Act five begins with gravediggers talking about how they suspect Ophelia committed suicide and question her burial in a Christian graveyard. This relates to what we discussed last class, where some of us suspected that Gertrude described Ophelia’s death as an accident so she would be spared the typical burial of someone who committed suicide during this time. Hamlet arrives in the graveyard with Horatio and picks up a skull. This once again causes Hamlet to ponder what happens after death. He is appalled at the thought of Yorrick, the jester he once knew, as only a skull. He begins to think about how even powerful men, including Alexander the great, are reduced to dust after death. He says, “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 barrel?” (5.1.177-189). A lot happened as Ophelia was brought out to be buried, and after Hamlet and Laertes fight, Hamlet declares his love for Ophelia. I don’t think Hamlet has taken full responsibility for Polonius’s death yet, which can be seen through his lack of guilt relating to Ophelia’s death. 

In Scene Two, I thought it was interesting how Hamlet could see that Laertes was the mirror image of his own desires for revenge, leading him to seek Laertes’s forgiveness. We have discussed how Laertes is a FOIL to Hamlet because they both are seeking revenge for their fathers, but Laertes is quick to act, while Hamlet is indecisive and reluctant to take action. Although these characters contrast each other, they died the same death, both poisoned by the same blade after forgiving each other. I believe that by the time Hamlet is waiting for the duel, he has reconciled with death and is at peace with it. The idea of death and the question of whether or not there is an afterlife, is something Hamlet has pondered throughout the entire play, and I believe he has finally come to terms with death itself by the end. It seems like every character was consumed with either seeking revenge or involved in the plan to kill, leading to the typical Shakesperan tragedy ending of everyone dying.

Hamlet: Act III Scenes II-III

 A play inside of a play, what a classic theather moment. Hamlet's play that he planned is being set up at the beginning of Act 3 Scene 2. Hamlet is instructing his actors for the play on what he wants for the acting style. He instructs quite specifically in saying "Speak the speech I pray as I pronounced it to you" (3.2.1). Meaning he wants the actors to say it exactly how he spoke it to them so that it is accurate and will get a reaction from Claudius. Also before the play starts, Hamlet instructs Horatio to keep an eye on Claudius for him. To see if there will be a reaction which will be Hamlet's answer on the true death of his father. Hamlet is quite rude and blunt to Ophelia, Gertrude, and Claudius. He mocks Claudius, comments on Gertrude's appearance in a harsh manner saying that there is "metal more attractive" (3.2.97), and also makes jokes and innuendos towards Ophelia (basically taunting and teasing her to make her feel embarassed/guilty). 

The play begins with a scene between the King and Queen. Talking about their 30 years of marriage and how great it has been. The queen promises that she will never marry again if the king passes but he responds saying that promises are broken. But the queen insists on he promise that she will never remarry when he dies. Then the reenactment of the kings death begins, as Hamlet makes commentary urging his mother and uncle to feel guilty because he knows they know what the play is resembling. When the king in the play is murdered with the poison in the ear, Claudius abruptly stops the play and Hamlet knows officially that his uncle murdered his father. Hamlet knows he must seek revenge for his father. Claudius fears that Hamlet is becoming dangerous and too violent, so he tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to take Hamlet to England. Hamlet furious about seeking revenge, decides to go and threaten his mother. Polonious decides to spy on them for Claudius. 

Claudius decides to pray after the play when he is left alone. He begs for divine mercy for killing his brother. He begs that God should, "forgive me my foul murder"(3.3.53) and that his "fault is past" (3.3.52). Hamlet enters seeing Claudius so vulenerable, begging and praying for forgiveness. He questions whether or not he should murder Claudius right then and there. But as he nears Claudius to avenge his father, he stops. 

