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A hall in the castle.
[Enter HAMLET and Players]
HAMLET
Speak the speech I pray you, as I pronounced it to you trippingly on the
tongue: but if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the
town-crier spoke my lines: Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand
thus, but use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I may
say) the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that
may give it smoothness. O it offends me to the soul, to hear a robustious
periwig-pated fellow, tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the
ears of the groundlings: who (for the most part) are capable of nothing, but
inexplicable dumbshows, and noise: I would have such a fellow whipped for
oredoing Termagant: it out-herods Herod. Pray you avoid it.
FIRST PLAYER
I warrant your honor.
HAMLET
Be not too tame neither: but let your own discretion be your tutor. Suit the
action to the word, the word to the action, with this special observance:
that you orestop not
the modesty of nature; for anything so overdone, is from the purpose of
playing, whose end both at the first and now, was and is, to hold as
it were the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her
own image, and the very age and body of the time, his form and pressure. Now,
this overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskillful laugh, cannot
but make the judicious grieve; the censure of the which one, must in your
allowance oreweigh a whole theatre of others. Oh, there be players that I
have seen play, and heard others praise, and that highly (not to speak it
profanely) that neither having the accent of Christians, nor the gait of
Christian, pagan, or Norman, have so strutted and bellowed, that I have thought
some of nature's journeymen had made men, and not made them well, they
imitated humanity so abominably.
FIRST PLAYER
I hope we have reformed that indifferently with us, sir.
HAMLET
O reform it altogether. And let those that play your clowns, speak no more
than is set down for them. For there be of them, that will themselves laugh,
to set on some quantity of barren spectators to laugh too, though in the
meantime, some necessary question of the play be then to be considered:
that's villanous, and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses
it. Go make you ready.
[Exeunt Players. Enter POLONIUS, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN]
How now, my lord,
Will the king hear this piece of work?
POLONIUS
And the queen too, and that presently.
[Exit POLONIUS]
HAMLET
Bid the players make haste.
Will you two help to hasten them?
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
We will my lord.
[Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN]
HAMLET
, , 2
What ho,| Hora|tio?
[Enter HORATIO]
HORATIO
,
, 2 ,
2->
Here | sweet* lord,| at your serv||ice.
HAMLET
, 2 ,
, , ,
Hora|tio, thou | art eene | as just | a man
, , , ,
,
As ere | my con|versa|tion coped | withal.
HORATIO
,
,
O my | dear* lord.
HAMLET
, 2 , ,
Nay, do not | think I | flatter:
, ,
, ,
,
For what | advance|ment may | I hope | from thee,
, ,
, , x
That no | reve|nue hast,| but thy / good spirits
, ,
, 2 ,
, ->
To feed | and clothe | thee. Why | should the
poor | be flat||tered?
, 2
, , T . T T
No,| let the cand|ied tongue,| lick absurd pomp,
, , ,
, ,
And crook | the preg|nant hing|es of | the knee,
, ,
, , ,
Where thrift | may fol|low fawn|ing? Dost | thou
hear,
, ,
, ,
,
Since^my | dear* soul | was mist|ress of | my
choice,
, ,
, , , 2->
And could | of men | disting|uish, her |
elec||tion
, ,
, , 2
,
Hath sealed | thee for | herself.| For thou hast | been
<- ,
, 2 ,
, ,
As || one in | suffering | all, that | suffers
| nothing,
, ,
, , ,
A man | that for|tune's buf|fets, and | rewards
,
, ,
, ,
Hast tane | with e|qual thanks.| and blessed |
are those,
, ,
2 , , ,
Whose blood | and judg|ment are so | well
com|mingled,
, 2 , ,
, ,
That they are | not a | pipe for | fortune's | finger,
, ,
, , ,
To sound | what stop | she please.| Give me |
that man,
2 , ,
, ,
,
That is not | passion's | slave, and | I will |
wear him
, ,
, ,
,
In my / heart's core.| Aye, in | my heart | of
heart,
, , ,
, ,
As I | do thee.| Something | too much | of this.
