‘I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity of love Make up my sum.’ |
Hamlet to Claudius |
5.1 |
A declaration of love by the graveside. Genuine? |
‘He that hath killed my king and whored my mother’ |
Hamlet to Horatio | 5.2 |
A lucid and blunt analysis being revealed to his friend - the madness seems to have gone? |
‘… this canker of our nature’ | Hamlet to Horatio | 5.2 |
A metaphor describing Claudius as a disease of humanity. |
‘… I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.’ |
Hamlet to Osric | 5.2 |
Dramatic irony in this prose. The audience know that Hamlet is bound to be killed. |
‘You will lose, my lord’ | Horatio to Hamlet | 5.2 |
A knowing prophesy contrasting with Hamlet’s belief that the fight will be a minor event. |
‘Give me your pardon, sir, I’ve done you wrong’ |
Hamlet to Laertes | 5.2 |
He confesses his guilt to Laertes and asks for forgiveness - gaining sympathy from the audience. |
‘… I here proclaim was madness’ | Hamlet to Laertes | 5.2 | Trying to excuse his actions. |
‘I do receive your offered love like love, And will not wrong it’ |
Laertes to Hamlet | 5.2 |
A pretence at accepting Hamlet’s apology - however, the audience know his intentions. |
‘Our son shall win’ | Claudius to Gertrude | 5.2 |
Ironically suggesting that he cares about Hamlet, although he has planned his murder. |
‘Gertrude, do not drink!’ | Claudius to Gertrude | 5.2 |
A feeble attempt by a husband to prevent his wife being poisoned. |
‘I am justly killed with mine own treachery.’ | Laertes to Osric | 5.2 |
A dying Laertes acknowledges that he was morally wrong. |
‘… O my dear Hamlet! … I am poisoned’ |
Gertrude to Hamlet |
5.2 |
Her dying words of affection and warning (?) are to Hamlet - only now perhaps does she believe in Claudius’ guilt. |
‘… the King’s to blame’ | Laertes to Court | 5.2 | Ensures that all know of his guilt. |
‘… thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane / Drink off this potion.’ |
Hamlet to Claudius | 5.2 | The climax of Hamlet’s wrath against Claudius. |
‘… the rest is silence.’ | Hamlet to Horatio | 5.2 | Hamlet’s final words. Ambiguity. |
‘… Good night sweet prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest’ |
Horatio about Hamlet | 5.2 |
A suitably poignant farewell from Hamlet’s closest friend. Sure to elicit tears from an audience. |
‘Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage’ | Fortinbras to Horatio | 5.2 |
He insists that Hamlet is carried with due ceremony. |