He Was Teacher to Hamlet in the Art of Creating Hamletã¢ââ¢s Phenomenological View of the World

• Intro
• Summary
• Modern English
• Human action 1, Scene i
• Act 1, Scene 2
• Human action i, Scene 3
• Human activity 1, Scene iv
• Deed 1, Scene 5
• Human action 2, Scene 1
• Human activity ii, Scene 2
• Act three, Scene one
• Act 3, Scene 2
• Act iii, Scene 3
• Act 3, Scene 4
• Act 4, Scene one
• Act 4, Scene 2
• Human activity 4, Scene 3
• Act 4, Scene 4
• Act iv, Scene 5
• Human activity 4, Scene 6
• Act 4, Scene vii
• Deed 5, Scene ane
• Act 5, Scene ane Summary
• Human activity 5, Scene 2
• Themes
• Quotes
• Characters
• Analysis
• Questions
• Photos
• Quizzes
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Hamlet: Act 5, Scene i Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of Hamlet from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Gravedigger and Another. GRAVEDIGGER Is she to be buried in Christian burial, when she willfully seeks her ain conservancy? OTHER I tell thee she is. Therefore make her grave directly. The crowner hath sat on her and finds information technology Christian burial. 5 GRAVEDIGGER How can that exist, unless she drowned herself in her own defense? OTHER Why, 'tis found so. GRAVEDIGGER Information technology must be se offendendo; it cannot be else. For here lies the point: if I drown myself x wittingly, it argues an deed, and an deed hath three branches—it is to act, to do, to perform. Argal, she drowned herself wittingly. OTHER Nay, but hear you, goodman delver— GRAVEDIGGER Give me exit. Here lies the h2o; fifteen proficient. Here stands the man; adept. If the man get to this h2o and drown himself, it is (volition he, nill he) he goes; mark y'all that. Only if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself. Argal, he that is non guilty of his own death shortens not his xx own life. OTHER But is this constabulary? GRAVEDIGGER Ay, ally, is 't—crowner'due south 'quest constabulary.	At the palace graveyard, two hi-la-rious gravediggers discuss Ophelia's death. In their dialogue, they paraphrase some of the arguments from the famous 1554 suicide case of Sir James Hales, a dead-by-suicide approximate whose land was forfeited to the crown, as was standard penalty for suicides. Ane statement held that the court could simply punish someone for acts committed in their lifetime. "Successful" suicide required the ending of one's life—thus when Hales succeeded at suicide, he was no longer living and couldn't be held accountable, significant...his widow should be entitled to his stuff. That statement didn't win, and she didn't go it, merely it'south part of the reason for all the quibbling on whether Ophelia meant to kill herself or not.
OTHER Will you ha' the truth on 't? If this had not been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o' 25 Christian burial. GRAVEDIGGER Why, there g sayst. And the more pity that great folk should have count'nance in this globe to drown or hang themselves more than their even-Christian. Come, my spade. There is no 30 ancient gentlemen but gard'ners, ditchers, and grave-makers. They hold up Adam's profession. OTHER Was he a gentleman? GRAVEDIGGER He was the showtime that e'er bore arms. OTHER Why, he had none. 35 GRAVEDIGGER What, art a heathen? How dost grand understand the scripture? The scripture says Adam digged. Could he dig without artillery? I'll put another question to thee. If g answerest me not to the purpose, confess thyself— 40 OTHER Go to!	These two men think Ophelia's death was conspicuously a suicide. Because suicide is an offense against God, those who committed the act were unremarkably not immune to be buried in a Christian graveyard. Lucky for Ophelia, her family is rich and powerful. They move on to a word of Adam and whether or non he had arms, with ane of the men meaning actual arms and the other taking the give-and-take to mean weapons. Next, the primary Gravedigger challenges his buddy to solve a riddle.
