Hamlet Alternate Ending Analysis

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Hamlet’s eyes were cold and dark as he stared down at Ophelia’s body, lying on the floor of the classroom. She hadn’t been hard to push, really. A gentle shove, barely even a nudge in Hamlet’s mind, and Ophelia’s stance faltered. When she was at his feet, hair in her eyes, head down, he couldn’t help but give her a kick. He couldn’t help but add another when he heard her yelp. He continued, following her as she scooted herself across the ground until she was pressed up against the wall, sobbing. A noise finally made Ophelia snap her head up, soon after getting a boot to the cheek. Horatio had been standing in the doorway for long enough to hear the ending of their conversation, and the beginning of this altercation. It left him shell-shocked …show more content…

Fight might not be the best word to describe this, he thought, against his better judgment to stick wholly to the situation at hand. Beating may be more like it. The air felt heavy and dirty as Horatio’s fist collided with Hamlet’s nose. A sickening crack filled the atmosphere, accompanying Ophelia’s short sobs. Horatio stared at his hand for a moment, before using it to shove Hamlet away from Ophelia as hard as he could. Hamlet never once retaliated against Horatio. Horatio wished he had. After Hamlet was as far from Ophelia as Horatio could get him without moving from in front of her himself, Horatio knelt down and pulled the girl into his arms. The bruises that would form on Ophelia’s body from where Hamlet had shoved and kicked her were already becoming visible, and the seething anger it made Horatio feel was unlike anything he had felt before. Ophelia reveled in the feeling of Horatio rocking her side to side and rubbing her head. The sound of his coos wrenched another sob from her lips. “It’s okay, dear,” Horatio whispered against her hair, “I’ll make sure he never touches you like that-- that he never touches you ever

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