Hamlet Essay

The play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, envelopes many thematic elements however the most prominent ones are the ones of madness, and existentialism which is evident throughout Act 5 Scene 1. The first part of the scene with the clowns demonstrates “madness” and existentialism. When the clown is singing while he is digging the grave is a good example because when Hamlet hears this he starts to question the clown’s “sanity”. Just as well is when Hamlet picks up the skull and starts to play with it. But the major theme is of existentialism. Everyone from the Clowns to Hamlet question the existence of individuals and of their choices.

Here lies the water; good: here stands the man; good; if the man go to this water, and drown himself, it is, will he, nill he, he goes,--mark you that; but if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself: argal, he that is not guilty of his own death shortens not his own life.

This was said by one of the Clowns to try to present the possibilities of what could have happened to Ophelia; if it was an accident or suicide. Then also with Hamlet as he plays with the skulls, questioning who they could have belonged to. Shakespeare ties in these elements to try to present the idea that everything fades and nothing is as strong as it seems.

In the beginning of Scene 1 of Act 5, there are two clowns, or grave diggers, who begin to discuss why they are digging a grave for a person who committed suicide, because in Christian belief one who has committed suicide has sinned therefore is not deserving of a proper burial. They believe that because she, Ophelia, was of the upper echelon she is allowed to have this burial but if she was a peasant she would not be allowed to have a burial. This shows that the clowns believe that one’s status follows you even in death. Later one of the clowns poses the question, “'Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter?” The other clown responds with, “The gallows-maker, for that frame outlives a thousand tenants.” The second clown turns down the other clown’s response and when asked for the answer, he does not reply. This retort back and forth between the clowns as to who builds the strongest is to show that nothing lives on forever. This portion of the scene goes to prove the ambiguous nature the afterlife and if things live on.

As the scene progresses Hamlet enters and approaches the Clown who is digging the grave. As he walks he notices some skulls lying beneath his feet, and feels compelled to pick one up. He fiddles with the skull in his hand and starts to wonder who it could have belonged to. Hamlet comes up with several possibilities as to who the skull could have belonged to: a courtier, a lord, or a lawyer. This is a great breakthrough for Hamlet. He comes to the realization that no matter what you were or what you did while you were alive; when one dies they get stuck in the ground to rot just like everyone else. He then alludes to Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar mentioning that they were these great men of history yet they too were reduced to rotting in the Earth’s soil. So what does it matter what one does in this life if everyone is going to end up in the same place? He even mentions the lawyer saying, “Where be his quiddities now, his quillets, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks? Why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the sconce with a dirty shovel, and will not tell him of his action of battery?” In other words he is saying he is a sly man, one who has many arguments and tricks but where are they now that he has died? This shows that while dead, stature means nothing.

            Throughout this scene it is evident that existentialism is a major element. Furthermore it goes to show how life can easily fade away to nothingness. Ideas one may develop or even physical objects that one creates can just as easily fade with life. That is why when the clown, who first posed the question as to who builds stronger, was asked the same question did not respond because he knew that none of them builds the strongest and even their creations will fade away. The ideas and cases that a lawyer may have or the arguments and tricks that he may present will do him no good once he has died. And life is the most fragile thing; one slip or fall may cause the end of one’s life, whether they mean to end it or not. In the end, everything dies away and returns to its roots.