Hamlet Act V Summary (part 2)

Hamlet tells Horatio that he has replaced the sealed letter carried by the unsuspecting Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, which called for Hamlet's execution, with one calling for their deaths. Hamlet feels guilty for having behaved with such hostility toward Laertes. Laertes mirrors the image of Hamlet's passion to kill Claudius. However, Hamlet does not feel guilty about killing Polonius. According to Hamlet, is just so happened that Hamlet's chaos was carried over into Laertes's life. Their conversation is interrupted by Osric. Osric tells Hamlet that the king has made a wager with Laertes for Hamlet to win, when they fence. Hamlet asks Laertes for forgiveness. Laertes choosing not to forgive Hamlet until they are much older. however, Laertes accepts Hamlet's offer of love.

Te duel begins. Hamlet wins the first round, and Claudius offers the poisoned drink to Hamlet. Hamlet declines the drink, and instead, Gertrude drinks the poisoned cup. Hamlet is stabbed by the poisoned sword. Then, Hamlet stabs Laertes with the sword. Gertrude dies, exclaiming Claudius poisoned the drink. Hamlet furiously kills Claudius with the poisoned sword. Shots ring nearby. Osric declares that Fortinbras has come. Hamlet tells Horatio that he wishes for Fortinbras to rule Denmark. Then, Hamlet dies. Fortinbras enters, and orders for Hamlet's body to be carried away like a soldier.

Hamlet Act V Summary (Part 1)

Two gravediggers shovel out a grave for Ophelia. They argue whether Ophelia should be buried in the churchyard, since her death seemed like a suicide. Hamlet and Horatio enter. Hamlet asks the gravedigger whose grave he digs. After a few jokes amongst the two, Hamlet realizes that Ophelia is dead. At the same moment, Laertes enters with the priest. Laertes is infuriated with the priest because the priest doesn't want to bury her in the graveyard. He mentions that this is a "Christian buriel" and that Ophelia's sin makes her unholy. Laertes then leaps into Ophelia's grave and so does Hamlet. Hamlet begins to fight with Laertes. Hamlet cries that he would do things for Ophelia that Laertes could not dream of. The combatants are pulled apart and Hamlet storms off. At this point in the play, it seems like Hamlet actually loved Ophelia. Although, he actions previously, showed otherwise. Even Ophelia's brother and father warned her about Hamlet's false love towards her.

Hamlet Act IV Summary

Act IV begins with Gertrude telling Claudius about her encounter with Hamlet and how he murdered Polonius. Claudius tells Gertrude that they must ship Hamlet to England at once because, "his liberty is full of threats to all." Moreover, they need to find a way to explain Hamlet's action to the people of Denmark. Claudius calls for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to search for Hamlet. Elsewhere in Elsinore, Hamlet has just finished disposing of Polonius's body. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter, asking Hamlet where he placed the body. Hamlet accuses them of being spies in the service of Claudius. When in England, Claudius will have Hamlet killed.

On a nearby plain in Denmark, Prince Fortinbras marches at the head of his army. The captain informs Hamlet that the Norwegian is coming to fight the Poles. Hamlet is surprised and marvels that human beings are able to act so violently. Gertrude and Horatio discuss Ophelia's insanity. Ophelia enters, completely destroyed by her father's death. Furthermore, Laertes has sailed back from France, and has come with a mob of commoners. Laertes furiously wants to avenge his father's death. Gertrude informs Laertes that Claudius did not murder Polonius. In fact, they plan on punishing the true felon, Hamlet. In another part of the castle, Horatio receives a letter from Hamlet, that says he has been captured by pirates. Claudius and Laertes plan on killing Hamlet by having a duel. Gertrude enters with tragic news, Ophelia, mad with grief, has drowned in the river.

Hamlet Act III Summary

Act III begins with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern talking with the king and queen about Hamlet's enthusiasm for the players. Polonius intends to spy on Hamlet's confrontation with Ophelia. Hamlet enters, thinking to himself whether or not he should commit suicide. "To be or not to be: that is the question." Hamlet sees Ophelia approaching. Ophelia basically breaks up with Hamlet, and hands him love letters her wrote to her. Angrily, Hamlet denies having given her anything. He then bitterly comments on humankind and criticizes women for making men behave like monsters. The king and Polonius emerge from behind the tapestry. Polonius doesn't believe that Hamlet is insane. However, Polonius tries to find out again if Hamlet is truly mad with love. Claudius plans to send Hamlet off to England. 

