Hamlet

Dramatis Personae*ghost of Hamlet, the former King of DenmarkClaudius, King of Denmark, the former King's brotherGertrude, Queen of Denmark, widow of the former King and now wife of ClaudiusHamlet, Prince of Denmark, son of the late King and of GertrudePolonius, councillor to the KingLaertes, his sonOphelia, his daughterReynaldo, his servantHoratio, Hamlet's friend and fellow studentVoltimand,Cornelius,Rosencrantz,Guildenstern,         members of the Danish courtOsric,a gentleman,a lord,Bernardo,Francisco,                officers and soldiers on watchMarcellus, Fortinbras, Prince of Norwaycaptain in his armyThree or Four players, taking the roles of  prologue, player king, player queen, and LucianusTwo messengersfirst sailorTwo clowns, a gravedigger and his companionpriestfirst ambassador from EnglandLords, Soldiers, Attendants, Guards, other Players, Followers of Laertes, other Sailors, another Ambassador or Ambassadors from Englandscene: Denmark]*BERNARDO,FRANCISCO, officers and soldiers on watchMARCELLUS,FORTINBRAS, Prince of NorwayCAPTAIN in His armyThree or Four PLAYERS, taking the roles of PROLOGUE, PLAYER KING, PLAYER QUEEN, and LUCIANUSTwo MESSENGERSFIRST SAILORTwo CLOWNS, a gravedigger and his companionPRIESTFIRST AMBASSADOR from EnglandLords, Soldiers, Attendants, Guards, other Players, Followers of Laertes, other Sailors, another Ambassador or Ambassadors from EnglandSCENE: Denmark]1.1 Location: Elsinore castle. A guard platform.2 me (Francisco emphasizes that he is the sentry currently on watch.) unfold yourself reveal your identity.14 rivals partners16 ground country land.17 liegemen to the Dane men sworn to serve the Danish king.18 Give May God giveBERNARDO Who's there?FRANCISCONay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself. 2 BERNARDO Long live the King!FRANCISCO Bernardo?BERNARDO He.FRANCISCOYou come most carefully upon your hour.BERNARDO'Tis now struck twelve. Get thee to bed, Francisco.FRANCISCOFor this relief much thanks. 'Tis bitter cold,And I am sick at heart.BERNARDO Have you had quiet guard? FRANCISCO Not a mouse stirring.BERNARDO Well, good night.If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. 14Enter Horatio and Marcellus.FRANCISCOI think I hear them–Stand, ho! Who is there?HORATIO Friends to this ground. 16MARCELLUS And liegemen to the Dane. 17FRANCISCO Give you good night. 18MARCELLUSOh, farewell, honest soldier. Who hath relieved you?27 fantasy imagination30 along to come along31 watch keep watch during33 approve corroborate39 Last… all i.e., This very last night. (Emphatic.)40 pole polestar, north star41 his its. t'illuine to illuminateFRANCISCOBernardo hath my place. Give you good night.Exit Francisco.MARCELLUS Holla! Bernardo! BERNARDO Say, what, is Horatio there?HORATIO A piece of him.BERNARDOWelcome, Horatio. Welcome, good Marcellus.HORATIOWhat, has this thing appeared again tonight?BERNARDO I have seen nothing.MARCELLUSHoratio says 'tis but our fantasy, 27And will not let belief take hold of himTouching this dreaded sight twice seen of us.Therefore I have entreated him along 30With us to watch the minutes of this night, 31That if again this apparition comeHe may approve our eyes and speak to it. 33HORATIOTush, tush, 'twill not appear.BERNARDO Sit down awhile And let us once again assail your ears, That are so fortified against our story, What we have two nights seen.HORATIO Well, sit we down, And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.BERNARDO Last night of all, 39When yond same star that's westward from the pole 40Had made his course t'illume that part of heaven 41Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,The bell then beating one– Enter Ghost.46 scholar one learned enough to know how to question a ghost properly47 'ahe49 It… to (It was commonly believed that a ghost couldnot speak until spoken to.)50 usurp'st wrongfully takes over52 buried Denmark the buried King of Denmark53 sometimes formerly59 on't of it.61 sensible confirmed by the senses. avouch warrant,evidenceMARCELLUSPeace, break thee off! Look where it comes again!BERNARDOIn the same figure like the King that's dead.MARCELLUSThou art a scholar. Speak to it, Horatio. 46BERNARDOLooks 'a not like the King? Mark it, Horatio. 47HORATIOMost like. It harrows me with fear and wonder.BERNARDOIt would be spoke to.MARCELLUS Speak to it, Horatio. 49 HORATIOWhat art thou that usurp'st this time of night, 50Together with that fair and warlike formIn which the majesty of buried Denmark 52Did sometimes march? By heaven, I charge thee, speak! 53 MARCELLUSIt is offended.BERNARDO See, it stalks away.HORATIOStay! Speak, speak! I charge thee, speak! Exit Ghost. MARCELLUS 'Tis gone and will not answer.BERNARDOHow now, Horatio? You tremble and look pale.Is not this something more than fantasy?What think you on't?HORATIOBefore my God, I might not this believeWithout the sensible and true avouch 61Of mine own eyes.MARCELLUS Is it not like the King?65 Norway King of Norway66 parle parley67 sledded traveling on sleds. Polacks Poles69 jump exactly70 stalk stride71 to work i.e., to collect my thoughts and try to understand this72 gross and scope general drift74 Good now (An expression denoting entreaty or expostulation.)76 toils causes to toil. subject subjects77 cast casting78 mart shopping79 impress impressment, conscription81 toward in preparation87 Thereto… pride (Refers to old Fortinbras, not the Danish King.) pricked on incited. emulate emubus, ambitious89 this … world i.e., all Europe, the Western world90 sealed certified, confirmed91 heraldry chivalry93 seized possessedHORATIO As thou art to thyself.Such was the very armor he had onWhen he the ambitious Norway combated. 