Hamlet Act 5

What happens at the beginning of Act 5?

• Gravediggers make fun of burying a suicide in holy ground.

• Laertes & Hamlet fight & struggle at Ophelia's grave.

• Hamlet picks up & contemplates the skull of Yorrick.

• Gertrude scatters flowers & says, "Sweets to the sweet."

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The gravediggers suggest the idea that

• death is inevitable.

• Hamlet is mad.

• ghosts exist.

• life is meaningless.

The comic dialogue between the two gravediggers in Scene 1

• furthers the play’s action with references to death

• contrasts the sadness, making Ophelia’s death more touching

• prepares us so that Hamlet's views of death are not so harsh

• allows Shakespeare to show the stupidity of the masses

What happens at Ophelia's funeral?

• Laertes challenges Hamlet to a fencing duel over the grave.

• Hamlet & Laertes fist fight in her grave.

• The king & queen comfort Hamlet, overcome with grief.

• Ophelia's ghost visits them & warns of impending doom.

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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

• become heirs to Denmark's throne.

• escort Hamlet back to Denmark & apologize to the king.

• are killed by pirates before they return from England.

• are beheaded by the English instead of Hamlet.

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Which of these is NOT one action that Claudius & Laertes perform to "ensure" that Hamlet will die during the duel?

• Poison the tips of one of the swords

• Damage Hamlet's blade so that it will fail during the duel

• Poison a cup of wine

• Sharpen the tip on one of the swords

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How does Gertrude meet her death?

• She tries to stop the fight between Hamlet & Laertes.

• Claudius kills her, suspecting her of helping Hamlet.

• She kills herself after Hamlet's death.

• She drinks from the poisoned cup meant for Hamlet.

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What happens to Laertes in Act 5?

• Hamlet stabs him with Laertes' own poisoned sword.

• He runs away with Gertrude after Hamlet kills Claudius.

• He drinks of the poisoned goblet.

• He kills Hamlet and flees.

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What does Laertes "confess" to Hamlet just before his death?

• that he killed Ophelia

• that he conspired with the King to murder Hamlet

• that he never would have allowed Hamlet to marry Ophelia

• that he helped Fortinbras murder Hamlet

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What is the last line spoken in Hamlet? Think about what will happen after all of the deaths.

• Fortinbras: "Go bid the soldiers shoot."

• Hamlet: "Or I die, Horatio."

• Horatio: "Good night, sweet prince."

• The Ambassador: "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are dead."

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