In the next scene, Hamlet lectures the players on how to act. Hamlet tells Horatio the truth about Claudius. They both plan to detect any signs of guilt from Claudius during the play. The players enter and act out a play the depicts Hamlet's life, including when Claudius murdered his father. Claudius immediately rises and cries out. Hamlet and Horatio agree that the King's behavior was telling. After the play, King Claudius speaks to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about sending Hamlet to England. When the king is alone, he expresses his guilt and grief over murdering his brother. A brother's murder, he says, is the oldest sin. 

In Gertrude's chamber, the queen and Polonius wait for Hamlet's arrival. Hamlet storms into the room. Gertrude tells Hamlet that he has offended his father-uncle, Claudius. Hamlet accosts her with a violent intensity. Polonius, who is hiding behind the tapestry, calls for help. Thinking it's Claudius, Hamlet stabs the tapestry and kills Polonius. Suddenly, the ghost appears and has come to remind Hamlet of his true purpose. Hamlet convinces Gertrude to keep his secret that he is mad. Hamlet exits and drags Polonius's body behind him.

Hamlet Act II Summary

In Act II, Polonius orders Reynaldo to spy on Laertes while he is in France. Polonius ordered Reynaldo to spread rumors about Laertes in order to find out if they are true or not. Ophelia enters upset. She tells Polonius that Hamlet entered her room unkempt and did not speak to her. Polonius tells her that he must be madly in love. In the following scene, Claudius and Gertrude welcome Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The king and queen ask them to spy on Hamlet because he has been acting strange. Polonius enters, and proposes a plan to test if Hamlet's strangeness is due to he love for Ophelia. Everyone exits, except for Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. Hamlet joins them and ask them why they have come. Sheepishly, the men confess the truth. Hamlet explains to them that they were sent because he has lost all joy in which everyone appears worthless. The trumpet sounds, announcing the arrival of the actors. Hamlet tell his friends that they are welcome to stay. Two quotes I found intriguing are "Doubt truth to be a liar;/ But never doubt I love" and "For murder, though it have not tongue, will speak/ with most miraculous organ."

Hamlet Act 1 Summary

The play begins with Officers switching positions. Both men are frightened when they hear footsteps. For the past couple nights, the men have been seeing the ghost of ex-king, Hamlet. At first, Horatio doesn't believe the men until he is bombarded when he sees the ghost. Horatio warns them that the ghost is impending misfortunes. Inside the castle, King Claudius explains to his guardsmen that he is now married to Gertrude, his brother's widow. Hamlet is still mourning his father's death, and receives advice from Claudius. Once everyone leaves, Hamlet exclaims that he wishes he could die. As Laertes is preparing to leave for France, his father Polonius advises him on to behave with integrity and practicality. Laertes and Polonius lecture Ophelia about Hamlet's love for her. A while later, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father and follows it. his companions urge him not, but after a moment, Horatio and Marcellus follow after Hamlet and the ghost. The ghost speaks to Hamlet and reveals that King Claudius murdered him with poison and has corrupted Denmark and Gertrude. The ghost urges Hamlet to seek revenge on Claudius, not Gertrude.

Is Hamlet being overdramatic?

In his speech, Hamlet's soul is weighed down by choosing to live or to die. He reminisces between the fear of the afterlife and our thoughts preventing us from acting out; all of which, rationalize his thoughts in his mind to continue to live. Throughout his soliloquy, Hamlet is talking to himself, and expresses how tormented and morbid his thoughts are. Hamlet is a very conflicted being. After all, he continues to see apparitions of his dead father, who asks Hamlet to avenge his death. Furthermore, Hamlet's mother married his father's murderer, Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. He is also torn between the responsibilities of his position in Denmark and showing affection to his loved ones. In this soliloquy, Hamlet enumerates some of the negative aspects of human existence. The "proud man's contumely" or the "flesh to heir", for instance, are prominent negative aspects in his life. Hamlet dwells on life after death, and establishes that human beings are comfortable with the known and fear the unknown. Moreover, his dead father's commentary about life after death has taken a toll on Hamlet. Shakespeare displays Hamlet as a darkened soul, desperate to be released, which reflects the overall tone of the speech. To conclude his soliloquy, Hamlet discusses how our conscience makes us cowards; it is our thoughts which cast us from great things and makes one "lose the name of action." After the speech, Hamlet speaks with Ophelia.