Question

read the excerpt from hamlet.
hamlet: let me see.—takes the skull.—alas! poor yorick. i knew him, horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy; he hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rises at it. here hung those lips that i have kissed i know not how oft. where be your gibes now? your gambols? 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?
○ 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.
○ 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.

Explanation:

To determine the correct analysis, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The excerpt shows Hamlet reflecting on Yorick's death, not expressing fear of his own death. So this is incorrect.
• Option 2: The excerpt focuses on Hamlet's reflection on Yorick, not an obsession with his own death. So this is incorrect.
• Option 3: There's no indication of hope in the excerpt. So this is incorrect.
• Option 4: Hamlet's contemplation of Yorick's skull and his reflections on Yorick's past and present state suggest he has come to terms with death, abandoning his earlier turmoil and reconciling himself to the inevitability of death.

Answer:

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