Question

the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark
act v. scene i.
a churchyard.
enter two clowns, with spades and mattock.
first clown: is she to be buried in christian burial that wilfully seeks her own salvation?
second clown: i tell thee she is; and therefore make her grave straight: the crowner hath sat on her, and finds it christian burial.
first clown: how can that be, unless she drowned herself in her own defence?
second clown: why, ’tis found so.
first clown: it must be so offendendo; it cannot be else. for here lies the point: if i drown myself wittingly it argues an act; and an act hath three branches; it is, to act, to do, and to perform: argal, she drowned herself wittingly.
second clown: nay, but hear you, goodman delver,—
first clown: give me leave. 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.
your songs? your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar? not one now, to mock your own grinning?
which analysis is most justified by the excerpt?
at the end of the play, hamlet literally faces death and regains a sense of hope.
hamlet has abandoned his plans by this point and has reconciled himself to death.
as the play draws to a close, hamlet still has not conquered his fear of death.
hamlet’s visit to the graveyard leads to him become obsessed with his death.

Explanation:

In the graveyard scene (Act V, Scene i) of Hamlet, Hamlet is confronting death (both Ophelia’s and his own impending death). The clowns’ discussion of burial rites for a suicide (Ophelia) and Hamlet’s later interactions here show he has moved past his indecisiveness and accepted that death is inevitable. Option A is incorrect as “regains hope” does not fit Hamlet’s arc. Option C is wrong because Hamlet’s fear of death was resolved earlier (e.g., his “To be or not to be” soliloquy shows him coming to terms with death). Option D is incorrect—his graveyard visit is a moment of acceptance, not obsession. Thus, B best reflects his reconciliation with death.

Answer:

B. Hamlet has abandoned his plans by this point and has reconciled himself to death.