1. The gravedigger's song seems to parallel Hamlet's soliloquy earlier in the play where he contemplates death. The casualness with which death is treated in this section makes the reader realize to what extent Hamlet has taken his madness. He no longer seems to be thinking with his logic, but rather with only his feelings.
2. Hamlet's outlook towards death has changed to become more accepting. Where before he thought death was a tragedy, now it is just a part of the cycle of life. Hamlet's attitude towards Yoric seems to parallel his feelings towards his father. He is looked at as being a good man and is remembered with quite a bit of love and affection. His fond memories of Yoric also seem to contrast his feelings towards Ophelia. Hamlet is deeply hurt by her rejection, which he trys to mask by making a show of not having any feelings for her. It is possible that this conflict of emotions that pushes him over the brink into total madness.
3. We learn that the gravedigger has been digging graves since Hamlet was born and he has been digging graves for thirty years. We also know that Hamlet was old enough to travel by himself and go off to college.
4. The violent argument creates more of an air of action in the play. It becomes more dramatic due to the fact that Hamlet is now completely off his rocker. He no longer seems to have any control over his emotions and because of that he now becomes a man of action rather than a man of thought.
5. The episode on the boat suggests to the reader that Hamlet no longer has any control over his emotions. He no longer thinks things out excessively, but rather doesn't consider his actions at all. His role in the murder of two of his childhood friends shows the reader that, while he may have been betrayed by their lies, he doesn't realize what he is doing anymore.
6. Before, the reader was led to believe that Hamlet didn't want to be put on the throne, but would rather pursue his acting. This speech seems to suggest that Hamlet has taken his acting to the fullest extent and now he has even more reasons to want to kill Claudius. Before Hamlet just wanted revenge for his father's death, but now it has sunk to a more personal level.
7. Osric is selling himself in this episode since he hopes that this will help him to be assosciated with royalty. This reinforces the motif of prostitution. Osric tries to claw his way up in the world by telling Hamlet everything that he wants to hear.
8. Where before Hamlet said that choosing death would be cheating himself out of the suffering that seems necessary to life, now he defies augury by saying that if he is fated to die then he will live and vice versa. He now believes the everything will wind up as it will, despite anything that he might do to change it.
9. Laertes says that he is seeking revenge because it is the noble thing to do, much like the culture of the ancient anglo-saxon cultures. The only problem is that he has corrupted his honor by cheating in the fight and dipping his sword with poison. In this case, revenge becomes even more corrupt when innocent bystanders, such as the queen, are killed.
10. Gertrude's dying lines reflect the way she dies. The poison was not her choice, paralleling the ways that she was forced into situations throughout the play, much like Ophelia. Claudius' dying lines show how he tries to be macho all the time. His line is similar to people saying "it's only a scratch." It is Claudius' last chance to try and put on a brave face and make himself seem better off than he really is.
11. It seems that Young Fortinbras is the winner. He not only gives a proper burial, but he also forgives the enemies of his father and kingdom. Fortinbras comes off as noble in his accomplishment of the task of vanquishing his country's enemies and taking over, but he isn't portrayed as being selfish or cruel in this revenge. It is ironic that the person who wins is also one who was seeking revenge as all throughout the play the ones who sought out revenge seemed to be the ones who suffered the most.
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