The fifth Act is composed of fifteen scenes.

Two gravediggers are digging the tomb of Ophelia. Hamlet and Horatio come and speak with them. The gravediggers take skulls and one of them is from Yorick, a buffoon who knew Hamlet. Then he holds his skull in his hand as he recalls his virtues and reflects on death and the passage of time. At the moment arrive the kings and Laertes. He and Hamlet wrestle, which causes the king decides to advance the fight between Laertes and his nephew.

Travelling on the boat Hamlet finds a letter in which the king orders to kill him, so he decides to make a false letter that orders to kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Someone communicate Hamlet of a bet on a duel between Laertes and him. The two fight with swords. Hamlet wins the first point and the king offers to drink from the poisoned cup, but Hamlet's mother drinks it, who warns and dies. Hamlet is wounded by the poisoned sword of Laertes, but takes it off and kill Laertes. King has been betrayed and Hamlet forced him to drink from the poisoned cup, causing his death. Hamlet dies by the poison of the sword, but before Horacio asks to live to tell their story.

Shakespeare probably based Hamlet on two sources: the legend of Amleth and a lost Elizabethan play called Ur-Hamlet or the original Hamlet. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest and one of the most powerful and influential tragedies in the English literature.

Besides, in the text of Shakespeare, when he recites the famous passage "To be or not to be, here is the question" (scene first of the third act, set in a stay of the castle of Denmark), Hamlet does not have anything in his hand . What happens is that the strength of the image-Hamlet with the skull makes Yorick always be represented well in pictures and posters, and associate the "To be or not to be", which is the most famous part of the text.

Hamlet:

He is the son of the late king and nephew of the present king of Denmark. He has returned to the Palace because of the death of his father.

Claudio:

Is the king of Denmark and Hamlet's uncle. He replaced his brother King Hamlet when he was killed by him. He married Hamlet's mother, Gertrude.

 http://www.william-shakespeare.info/

Summary Act. 4
 
 Immediately after Hamlet exits, dragging Polonius’ body, we see Claudius asking Gertrude to explain what has happened. She tells him of Hamlet’s accidental killing of Polonius and Claudius realizes that he could have just as easily been slain. Claudius asks where Hamlet has gone and Gertrude says that he has taken the body away. The king orders Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to find Hamlet and discover where he has taken Polonius’ body.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern question Hamlet about Polonius’ body. Hamlet evades their questions playfully, accusing his former friends to the king and leading them on a wild goose chase.

Ophelia handles all those present gifts of flowers, each symbolizing a reproach to the receiver.As she leaves Claudius tells Laertes to inquire into the matter as deeply as he wishes, confident that he will find himself aligned with Claudius against Hamlet. 

 Horatio receives from these sailors a letter from Hamlet. He reads the letter aloud. It explains an amazing turn of events: on his way to England, pirates attacked Hamlet’s ship. He tells Horatio to follow the sailors where he is hiding. Horatio says that he will help to deliver the rest of their letters, one of which is for the king.

Three sentinels patrol in front of the castle. They see the ghost of the dead king. They try to talk with him, but when the cock crows, the ghost leaves.

 

Scene 2

The current king (brother of the dead king), sends a letter to the king of Norway asking him that stops the plans of his son who tries to reclaim the lands that his uncle lost.

The king allows Laertes to leave to France with the consent of his father Polonius.

The sentinels inform to Hamlet about the ghost of his father.

 

Scene 3

Before Laertes leaves to France, he communicate to her sister Ophelia that maybe Hamlet can’t get married with her.

Polonius advice to Laertes about the correct conduct at France.

 

Scene 4 

The sentinels patrol with Hamlet at night and they see the ghost of the dead king who call Hamlet.

 

Scene 5

Hamlet follow the ghost of his father who tell him that his dead was not naturally. He was murdered by his brother with poison into his ear. 

The ghost ask Hamlet to revenge his dead. Hamlet doesn’t explain this news to the other sentinels, but he ask them to say nothing about the ghost.