| “Custom hath made it in him a property of easiness” | Speaking: HoratioMeaning: the grave digger is used to burying people all the time-numb to the sadness- it is second nature |
| How the knave jowls it to the ground as if ’twere Cain’s jawbone, that did first murder!” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: referring to Cain and Abe (murder of his brother) |
| “Alas, poor Yorick! I know him, Horatio–a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: talking about his childhood when his father and Yorick (fathers court jester) was still alive- the good old days- reminiscing |
| “Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust; the dust is earth””Imperious Caeser, dead and turned to clay” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: ashes to ashes, dust to dust-circle of life- it ultimately doesn’t matter how important you are because everyone dies anyway |
| “Sweets to the sweet, farewell! | Speaking: GertrudeMeaning: Flowers for Ophelia-Showing signs of guilt-She didn’t actually want Ham and Oph to get married -She is trying to coverup with the flowers to push blame away from herself |
| “This is I, Hamlet the Dane” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: Ham announced he is king |
| “Why, I will fight with him upon this theme Until my eyelids will no longer wag!” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: He is willing to die for Ophelia-fight over Ophelia to the day he dies |
| ‘Let Hercules do what he may, The cat will mew, and the dog will have his day” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: Hercules represents strength- Ham is not comparing himself to anyone anymore- he is accepting his fate- he is ready to kill Claud |
| “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will–“ | Speaking: HamletMeaning: He is accepting his fate,fate controls everything-free will |
| “Why, what a king is this!” | Speaking: HoratioMeaning: Taking to Hamlet saying what have you become- he expected H to be better than Claud but he is turning into him- he lost his consciousness**Hamlet becomes the weed |
| “For by the image of my cause I see The portraiture of his.” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: he apologizes to Laertes for fighting at Ophelias grave- he says they both love her the same and Ham sees his own grief in L. Watching Laertes grief made him more upset and he attacked L |
| “You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is-“ | Speaking: OsricMeaning: He is hyping up Laertes to get into hamlets head |
| “I mean, sir, for his weapon. But in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he’s unfellowed.” | Speaking: OsricMeaning: Hubris will overpower any of Hamlets second thoughts about fighting with Laertes |
| “(but) thou wouldst not think how ill all’s here about my heart. But it is no matter.”” It is but foolery, but it is such a kind of (gainsgiving) as would perhaps trouble a woman” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: he has women’s intuition and knows he is going to be killed but his pride is taking over his conscience and not allowing to think properly he knows its a set up but wont do anything to stop it |
| “We defy augury. There is (a) special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be (now,) ’tis not to come; if it be to come, it will be, now; if it be not now, yet it (will) come. The readiness is all” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: he is accepting his fate and if he dies now it’s his time and he is done running it has killed to many people |
| “That I have shot my arrow o’er the house And hurt my brother” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: he and Laertes were very good friends at one point |
| “And yet it is almost against my conscience” | Speaking: LaertesMeaning: He sees claudius show no remorse- Claud is guilty and things didn’t go the way Laertes thought they went |
| “Why as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric” | Speaking: LaertesMeaning: tables turned when Hamlet picked up the sword with the poison and stabbed him-he did this to himself |
| “Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned dane. Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: He tells claudius to his face the reason he is killing him… for marrying Gertrude after killing KH |
| “Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, nor thine on me.” | Speaking: LaertesMeaning: Polonius death was not Hamlets fault, Laertes knows it was all Claudius |
| “Thou livest; report me and my cause alright to the unsatisfied.” | Speaking: HamletMeaning: He tells Horatio to tell his story, honestly, every part of it to all the people because nobody knows |
| “I am more an antique Roman than a Dane. here’s yet some liquor left.” | Speaking: HoratioMeaning: He wants to die too because he is so loyal to Hamlet |
| “But I do prophesy the election lights on Fortinbras; he has my dying voice.” | Speaking: Hamlet Meaning: This is Hamlet’s first and last order as a king, he says Fortinbras is the new king because he admires him so much |
| “…Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts…” | Speaking: HoratioMeaning: He is summing up the story but here he exposes that Claud kills his brother and married his brothers wife |
| “…Of accidental judgements, casual slaughters…” | Speaking: HoratioMeaning: Exposing Hamlet killing Polonius. Ophelia’s death and R&G’s death |
| “…Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause…” | Speaking: HoratioMeaning: This is referring to the plot planned to kill Hamlet, also the plot to kill R&G-The forced cause is the plots planned |
| “… And, in this upshot, purposes mistook fall’n on th’ inventors’ heads. All this can I truly deliver.” | Speaking: HoratioMeaning: Everything that everyone did came back to them, what goes around comes around |
| “I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.” | Speaking: FortinbrasMeaning: He is claiming the crown not knowing the crown was already granted to him-Some of the land used to be his fathers, so he is taking back what is rightfully his |
Hamlet Act 5 Quotes
September 6, 2019