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Hamlet prevents Horatio from drinking what's left of the wine that Claudius poisoned, because Hamlet wants Horatio to tell people his side of the story.

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Q: Why is Horatio left alive at the end of Hamlet?
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Who is left alive in hamlet?

Horatio is the only main character in Hamlet to survive the final scene. However Fortinbras also survives the play, and some might consider his a main character. Though he doesn't appear until the end of the play, he is referenced numerous times, and ultimately becomes the new king of Denmark.


What did Hamlet instruct Horatio to do after he died?

Hamlet asks Horatio to minutely observe the reactions of Claudius while watching the play. Hamlet considers that his own opinion may be prejudiced, thus he appoints Horatio as a neutral or third party observer to ensure an objective view.


Who is the last person in the Hamlet play to speak?

There are more people than one alive at the end of the play. Fortinbras is still alive, since he delivers the last line. Horatio is usually also still alive (except in one production where Fortinbras had him shot). The English Ambassador (and other ambassadors if any) is still alive. Osric is usually still alive (but not in the Kenneth Branagh film). And of course there are all kinds of characters who are alive offstage--we usually count Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's offstage death, so why not them?


How does Horatio die in hamlet?

Horatio didn't die in Hamlet. The following is from Wikipedia (search was for Hamlet with Horatio): Horatio is present through most of the major scenes of the play, but Hamlet is usually the only person to acknowledge that he is present; when other characters address him, they are almost always telling him to leave. He is often in scenes that are usually remembered as soliloquies, such as Hamlet's famous scene with the skull of Yorick. Horatio is also present during the mousetrap play, the discovery of Ophelia's madness (though the role of an anonymous gentleman-courtier has been substituted in this scene), Hamlet's display at Ophelia's grave, and the all-important final scene. He is the only major main character to survive all the way to the end of the play. In performance, the part of Horatio is the only major part that can't be doubled, i.e. that can't be played by an actor who also plays another character, since he is present in scenes involving nearly every character.


At the end of Hamlet does Horatio become king?

No, Fortinbras does as declared by Hamlet and Fortinbras. Fortinbras is on his way back from Poland and is expecting to see the king and say that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were executed, but instead he sees everyone dead and says it is his right to be king. Fortinbras then orders a funeral for Hamlet.

Related questions

Who is left alive in hamlet?

Horatio is the only main character in Hamlet to survive the final scene. However Fortinbras also survives the play, and some might consider his a main character. Though he doesn't appear until the end of the play, he is referenced numerous times, and ultimately becomes the new king of Denmark.


What did Hamlet instruct Horatio to do after he died?

Hamlet asks Horatio to minutely observe the reactions of Claudius while watching the play. Hamlet considers that his own opinion may be prejudiced, thus he appoints Horatio as a neutral or third party observer to ensure an objective view.


Who is the last person in the Hamlet play to speak?

There are more people than one alive at the end of the play. Fortinbras is still alive, since he delivers the last line. Horatio is usually also still alive (except in one production where Fortinbras had him shot). The English Ambassador (and other ambassadors if any) is still alive. Osric is usually still alive (but not in the Kenneth Branagh film). And of course there are all kinds of characters who are alive offstage--we usually count Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's offstage death, so why not them?


How does Horatio die in hamlet?

Horatio didn't die in Hamlet. The following is from Wikipedia (search was for Hamlet with Horatio): Horatio is present through most of the major scenes of the play, but Hamlet is usually the only person to acknowledge that he is present; when other characters address him, they are almost always telling him to leave. He is often in scenes that are usually remembered as soliloquies, such as Hamlet's famous scene with the skull of Yorick. Horatio is also present during the mousetrap play, the discovery of Ophelia's madness (though the role of an anonymous gentleman-courtier has been substituted in this scene), Hamlet's display at Ophelia's grave, and the all-important final scene. He is the only major main character to survive all the way to the end of the play. In performance, the part of Horatio is the only major part that can't be doubled, i.e. that can't be played by an actor who also plays another character, since he is present in scenes involving nearly every character.


At the end of Hamlet does Horatio become king?

No, Fortinbras does as declared by Hamlet and Fortinbras. Fortinbras is on his way back from Poland and is expecting to see the king and say that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were executed, but instead he sees everyone dead and says it is his right to be king. Fortinbras then orders a funeral for Hamlet.


Why is hamlet so concerned that horatio stay alive to tell his story?

