Hamlet graveyard scene question?

Question

Hello! I recently read Hamlet and thought it was a very good book, but does Hamlet pick up a skull and talk to it? That's what people usually think when they think Hamlet, or what I think. I'm not sure. I've looked at the gravedigger scene many times, but couldn't find it. I know he talks to Yorick, but I'm not sure if that's the same thing. So my question is does Hamlet physically pick up a skull, hold it at an angle and talk to it? Act, scene and line would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

In the edition I have open in front of me, the directions actually say, "Takes the skull," right after Hamlet says, "Let me see." Even if they didn't (after all, Shakespeare was rather stingy with directions beyond "enter" and "exit"), I think we could infer that he picks it up. The "Let me see" suggests as much, and then "Here hung those lips" imply that he's pointing at the mouth of the skull, which he couldn't very well do effectively at any distance. Either he's holding the skull, or he gets down on the ground to point to its features, and I think the former is more likely. Besides, at the end of his discourse, the directions also say, "Throws down the skull." In the edition I'm looking at, those lines are numbered 179-195 (of Act V, Scene 1), but since the scene is in prose down through that point, the line numbers may not be the same in every edition.

Answer 2

No, he somewhat possibilities up an empty "clamshell" styrofoam container from a a million/2-eaten Mcdonald's satisfied Meal and talks to it. The skull business enterprise happens in All's properly That Ends properly, a play that persons many situations confuse with Hamlet by skill of way of extreme demise toll indoors the suitable acts of the two performs.

Answer 3

No, he actually picks up an empty "clamshell" styrofoam box from a half-eaten Mcdonald's Happy Meal and talks to it. The skull business occurs in All's Well That Ends Well, a play that people frequently confuse with Hamlet because of the high death toll in the final acts of both plays.

Answer 4

Hamlet is with his friend Horatio when he picks up the skull. The grave digger says it is Yorick's skull. Hamlet speaks to Horatio, "Alas! Poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio! He hath borne me on his back a thousand times." Then, pointing to the mouth, "Here hung those lips I have kissed I know not how often." Then he speaks to the skull, "Where are your gibes now?"



You have to back to "Hamlet" yourself.

Answer 5

This scene is always misquoted to clean it up. Yorrick wasn't a jester, but a male prostitute, and the line was originally perfoemed as, " Alas, poor Yorrick, I enjoyed his fellatio. And he hath ridden me bareback a thousand times."