, , ,
, ,
There is | a play | tonight | before the
king,
, ,
, ,
,
One scene / of it | comes^near | the
cir|cumstance
, , ,
, ,
Which I | have told | thee, of | my fath|er's
death.
, , ,
, ,
I prith|ee, when | thou seest | that act | afoot,
, 2
, , , ,
Even | with the ve|ry com|ment of | thy soul
, , ,
2 , ,
Observe | mine^unc|le: if | his occult|ed guilt,
, , ,
, ,
Do not | itself | unken|nel in / one speech,
, , , ,
,
It is | a damn|ed ghost | that we | have seen:
, , , ,
,
And my | imag|ina|tions are | as foul
, ,
, , ,
As Vulc|an's stith|y. Give | him heed|ful note,
, ,
, , ,
For I | mine^eyes | will riv|et to | his
face:
, , , ,
,
And aft|er we | will both | our judg|ments join,
, , ,
In cens|ure of | his seem|ing.
HORATIO
,
,
Well
| my lord.
2 ,
, , ,
,
If he steal | aught the | whilst this | play is |
playing,
2 , ,
, ,
,
And escape | detect|ing, I | will pay | the theft.
HAMLET
, ,
2 ,
, x
They are | coming | to the play:| I must | be idle.
,
,
Get you | a place. \\
[Danish march. A flourish. Enter CLAUDIUS, GERTRUDE, POLONIUS, OPHELIA,
ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN, and others]
CLAUDIUS
How fares our cousin Hamlet?
HAMLET
Excellent in faith, of the chameleon's dish: I eat the air
promise-crammed, you cannot feed capons so.
CLAUDIUS
I have nothing with this answer Hamlet, these words are not mine.
HAMLET
No, nor mine.
Now my lord, you played once in the university, you say?
POLONIUS
That I did my lord, and was accounted a good actor.
HAMLET
And what did you enact?
POLONIUS
I did enact Julius Caesar, I was killed in the Capitol: Brutus killed me.
HAMLET
It was a brute part of him, to kill so capital a calf there. Be the players
ready?
ROSENCRANTZ
Aye my lord, they stay upon your patience.
GERTRUDE
Come hither my dear Hamlet, sit by me.
HAMLET
No good mother, here's metal more attractive.
POLONIUS
Oh ho, do you mark that?
HAMLET
Lady, shall I lie in your lap?
OPHELIA
No my lord.
HAMLET
I mean, my head upon your lap?
OPHELIA
Aye my lord.
HAMLET
Do you think I meant country matters?
OPHELIA
I think nothing, my lord.
HAMLET
That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs.
OPHELIA
What is my lord?
HAMLET
Nothing.
OPHELIA
You are merry, my lord.
HAMLET
Who I?
OPHELIA
Aye my lord.
HAMLET
Oh God, your only jig-maker: What should a man do, but be merry. For look
you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two
hours.
OPHELIA
Nay, 'tis twice two months, my lord.
HAMLET
So long? Nay then let the devil wear black, for I'll have a suit of sables.
Oh heavens! die two months ago, and not forgotten yet? Then there's hope, a
great man's memory, may outlive his life half a year: but by our lady he must
build churches then: or else shall he suffer not thinking on, with the
hobby-horse, whose epitaph is, For O, for O, the hobby-horse is forgot.
[Hautboys play. The dumb-show enters]
[Enter a King and a Queen very lovingly; the Queen embracing him, and he
her. She kneels, and makes show of protestation unto him. He takes her up,
and declines his head upon her neck: lays him down upon a bank of flowers:
she, seeing him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in a fellow, takes off his
crown, kisses it, and pours poison in the King's ears, and exit. The Queen
returns; finds the King dead, and makes passionate action. The Poisoner,
with some two or three Mutes, comes in again, seeming to lament with her.
The dead body is carried away. The Poisoner wooes the Queen with gifts: she
seems loath and unwilling awhile, but in the end accepts his love]
[Exeunt]
OPHELIA
What means this, my lord?
HAMLET
Marry this is miching mallecho, that means mischief.
OPHELIA
Belike this show imports the argument of the play?
HAMLET
We shall know by these fellows: the players cannot keep counsel, they'll tell
all.
