1) What do you feel is the point of the gravedigger’s riddles and song? How does it fit into the play?
He sing a sad song about getting old and dying but in a happy way as he digs Ophelia’s grave. He sings and recites riddles to lighten the mood of the play and to foreshadow more death to come later in the play. Some of the riddles could hint that the gravedigger actually knows who Hamlet is.
2) In what ways do Hamlet’s reactions to the skulls in the graveyard seem to suggest a change in his outlook? Compare Hamlet’s attitude towards Yoric to Hamlet’s attitude to Ophelia or even his father? How is it different? How is it similar?
He knows whose skull he’s holding – the gravedigger told him that the skull was Yorics. Yorkic was Hamlet’s childhood jester who brought him happiness and laughter. While holding his skull it brought him back to a time where he was innocent and happy. Ophelia and his father bring up unsettling feelings for him – he wouldn’t have the same reaction to their skulls as he did with Yorics.
3) How old is Hamlet? How do you know this?
The gravedigger said that he had been a gravedigger for 30 years since the prince was born (aka Hamlet). Hamlet is 30.
4) What does the violent argument between Hamlet and Laertes add to the play?
It’s the first time that Hamlet admits to him wanting to be King – he calls himself a Dane. Leartes is rash and they wrestle in the grave which is a foreshadow to both of them dying.
5) What developments in Hamlet’s character are presented through the story of what happened on the boat? (V.ii 1-62). How has Hamlet changed?
He was able to have the King of England kill his childhood friends by using a letter. He wrote in the letter that he wanted them to be killed on the spot – no leeway. His friends betrayed him and he took it very seriously. He wanted to get a message across to Claudius. Hamlet is finally starting to take action.
6) How do Hamlet’s motives in killing Claudius seem to have shifted according to his speech beginning “Does it not, think thee…” (V.ii.63)
Hamlet is saying that he wanted to be king after his father, not Claudius. It would have made more sense to have Hamlet be the king instead of his uncle because the people honored him much more.
7) What concerns of the play are reinforced in the Osric episode? (V.ii.80-170)
It kind of brought back Polonius. Osric uses huge words to compliment Laertes and to tell Hamlet that Claudius wants him to have a duel with Laertes. Osric sucks up to the people in power. When Hamlet talks back with intelligent words, Osric cannot understand him. He’s an idiot, like Polonius.
8) Why does Hamlet ‘defy augury’? (V.ii.192)
Technically, he doesn’t defy augury, he just believes that if he doesn’t go to Claudius and Laertes, he is only putting off what will happen later.
9) What does Laertes say is his motive in still resenting Hamlet? How has already lost this? How does this contribute to the presentation of revenge in the play? (V.ii216-223)
Laertes wants his family’s honor protected; he wants elders and people in high power to make a decision on what to do with what happened to Polonius and Ophelia. Laertes accepted Hamlet’s apology, but his apology and his honor are ruined because Hamlet knows that Laertes wants to kill him anyways.
10) How might the dying lines of Gertrude, Claudius and Laertes be viewed as typical of the way their characters have been presented throughout the play?
Gertrude tells Hamlet that she had been poisoned in a room full of people. Her last words were to Hamlet, the one person who had always been there that she cared about.
Claudius is asking for help from people that don’t really care – he’s trying to use the people around him.
Laertes realizes that what he has done may be wrong – he really accepts Hamlets apology and then asks for forgiveness himself.
11) Who “wins” in Hamlet? How and why do you think this?
Fortinbras was the only person left alive and was able to get revenge on the people who had killed his father. He was able to seek revenge by watching the kingdom fall all on its own. It allows readers to question whether or not Hamlet knew he was going to die and so he made a deal with Fortinbras.
He sing a sad song about getting old and dying but in a happy way as he digs Ophelia’s grave. He sings and recites riddles to lighten the mood of the play and to foreshadow more death to come later in the play. Some of the riddles could hint that the gravedigger actually knows who Hamlet is.
2) In what ways do Hamlet’s reactions to the skulls in the graveyard seem to suggest a change in his outlook? Compare Hamlet’s attitude towards Yoric to Hamlet’s attitude to Ophelia or even his father? How is it different? How is it similar?
He knows whose skull he’s holding – the gravedigger told him that the skull was Yorics. Yorkic was Hamlet’s childhood jester who brought him happiness and laughter. While holding his skull it brought him back to a time where he was innocent and happy. Ophelia and his father bring up unsettling feelings for him – he wouldn’t have the same reaction to their skulls as he did with Yorics.
3) How old is Hamlet? How do you know this?
The gravedigger said that he had been a gravedigger for 30 years since the prince was born (aka Hamlet). Hamlet is 30.
4) What does the violent argument between Hamlet and Laertes add to the play?
It’s the first time that Hamlet admits to him wanting to be King – he calls himself a Dane. Leartes is rash and they wrestle in the grave which is a foreshadow to both of them dying.
5) What developments in Hamlet’s character are presented through the story of what happened on the boat? (V.ii 1-62). How has Hamlet changed?
He was able to have the King of England kill his childhood friends by using a letter. He wrote in the letter that he wanted them to be killed on the spot – no leeway. His friends betrayed him and he took it very seriously. He wanted to get a message across to Claudius. Hamlet is finally starting to take action.
6) How do Hamlet’s motives in killing Claudius seem to have shifted according to his speech beginning “Does it not, think thee…” (V.ii.63)
Hamlet is saying that he wanted to be king after his father, not Claudius. It would have made more sense to have Hamlet be the king instead of his uncle because the people honored him much more.
7) What concerns of the play are reinforced in the Osric episode? (V.ii.80-170)
It kind of brought back Polonius. Osric uses huge words to compliment Laertes and to tell Hamlet that Claudius wants him to have a duel with Laertes. Osric sucks up to the people in power. When Hamlet talks back with intelligent words, Osric cannot understand him. He’s an idiot, like Polonius.
8) Why does Hamlet ‘defy augury’? (V.ii.192)
Technically, he doesn’t defy augury, he just believes that if he doesn’t go to Claudius and Laertes, he is only putting off what will happen later.
9) What does Laertes say is his motive in still resenting Hamlet? How has already lost this? How does this contribute to the presentation of revenge in the play? (V.ii216-223)
Laertes wants his family’s honor protected; he wants elders and people in high power to make a decision on what to do with what happened to Polonius and Ophelia. Laertes accepted Hamlet’s apology, but his apology and his honor are ruined because Hamlet knows that Laertes wants to kill him anyways.
10) How might the dying lines of Gertrude, Claudius and Laertes be viewed as typical of the way their characters have been presented throughout the play?
Gertrude tells Hamlet that she had been poisoned in a room full of people. Her last words were to Hamlet, the one person who had always been there that she cared about.
Claudius is asking for help from people that don’t really care – he’s trying to use the people around him.
Laertes realizes that what he has done may be wrong – he really accepts Hamlets apology and then asks for forgiveness himself.
11) Who “wins” in Hamlet? How and why do you think this?
Fortinbras was the only person left alive and was able to get revenge on the people who had killed his father. He was able to seek revenge by watching the kingdom fall all on its own. It allows readers to question whether or not Hamlet knew he was going to die and so he made a deal with Fortinbras.
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