GRAVEDIGGER What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter? OTHER The gallows-maker; for that frame outlives a grand tenants. 45 GRAVEDIGGER I similar thy wit well, in expert religion. The gallows does well. But how does it well? Information technology does well to those that practice ill. Now, yard dost ill to say the gallows is congenital stronger than the church. Argal, the gallows may practice well to thee. To 't once again, come. 50 OTHER "Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter?" GRAVEDIGGER Ay, tell me that, and unyoke. OTHER Ally, now I can tell. GRAVEDIGGER To 't. 55 OTHER Mass, I cannot tell. Enter Village and Horatio afar off. GRAVEDIGGER Cudgel thy brains no more about it, for your dull ass will non mend his pace with beating. And, when you are asked this question next, say "a grave-maker." The houses he makes 60 lasts till doomsday. Become, go thee in, and fetch me a stoup of liquor. The Other Man exits and the Gravedigger digs and sings. In youth when I did love, did love, Methought information technology was very sugariness To contract—O—the time for—a—my behove, 65 O, methought there—a—was zip—a—come across.	The riddle is: Who builds something that is stronger than things built past carpenters, masons, or shipbuilders? The Gravedigger's buddy guesses a guy who builds gallows (the structure you utilize to hang people). It'south a skillful respond, but not the one the Gravedigger was looking for. He finally gives information technology up after teasing his friend a chip. The answer? A grave digger, of course, because the house he builds lasts forever. Ba-DUM-bum!
Hamlet Has this fellow no feeling of his business organization? He sings in grave-making. HORATIO Custom hath made it in him a holding of easiness. 70 HAMLET 'Tis e'en and so. The hand of niggling employment hath the daintier sense. GRAVEDIGGER sings Simply age with his stealing steps Hath clawed me in his clutch, And hath shipped me into the state, 75 As if I had never been such. He digs up a skull.	Hamlet wonders if the Gravedigger who remains is specially callous because he's singing while he digs the grave. Horatio points out that doing a task over and over makes it easier—easy plenty to crack jokes.
HAMLET That skull had a natural language in it and could sing once. How the knave jowls it to the ground as if 'twere Cain's jawbone, that did the first murder! This might be the pate of a politician which this ass 80 now o'erreaches, 1 that would circumvent God, might it not? HORATIO It might, my lord. HAMLET Or of a courtier, which could say "Good morrow, sweet lord! How dost thou, sugariness lord?" 85 This might exist my Lord Such-a-one that praised my Lord Such-a-i's horse when he went to beg it, might it not? HORATIO Ay, my lord. Hamlet Why, e'en and so. And now my Lady Worm'due south, 90 chapless and knocked almost the mazard with a sexton'south spade. Here's fine revolution, an we had the trick to see 't. Did these basic price no more the breeding merely to play at loggets with them? Mine ache to recollect on 't. 95 GRAVEDIGGER sings A pickax and a spade, a spade, For and a shrouding canvass, O, a pit of clay for to be made For such a invitee is encounter. He digs upward more skulls.	Hamlet philosophizes every bit the Gravedigger uncovers a skull from the pigsty in the ground. Hamlet wonders who this skull used to be when it was function of a living person.
Village At that place'southward another. Why may not that exist the 100 skull of a lawyer? Where exist his quiddities now, his quillities, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks? Why does he endure this mad knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel and volition not tell him of his activeness of battery? Hum, this young man might 105 be in 'due south fourth dimension a bully buyer of state, with his statutes, his recognizances, his fines, his double vouchers, his recoveries. Is this the fine of his fines and the recovery of his recoveries, to have his fine pate total of fine clay? Volition his vouchers vouch him no more than 110 of his purchases, and double ones too, than the length and breadth of a pair of indentures? The very conveyances of his lands will scarcely lie in this box, and must thursday' inheritor himself have no more, ha? HORATIO Not a jot more, my lord. 115 HAMLET Is non parchment made of sheepskins? HORATIO Ay, my lord, and of calves' skins too. HAMLET They are sheep and calves which seek out assurance in that. I volition speak to this swain.— Whose grave's this, sirrah? 120	When the Gravedigger uncovers another skull, Village suggests it could exist the skull of a lawyer. Horatio says sure, why not? Could be. Hamlet decides to chat up the Gravedigger and see if he knows.
