Damascus University,Daraa Campus,

English Department

Second Year,Second Semester,

2013

Treatment of Act 5, Scene 2

Scene 2A hall in the castle.Enter HAMLET and HORATIO

Hamlet is telling Horatio what happened with him in the sea voyage.

HAMLETSir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting,That would not let me sleep: methought I layWorse than the mutines in the bilboes.

“I was in bed in the ship [going to England with Rosencrantz & Guildenstern], and I felt

strange.” He had butterflies in his stomach: a strange feeling in your stomach when you

feel something bad/important will happen.

Rashly,And praised be rashness for it,

Hamlet, the thinker, the philosopher, the person who uses logic all the time is now saying

“praised be rashness.” He is glorifying rashness = carelessness = acting on impulse = being

driven by emotions.

He decided to do something and acted quickly. This is a new Hamlet we are meeting.

let us know,Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well,

Indiscretion = rashness. “Indiscretion works in our favour.” He is saying this after an

experience. The reason for all this will come later.

His attitude to action has changed because of the England-voyage.

When our deep plots do pall:

Deep plots = plans that we keep thinking about, they fail.

Hamlet is attacking procrastination because it makes our well-thought plans fail.

So, the conclusion is:

and that should teach usThere's a divinity that shapes our ends,Rough-hew them how we will,--

Divinity = God’s Providence, Grace, Protection.

New Hamlet is saying, “Not thinking too much, and acting on an impulse, is sometimes a

good thing. This is a lesson that we should act, take action, and God will guide the way

because He has a scenario for each one of us.”

Hamlet is speaking like a good Christian submitting to God’s will, .ألمشیئة اإللھّیة

Hamlet has reasons for saying all this.

*He got up and went to Rosencrantz & Guildenstern’s cabin and went through their things,

he found the “grand commission” = Claudius’ letter to the King of England.

He went back to his cabin, opened the letter, and found it was an execution order.

“I acted rashly, but it paid off: I got the result. Because I acted, God helped me.”

The result was: saving his own life.

-Hamlet kept the letter and wrote a new command for the king of England to execute

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

To make that letter official, Hamlet used his father’s old seal. He was lucky to have it with

him, and he says:

even in that was heaven ordinant.I had my father's signet in my purse,Which was the model of that Danish seal;

“Even in this matter, heaven helped me and was on my side. This is God’s Providence.”

So, Hamlet sent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their death. They agreed to be part of

Claudius’ game against him, so for Hamlet, they got what they deserved.

HAMLET'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comesBetween the pass and fell incensed pointsOf mighty opposites.

“It’s dangerous when those who are low in authority, in nature, to get caught in the

crossfire of mighty opposites.”

Mighty opposites = very strong rivals. He is talking about himself and Claudius.

He is not feeling guilty about the death of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; it was their fault.

He and Claudius are fighting and those two chose Claudius’ side, so they got what they

deserved.

In this bit, he sees himself as the important figure he is, and this is self-assertion, .تأكید الّذات

He does not doubt himself anymore.

An example from the previous scene is when Hamlet was in the churchyard and then

realizes Ophelia is dead. He comes out of hiding while shouting:

This is I, Hamlet the Dane

The Dane is his official title and position as a prince. He is affixing to his name the royal

title which he belongs to. He means this for Claudius to hear.

He is asserting himself as a worthy rival of Claudius.

HAMLETDoes it not, think'st thee, stand me now upon--He that hath kill'd my king and whored my mother,Popp'd in between the election and my hopes,is't not perfect conscience,To quit him with this arm?

Hamlet lists the 3 things he holds against Claudius:

1-“killed my king.” Hamlet did not say father. He is asserting his father’s position as a

political figure. “Claudius killed the royal icon of the Kingdom.”

2- “whored my mother.” Hamlet sees the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude as

illegal and immoral. He uses ugly words against his mother.

3- “popped between the election and my hopes.” This is the first time we hear Hamlet

talking about his political ambition. He had hoped to become king.

It is normal and natural for the only son of a king to think that he would become king.

So, for Hamlet the person who is guilty of the previous crimes should be dead.

*Osric, a courtier, comes in to invite Hamlet to the fencing match.

