Scene 5.2
Scene 5.2 – Within the Castle
Hamlet and Horatio converse. Hamlet
is growing ever more philosophical with his friend, remarking here that
“There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, / Rough-hew them how we will.” That is, he believes there is a higher power in control of
his situation, despite the many blunders he has made. Hamlet then recounts to Horatio the story of his escape from
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and how he discovered Claudius’ letter calling
for his own instant execution. Never
short on brilliant ideas, Hamlet rewrites the letter – just happening to have
the royal seal along for the journey! – and substitutes Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern’s names for his own. Hamlet
doesn’t yet know their fate, of course, because he managed to flee before
their ship reached England, but he trusts they will soon be executed – and he
feels no remorse whatsoever.
Next summarizing
the crimes committed against him by Claudius, Hamlet famously declares:
“He that hath killed my king, and whored my mother, / Popped in between
th’ election and my hopes, / Thrown out his angle for my proper life, / And
with such cozenage – is’t not perfect conscience / To quit him with this
arm? And is’t not to be damned /
To let this canker of our nature come / In further evil?”
Claudius has killed Hamlet’s father and “whored” his mother
because, given that Claudius was formerly Gertrude’s brother-in-law, their
marriage was viewed as incestuous in Elizabethan times.
But that is only the beginning of his evil:
Claudius has also come between Hamlet and the throne, for the Danish
monarchy was not hereditary but by popular election, and Hamlet would most
likely have won. Finally, Claudius
has sought to rid himself of Hamlet by arranging for a discrete execution in
England. Not to do something
drastic now, Hamlet reasons – not to rescue himself and his country from this
ruthless tyrant – would be cause for damnation.
His thoughts have come full-circle:
Hamlet no longer fears damnation for obeying a counterfeit ghost or for
committing suicide, but rather for not ridding Denmark of Claudius.
Horatio reminds Hamlet that he must act swiftly lest news of Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern’s execution reach Claudius’ ears first.
A messenger named Osric enters, interrupting the dialogue between Hamlet
and Horatio. Hamlet plays with the
sycophantic servant as he did on occasion with Polonius, getting him to agree,
for instance, that it is incredibly cold and – moments later – burning hot. Osric has come to announce a wager between the King and
Laertes that involves a friendly fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes, with
the odds slightly in Hamlet’s favor (Laertes is reputedly the better fencer).
Hamlet agrees to the match, but only after toying at great length with
Osric’s mind. Horatio, once he is
alone with Hamlet, declares pointblank that Hamlet will lose.
Hamlet disagrees, but says that even if he loses it is only for fun and
doesn’t matter. Disregarding
Horatio’s caution, Hamlet embraces the quasi-duel because he does not fear his
fate; he knows it is inescapable and he trusts that his life is ultimately in
higher hands: “There is special
providence in the fall of a sparrow” (quoting the Gospel of Matthew).
The King and Queen, accompanied by Laertes and various attendants, enter
amidst the sound of trumpets and drums. Hamlet,
at Claudius’ prompting, takes Laertes’ hand and proceeds to apologize for
the wrong (i.e. killing Polonius, rebuking Ophelia) he has done to Laertes.
Hamlet, however, claims that it was not he who did these things but
rather his madness; he is merely maintaining his “antic disposition” here,
writing off his unacceptable behavior as insanity.
Laertes pretends to accept Hamlet’s apology, though we know he is just
biding his time until he can kill Hamlet. The
fencing begins.
Though the underdog, Hamlet manages to land the first two hits. Claudius urges him to pause for a drink – one laced with
poison, of course – but Hamlet declines, saying he is not yet tired or
thirsty. Gertrude instead lifts the
goblet and drinks to Hamlet’s health and good fortune; Claudius attempts to
stop her, but without success. During
the third pass Laertes strikes Hamlet, wounding him with the lethal tip. They scuffle – Hamlet immediately senses something is
seriously wrong – and they emerge from the melee with each other’s weapon.
Losing no time, Hamlet stabs Laertes, though he as yet doesn’t know the
tip is poisonous. Gertrude
collapses. Claudius tries to
explain that she has fainted on account of the bloodshed, but the dying Gertrude
manages to blame the drink (and thus Claudius) moments before her end.
Laertes is the next to collapse. Before
Laertes’ life is extinguished, he explains to Hamlet the treachery he and
Claudius have plotted. He justly
accuses Claudius of Gertrude’s death, instantly prompting Hamlet to stab the
King with the venomous point. The
many bystanders shout “Treason, treason!” but nobody dares come to
Claudius’ defense. Hamlet forces
the King to drink off the poisonous potion with which his mother was murdered. Claudius is the next to die.
Laertes, on the brink of death, exchanges forgiveness with Hamlet;
Laertes dies.
Aware his time is running out, Hamlet requests that Horatio be the one to
tell Hamlet’s story, since the world doesn’t yet know of the rottenness
which had been plaguing Denmark. Horatio
– saying he is more “antique Roman than a Dane” – wants desperately to
commit suicide, for in Roman times suicide was considered honorable rather than
damnable in such situations. Hamlet,
however, convinces Horatio that his duty is to live and save Hamlet’s (and his
family’s) name from disrepute. Hamlet
breathes his last, but not before giving his support to Fortinbras as next king
of Denmark. Meanwhile the
ambassadors from England and Fortinbras, back from the Polish campaign, enter
simultaneously. The ambassadors
announce that “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead” – incidentally a
famous line which British playwright Tom Stoppard borrowed, creating a brilliant
drama by that name. Seeing that the
King is dead, the ambassadors bemoan the lack of thanks and reward for
successfully completing their mission. Horatio
informs them that the King, in fact, never ordered their death, though he
doesn’t disclose Hamlet as author of it.
Then Horatio promises to speak “Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,
/ Of accidental judgements, casual slaughters, / Of deaths put on by cunning and
forced cause, / And in this upshot, purposes mistook / Fallen on th’
inventors’ heads.” Fortinbras
is the last to speak, putting in a claim to the throne (which Horatio supports)
and then directing the noble Hamlet’s display and burial.
The curtain falls.