GRAVEDIGGER Mine, sir. Sings. O, a pit of clay for to be made For such a guest is come across. Village I think it be thine indeed, for thou liest in 't. GRAVEDIGGER You lie out on 't, sir, and therefore 'tis 125 not yours. For my office, I practice not lie in 't, still it is mine. Hamlet Thou dost prevarication in 't, to be in 't and say it is thine. 'Tis for the dead, non for the quick; therefore chiliad liest. 130 GRAVEDIGGER 'Tis a quick prevarication, sir; 'twill away again from me to y'all. HAMLET What man dost thou dig it for? GRAVEDIGGER For no man, sir. Hamlet What woman and then? 135 GRAVEDIGGER For none, neither. Hamlet Who is to be buried in 't? GRAVEDIGGER Ane that was a woman, sir, just, rest her soul, she's dead. Hamlet How accented the knave is! We must speak by 140 the card, or equivocation will disengage us. By the Lord, Horatio, this iii years I have took notation of information technology: the historic period is grown and then picked that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier, he galls his kibe.—How long hast yard been 145 grave-maker?	The Gravedigger is a chatty—but very literal—guy. When Hamlet asks him whose grave he digging, he says information technology's his...because he's the one digging it. When Hamlet asks if the grave is for a man or a woman, the Gravedigger says neither. He finally adds that it's for someone that was a woman, simply isn't anymore, because she's dead. Village is amused past this guy'due south wit and asks him how long he'south been earthworks graves.
GRAVEDIGGER Of all the days i' th' year, I came to 't that day that our last King Village overcame Fortinbras. Village How long is that since? 150 GRAVEDIGGER Cannot yous tell that? Every fool can tell that. Information technology was that very 24-hour interval that young Hamlet was born—he that is mad, and sent into England. Hamlet Ay, marry, why was he sent into England? GRAVEDIGGER Why, because he was mad. He shall 155 recover his wits there. Or if he do not, 'tis no dandy matter there. Village Why? GRAVEDIGGER 'Twill non be seen in him in that location. In that location the men are every bit mad every bit he. 160 Hamlet How came he mad? GRAVEDIGGER Very strangely, they say. Village How "strangely"? GRAVEDIGGER Faith, east'en with losing his wits. HAMLET Upon what basis? 165 GRAVEDIGGER Why, here in Denmark. I take been sexton here, human and boy, thirty years.	The Gravedigger says he's been at it since the day the old King Village beat Fortinbras, which, coincidentally is the day the young Hamlet was born. The Gravedigger doesn't know who he's talking to, so he tells his new BFF a niggling more—like that Prince Village has gone mad and been sent England, where it doesn't thing if he's cured since everyone in that location is mad, too. We bet thatkilled at the Globe.
Village How long will a man prevarication i' th' earth ere he rot? GRAVEDIGGER Faith, if he be not rotten before he die (as nosotros have many pocky corses nowadays that will 170 scarce concord the laying in), he will terminal yous some eight yr or nine yr. A tanner will concluding you nine year. Hamlet Why he more another? GRAVEDIGGER Why, sir, his hibernate is and so tanned with his 175 trade that he will proceed out h2o a great while; and your h2o is a sore decayer of your whoreson dead body. Hither's a skull now hath lien yous i' th' earth three-and-xx years. Hamlet Whose was it? 180 GRAVEDIGGER A whoreson mad fellow's it was. Whose do you recollect it was? HAMLET Nay, I know not. GRAVEDIGGER A pestilence on him for a mad rogue! He poured a flagon of Rhenish on my head in one case. 185 This same skull, sir, was, sir, Yorick's skull, the King'due south jester. Hamlet This? GRAVEDIGGER Eastward'en that.	Side by side, Hamlet wants to know how long it takes a body to rot. The Gravedigger says it depends. For nigh bodies, information technology takes eight or nine years. Tanners last the longest considering their pare is stained with the chemicals they use on leather, so their bodies are more waterproof. The Gravedigger hands Hamlet a skull and says it'south from someone dead for twenty-iii years at present: King Hamlet's former jester, Yorick.