Hamlet, Act II

I wonder how many spies actually lived in Denmark during the late middle ages. Because from Act II, it seems like everyone either was a spy, had a spy, or was being spied on! The act opens with Polonius giving Reynaldo money to spy on Laertes. After Reynaldo is sent off, Ophelia, frightened, tells her father about Hamlet’s strange behavior and appearance. Polonius mistakenly comes to the conclusion that Hamlet’s insanity was caused by Ophelia breaking up with him. He concludes that Hamlet must have truly loved Ophelia and decides to tell Claudius. Polonius remarks, “This is the very ecstasy of love, Whose violent property fordoes itself, And leads to desperate undertakings” (2.1.101-102). While it may seem that old Polonius just read the room wrong, this statement actually foreshadows much of the tragedy to come. The violent property of love will later be reflected in Ophelia’s death and Hamlet’s acts to avenge his father. Also, this quote reminded me of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet which similarly states, “These violent delights have violent ends”. I guess Shakespeare must have had a really crazy love life!

Once Polonius unites with Claudius and Gertrude, he begins a long and rambling explanation of Hamlet’s madness. He explains that his orders for Ophelia to reject Hamlet’s love has caused his insanity. Polonius formulates a plan to spy on a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia with Claudius who agrees. At this point, I had to put my book down and sigh because how many more spies could we possibly have. It seems Hamlet himself has grown tired of all the spies when his casual and humorous conversation with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern turns suspicious as he suspects they have been sent to spy on him (2.2.254-292).

Hamlet begins plotting his revenge play, staged around the Murder of Gonzago, in an attempt to reveal his uncle’s guilt. When he is alone, Hamlet begins a soliloquy full of self-loathing as he wallows in despair. He reprimands his cowardice and inability to act on his revenge. Hamlet questions, “Am I a coward?”. This simple phrase summarizes the self-hatred and conflicting emotions that he is experiencing from his father’s death and the arrival of his apparition. The added pressures of vengeance and murder now weigh heavy on his conscience.   

Hamlet, Act I Scenes 3-5 (Gabby Welhoelter)

 In these scenes all I could think about was contrast. The contrast between Ophelia and her brother and how their father talked to both of them was extremely telling. Ophelia got lectures from both her brother and her father about her loyalty and love for Hamlet. Laertes first scolds her and tells her she is too young to know Hamlet's intentions and even suggests that his intentions are wrapped up in the plans of the state (" for on his choice depends/The sanctity and health of his whole state..." (Hamlet 1.3.20-21)). My favorite lines from this scene are in Opelias retort to her brother when she says "But good my brother,/Do not as some ungracious pastors do,/ Show me steep and thorny way to heaven,/ Whiles like a puffed and reckless libertine/ Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,/ and recks not his own rede" (1.3.46-51). A sister telling her brother to listen to his own advice has never sounded so elegant, and it reminds me quite a bit of Mister Dimmesdale. Afterward, their father comes in. The way he speaks to Laertes sounds just like you expect it would, a dramatic speech about following your own path and being a kind gentleman to all. (Kind of like the speeches we hear from parents about us going away to college). But the speech he gives Ophelia is completely different. He's looking out for both of his kids but he thinks Laertes can have good judgment while Ophelia can't. Laertes is allowed to follow his own path while Ophelia is forbidden to see her boyfriend because Polonius can't believe the judgment she has made of his character. Next, the juxtaposition of this speech with scene four is so funny to me. Scene four is just Hamlet ranting about how corrupt humanity is and is extremely philosophical about the state of man, which is pretty much the opposite of what Polonius has described him as (young and idealistic, unfaithful, etc). I especially think that when Hamlet says "I'll make a ghost of him that lets me" (1.4.85) that it shows his ability to set his mind to something and to do it. He will kill someone if that means talking to his father again (sounds a little like foreshadowing, no?). His conversation with his father that closes out our reading is a direct foil to the conversation between Laertes and Polonius. Hamlet is being told about the world and given advice on what to do, like Laertes but with a darker undertone. It is revealed that Claudius killed Hamlet's father through poison being poured into his ear. The reason he is a ghost is that he is stuck in Purgatory since he was killed before he could confess his sins, complete penance, and be absolved of them. Hamlet then makes his friends swear to never repeat what they saw or heard that night to anyone after the ghost has gone. This section, specifically scene 5, is filled with themes of trust and betrayal. It truly feels as if no one can be trusted. In the context of which this play was written, it makes perfect sense. Losing a child makes you feel hopeless, alone, and everything else we said hamlet was feeling about his father's death. Shakespeare is showing he feels as if no one can be trusted or talked to through these scenes.