65So frowned he once when, in an angry parle, 66He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice. 67'Tis strange.MARCELLUSThus twice before, and jump at this dead hour, 69 With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch. 70HORATIOIn what particular thought to work I know not, 71But in the gross and scope of mine opinion 72This bodes some strange eruption to our state.MARCELLUSGood now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows, 74Why this same strict and most observant watchSo nightly toils the subject of the land, 76And why such daily cast of brazen cannon 77And foreign mart for implements of war, 78Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task 79Does not divide the Sunday from the week.What might be toward, that this sweaty haste 81Doth make the night joint-laborer with the day?Who is't that can inform me? HORATIO That can I;At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king,Whose image even but now appeared to us,Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,Thereto pricked on by a most emulate pride, 87Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet-For so this side of our known world esteemed him– 89Did slay this Fortinbras; who by a sealed compact 90Well ratified by law and heraldry 91Did forfeit, with his life, all those his landsWhich he stood seized of, to the conqueror; 9394 Against the in return for. moiety competent corresponding portion95 gaged engaged, pledged. had returned would have passed96 inheritance possession97 cov'nant i.e., the sealed compact of line 9098 carriage… designed purport of the artide referred to100 unimproved mettle untried, undisciplined spirits101 skirts outlying regions, outskirts102–4 Sharked… in't rounded up (as a shark scoops up fish) a troop of lawless desperadoes to feed and supply an enterprise of considerable daring110 head source111 posthaste and rummage frenetic activity and bustle113 Well.., sort That would explain why115 question focus of contention116 mote speck of dust117 paliny flourishing118 Julius Julius Caesar119 sheeted shrouded121 As (This abrupt transition suggests that matter is possibly omitted between lines 120 and 121.) trains trails122 Disasters unfavorable signs or aspects. moist star i.e., moon, governing tides123 Neptune's … stands the sea depends124 Was … eclipse was eclipsed nearly to the cosmic darkness predicted for the second coming of Christ and the ending of the world. (See Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12.)125 precurse heralding, foreshadowing126 harbingers forerunners. still alwaysAgainst the which a moiety competent 94Was gaged by our king, which had returned 95To the inheritance of Fortinbras 96Had he been vanquisher, as, by the same cov'nant 97And carriage of the article designed, 98His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras,Of unimproved mettle hot and full, 100Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there ioiSharked up a list of lawless resolutes i02For food and diet to some enterprise 103That hath a stomach in't, which is no other– 104As it doth well appear unto our state-But to recover of us, by strong handAnd terms compulsatory, those foresaid landsSo by his father lost. And this, I take it,Is the main motive of our preparations,The source of this our watch, and the chief head I 10Of this posthaste and rummage in the land. iiiBERNARDOI think it be no other but e'en so.Well may it sort that this portentous figure 113Comes armed through our watch so like the KingThat was and is the question of these wars. 115HORATIOA mote it is to trouble the mind's eye. 116In the most high and palmy state of Rome, I 17A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, I 18The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead 119Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets;As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, 121Disasters in the sun; and the moist star 122Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands 123Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse. 124And even the like precurse of feared events, 125As harbingers preceding still the fates 126127 omen calamitous event129 climatures dimes, regions130 soft i.e., enough, break off131 cross stand in its path, confront. blast wither, strikewith a curse.131 s.d. his its137 privy to in on the secret of138 happily haply perchance144 partisan long-handled spear.146–7 'Tis here! / 'Tis here! (Perhaps they attempt to strike at the Ghost, but are baffled by its seeming ability to be here and there and nowhere.)And prologue to the omen coming on, 127Have heaven and earth together demonstratedUnto our climatures and countrymen. 129Enter Ghost.But soft, behold! Lo, where it comes again! 