Village, taking the skull Let me see. Alas, poor 190 Yorick! I knew him, Horatio—a fellow of space jest, of most splendid fancy. He hath bore me on his back a thousand times, and now how abhorred in my imagination information technology is! My gorge rises at it. Hither hung those lips that I have kissed I know non how oftentimes. 195 Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one at present to mock your own smiling? Quite chapfallen? Now go you to my lady'due south chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch 200 thick, to this favor she must come. Make her laugh at that.—Prithee, Horatio, tell me one thing.	The is the famous "Alas, poor Yorick" chip: Village reminisces most the times Yorick used to cart him around on his back and generally makes a melodramatic scene almost all the jokes and laughs and dances Yorick used to do, but at present tin can't, being dead and all.
HORATIO What'southward that, my lord? HAMLET Dost thou think Alexander looked o' this fashion i' th' earth? 205 HORATIO E'en and then. Hamlet And smelt so? Pah! He puts the skull downwardly. HORATIO E'en so, my lord. Hamlet To what base uses we may render, Horatio! Why may not imagination trace the noble dust of 210 Alexander till he find it stopping a bunghole? HORATIO 'Twere to consider too curiously to consider and so. HAMLET No, faith, not a jot; but to follow him thither, with modesty enough and likelihood to pb information technology, equally 215 thus: Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust; the grit is globe; of world nosotros make loam; and why of that loam whereto he was converted might they not stop a beer barrel? Imperious Caesar, expressionless and turned to clay, 220 Might terminate a pigsty to keep the air current away. O, that that earth which kept the world in awe Should patch a wall t' miscarry the winter's flaw! Enter Male monarch, Queen, Laertes, Lords attendant, and the corpse of Ophelia, with a Doctor of Divinity. Merely soft, but soft awhile! Here comes the King, The Queen, the courtiers. Who is this they follow? 225 And with such maimèd rites? This doth betoken The corse they follow did with desp'charge per unit mitt Fordo its own life. 'Twas of some estate. Couch we awhile and mark. They step aside.	Is this everyone's fate? Hamlet is particularly interested in Alexander the Groovy, wondering if yous could trace his dust until you institute him stopping upwardly a "bunghole" (which was literally the hole in a barrel or cask of beverage, merely, y'all guessed it, has been slang for "anus" since the thirteenth century). This is very like to Hamlet'due south train of thought with the worm eating a king's corpse, the worm becoming bait, etc. He'due south proverb that Alexander the Great, after dying, would be cached. His trunk would return to dust and mix with the globe, from which nosotros make loam which could be used to stop upwards a beer barrel. Hamlet'southward a real cheerful guy. His morbid thoughts are interrupted by a funeral procession. We know it's Ophelia's, but Hamlet doesn't...yet.
LAERTES What ceremony else? 230 HAMLET That is Laertes, a very noble youth. Marking. LAERTES What anniversary else? Medico Her obsequies have been as far enlarged As nosotros take warranty. Her death was doubtful, And, but that smashing command o'ersways the social club, 235 She should in ground unsanctified been lodged Till the terminal trumpet. For charitable prayers Shards, flints, and pebbles should be thrown on her. All the same here she is immune her virgin crants, 240 Her maiden strewments, and the bringing home Of bong and burial. LAERTES Must there no more than be done? Physician No more than be done. We should profane the service of the expressionless 245 To sing a requiem and such remainder to her Equally to peace-parted souls.	Hamlet observes from afar equally Laertes, who he recognizes, asks about the brevity of the ceremony. The priest snarks a little about how Ophelia's powerful family got her a nice burial, even though she shouldactually exist in unsanctified ground and only get broken bits of pottery and pebbles equally a tribute. Instead, she's getting a garland to signal she'south a virgin and flowers strewn near her grave. Plus she's in the sanctified department and she's getting the full bell-tolling treatment.
