The King and Laertes are discussing the crime that has been committed by Hamlet when a messenger arrives bearing a letter announcing Hamlet’s impending return.  Claudius requests that Laertes help to kill the Prince.  Laertes, seeking to avenge his father is all too willing.  He plans to poison his sword and use it to slay Hamlet.  The king agrees to this plan and says that if it fails, he will give Hamlet a poisoned cup of wine.  The Queen enters and announces that Ophelia has drowned.  Laertes laments her death and leaves.  Claudius tells Gertrude that he has been calming Laertes and that they should follow lest this news cause his temper to flare again.

Two gravediggers are discussing whether Ophelia is entitled to the Christian burial she is to receive as they dig her grave.  Hamlet and Horatio enter and approach from afar.  One gravedigger exits and the other begins singing as he digs up a skull.  Hamlet tries to find out who the new grave is for.  He talks about the skull of the jester Yorick as the funeral procession approaches.  The priest says that if the King had not ordered otherwise, the law of the church would not have allowed one who has committed suicide to have the glory of a Christian burial.  Hamlet recognizes the corpse to be Ophelia.  Laertes leaps into her grave to hold her once more while blaming Hamlet for her death.  Hamlet denies this vehemently and the two begin to fight.  Hamlet claims to have loved Ophelia.  After he leaves, Claudius reminds Laertes of their plans.

Hamlet tells Horatio that he had discovered Claudius’ plot to have him killed enroute to England and that he foiled the plan, changing the orders to call for the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.  Osric, a courtier, enters to inform Hamlet that Claudius wishes for him to fence with Laertes.  Osric says that the King has bet on Hamlet winning the duel.  Hamlet agrees and the courtier leaves.  A lord enters to see if Hamlet will be coming to fight immediately.  Hamlet says that he will be along soon and the Lord leaves.  Hamlet tells Horatio that he believes he can win though his heart is not in it.  Everyone enters and the duel begins.  Hamlet is winning when Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine intended for her son.  Laertes wounds Hamlet with the poisoned sword.  Then, after forcing an exchange of swords, Hamlet wounds Laertes.  Laertes falls.  The Queen also falls crying that she has been poisoned.  Laertes tells Hamlet that they will all die as the wounds and wine are poisoned and that it was the plan of Claudius.  Hamlet forces the King to drink the poisoned wine and he dies.  Laertes asks that they forgive each other and also dies.  Hamlet asks Horatio to tell his story after his death.  Osric enters to announce that Fortinbras is approaching.  Hamlet names Fortinbras to the throne and dies.  Fortinbras enters to announce that the orders to kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been carried out.  He seeks his thanks and is instead told of the recent events by Horatio.  Fortinbras orders the bodies to be picked up and that Hamlet be given a military funeral.

Hamlet: Prince of Denmark, son of Queen Gertrude and the late King Hamlet.  He is believed to be mad following the death of his father.  He is greatly disturbed by the hasty marriage of his mother to his uncle especially since he considers the relationship to be incestuous.  The ghost of his dead father tells him that he was murdered by his brother Claudius and asks him to avenge his death. 

The Ghost: The late King Hamlet, doomed to walk the earth by night.  He appears to his son to ask that his murder be avenged.

Queen Gertrude: Mother of Prince Hamlet, widow of King Hamlet.  She is now married to the brother of her late husband who has assumed the throne.

King Claudius: Brother of the late King Hamlet.  He murdered his brother in order to gain his throne.  He has also married his sister-in-law.  Claudius becomes quite disturbed by Hamlet’s madness and when it becomes apparent that he knows of his crime, Claudius plots repeatedly to have him killed.

Ophelia: Daughter of Polonius and love interest of Hamlet.  When Hamlet rejects her and eventually kills her father, Ophelia goes mad.  She drowns herself in this state.  Her death is used by Claudius to enlist the help of her brother in the murder of Hamlet.

Laertes: Son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia.  He is sent to France but returns seeking vengeance after the murder of his father.  Following the suicide of his sister Ophelia, he challenges Hamlet to a duel.  He has agreed to treat his sword with poison so as to ensure the death of the Prince.  He is poisoned by his own sword and confesses Claudius' plan to Hamlet as he is dying.

Polonius: Father of Laertes and Ophelia.  Advisor to King Claudius. He believes that Hamlet’s madness is caused by his love for Ophelia which he has ordered her not to requite.  He is accidentally murdered by Hamlet who has mistaken the eavesdropper concealed by a curtain to be Claudius.