1. Hamlet Act 5
English 11RS

3. Act 5, scene 1 Film: Act 5, scene 1 Comic Relief- Setting: Mood:
the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Graveyard “Gravedigger” character
Grave digging scene comic relief, gravediggers singing and making jokes.
Funeral scene sad, people mourning.

4. He/she killed him/herself
Enter ______________________. They are discussing whether or not a person should have a Christian burial if _______________________________________.
Gravediggers
He/she killed him/herself

5. Gravedigger gives comical answer
Enter ______________________ and ________________________. The gravediggers are singing while digging the grave and wonder how he can he be joyous while doing such work. They ask him whom the grave is for-- _________________________.
Hamlet
Horatio
Gravedigger gives comical answer

6. While they are digging up old bones, Hamlet ponders how everyone, no matter their status in life, ends up in the same place. This relates to the central idea _____________________. (Think Yorick’s skull)
mortality

7. Enter ____________, _____________, _____________, and others for the funeral procession. Hamlet does not know that _________________________. The funeral is not a “real” ceremony but is thrown together, a sign that the deceased person ___________________________________. The priest tells Laertes, the only reason she got what she did was because the Royal family ordered it. In his grief, Laertes ___________________________ with Ophelia.
King
Queen
Laertes
Ophelia died
Committed suicide
Leaps into the grave

8. times more than a brother could.
Hamlet comes forward and claims _______________________ __________________________. Laertes jumps out of the grave and fights with Hamlet. The two are pulled apart and Hamlet takes off with Horatio following.
The King tries to calm Laertes by reassuring him that __________________________________.
He loved Ophelia 40,000
times more than a brother could.
Revenge will come soon!

9. Act 5 Scene 2 (The Final Scene!)
English 11RS

10. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (The old Switch-eroo!)
Hamlet changes the letters
“Kill Hamlet”  “Kill the bearers of this letter”
R & G betrayed him.

11. Summary
Claudius agrees that Laertes should take revenge upon Hamlet, and he encourages Laertes to kill Hamlet, since Hamlet’s erratic behavior has made him a threat to Claudius’s reign. The devious king begins to think of a way for Laertes to ensure his revenge without creating any appearance of foul play. He recalls that Hamlet has been jealous in the past of Laertes’ prowess with a sword, which was recently praised before all the court by a Frenchman who had seen him in combat. The king speculates that if Hamlet could be tempted into a duel with Laertes, it might provide Laertes with the chance to kill him. Laertes agrees, and they settle on a plan. Laertes will use a sharpened sword, rather than the customary dull fencing blade. Laertes also proposes to poison his sword, so that even a scratch from it will kill Hamlet. The king concocts a backup plan as well, proposing that if Hamlet succeeds in the duel, Claudius will offer him a poisoned cup of wine to drink from in celebration.

12. is a character trait that leads to the protagonist’s downfall.
Copy the following onto your worksheet!
Term
Definition
Tragic Flaw
is a character trait that leads to the protagonist’s downfall.
Tragic resolution
an event or series of events that involves a reversal of fortune and the resolution of previously unresolved conflicts
Tragic Hero
Protagonist of a tragedy who possesses a tragic flaw.
Reversal of Fortune
A sudden change of events or reversal of circumstances (in a tragedy, the change would be for the worst, a comedy, for the better).

13. What apology does Hamlet offer Laertes before the fencing match
What apology does Hamlet offer Laertes before the fencing match? What excuse does he give Laertes for his actions?
What is Laertes’ response?
To what central ideas does this conversation relate and how?
He apologizes for hurting Laertes (Death of Polonius and Ophelia).
He blames it on his MADNESS
He says his feelings are satisfied even though he should want to get revenge BUT in terms of honor, he cannot accept so fast.
Action vs. Inaction
Madness
Revenge

14. When Hamlet earns his first point in the match, Claudius offers Hamlet the cup and refuses. When Hamlet scores the second point, what does Gertrude do? How does this action relate to the definition of reversal of fortune?
After Laertes realizes he has been poisoned, what does he reveal to Hamlet and the rest of the court?
How does Hamlet kill Claudius
Gertrude unknowingly drinks from the poisoned cup in honor of her son.
He tells Hamlet what he has done- Hamlet is dead and so is Laertes.
The King is responsible.
He stabs him with a poisoned sword
Makes him drink the poisoned cup

15. He asks for Hamlet’s forgiveness.
What does Laertes ask of Hamlet before he dies?
After all the death:
What news does the English Ambassador bring?
Who will now be King of Denmark?
He asks for Hamlet’s forgiveness.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead
Fortinbras

16. Why is Hamlet a tragic hero?
What aspect of Hamlet’s character leads to his downfall? (Review definition of Tragic Flaw)
Why is the resolution of the play defined as tragic? (Review definition of Tragic Resolution)

17. Quick Write:
How does Hamlet’s downfall contribute to the tragic resolution of the play?