Scene 1: The scene starts off in a graveyard with two gravediggers making a grave for Ophelia’s dead body, both seems to argue on her being buried because she committed suicide and according to christianity suicides should not be allowed to receive a christian burial. The gravediggers discuss how her posh background might be the cause of being able to be buried which brings up the question on if the rich are the only christians allowed to commit suicide.
Hamlet and Horatio enter and watch the gravedigger from a distance and notices the amount of skulls that have been thrown out of the ground to make way for the burial, he asks how the grave is being dug up for and he uses sarcasm to says that it is his grave because he is digging in it up, it’s a grave that belongs to no one because ead people can’t own anything and he finally says that it is a woman. The gravedigger blissfully unaware that it is hamlet who he is talking to says that he has being doing his job since king Hamlet killed Fortinbras and the exact same day prince Hamlet was born. Hamlet tells us that the skull on the floor belong to Yorick (King Hamlet’s Jester) and is appalled when he realises that all great man will become dust one days including Alexander the great and even Julius caesar.
All of a sudden the funeral possession comes through the graveyard with: Claudius, Gertrude and Laertes amongst other people mourning Ophelia death. Hamlet realises that whoever it was in that coffin committed suicide as he describes the funeral rites as “maimed,” Hamlet realises that Ophelia i dead in the coffin while Laertes is outraged that the priest is refusing to put on a christian burial because she committed suicide. Laertes filled with grief jumps into the grave with her, This makes Hamlet runs up to the funeral and delcares his love for Ophelia and says his love is stronger than Laertes love for Ophelia, He also announces that he would do anything for her like he would be eaten by a crocodile or buried alive. Gertrude and Claudius finally agree that he has gone mad and Hamlet storms off with Horatio, Claudius reassures Laertes that the time will come for revenge to be taken.
Scene 2: The scene starts off the very next day in Elsinore castle with Hamlet telling Horatio how he planned to overcome being murdered by his fathers request in England. Hamlet replaced the seal with his execution with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern saying that he has no sympathy for them as they betrayed him by taking order from Claudius that were against his will. he is however deeply ashamed of the way he has treated Laertes and says that he should do a good favour for him.
Osric (A Courtier) enters ans disrupts the conversation between Hamlet and Horatio. Osric tries to suck up to Hamlet by agreeing to every single thing he says, this even is the vocal point of contradictions for him like saying that it is quite cold and then agreeing that it is quite hot. He has come to tell him that Claudius request a fencing battle between him and Laertes but apparently Claudius has put on a wager with Laertes that hamlet will win the fight. Osric praise Laertes then a lord comes in asking if he is ready for the match, Horatio doesn’t want him to fight but he goes against his word. The court goes to the hall for the fencing and Hamlet tries to be forgiven for his behaviour towards Laertes but Laertes says that he will not forgive him until an expert has advised him to do so, but until then he will accept his love.
Both take their sword and Claudius says that if hamlet wins the wins the first or second hit then he will drink to his health and put into the cup a gem which is actually poison, and will give the wine to Hamlet, The fight begins and Hamlet gets the hit but declines the drink because he will play another hit first, He hits Laertes and Gertrude picks up the drink and Claudius tells her not to drink the drink, she does anyway and falls to her death after telling him that the wine had poison in it. Laertes also says that he has been poisoned by the sword. A grief ridden hamlet runs towards Claudius and forces him to drink the rest of the wine, he does and dies while trying to call out for help. Hamlet tells Horatio that he is dying and in one last attempt tries to be forgiven by Laertes who dies after forgiving Hamlet.
Osric tells us that Fortinbras is coming through the castle in the final moments of Hamlets life he ask Horatio not to commit suicide but instead stay alive and tell the story, he requests that Fortinbras becomes the new king of Denmark and then Hamlet dies. Fortinbras enters the room accompanied by the english ambassador bearing bad news about Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s death. Horatio says that he will tell everybody of the gruesome scene that is now on display, Fortinbras orders Hamlet to be carried out the castle like a soldier.
End of Hamlet.
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