Here's a breakdown:
* Definitely Alive:
* Horatio: The only character specifically stated to be alive at the play's end. He is tasked with telling Hamlet's story.
* Potentially Alive:
* Fortinbras: He's the new King of Denmark, and his army is victorious, but the play doesn't explicitly state his fate. It's likely he survives, but it's not a certainty.
* Definitely Dead:
* Hamlet, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Polonius, Laertes, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Osric, Voltemand, Cornelius, and the King of Norway. All die in the play's final act.
The ambiguity:
The play ends with Horatio telling the story of what happened. It's left up to the audience to decide what happens to him after that. Did he live a long life? Did he become a renowned storyteller?
Therefore, the answer to "who is left alive in Hamlet" depends on your interpretation:
* Literal: Only Horatio.
* Symbolic: Horatio, Fortinbras, and potentially the spirit of Hamlet, as he leaves a legacy.
It's ultimately up to the individual to decide who they believe is "left alive" in the wake of Hamlet's tragedy.