LAERTES Lay her i' th' earth, And from her fair and unpolluted mankind May violets jump! I tell thee, churlish priest, 250 A minist'ring angel shall my sister exist When chiliad liest howling.	Laertes doesn't accept kindly to all this trash talking of his recently dead sister, and says that Ophelia volition be an angel while the priest howls in Hell.
Hamlet, to Horatio What, the fair Ophelia? QUEEN Sweets to the sweet, farewell! She scatters flowers. I hoped m shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife; 255 I thought thy bride-bed to accept decked, sweet maid, And not have strewed thy grave. LAERTES O, treble woe Fall 10 times treble on that cursèd head Whose wicked act thy most ingenious sense 260 Deprived thee of!—Hold off the earth awhile, Till I take caught her once more in mine arms. Leaps in the grave. Now pile your dust upon the quick and dead, Till of this flat a mount you have made T' o'ertop old Pelion or the skyish head 265 Of blue Olympus. HAMLET, advancing What is he whose grief Bears such an emphasis, whose phrase of sorrow Conjures the wand'ring stars and makes them stand Similar wonder-wounded hearers? This is I, 270 Village the Dane.	Wait—did he say sis? Hamlet realizes this is Ophelia'southward funeral. He advances toward the grave equally his mom scatters flowers, saying she idea Ophelia was going to be Hamlet's wife one day. Laertes, beside himself with grief, jumps into the grave, and yous tin can bet his mood is not improved when Hamlet approaches, talking about how lamentable he is and announcing himself the way you would announce the King.
LAERTES, coming out of the grave The devil take thy soul! HAMLET Thou pray'st not well. They grapple. I prithee take thy fingers from my throat, For though I am not splenitive and rash, 275 Yet accept I in me something unsafe, Which allow thy wisdom fear. Concur off thy hand. KING Pluck them asunder. QUEEN Hamlet! Hamlet! ALL Gentlemen! 280 HORATIO Expert my lord, be quiet. Village and Laertes are separated. Village Why, I will fight with him upon this theme Until my eyelids will no longer wag! QUEEN O my son, what theme? Village I loved Ophelia. Forty k brothers 285 Could non with all their quantity of dear Brand up my sum. What wilt 1000 do for her? KING O, he is mad, Laertes! QUEEN For love of God, forbear him. Village 'Swounds, bear witness me what yard 't do. 290 Woo't weep, woo't fight, woo't fast, woo't tear thyself, Woo't drink up eisel, eat a crocodile? I'll do 't. Dost thou come here to whine? To outface me with leaping in her grave? 295 Be cached quick with her, and so will I. And if yard prate of mountains, let them throw Millions of acres on us, till our footing, Singeing his pate confronting the burning zone, Make Ossa like a wart. Nay, an one thousand 'lt mouth, 300 I'll rant as well equally yard. QUEEN This is mere madness; And thus awhile the fit will work on him. Anon, as patient as the female dove When that her golden couplets are disclosed, 305 His silence will sit drooping. HAMLET Hear yous, sir, What is the reason that y'all apply me thus? I loved you ever. But information technology is no matter. Permit Hercules himself do what he may, 310 The cat will mew, and domestic dog will accept his day. Hamlet exits.	Laertes promptly leaps out of Ophelia's grave and scuffles with Village. The two are broken up, and Hamlet declares he'll fight Laertes "on this theme," significant, the question of who loved Ophelia more, until the terminate of his days. While his mother tries to at-home him and make excuses for his behavior, Hamlet challenges Laertes to a duel and stalks out. It's all very dramatic.
King I pray thee, skillful Horatio, wait upon him. Horatio exits. To Laertes. Strengthen your patience in our last night's oral communication. We'll put the matter to the present push button.— 315 Proficient Gertrude, fix some spotter over your son.— This grave shall take a living monument. An hour of quiet thereby shall we run into. Till then in patience our proceeding be. They exit.	Claudius says what he needs to say to anybody: he sends Horatio to tend to Hamlet, tells Laertes to hold firm with their plan, and tells Gertrude to accept someone watch over Village. What a guy.

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