Hamlet Act V.2

     This is such a great scene! Finally, some action...some violent action! That is what is exciting! There were many deaths in this last scene, some were predictable while others were actually quite unpredictable. The King was bound to die, every reader knows that. However, it is quite surprising to see the Queen die as well. Out of each death, the one that truly deserved the death was Claudius. When one goes through his "resume," one will see that he is a murderer, an adulterer (to a certain extent), a prideful man (concerning the crown), and a revengeful man as well. Now, Claudius at one point did feel sorry for all the things that he had done; however, he excused that sorry feeling. He never followed through with his repentant spirit. Rather, he continued to act wickedly and actually plotted to kill Hamlet rather then ask for forgiveness from him. Claudius is definitely the man who well deserves his death. The one who least deserves his death is Laertes. One can easily respect Laertes. For one, he is one out of the two characters who die forgiving another person, or rather who die a respectable death. Hamlet is the other person who dies forgiving Laertes for fighting/killing him (Hamlet). Anyway, Laertes dies saying this: "Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, nor thine on me!" (V.2.330-332). This quote explains how Laertes' heart truly was when he died. Therefore, what quantifies deserving death is someone who no matter how they lived, died with his/her heart set on sin, destruction, and pride; like Claudius. Laertes displayed pure unselfishness even in the hardest time to display such humility: during his last, few breathes. Laertes died with honor, not because of how he lived, but because of how he died.