Hamlet Graphic Novel

Act Five In the beginning of Act Five, two gravediggers are discussing Ophelia`s death. People are debating whether or not she deserves a Christian burial because people think she committed suicide and that is believed by many to be against the law of God. Hamlet watches as the gravediggers dig up existing graves, disturbed about the digging up of the skulls because it is done so impersonally. Hamlet discovers that this particular gravedigger has been digging graves since the day Hamlet was born, pointing to some of the existential themes of the play. Later on, in the same graveyard, Hamlet and Laertes are fighting about who loved Ophelia more; the fight occurs right at her grave!

Hamlet reports to Horatio that he discovered that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were spying on him. Hamlet switched the letter ordering his death with one that would order theirs.

Meanwhile, Laertes and Claudius have plotted how to allow Laertes to get his revenge on Hamlet, while still making his death look accidental. They will set up a fencing match between the two, but ensure that Laertes’ sword is sharp (not dull) and poisoned; Claudius will also have a cup of poison nearby as a back-up plan. Hamlet gets the first hit. Gertude drinks the poison (unknowningly) as a tribute to her son’s fencing skills. Then, Hamlet is hit by Laertes’ poisoned sword, but, in the scuffle that follows, he ends up with Laertes’ sword, with which he hits Laertes – both are now poisoned.

Hamlet has been slain and nothing can make him better.

Horatio’s mission is to tell Hamlet’s story to the people of Denmark. At the end of the scene we are informed that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are indeed dead, and that Hamlet gives his “dying voice” to Fortinbras as the predicted future leader of Denmark