In what sense does the “gravediggers’ scene” serve as a dramatic relief in Hamlet?

Answer

In what sense does the “gravediggers’ scene” serve as a dramatic relief in Hamlet?

“Hamlet,” written between 1599 and 1601, is a masterpiece by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). The “gravediggers’ scene,” Act 5 Scene 1, in “Hamlet”, is a dramatic relief primarily through its dark humour and witty banter between the gravediggers and Prince Hamlet.

Amidst the play’s intense psychological and emotional turmoil, the scene provides a temporary rest for both the characters and the audience.

Comedic Elements: The comedic elements, such as the gravediggers’ playful exchange of riddles and their humorous observations about death and mortality, contrast the heaviness of the surrounding events. This juxtaposition allows the audience to momentarily step back from the intensity of the main plotline.

Again, dramatic relief occurs when Hamlet asks whose grave the gravedigger is digging. The gravedigger playfully responds that it’s his own grave. Hamlet retorts that it should be, as the gravedigger is inside it. Hamlet now asks the gravedigger to be severe and reveal who it’s for. The gravedigger insists it’s for neither man nor woman but someone who was a woman before dying. Hamlet is simultaneously amused and irritated by the gravedigger’s wordplay.

The gravedigger does not recognize Hamlet and mentions that the young prince is sent to England to recover his sanity. The gravedigger says that being insane in England isn’t a big deal.

Exploring Themes More Lightly: Furthermore, the gravediggers’ conversation prompts reflections on the universality of death and the transient nature of human existence, themes central to the play but explored in a lighter, more accessible manner in this scene.

In conclusion, the “gravediggers’ scene” serves as a moment of relief and comic interval within the broader context of the play. It provides a brief breathing space from the play’s weighty themes and emotional intensity.