12-14) In his soliloquy Hamlet expresses that he wishes he could die. Let the world understand: you are the next in line for the throne, and I feel as much love for you as any father feels for his son. Within a month of my fathers deathbefore the salt from her crocodile tears had washed out of her red eyesshe remarried. How is it that the clouds still hang on you? My lord, upon the platform where we watch. Polonius persuades Claudius to take no action until Gertrude talks with Hamlet after the play, which is scheduled for that evening. And now, Laertes, whats your news? With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole. What does Hamlet mean when he says, "The play's the thing / Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king"? Deepen your understanding of his works and their cultural influence. And it has happened so quickly that funeral and marriage seem inappropriately confused: With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage (line 12). To jump so quickly into a bed of incest! Do you have guard duty again tonight? Want 100 or more? Discover Shakespeares stories and the world that shaped them. A funeral procession approaches. Im pleased to see you doing well. Now follows that you know. Hamlet tries to kill Claudius three times. Go not to Wittenberg. N2 - John Dryden, in his Preface to his adaptation of Troilus and Cressida (1679), instructs that two different independent actions distract the attention and concernment of the . As for me and this meeting, heres the story: [He holds up a letter] Ive written to the King of NorwayFortinbras unclea weak and bedridden old man whos barely heard a thing about his nephews aims. I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow student.I think it was to see my mothers wedding. Fortinbras and his army cross Hamlets path on their way to Poland. In the dead waste and middle of the night. The princes first words are laced with bitterness, clearly indicative of the antipathy he feels toward his uncle. Surely he means otherwise." Do you have your fathers permission? for a customized plan. Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. A burgeoning uprising has Robert suspicious of everyone, as the rest of the family unites to combat a formidable foe. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Horatio,I would rather have met my worst enemy in heaven than have lived to see that awful day! Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Titles The Royals, With Mirth in Funeral and With Dirge in Marriage. He then tells Hamlet that he, Marcellus, and Bernardo have seen what appears to be his fathers ghost. These indeed seem, For they are actions that a man might play. Metacritic TV Episode Reviews, With Mirth in Funeral and With Dirge in Marriage, . I am too much i the sun. Turning to Prince Hamlet, Claudius asks why the clouds still hang upon him, as Hamlet is still wearing black mourning clothes (I.ii.66). Trumpets play. Hamlet persuades one of them to deliver a speech, and recognizes, to his shame, that he has shown less intensity in avenging his fathers murder than the actor has done in performance. My lord, he has won my permission by asking me over and over again so that, finally, I reluctantly gave my approval. As I do live, my honored lord, tis true. Seems, madam? Well show our loyalty to you in that and all other ways. We are happy to assist in matters of veterans and social security benefits, life insurance procedures, and probate. A growing uprising has Robert suspicious of everyone, as the rest of the family unit. Hold back your excitement for a while, and listen while I tell you about this astonishing thing. To all of you, my thanks. Our doors are reopening in Fall 2023! Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Find out whats on, read our latest stories, and learn how you can get involved. I think you came to see my mothers wedding. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. What could you possibly ask for that I wouldnt give you? Im sure I would have. And so while we must remember to mourn for him, it is also wise to remember our own happiness. Go not to Wittenberg. The finale ends in a day that will change the family and nation forever. It isnt manly. But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell. [aside] A little more than kin and less than kind. Saying that he is the spirit of Hamlets father, he demands that Hamlet avenge King Hamlets murder at the hands of Claudius. all is not well; I doubt some foul play: would the night were come! Our state to be disjoint and out of frame. But my heart must break in silence, because I must remain quiet. Women, curse your weakness!in just a month, before she had even broken in the shoes she wore to his funeral, weeping endlesslyoh, God, a wild beast would have mourned longer than she did!she married my uncle, my fathers brother, whos no more like my father than Im like Hercules. Read more about the theme of the nation as a diseased body. The reappearance of the mad Ophelia is devastating to Laertes. Although Claudius is not actually upset about his brother's death, he knows it is necessary to give the illusion of grief so people will not become suspicious of him. Time be thine, And thy best graces spend it at thy will.. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred. Already a member? Contact us Full Cast . But what is your affair in Elsinore? Osric enters to ask, on Claudiuss behalf, that Hamlet fence with Laertes. All that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity. You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltemand, we send you to carry this letter to the old King of Norway, but give you no more power to negotiate with the Norwegian King beyond what is outlined in this letter. This is not good. He and Laertes struggle, with Hamlet protesting his own love and grief for Ophelia. These ideas sit uneasily with one another, and Shakespeare uses this speech to give his audience an uncomfortable first impression of Claudius. How is it possible to balance sorrow for a brothers death with happiness for having married a dead brothers wife? For all, our thanks. But it didnt answer. Upon the platform, twixt eleven and twelve, Ill visit you. The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever. Claudiuss speech is full of contradictory words, ideas, and phrases, beginning with Though yet of Hamlet our late brothers death / The memory be green, which combines the idea of death and decay with the idea of greenery, growth, and renewal (I.ii.12). Fie! He starts talking about the warlike actions of young Fortibras and says no more about marriage. I swear on my life that its true, my lord. But answer made it none: yet once methought. Hamlet agrees to the contest, despite his misgivings. Hamlet comes upon him kneeling and draws his sword, but then stops to think that if he kills Claudius at prayer, Claudius will go to heaven. Read more about incestuous desire as a motif. Bring Shakespeares work to life in the classroom. Season your admiration for a while With an attent ear, till I may deliver, Upon the witness of these gentlemen, This marvel to you. He was an impressive king. How tired, stale, dull, and worthless all of life seems to me. But you must know your father lost a father, That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound. Tis a fault to heaven, A fault against the dead, a fault to nature, To reason most absurd, whose common theme Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried, From the first corse till he that died today, This must be so. We pray you, throw to earth This unprevailing woe, and think of us As of a father. With Mirth in Funeral and With Dirge in Marriage (2018) Max Brown and Genevieve Gaunt in The Royals (2015) People Max Brown, Genevieve Gaunt. This first of the plays great soliloquies gives us a much needed window into Hamlets brooding soul: The depth of Hamlets despair is made immediately apparent as he wishes for death, lamenting the fact that suicide is against Gods law. The funeral baked meats. I know you are no truant. What does Polonius say? "Mirth in funeral" and "dirge in marriage" are both examples of what device? Seem, mother? After the Ghost exits, Hamlet urges Gertrude to abandon Claudiuss bed. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. synopsis, "The rest of the family unites to combat a formidable foe." Tonight is going to be another crazy episode that you won't want to miss, so be sure to tune in for our The Royals recap between 10 PM - 11 PM ET! My fathers spirit in arms. In that and all things will we show our duty. And so while we must remember to mourn for him, it is also wise to remember our own happiness. I suspect some foul play. You can contact us by phone at: 605-996-2326. or by e-mail at: staff@willfuneralchapel.com. Hamlet tries to find out who the grave is for and reflects on the skulls that are being dug up. Latest answer posted November 19, 2020 at 1:33:52 PM. To a reasonable mind, it is absurd, since the death of fathersfrom the first corpse until the most recentis an inescapable theme of life. Th imperial jointress to this warlike state. Here are 20 Bible verses for funerals that can comfort you and those you love who are grieving: John 3:16 : "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him . The complete line is: "With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage." It was, just as it looked when I saw it when he was alive: dark brown with silver streaks. Things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. My drinking will echo against the heavens like thunder. And bid me hold my peace. Nor have we herein barred Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone With this affair along. Continue to start your free trial. Why are you not at Wittenberg, Horatio? In this scene Hamlet mainly focuses on the appalling conditions of life, railing against Claudiuss court as an unweeded garden, / That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature / Possess it merely (I.ii.135137). It shows a will most incorrect to heaven, For what we know must be and is as common. With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole. Ophelia enters singing about death and betrayal. EnterClaudius,KingofDenmark,Gertrudethe. I do beseech you, give him leave to go. He emphasises this here, telling Claudius of his position - 'less than kind.'. If it looks like my noble father, Ill speak to it, even if Hell itself opens up and tells me to be quiet. She would hang on his arm, as if the more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to be with him. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern report their failure to find the cause of Hamlets madness, Polonius places Ophelia where he and Claudius may secretly observe a meeting between her and Hamlet. Hamlets easy willingness to stay has made me glad, and in honor of it, every happy toast Ill drink today will sound like cannons up to the clouds above. ", Latest answer posted November 13, 2020 at 12:50:56 PM. Why does Hamlet encourage the actor to recite the speech about Pyrrhus and Priam? Please wait while we process your payment. Teachers and parents! After Hamlets death, Fortinbras arrives, claims the crown, and orders a military funeral for Hamlet. . He acknowledges that there should have been a longer period of general mourning when he says: "that it us befitted / To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom / To be contracted in one brow of woe." The head is not more native to the heart. Shakespeare. As they talk, a company of touring actors enters. So much for him. While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred. Gertrude interrupts their plotting to announce that Ophelia has drowned. On the guards platform at Elsinore, Horatio waits with Barnardo and Marcellus to question a ghost that has twice before appeared. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. PerchanceTwill walk again. Hamlet, it is sweet and good that you mourn like this for your father. Bad deeds will always be revealed, no matter how deeply theyve been buried. Would have mourned longer!married with my uncle, My fathers brother, but no more like my father, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears. I wish it were night already! 2 of 2. Clearly, Hamlets alienation from his mother and stepfather is profound. Hamlet then verbally attacks his mother for marrying Claudius. Sometimes it can end up there. What are they? Not at all, my lord. It is the act of leaving the remains in the final resting place. He mentions that young Fortinbras has written to him, rashly demanding the surrender of the lands King Hamlet won from Fortinbrass father, and dispatches Cornelius and Voltimand with a message for the King of Norway, Fortinbrass elderly uncle. Although the question of why Hamlet did not become king upon his fathers death is not explicitly dealt with in the play, there are certain assumptions we can reasonably make. Visit her face too roughly.Heaven and earth, Must I remember? Tis an unweeded garden. Laertes agrees to kill Hamlet with a poisoned rapier in a fencing match. Ill never see his equal again. But you must also remember that your father lost his father, who in turn lost his father, and each time the son had a duty to mourn for his father for a certain time. All these things seem like grief, since theyre just what a person would do to act like they were grieving in a play. I beg all of you, if youve kept this a secret so far, continue to be silent. But you must also remember that your father lost his father, who in turn lost his father, and each time the son had a duty to mourn for his father for a certain time. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Struggling with distance learning? For they are actions that a man might play. Hamlets easy willingness to stay has made me glad, and in honor of it. I knew your father. Acting this way is a crime against heaven, a crime against the dead, a crime against nature. You are Horatio, right? At the match, Claudius prepares poisoned wine for Hamlet, which Gertrude unknowingly drinks; as she dies, she accuses Claudius, whom Hamlet kills. Dont have an account? With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole) Taken to wife. With which she followed my poor fathers body, O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason. With this in mind, Claudius says that he does not wish for Hamlet to return to school at Wittenberg (where he had been studying before his fathers death), as Hamlet has asked to do. Hamlet, mourning for his fathers death, is left alone to vent his despair at what he regards as his mothers all too hasty marriage to his uncle, Claudius. With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole, Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone. When we know that something must eventually happenand that it happens to everyonewhy should we get it into our heads to oppose it? So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr. Your father is as vital to the Danish throne as the head is to the heart, or the hand to the mouth. Ive told the Norwegian King to put a halt to Fortinbras plans, since all of Fortinbras troops are Norwegian. Ill do the same. . Two nights together had these gentlemen, Marcellus and Barnardo, on their watch, In the dead waste and middle of the night, Been thus encountered: a figure like your father, Armed at point exactly, cap--pie, Appears before them and with solemn march Goes slow and stately by them. Claudius says. With an auspicious and a dropping eye, with mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and doletaken to wife (Act I, Scene 2, lines 10-14). Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Let the world understand: you are the next in line for the throne, and I feel as much love for you as any father feels for his son. You mentioned that you have a favor to ask of me. I wouldnt let your enemies say that about you, so I wont let you say itor believe you if you did. My lord, he has won my permission by asking me over and over again so that, finally, I reluctantly gave my approval. Why, she would hang on him, Let me not think on t. I did, my lord. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Curse it! My fatherI think I see my father. Itself to motion, like as it would speak; But even then the morning cock crew loud. Do not forever with thy vaild lids Seek for thy noble father in the dust. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. He concedes as well that marriages are supposed to be happy occasions, filled with mirth. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Showing all 4 items Jump to: Release Dates (4) Release Dates USA 13 May 2018: Netherlands 14 May 2018 (internet) UK 25 May 2018 (internet) Germany 2 July 2018: See also. He next turns his attention to his nephew, now his son, Prince Hamlet. "With Mirth in Funeral and With Dirge in Marriage" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of The Royals, and the fortieth episode overall in the series. With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole) Taken to wife . He walked by them three times as they stood shaking in fear like jelly, too shocked to speak. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Its called being frugal, Horatio. In an audience chamber in Elsinore, Claudius, the new king of Denmark, holds court. But even then the morning cock crew loud. Had left the flushing in her galld eyes, She married. Claudius says he was both joyous and upset about his brother's death and his own marriage to his brother's wife. Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her galld eyes, She married. And yet, within a month of my fathers deathno, dont think about it. Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, Th imperial jointress to this warlike state, Have weas twere with a defeated joy, With an auspicious and a dropping eye, With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole Taken to wife. Horatio,I would rather have met my worst enemy in heaven than have lived to see that awful day! As for your desire to return to Wittenberg, its not what I would want. A countenance more in sorrow than in anger. My powerful lord, Id like your permission to go back to France. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. My fathers ghost, wearing armor. Log in here. Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me. The world is painful to live in, but, within the Christian framework of the play, if one commits suicide to end that pain, one damns oneself to eternal suffering in hell. When the king of Denmark, Prince Hamlets father, suddenly dies, Hamlets mother, Gertrude, marries his uncle Claudius, who becomes the new king.A spirit who claims to be the ghost of Hamlets father describes his murder at the hands of Claudius and demands that Hamlet avenge the killing. Terry Rietveld, Manager/Partner. For all, our thanks. Include textual support. This scene portrays the King as a manipulative person. Goodbye. Indeed! For all, our thanks. Ill join you for guard duty tonight. For the last two nights, these two guardsmenMarcellus and Barnardoduring their watch in the middle of the night, encountered a figure that looked very much like your father, dressed in full armor from head to toe. and at the sound the ghost flinched and then vanished from sight. She married. [To HORATIO] But what are you doing away from Wittenberg, Horatio? Horatio agrees that the one followed closely on the heels of the other. Why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet, within a month Let me not think on t. without line numbers, as DOC (for MS Word, Apple Pages, Open Office, etc.) On the other hand, it suggests that he is a malcontent, someone who refuses to go along with the rest of the court for the sake of the greater good of stability. Oh, if only my dirty flesh would melt and then evaporate into a dew, or that God had not outlawed suicide. In a speech that probably has several motives, Claudius next launches into a lecture, telling Hamlet that it is time to move on: While it may seem inappropriate to publicly lecture the grieving son of the late king, Claudius is likely trying to achieve several results here. That he might not beteem the winds of heaven. And we beseech you, bend you to remain Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye, Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son. Its like an untended garden, growing wild. Please dont let my prayers be in vain, Hamlet. creating and saving your own notes as you read. This is not good. "My words fly up, My thoughts remain below. "With mirth in Funerall, and with Dirge in Marriage": Shakespeare and Early Modern Frivolous Drama. In any case, Hamlet already feels, as Marcellus will say later, that [s]omething is rotten in the state of Denmark (I.iv.67). Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio. This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet, Sits smiling to my heart, in grace whereof, No jocund health that Denmark drinks today. Claudius appears to have the country's best interests in mind by consolidating his marriage and preparing to defend the nation against Young Fortinbras. He then tells her about Claudiuss plan to send him to England and reveals his suspicions that the journey is a plot against him, which he resolves to counter violently. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Oh God, God! Come on. Heaven above, must I remember? Hamlet is winning the match when Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup that Claudius has prepared for Hamlet. Oh God, God! With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole. With Mirth in Funeral and With Dirge in Marriage (2018) Release Info. The finale culminates in a day that will change the family and the nation forever. Hamlet, it is sweet and good that you mourn like this for your father. For reasons that will become apparent in his upcoming soliloquy, Hamlet rebukes his mother by pointing out that while one may put on an act of mourning by adopting all the outward signs (clothing, tears, sighs, etc.) After thanking his courtiers for their recent support, he dispatches ambassadors to Norway to halt a threatened attack from Fortinbras. Who is he/she speaking to?"But now, my cousin Hamlet and . Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! From award-winning theater and music, to poetry and exhibitions, experience the power of the arts with us. Prince Hamlet, devastated by his fathers death and betrayed by his mothers marriage, is introduced as the only character who is unwilling to play along with Claudiuss gaudy attempt to mimic a healthy royal court. A fond goodbye to you. Ophelia enters, deeply disturbed about a visit she has just had from an apparently mad Hamlet. Possess it merely. The Ghost, in the form of the late King Hamlet of Denmark, appears but will not speak. And whatever happens tonight, think about it, but dont discuss it with anyone. The audience learns that the marriage took place within a month of the former kings death.Horatio, Barnardo, and Marcellus arrive and tell Hamlet about the Ghost. Thrift, thrift, Horatio! While there are always a number of purposes that can be achieved through a soliloquy, chief amongst them is the revelation of character. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. It is not nor it cannot come to good, But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue. If it assume my noble fathers person, Ill speak to it, though Hell itself should gape And bid me hold my peace. Tis an unweeded garden That grows to seed. Take thy fair hour, Laertes. I hope you will give me your permission to go. speaker: King Claudius talking to: the courtroom of people (including Laertes, Gertrude, Polonius, the council, Hamlet, Voltemand, and Cornelius) literary device: oxymoron context: Claudius addresses the funeral party explanation: with humor in the funeral and sadness . "With mirth in funeral, and dirge in marriage, in equal scale weighing delight and dole, taken to wife. Thrice he walked By their oppressed and fear-surprisd eyes Within his truncheons length, whilst they, distilled Almost to jelly with the act of fear, Stand dumb and speak not to him. The negative impression is furthered when Claudius affects a fatherly role toward the bereaved Hamlet, advising him to stop grieving for his dead father and adapt to a new life in Denmark. Though my memories of my brother Hamlet are still freshand though it was proper for me and our entire kingdom to grieve for himlife doesnt stop. What says Polonius? Foul deeds will rise. Find teaching resources and opportunities. But even then the morning cock crew loud, And at the sound it shrunk in haste away And vanished from our sight. In the meantime, find us online and on the road. Hamlet, horrified, vows to remember and swears his friends to secrecy about what they have seen. You'll also receive an email with the link. That it should come to this. Instant PDF downloads. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Latest answer posted December 08, 2020 at 1:46:08 PM. Why does Hamlet tell Ophelia to go "to a nunnery," and what does he give as his reason? It signals to Hamlet. This to me. That it has come to this point. Horatio was a close friend of Hamlet at the university in Wittenberg, and Hamlet, happy to see him, asks why he has left the school to travel to Denmark. Inurnment is the placing of cremated remains in an urn followed by placement in a niche or some other permanent location. on 50-99 accounts. If it be,Why seems it so particular with thee? Thereforewith a sad joy; with one eye merry and the other crying; with laughter at a funeral and grieving at a wedding; with equal measures of happiness and sadnessI have married my former sister-in-law, who inherited some right of her own to rule this nation, and made her my queen. In Gertrudes room, Polonius hides behind a tapestry. Hamlet gives direction to the actors and asks Horatio to help him observe Claudiuss reaction to the play. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole, Taken to wife; nor have we herein barr'd Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone With this. Till then sit still, my soul. He was a great man, perfect in all things. My fathermethinks I see my father. Theres something for everyone. You know its common. The traveling actors perform, in dumb show and then with dialogue, a story that includes many elements of Claudiuss alleged seduction of Gertrude and murder of King Hamlet. For bearers of this greeting to old Norway, To business with the king more than the scope. In this marriage, I know Ive done exactly what all of you have been advising me to do all along. Thereforewith a sad joy; with one eye merry and the other crying; with laughter at a funeral and grieving at a wedding; with equal measures of happiness and sadnessI have married my former sister-in-law, who inherited some right of her own to rule this nation, and made her my queen. Nay, it is. So much for him. Purchasing [To CORNELIUS and VOLTEMAND] You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltemand, we send you to carry this letter to the old King of Norway, but give you no more power to negotiate with the Norwegian King beyond what is outlined in this letter. He walked by them three times as they stood shaking in fear like jelly, too shocked to speak. (one code per order). In International Shakespeare Conference. To our most valiant brother. Hamlet finds in Fortinbrass vigorous activity a model for himself in avenging his fathers murder; Hamlet resolves upon bloody action. Gertrude cannot see the Ghost and pities Hamlets apparent madness. Laertes expresses his desire to return to France, where he was staying before his return to Denmark for Claudiuss coronation. So why are you here at Elsinore? Did Gertrude have an affair with Claudius before he killed Hamlets father? King CLAUDIUS of Denmark; Queen GERTRUDE; HAMLET; POLONIUS; POLONIUS son LAERTES and daughter OPHELIA; and LORDS of Claudius court enter. Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth oerwhelm them, to mens eyes. Who says the following? My fatherI think I see my father. Thou knowst tis common. Good mother, the black clothes I wear each day, my heavy sighs, the tears from my eyes, the sadness visible in my face, or any other show of grief cannot capture what I actually feel. Dive deep into the worlds largest Shakespeare collection and access primary sources from the early modern period. And now, Hamlet, my nephew and my son. Lost by his father, with all bonds of law. Alone, Claudius reveals that he is sending Hamlet to his death. Using yet another mythological allusion, Hamlet compares his mothers reaction to her husbands death to that of Niobe, whose grief over the loss of her 14 children at the hands of the gods would have been well-known to Shakespeares more educated audience members. Hamlet quiets suddenly as Horatio strides into the room, followed by Marcellus and Bernardo. Hamlet, who has returned safely to confront the king, agrees to a fencing match with Ophelias brother, Laertes, who secretly poisons his own rapier.