M34P1 THEATRE, Pr. Chaouch, PART Four
M34P1 THEATRE, Pr. Chaouch, PART Four
“THEATRE”
Special handouts (Part IV)
Some of the important events of Act V scene 2 (the last scene of the play)
lines 06-11)
Using his father’s signet, which is the equivalent of the modern stamp, Hamlet re-wrote the
Commission which was supposed to put him to death once received by the English King, and
changed it so that the ones to be killed are Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, not Hamlet.
At the structural level, this technique of raising tension at the pre-climactic phase is known
as coups and counter-coups. King Claudius’ coup, to plot to have Hamlet killed in England, is
countered by Hamlet’s counter-coup mentioned above.
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Also, at this phase of the play’s structure, the playwright reminds the audience with the
most important elements of the agon, that is the most important objects of the conflict: Reasons of
Hamlet’s revenge are enumerated once again by Hamlet when Horatio exclaims: “Why, what a
king is this!” Hamlet’s reasons to kill Claudius are vehemently reiterated in this excerpt: Act V
2, lines 85-95).
Once this dialogue comes to an end and a confrontation is between Hamlet, the King and
his suit, and Laertes, the style reverts to Blank Verse.
Climax, also known as the face-to-face scene (or: the obligatory scene)
The last confrontation mentioned above is the beginning of the climax. In this face-to-face
scene, Hamlet proves to be a noble character a he asks Laertes for pardon, thus showing him that
his real his concern and fight is rather with the one who killed his father, married his mother, and
prevented him from rightly accessing the throne of his deceased father. King Claudius. Laertes
too shows his gallant character. Though he expresses his love to Hamlet and his reception of the
love offer and the apologies presented to him by Hamlet, he insists on the dual as the only means
to prove his honor, first, before indulging in any friendly relationship. (Act V scene 2, lines
172-200) Once again, Hamlet accepts the dual and the challenge to fight as a means to prove
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one’s honor, thus showing that his offer of pardon and friendship was not out of fear or cowardice,
but out of chivalry and gallantry.
This first climactic scene casts a shadow of tragic greatness on Hamlet as he proves to be
a gallant and brave character so that, once he is killed, the audience are driven to feel pity for him,
which is one f of the elements of tragedy.
A tragic climax
Just after this scene, both antagonists get into the fatal face-to-face scene with full drives
and incentives for revenge from both sides. This is one of the reasons why the dual is a longer one.
The scene is full of fatal injuries poisoned sword points, and poisoned drinks. Laertes discovers,
while fighting Hamlet, that Queen Gertrude dies of the poisoned drink and that it is “the King to
Blame” (Act V scene 2, lines 269-273). Just afterwards, Hamlet discovers that the “point” of
the sword “is envenomed (poisoned) too”; so “he hurts King Claudius” (Act V scene 2, line
274) so that the full resolving scene results in the death of Queen Gertrude, Laertes, King
Claudius, and Hamlet. But both Hamlet’s and Laertes’ discovery about King Claudius’
orchestrated murder comes too late. This technique is known in tragedy as ‘anagnorisis’, whereby
the tragic hero (Hamlet), discovers his real situation and the true nature of his antagonist
(Chaudius).
V scene 2, lines 329-339). This choice has most probably to do with name of the historical
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Roman poet, Horace or Horatius (d. 8 BC), some of whose poetic works bear a moralizing touch
mixed to sarcasm.
Instead of elaborating on who is to reign over Denmark, the playwright’s focus is rather on
the tragic ending and on the tragic hero to be honored. The play ends with “a peal of ordnance
[being] shot off” in honor to Hamlet tragedy (Act V scene 2, last stage directions, p. 688),
which is the most adequate way to close a tragedy. Tragic heroes are only great after their tragic
death.
(To be continued…)