The most important reason that Hamlet wants Horatio to tell everyone his story is that the only people who know that Claudius killed the former king are Hamlet, the Queen, and Horatio. Hamlet wants everyone in Denmark to know that Claudius was a murderer who obtained the crown through illegitimate means. Also, just before dying, Laertes (who had begun to have doubts about going through with the plan about halfway through the duel) begs for Hamlet's forgiveness and says that Claudius got what he deserved. Laertes says that if Hamlet forgives him for killing him, that he will forgive Hamlet for killing Polonius and him. Just after this, Laertes dies, and Hamlet forgives him. He seems to be fairly fond of Laertes and has a good amount of respect for him (for the most part) and wants everyone to know that Laertes was a good man and only Claudius should be held responsible for killing Hamlet and the Queen.


Who is Horatio in Hamlet?

Horatio is Hamlet's closest friend. I disagree with the above statement, though it is commonly said. Horatio is *NOT* Hamlet's closest friend at the start of the play. He is a casual friend, that becomes increasingly closer to Hamlet as the play progresses. First, Hamlet is not aware Horatio is in 'town' until they meet after the ghostly visit. And it should be noted that Marcellus is the one that knows where to find Hamlet, not Horatio. They are casual friends at school. Horatio is the voice of reason for Hamlet, who remains unsure about his way and the righteousness of the ghostly request. But their friendship only solidifies in the second part of the play when Hamlet realizes the un-trustworthiness of his close friends, who are corrupted by power. It is after Hamlet has been freed by his time with the pirates that the friendship becomes utterly solid. Hamlet uses Horatio during the play within the play scene to confirm the guilt of Claudius, but that is because he must use someone and only Horatio, a near aristocrat, is able to be used. Marcellus attending the play would be rather odd.


How is Horatio from Hamlets play best characterized as?

Hamlet calls Horatio "one, in suffering all, that suffers nothing." He does appear to have a very even keel emotionally. His low-key responses highlight Hamlet's wit: He replies to Hamlet's "I thought it was to see my mother's wedding" with the mild "Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon." Hamlet's "Do you think Alexander looked thus i' th' earth?" elicits a mere "E'en so, my Lord." Horatio is always the voice of reason and skepticism. When he sees the ghost, he says, "I might not this believe without the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes." Hamlet chides him with his famous "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy" with being too much the voice of reason. He warns Hamlet not to follow the ghost, and later, not to accept the challenge of fighting Laertes. His policy both for himself and in his advice to Hamlet is to avoid potential conflict and danger, which demonstrates that Hamlet is not afraid of either, and indeed rushes to meet both. Horatio is also Hamlet's conscience. When Hamlet explains how he has arranged for the deaths of his two spying school pals, Horatio mildly admonishes him with "So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to it," which prompts Hamlet to defend himself with "Why man they did make love to this employment." But we tend to feel with Horatio that it was a bit excessive. In the end, the laconic and emotionally repressed Horatio is commissioned by Hamlet to "tell my story", a task for which we would have thought him unfit, except that the death of his friend brings poetry to his lips: "and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." Sure enough, Horatio the stoic, Horatio the dutiful and faithful friend, takes up the duty Hamlet has placed on him and begins to "tell his story" to Fortinbras.


What does Hamlet tell Gertrude to do in act 3?

Good Hamlet cast thy nighted colour off and look like a friend upon Denmark. Do not forever with thy veiled lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity. Which one might paraphrase as: My dear Hamlet, stop wearing these black clothes, and be friendly to the king. You can't spend your whole life with your eyes to the ground remembering your noble father. It happens all the time, what lives must die eventually, passing to eternity.


Why did Hamlet change the letter and how did he do it?

One of the overarching themes of Hamlet is the questioning of real verses feinted insanity. At the start of the play Hamlet is suicidal, restraining himself only because it woul be considered a sin in the eyes of the church. After the encounter with the ghost of his father, Hamlet goes through a visible transformation. This convinces all characters, save for Horatio, believe him to be mad. At the end of the play, Hamlet kills Claudius, but not before being mortally wounded and poisoned. All traces of madness are gone and Hamlet finds himself at peace at having avenged his father. He tells Horatio to tell the story to the world so that they may learn from them.


Do all of the characters end up dead in hamlet?

No. Fortinbras sure doesn't. The English Ambassadors don't. Some productions kill off such characters as Osric and Horatio but the script doesn't require it.


How many members of the Danish royal family are alive at the end of the play in Hamlet?

All the members of the family that we know of are dead.