Hamlet; the Noir Adaption 2023 Act 5 Scene 2 Sub Scene 6

 Act Five

Act Five Scene Two

Sub Scene Six

The cuts shall tell.

“Our son shall win,” Claudius shouted for Hamlet to encourage him to fight on. but Gertrude disbelieves in the duel.

“I dislike the blood. And Hamlet ….  He’s fat and scant of breath.—” Gertrude was upset. She saw Hamlet was sweating then.

“Here, Hamlet, take my napkin; rub thy brows.” The napkin was handed over. Gertrude then took hold of the wine that was to be for Hamlet.

“I carouse to thy fortune, Hamlet.” Gertrude drank the wine before Claudius could stop her.

“Gertrude, do not drink.” Claudius reached out to the wine but Gertrude turned aside.

“I will, my lord; I pray you to pardon me.” Gertrude drank it all

“It is the poisoned cup. It is too late.” Claudius muttered to himself when he realises the wine was the poisoned one.

“I dare not drink yet, madam—by and by.” Hamlet smiled at his mother. “Later, perhaps.”

“Come, let me wipe thy face.” Gertrude looked at her son. Her face was getting pale.

“Come, for the third, Laertes. You do but dally. I pray you to pass with your best violence. I am afraid you make a wanton of me.” Hamlet challenged the other.

Say you so? Come on. Play” Laertes struck then. “Have at you now!”

Laertes wounds Hamlet. The call to break was given, and then the change of foils was done, much to the protest of Claudius but the players did it regardless. They change foils, and Hamlet wounds Laertes with the resumed strike.

“Part them. They are incensed.” Claudius asked for time out.

“Nay, come again,” Hamlet called for the resumption. It was then the Queen falls.

“Oh, my God.” Osric rushed to the Madame. “Look to the Queen there, ho! She bleeds on both sides.”

“Called the healers!” Claudius shouted. Laertes then fell to his knees.

“How is ’t, Laertes?” Hamlet asked.

“Why as a woodcock to mine own springe, Hamlet.” Laertes fell to his side. “I am struck by mine own treachery.”

“What treachery?” Hamlet asked. He was distracted by the servants attending to Gertrude.”How does the madame?”

“She is bleeding .” Claudius cradled the lady of his love.

“No, no, the drink, the drink! O, my dear Hamlet!” Gertrude called out. “The drink, the drink! I am poisoned.”

Gertrude collapsed onto her lover’s arm.

“O villainy! Ho! Let the door be locked.” Hamlet called out to Osric. “Treachery! Seek it out.”

The guests were told to remain seated while more guards arrive to calm the situation. Hamlet approached his mother.

“She is dying.” Claudius was in tears. “I loved her very much. More than your father ever did.”

“You …” Hamlet felt the pain in his wound. It was not a normal pain but one that was creeping into his heart. He looked at Claudius. “Did you …”

“It is here, Hamlet,” Laertes called out from his prone on the flooring. “Hamlet, thou art is slain by me. No medicine in the world can do thee good. In thee, there is not half an hour’s life.”

“The treacherous instrument is in thy hand, unabated and envenomed. The foul practice
Hath turned itself on me.” Laertes laughed. “A twist of fate.”

Hamlet stared at the foil in his hand; the drop of blood still on the sharpened tip.

“Lo, here I lie, never to rise again. Thy mother’s poisoned not of my act. The Emperor …. The Emperor is to blame.” Laertes pointed his finger at Claudius. “He poisoned the wine.”

“The point envenomed too!” Hamlet leveled the foil at Claudius. “You have done foul. To my father, my mother and …even me. I will desist your other acts.”

Hamlet thrust the foil into Claudius’ heart; “Venom, to thy work.”

 “O, yet defend me, friends! I am but hurt.” Claudius dying called out. “I am blameless...."

“Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damnèd demon, drink off this potion. Is thy union here?
Forcing him to drink the poison.” Hamlet accuses Claudius.

“I did not.” Claudius denied the act.

“No, you will follow my mother.” Hamlet stabbed the foil once more. Claudius died then.

“Claudius is justly served. It is a poison tempered by himself.” Laertes still alive looked at Hamlet. “Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet. Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me.”

It was Laertes to draw his last breath..

“Heaven make thee free of it. I follow thee.—” Hamlet dropped the foil from his hand. “I am dead, Horatio.”

“Wretched queen, adieu. Hamlet one last look at his mother. “You that look pale and tremble at this chance, that is but mutes or audience to this act. Had I but time … O, I could tell you— but let it be.—Horatio, I am dead.”

“Thou livest; report me and my cause aright To the unsatisfied.

“Never believe it. I am more an antique Roman than a friend. Here’s yet some liquor left.” Horatio took the wine that was poisoned by Claudius to his lips.

“As thou ’rt a man, Give me the cup. Let go!” Hamlet called out. “By heaven, I’ll ha ’t.”

Horatio lowered the cup that held the wine.

“O God, Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall I leave behind
me! If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, absent thee from felicity awhile and in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain to tell my story.” Hamlet fell to his knees, and Horatio held him there.

A commotion was heard from outside, and the doors to the Hall opened.