The story of Hamlet ends with everyone dying except for Horatio and Fortinbras. Horatio tells the story, "All this can I truly deliver" (V. ii. 386-387). Polonius was stabbed by Hamlet earlier in the story, and Ophelia drowned. The Queen drank poison, and Laertes and Hamlet both got struck by a poisoned sword. Claudius was also killed by both the sword and the cup. Shakespeare writes tragedies and all of his writings end in a tragic manner.