When Prince Hamlet comes back to Denmark, he has finally made up his mand to take revenge on his uncle (king Claudius) for the murder of his father (the previous king.) He is only waiting for an opportunity. When Laertes, a courtier, challenges him to a rapier contest, Hamlet agrees, forgetting that Laertes is the brother of Ophelia, driven to suicide by Hamlet's treatment of her, and son of Polonius whom Hamlet has accidentally killed. The pair start their contest in front of the watching court; Hamlet is wounded. It is only slight, but Laertes (guided by King Claudius) has poisoned the rapier. In anger, Hamlet attacks Laertes with the same weapon; the two forgive each other, and Laertes dies. At the same time Gertrude, Hamlet's mother and Claudius' second wife, falls down dead too, having accidentally drunk from a poisoned cup prepared for Hamlet by Claudius. Hamlet stabs his uncle and forces the last of the poisoned wine down his throat; he then dies himself, begging his friend Horatio to explain to the world what happened.