130I'll cross it, though it blast me. (It spreads his arms.) Stay,illusion! 131If thou hast any sound or use of voice,Speak to me!If there be any good thing to be doneThat may to thee do ease and grace to me,Speak to me!If thou art privy to thy country's fate, 137Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, 138Oh, speak!Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy lifeExtorted treasure in the womb of earth,For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,Speak of it! (The cock crows.) Stay and speak!-Stop it, Marcellus.MARCELLUSShall I strike at it with my partisan? 144HORATIO Do, if it will not stand. [They strike at it.]BERNARDO 'Tis here! 146HORATIO 'Tis here! [Exit Ghost.] 147MARCELLUs 'Tis gone.We do it wrong, being so majestical,To offer it the show of violence,For it is as the air invulnerable,And our vain blows malicious mockery.BERNARDOIt was about to speak when the cock crew.156 trumpet trumpeter160 extravagant and erring wandering beyond bounds. (The words have similar meaning.) hies hastens162 probation proof164 'gainst just before168 strike destroy by evil influence169 takes bewitches. charm cast a spell, control by enchantment170 gracious full of grace172 russet reddish brownHORATIOAnd then it started like a guilty thingUpon a fearful summons. I have heardThe cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, 156Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throatAwake the god of day, and at his warning,Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,Th'extravagant and erring spirit hies 160To his confine; and of the truth hereinThis present object made probation. i 62MARCELLUSIt faded on the crowing of the cock.Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes 164Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated,This bird of dawning singeth all night long,And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad;The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike, 168No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, 169So hallowed and so gracious is that time. 170HORATIOSo have I heard and do in part believe it.But, look, the morn in russet mantle clad 172Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill.Break we our watch up, and by my adviceLet us impart what we have seen tonightUnto young Hamlet; for upon my life,This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it,As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?MARCELLUSLet's do't, I pray, and I this morning knowWhere we shall find him most conveniently.Exeunt.1.2 Location: The castle.0.2 as i.e., such as, induding.0.3 cum aijis with others1 our my (The royal "we"; also in the following lines.)8 sometime former9 jointress woman possessing property with her husband11 With.., eye with one eye smiling and the other weeping13 dole grief17 Now… know Next, you need to be informed that18 weak supposal low estimate20 disjoint… frame in a state of total disorder21 Co-leagued… advantage joined to his illusory sense of having the advantage over us and to his vision of future success23 Importing having for its substance24 ….. .law (See 1.1.91, "Well ratified by law and heraldry")[1.2] Flourish. Enter Claudius, King of Denmark, Gertrude the Queen, [the] Council, as Polonius and his son Laertes, Hamlet, cum aliis [including Voltimand and Cornelius].KINGThough yet of Hamlet our dear brother's deathThe memory be green, and that it us befittedTo bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdomTo be contracted in one brow of woe,Yet so far hath discretion fought with natureThat we with wisest sorrow think on himTogether with remembrance of ourselves.Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, 8Thimperial jointress to this warlike state, 9Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy– With an auspicious and a dropping eye, iiWith mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage,In equal scale weighing delight and dole- 13 Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barredYour better wisdoms, which have freely goneWith this affair along. For all, our thanks.Now follows that you know young Fortinbras, 17Holding a weak supposal of our worth, 18Or thinking by our late dear brother's deathOur state to be disjoint and out of frame, 20Co-leagued with this dream of his advantage, 21He hath not failed to pester us with messageImporting the surrender of those lands 23Lost by his father, with all bonds of law, 24To our most valiant brother. So much for him.Now for ourself and for this time of meeting.Thus much the business is: we have here writTo Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras-29 impotent helpless31 His i.e., Fortinbras'. gait proceeding31–3 in that.., subject since the levying of troops and supplies is drawn entirely from the King of Norway's own subjects38 dilated set out at length39 let… duty let your swift obeying of orders, rather than mere words, express your dutifulness.41 nothing not at all.44 the Dane the Danish king45 lose your voice waste your speech.47 native dosely connected, related48 instrumental serviceable51 leave and favor kind permission56 bow… pardon entreatingly make a deep bow, asking your permission to depart.