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In Act 5 of Hamlet, the theme is revenge. This is the act where Hamlet finally kills Claudius and
Laertes kills Hamlet, both in revenge for the killings of their fathers. Hamlet wants revenge on Claudius because he
had killed Hamlet's father, the king, took the throne for himself, and married the king's wife, Hamlet's mother. Laertes
wants revenge on Hamlet because Hamlet has killed Laertes father, Polonius, and is somewhat responsible for the madness and
death of his sister, Ophelia. Through the play, they want to get their justice and avenge the deaths of their fathers. It
all happens in this act.
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| Hamlet |
Claudius also wants revenge on Hamlet. Hamlet has caused much trouble in the Kingdom of Denmark and
Claudius needs to put a stop to it, before what he really is gets revealed to the masses. All his other plans to stop him
have failed, so what he does in this act is his final plan. He has Laertes and Hamlet compete in a fencing match, but
with Laertes's sword being an actual one, dipped in poison. If that fails in defeating Hamlet, he has also poisoned a
chalice that he will have Hamlet drink from...
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| Poisoned Chalice |
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By the end of the act, everyone is dead. Laertes stabs Hamlet with the poisoned sword, but in the
confusion, the swords are dropped and Hamlet ends up with it in his hands. He stabs Laertes with it. During all this, Hamlet's
mother, Claudius wife, accidently drinks from the poisoned chalice and dies. In a last burst of effort, Hamlet stabs Claudius
with the poisoned sword and forces him to drink from the chalice, causing him to die. Hamlet has reached his objective and
dies. Laertes has reached his objective and dies. Revenge has been served.
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