When he talks to Hamlet, Osric uses a very flowery language which is affected, مصطنع .

Hamlet answers him in the same kind of language and beats him in his own game!

*Now he talks to Horatio about the fencing match,

But thou wouldst not think how ill all's hereabout my heart: but it is no matter.

He has butterflies in his stomach. He senses something wrong is going on. He feels

apprehensive: expecting something evil/wrong to happen.

HORATIOIf your mind dislike any thing, obey it

“If your mind is telling you something wrong is going, obey it.”

So, Horatio is asking Hamlet to trust his judgment because he knows Hamlet is capable

sound/logical judgments.

HAMLETNot a whit, we defy augury: there's a specialprovidence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now,'tis not to come;

“Don’t worry about it. There’s a special Providence in what is going on.”

Hamlet has his fears, but he has submitted to God’s Providence.

He is taking action; he is going to the match and believes God will protect him.

And then he says,

Let be.

“Let things go.” There is a divine plan, and I trust that, and I submit to that.

-We talked yesterday about two ideologies: the Christian ideology & the Roman ideology.

Now Hamlet is marrying these two: he is combining them in the sense that he takes action

[which is a Roman thing] and then he will submit to the Will of God [which is a Christian

thing]. Hamlet has made his peace with these two coming together.

This is what makes Hamlet a round character: he has developed.

The Hamlet we meet in Act 5 is not the same Hamlet we met in Act 1, or 2, or 3, or even 4.

Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, LAERTES, Lords, OSRIC, and Attendants with foils,

KING CLAUDIUS puts LAERTES' hand into HAMLET's

They shake hands.

HAMLETGive me your pardon, sir: I've done you wrong;

Hamlet apologizes to Laertes for killing Polonius.

Hamlet is asking for Laertes’ pardon & forgiveness to redeem himself: to free himself from

the guilt.

Redemption (n.) in Christianity means to submit to God and ask for His forgiveness and

salvation.

KING CLAUDIUSSet me the stoops of wine upon that table.

This seems like an innocent line, but we know that this is Claudius preparing the scene for

poisoning Hamlet’s drink.

In the next few lines, Claudius repeats what he did in Act 1, Scene 2:

he is going to drink, and the cannons will shoot!

So, Claudius in Act 5 is still the same drinking idiot we met in Act 1!

*Claudius drops a poisoned pearl in one cup.

*Hamlet & Laertes start fencing.

QUEEN GERTRUDEHere, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows;

The Queen never stopped calling Hamlet using “thy,” in public, and in private.

He is always going to be her son.

The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.

“The Queen toasts and drinks to your success.” She takes up the poisoned cup.

HAMLETGood madam!

KING CLAUDIUSGertrude, do not drink.QUEEN GERTRUDEI will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me.

This is the first time we see Gertrude disobeying a patriarch; this is the first time she does

something of her own; the first time she shows her own individuality.

Very ironic, because the minute this happens, she dies.

Notice how Claudius reacts!

KING CLAUDIUSAsideIt is the poison'd cup: it is too late.

Aside! To himself! The Queen is probably sitting next to Claudius on the throne, she holds

the poisoned cup, she toasts to Hamlet; and Claudius does nothing to stop her!

He had time to act, but he did not.

This should tell you how selfish he is; because if he acts, that will expose his conspiracy.

He did not want to risk that, so he lets the Queen die!

So, for Claudius in the equation: (the Queen VS. the throne), he chooses the throne!

He never really truly loved Gertrude.

For him, she is replaceable, but the throne is irreplaceable! This is Claudius’ ugly reality.

*They are still fencing. Laertes wounds Hamlet, which means Hamlet is going to die soon

because Laertes’ sword is poisoned.

While they were fencing, they exchange swords, and Hamlet scratches Laertes.

QUEEN GERTRUDE falls

HAMLETHow does the queen?

Hamlet sees his mother fall down to the ground, and he still calls her “Queen.”

He doesn’t call her “mother.” This is how much his heart is hardened against her.

KING CLAUDIUSShe swounds to see them bleed.

This is Claudius trying to cover his bad act. He says, “She’s fainting because of the sight of

blood.”

