hamlet is 30 years old because the grave digger has been digging graves since the young hamlet was born 30 years ago.

4) What does the violent argument between Hamlet and Laertes add to the play?
It adds to the play becasue it finally shows that hamlet is taking action and it shows hamlets emotions which he usually gaurds so well. Also it gives the play a sense of suspense at what will happen in the conflict.

5) What developments in Hamlet’s character are presented through the story of what happened on the boat? (V.ii 1-62). How has Hamlet changed?
Hamlet's character changed from a reserved and cautious person to a man of action. He suddenly decides to damn Rosencratz and Guildenstern to be killed without any time to pray. Hamlet seems to be much more cruel now, then before when he would use words to harm people instead of actions.

6) How do Hamlet’s motives in killing Claudius seem to have shifted according to his speech beginning “Does it not, think thee…” (V.ii.63)
This is the first time that hamlet shows that he wants to kill claudius not only for his fathers murder and his mothers marriage, but because hamlet wanted to be king. Not only did claudius destroy hamlet's family, but also his future as king.

7) What concerns of the play are reinforced in the Osric episode? (V.ii.80-170)
Osric reinforces the idea of prostitution. He is pretty much doing and saying anything that hamlet wants in order to better himself. Also osric presents a challenge that hamlet must accept to keep his honor.

8) Why does Hamlet ‘defy augury’? (V.ii.192)
He defies augury by deciding that he will either die now or live instead of allowing his life to keep going as planned. In his short speech he say that death will come sometime. If he is meant to die now then he will live. If he is meant to live then let him die. Death is a part of life. This represents a strong contrast from the "to be or not to be" soliloquy of earlier in the story.

9) What does Laertes say is his motive in still resenting Hamlet? How has he already lost this? How does this contribute to the presentation of revenge in the play? (V.ii216-223)
Laertes's main reason for resenting hamlet in scene 2 is to maintain his honor. This is already lost because he has resorted to poison and cheating at sword play to kill Hamlet. He has started to make sly plans like his father did. This makes the theme of revenge seem like a dishonorable thing that is wrong rather than something noble like it was portrayed when Hamlet was going to avenge his fathers death. The reason for this difference could be the mode in which the men were killed. Old Hamlet was murdered in order to better Claudius and for selfish reasons. Polonius was killed in a way that was not so selfish. It was also part of hamlet trying to get revenge.

10) How might the dying lines of Gertrude, Claudius and Laertes be viewed as typical of the way their characters have been presented throughout the play?
The queen says "No, no, th drink! O my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I am poison'd" This represents her as a weak character that she is. She follows men's orders for the entire play and in her dieing words she calls out to her son who is one of the men that she follows.

11) Who “wins” in Hamlet? How and why do you think this?
Fortinbras wins in hamlet. He is the only major character, other than horatio, who does not die or go insane (or both). He also acheives his goal. he conquered the land that he originally wanted. He avenged his father because he took over the land. Horatio cannot be the winner because he is a follower. He helps other people throughout the entire play and now everyone is dead so he is not any more well off.