Act 5, Scene 1
Two bumbling peasant clowns dig Ophelia's grave and speculate on whether her death was an accidental drowning or a suicide. The coroner has ruled the maiden's death an accident and she is therefore afforded a Christian burial. While the gravediggers chatter, Hamlet and Horatio wander into the graveyard. Hamlet picks up an unearthed skull and wonders what sort of character it once belonged to. Hamlet asks the gravediggers who is to be buried, but he receives riddles instead of answers. The first clown digs up the skull of Yorick, the King's old jester.
Remembering him fondly, Hamlet gazes at the skull and remarks, "'Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio - a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy....'" Act 5, Scene 1, lines 172-173
The funeral procession enters and gathers around the grave. The priest angers Laertes by insinuating that Ophelia's death was a suicide. Hamlet is stunned to learn that the beautiful Ophelia is the corpse intended for burial. Laertes jumps into the open grave to embrace his poor sister one final time. Not to be outdone in his love and grief, Hamlet leaps in after Laertes and starts a fight. King Claudius calms Laertes' rage by reminding him of their scheme; the rigged fencing competition is set and Hamlet will die.
Topic Tracking: Suicide 6
Topic Tracking: Disease 8
View More Summaries on Hamlet
