The Grave-digger's Scene in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and Ophelia's Suicide

(1) It intensifies the effect of tragedy. In this sense, the effect is paradoxical. Its humour provides a catastrophe that is to follow. It is the calm before the storm. Simultaneously, the eerie atmosphere of the play adds to the aura of the tragedy.

(2) The scene would definitely get a laugh from the uneducated groundlings who would enjoy a relief to the long and tension-prevailing play.

(3) Shakespeare was not only a composer but was an actor and shareholder in the Company and the Globe. So what was to happen to the comedians, the actors of his company who played the lighter comic parts when a play such as Hamlet or Macbeth was o the board? They could not be left without some small share in the proceedings, and this accounts for the grave-digger's scene.

A Source Of Comic Relief

At the outset, we visualize two clowns conversing regarding the imminent burial of a lady whose death has taken place, as per them , under doubtful circumstances. They debate whether or not whether she deserves a proper burial in the course of the same remains indifferent on the matter. In the course they use ironical words like' salvation' when he means 'damnation' and uses the word'se offendendo' instead of 'se defendedo'. The amusement is provided by Shakespearean irony and the grave diggers' illiteracy and ignorance. Humorously, the grave digger is also addressed as Goodman Dever. We also witness a parody of a contemporary case concerned with the death of James Hales. Shakespeare parodies the same when he says that the act has three branches-to act, to do and to perform. The grave-digger then assumes that the lady in question committed suicide. It brings us to the burning question whether Ophelia committed suicide or not.

Time and time again critics have proved that Ophelia's death was a case of suicide. I strongly disagree.

1) First of all, Ophelia was out of her senses, then how could she commit suicide in the true sense of the term?

2) If one supposes her to have recovered her senses before the incident, one does not go to commit suicide with garlands around her neck.

3) Moreover, if she did recover her senses just a moment before, she would not jump on an impulse and if she pondered upon it, the probability is that someone on the palace grounds may have seen her.

4)And the most important of all, Ophelia was a firm Christian as is proved in various passages. Therefore she would never commit suicide.

The Transitoriness of life is reminded throughout the grave- digger's scene as in Philip Larkin's "Ambulances". The beginning itself deals with the death of the beautiful Ophelia. The grave-maker makes houses that last till Doomsday. The song sung by the grave-digger laments our heart as the decline of passionate love in old age is indeed difficult to digest. While death is a once in a life-time affair for us, it has become a routine with the grave-digger. Rightly does Horatio remark to hamlet that it is the grave-digger ahs rendered himself indifferent to the reality of death by continuous acquaintance with it. The grave-diggers also brings out the inevitableness of the situation by using words like 'salvation' when he means 'damnation'. The presence of skulls and the persistence reference to death also brings out the eeriness of the situation.