QUEEN GERTRUDENo, no, the drink, the drink,--O my dear Hamlet,--The drink, the drink! I am poison'd.Dies

I feel she won herself some respect because she acted against Claudius.

This is her second act of defiance. The first one was when she drank, even though Claudius

told her not to.

The second act of defiance is more important because it came from Gertrude’s realization

about the reality of things: she saw Claudius drop the pearl in that cup, so it was him!

This act of defiance discredits Claudius excuse; this act ُیكّذب redeems Gertrude.

She won forgiveness. She has finally expressed her identity against the patriarchal order.

She warns her son against the king’s plan, and then she dies.

*When Laertes sees this and realizes he’s dying too, he acts to redeem himself, too.

He tells Hamlet,

It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain;No medicine in the world can do thee good;

“You are dead, Hamlet.”

the foul practiseHath turn'd itself on me lo, here I lie,Never to rise again: thy mother's poison'd:I can no more: the king, the king's to blame.

“The evil action that was meant to harm you has turned itself on me. It was all the King’s

conspiracy.”

So, he exposes the real conspirator .ُمتآِمر

HAMLETThe point!--envenom'd too!Then, venom, to thy work.

Stabs KING CLAUDIUS

Some courtiers who see Hamlet stabbing the King shout: “treason! Treason!”

They saw the Queen dying by the cup that Claudius poisoned, they hear Laertes say it was

all the King’s plan, and when Hamlet stabs him, they shout “treason!”

What kind of people is this?!

*Now, Hamlet is talking to Claudius, “poison to your work!”

And he stabs him. He grabs the poisoned cup and forces him to drink,

Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane,Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?Follow my mother.KING CLAUDIUS dies

Incestuous = for his relationship with the Queen.

Murderous = for murdering King Hamlet.

Damned = going straight to hell!

Claudius does not even try to redeem himself: he is an out-and-out [complete] villain.

He goes unredeemed.

LAERTESHe is justly served;It is a poison temper'd by himself.

In Literature, we talk about poetic justice: that is when somebody who’s done something

bad gets punished for what they have done.

Claudius has gotten what he deserved.

*Justly = justice. Justice is now taking its course, .تأخذ مجراھا

So, Claudius’ death is justified, .ُمبّرر

Laertes’ death is justified because of his part in the conspiracy against Hamlet.

Polonius’ death is justified, as well.

Even Hamlet’s death is justified because he had realized that taking revenge means his

own death, and he made peace with it by submitting to God.

But Gertrude’s and Ophelia’s deaths are not justified. They were victims of the patriarchal

pressure.

Now, Laertes’ final lines,

Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet:Mine and my father's death come not upon thee,Nor thine on me.Dies

“You are blame-free of my and my father’s death. I pardon you. I forgive you.

Please let not the blame of your death fall on me. Please pardon me and forgive me.”

HAMLETHeaven make thee free of it!

He forgives Laertes who goes redeemed.

Hamlet is now free from the blame of Polonius’ and Laertes’ deaths.

I am dead, Horatio. Wretched queen, adieu!

“I am dying, Horatio. Good bye, poor Queen.”

He is sorry for her because he realizes that her death was not justified.

*He asks Horatio to tell his story correctly because obviously there are some people who

still believe that what he did was treason to the king!

So, Hamlet is telling Horatio to tell his side of the story.

-Horatio, very faithful and loyal to Hamlet, tries to poison himself to go with Hamlet, die

with him.

HORATIOI am more an antique Roman than a Dane:Here's yet some liquor left.

It was a Roman tradition that if a commander is killed, the soldiers under him commit

suicide as a code of honour.

For Horatio, Hamlet, his prince & friend is dying, so he will commit suicide by drinking

the poison. Hamlet stops him.

Hamlet’s final lines are about the election of a new king, and he gives his vote to

Fortinbras to become King of Denmark.

The rest is silence.Dies

-To continue with the theme of redemption, we can say that Hamlet wanted to redeem his

father for killing Old Fortinbras, so he gives his dying vote to Fortinbras.

Maybe that will excuse his father, and he will leave the Purgatory!

*Horatio tells Fortinbras what happened. Fortinbras decides to give Hamlet a soldier’s

funeral, and he says if Hamlet were alive he would make a great king.

And that was the tragic story of Prince Hamlet.

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