Clowns

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The Clowns in the play are the two characters in Scene 19 who are typically called "gravediggers, although that is obviously wrong.

They are actually the church sexton and the coroner's court deputy. The former is identified as the sexton from his speech and behavior during the Scene, and the latter is identified as the coroner's court deputy from what he first does, which is to inform the sexton of the court's verdict.

In the Second Quarto their entry is printed, "Enter two Clownes."

Their Second Quarto speech prefixes are "Clowne" for the sexton, and "Other" for the deputy, the latter meaning "other clown."

For information about them see Clown Sexton and Clown Deputy.

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