Hamlet...Act V!

 This act in particular is, I believe an example of this: “…to hold as t’were the mirror up / To nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, / And the very age and body of the time his form and pressure” (3.2.18-20).

In discussing Shakespeare with Ms. Bromfield, she said that a good director will “find the comedy in the Shakespearean tragedies and the drama in the comedies.” Throughout this entire play, we’ve witnessed Hamlet’s continued sarcasm and constant wordplay even though this humor can be morbid or incredibly disturbing…so too, morbid humor begins the final act of what has become the most well-known play of all time – needless to say, I think Ms. Bromfield has a point.

At the beginning of this act, there are two gravediggers, one of whom is a clown. Hmmm…interesting and ironic. Hamlet instructs the players in Act III that “those that play your clowns speak no more than is set down for them…[that] shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it” (3.2. 31-32, 35-36). Anyway, I digress.

There are two gravediggers arguing over how Ophelia died then proceeding to shift the conversation to arguing over “who builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter” (5.1.35-36). To which the so cleverly named “other” gravedigger replies, “The gallows maker, for that frame outlives a thousand tenants” (5.1.37). Ok, gross, but also, so true!

In all seriousness though, Shakespeare is clearly saying something with this banter about the significance of a profession dealing with death. What does this mean? Our book says on pg. 204 that “death is the great leveller.” Again, so true. Almost everyone dies at the end of this play, hence Shakespearean tragedy. What does Hamlet try to do this entire play? Try to kill Claudius (*ehem* death). What does Claudius do to protect himself? Try to kill Hamlet (*ehem* death again).

Shakespeare is clearly commenting on how our emotions affect our desires – those desires are tied to power in some way, shape, or form; therefore, the desire for power or control over another (as in Hamlet's and Claudius's cases), clouds the characteristic that distinguishes us from, well, animals: an analytical mind. No wonder we have been questioning the extent to which Hamlet is losing his mind! Because of the vengeful actions he is encouraged to take, his emotions and impulses overtake his mind.

Couldn’t that be connected to 2022? People acting on their emotions and sacrificing their analytical minds to other people or other devices who will think for them? I mean, Hamlet said it first: the play is a way “to hold a mirror up / to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image” (3.2.18-19). Again, I digress.

After this whole clown business, Laertes joins Hamlet and Horatio at Ophelia’s graveside – Laertes just hops right in the grave (again, somewhat comical in the reading of it) followed by Hamlet who tries to one-up Laertes contesting “forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my own” (5.1.236-238). Ok, if my brother heard that, a duel would probably soon follow.

Claudius and Gertrude express their sorrow for Ophelia’s death, Gertrude briefly comments on Hamlet’s madness, and the scene ends with Claudius’s pep talk to Laertes: “We’ll put the matter to the present push” (5.2.262).

Ok – moving to the final scene of the play! We finally get to see a moment with Horatio! Hamlet confides in Horatio that he found Claudius’s order for Hamlet’s "head to be struck off” (5.2.24). Ouch! While Hamlet continues word-vomiting about all that happened aboard the freaky pirate ship, we only hear Horatio’s small interjections either affirming Hamlet’s statements or posing a question.

Here is a question: Horatio is a confidante for Hamlet, right? Could he be viewed as a piece of Hamlet’s fragmented conscience? He is present at the beginning and end of the play, the same times when ounces of Hamlet’s sanity are present. In the beginning, he mourns his father’s death, and in the end, he apologizes to Laertes for Polonius’s murder. Just a thought.

I really want to get to this ending, so I’m going to skip Osric’s brief moment in the spotlight, but maybe we can discuss it further as a class?

So, this duel: Laertes vs. Hamlet. Fighting it out…like men…sounds like the slogan for our brother school last night.

Hamlet seems to adopt the Beatles's philosophy in preparing for this duel (que “Let It Be”). “If it be now ‘tis not to come; if it be not to / come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come – the / readiness is all.” Hamlet seems to have reached a state of contentment and all of a sudden, too. What all did they really do to him on that ship? Or, is it in killing Polonius and seeing Ophelia’s death that he recognizes the abundance of uncertainty in life and realizes that the way to approach it is not to try to control the future? Now, I am the one word-vomiting.

 What I am continuing to grapple with is Hamlet’s confession, and more shockingly, the continuation of the duel after his confession. “Who does it then? His madness.” (5.2.209). And Laertes responds: “I do receive your offered love like love” (5.2.223). This seems like a mutual agreement. Why do we still need to duel, you guys?

Anyway, this play ends with death, and I don’t have to tell you that. So order of events: we lose Gertrude (that one got me), then Claudius (aka Scar), then Laertes (who apologizes before he dies so maybe no purgatory for him), then our boy Hamlet, and almost Horatio.

Hamlet asks Horatio to “tell my story” (5.2.28). His final lines are: “the rest is silence” (5.2.337). I thought this was really beautiful. All Hamlet has wanted is for the voices in his head (maybe this included the Ghost?) to be silenced and most importantly to “rest.” “To die, to sleep - / No more; and by a sleep to say we end / The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks / That flesh is heir to” (3.1.60-63). Remember this?

So, Shakespeare, why not end the play here? Why are we ending the play with affirming words from Fortinbras? Is this how you thought the play would end? Should Shakespeare have been a philosopher or a playwright? (Ok, yes, that was supposed to be my own comic relief…but seriously, what do you think?)