Final answer:
The correct answer to the question referring to Laertes in 'Hamlet' is D. Rapier, as it is the type of sword Laertes would have used to hit Hamlet in their duel.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Hamlet, when Laertes says "A hit, a very palpable hit," he confirms that he has scored a hit on Hamlet in their fencing match. Today, electronic scoring systems in the sport of fencing register hits automatically, thus a fencer would not need to verbally confirm a hit as Laertes did.
The correct answer to the question is D. Rapier, which is the type of sword referenced in the quote from Hamlet. Unlike a foil or an epee, with their modern electronic scoring systems, the rapier in Shakespeare's time required an observer or the fencer himself to confirm a hit.