Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, / And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Act V, Scene 2 · Horatio
Context
Immediately after Hamlet dies, Horatio speaks a brief elegy, bidding farewell and praying that angels will carry Hamlet's soul to heaven.
Analysis
The verb 'cracks' makes Hamlet's death physical and violent—a heart breaking like brittle material under pressure—rather than a peaceful release. Yet this harsh image is immediately softened by 'Good night, sweet prince,' which uses nursery-rhyme simplicity and tenderness. The contrast between the crack and the lullaby captures both the brutality of death and the love that survives it, while 'flights of angels' evokes a visual ascent that counters the downward finality of a cracking heart.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Horatio redeems Hamlet's death through language—by combining harsh physical reality ('cracks') with gentle benediction ('sweet prince'), he gives the tragedy a moment of grace that Hamlet's own tortured words never achieved.