We mainly talked about the beginning of Act 5 Scene 1 involving the gravediggers and some of the conversation with Hamlet. The gravediggers are important in this scene mostly for comic relief. They are the last good and solid comedic moment before Ophelia's funeral and everyone else's inevitable death. This part of the scene also furthers the plot and transfers the play into Ophelia's funeral.
We discussed the social class of the gravediggers and how they are the lowest of the low. The clearest indicator that they are in the lower class is the fact that they speak in prose, not poetry like the rest of the characters in the play who mostly are nobility. The gravediggers are actually called clowns in the play because they are rustics and are laughable. One would assume that the groundlings watching the play would be offended because Shakespeare is essentially mocking them; however, the groundlings feel superior to those on stage because their lives are better than the characters. They would rather live the lives they have than the ones of those on the stage. Therefore, Shakespeare can mock them and make them feel good about themselves all at once.
As for what is actually said, the gravediggers ask a lot of questions. They start off trying to figure out if Ophelia drowning was suicide or not. From there, they talk about whether or not she should be buried in a Christian burial ground if she did commit suicide. By rule, suicide is obviously a sin and prevents someone from being buried on sacred ground. On Judgement Day, those buried in holy ground will rise up again, but those who committed suicide would not be allowed to do so. Then the gravedigger continues with the "logical" thought that if you go to the water, it's suicide, but if the water comes to you, it's drowning. Both men seem to think this is quite logical, even though it isn't.
Then the gravedigger says a riddle that isn't all that funny. The riddle is this: "who can build something stronger that a mason (works with stone), a shipwright (builds boats), and a carpenter (works with wood). The answer to this riddle is a gravedigger because the "houses" he builds will last until Judgement Day--longer than a house, ship, or something a carpenter would make (i.e. gallows). This is ironic because while the gravedigger was saying this, he was in the process of removing a skull and bones from a grave to make room for Ophelia. So while the "houses" may last, the "occupants" of the house have changed so the house technically didn't last at all.
At this point, Hamlet and Horatio come upon the gravedigger, singing while throwing bones out a grave. Hamlet wonders who they could be digging up and he is intrigued to ask the gravedigger. The two men have a bit of witty banter about who is to be laid to rest in the grave, and Hamlet actually appreciates the somewhat intelligent conversation he has with the gravedigger. This is the first conversation Hamlet has had with someone from outside the castle and he feels it is quite satisfactory in comparison to some other conversations he's had with those inside the castle.
(I swear I'm almost done) We finished up talking about when Hamlet asks the gravedigger how long it takes a body to rot. Hamlet once again shows his interest with death now that he is really facing it while talking to the gravedigger. And that's where we let off. Sorry that was so incredibly long.
-Sarah Mercer
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