Which excerpt from act v of hamlet best provides evidence of the this theme’s development? second clown: i tell thee she is; and therefore make her grave straight: the crowner hath sat on her, and finds it christian burial. first clown: for here lies the point: if i drown myself wittingly it argues an act; and an act hath three branches; it is, to act, to do, and to perform: argal, she drowned herself wittingly. second clown: will you ha’ the truth on ’t? if this had not been a gentlewoman she should have been buried out o’ christian burial. first clown: i like thy wit well, in good faith; the gallows does well, but how does it well? it does well to those that do ill; now thou dost ill to say the gallows is built stronger than the church:

Second Clown: Will you ha’ the truth on ’t? If this had not been a gentlewoman she should have been buried out o’ Christian burial.

Explanation:

In William Shakespeare's tragic play "Hamlet", the protagonist as well as some other characters met their fate in the end. But aside from that, the theme of social status over-shading the religious aspect/authority is pretty prevalent in it.

One such incident is in Act V scene i where Ophelia had drowned herself and was to be buried. The two clowns/gravediggers were in conversation with each other, describing why she is to be allowed a proper Christian burial when she herself took her life. In those times, sui cide is a big sin where the person is not allowed any proper Christian burial. But since Ophelia is from the higher social status,like the second clown had rightly said, she was to be buried in a Christian way just because she "been a gentlewoman". This scene shows the theme of power being manipulated by the rich, and that the rules of the society are sometimes based on a person's wealth and social standing.