OPHELIA
Will he tell us what this show meant?
HAMLET
Aye, or any show that you'll show him. Be not you ashamed to show, he'll not
shame to tell you what it means.
OPHELIA
You are naught, you are naught, I'll mark the play.
PROLOGUE
, ,
, ,
For us,| and for | our trag|edy,
, , , ,
Here* stoop|ing to | your clem|ency:
, ,
, ,
We beg | your hear|ing pa|tiently.
[Exit]
HAMLET
Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?
OPHELIA
'Tis brief my lord.
HAMLET
As woman's love.
[Enter two Players, King and Queen]
PLAYER KING
, ,
, ,
,
Full* thir|ty times | hath Phoeb|us' cart | gone
round,
, T T . T
, ,
Neptune's^|salt wash, and Tel|lus' orb|ed
ground:
, , , ,
,
And thir|ty doz|en moons | with bor|rowed sheen,
, ,
, T
Tx T
About | the world | have times | twelve thirties
been, ??
, ,
, , ,
Since^love | our hearts,| and Hy|men did | our hands
, , 2 ,
, ,
Unite | commu|tual, in | most^sac|red bands.
PLAYER QUEEN
, , ,
, ,
So ma|ny journ|eys may | the sun | and moon
,
. T T T
, ,
Make^us | again count ore,| ere love | be done.
, , ,
, ,
But woe | is me,| you are | so sick | of late,
, , ,
, ,
So far | from cheer,| and from | your form|er state,
, , ,
, ,
That I | distrust | you: Yet | though I |
distrust,
, , ,
, ,
Discom|fort you |(my lord)| it noth|ing must:
, , . T
T T ,
For wom|en's fear | and love, holds
quant|ity,
, ,
, , ,
In neith|er aught,| or in | extrem|ity:
,
, , ,
,
Now what | my love | is, proof | hath made |
you know,
, ,
, , ,
And as | my love | is sized,| my fear | is so.
,
, , 2 ,
,
[[[[ Where love | is great,| the lit|tlest doubts |
are fear,
x T
T T , ,
Where little | fears grow great,| great^love |
grows^there. ]]]]
PLAYER KING
, ,
, , ,
Faith I | must^leave | thee love,| and short|ly
too:
, 2
x , ,
,
My op|erant powers | their func|tions leave | to do:
, , .
T T T
,
And thou | shalt^live | in this fair world |
behind,
,
, , , ,
Honored,| beloved,| and hap|ly, one | as kind.
, ,
For hus|band shalt | thou--
PLAYER QUEEN
, ,
,
Oh | confound | the rest:
, ,
, , ,
Such love,| must needs | be treas|on in | my breast:
, , , ,
,
In sec|ond hus|band, let | me be | accursed,
T T . T ,
, ,
None wed the sec|ond, but | who killed | the
first.
HAMLET
Wormwood, wormwood.
PLAYER QUEEN
, , , , ,
The inst|ances | that sec|ond mar|riage move,
,
, , ,
,
Are base | respects | of thrift,| but none | of
love.
, , , ,
,
A sec|ond time,| I kill | my hus|band dead,
, , , ,
,
When sec|ond hus|band kis|ses me | in bed.
PLAYER KING
, , ,
, ,
I do | believe | you. Think | what now | you
speak:
, , ,
, ,
But what | we do | deter|mine, oft | we break:
T T . T , , ,
Purpose is but | the slave | to mem|ory,
, 2 ,
, , ,
Of vi|olent birth,| but poor | valid|ity:
, ,
, , ,
Which^now | like^fruit | unripe | sticks on | the
tree,
, , ,
, ,
But fall | unshak|en, when | they mel|low be.
, , , ,
,
Most^nec|essa|ry 'tis,| that we | forget
, , ,
, ,
To pay | ourselves,| what^to | ourselves | is
debt:
, ,
, , ,
What^to | ourselves | in pas|sion we | propose,
, ,
, , ,
The pas|sion end|ing, doth | the pur|pose lose.
, , , ,
,
The vi|olence | of eith|er grief | or joy,
, , ,
, ,
Their own | enact|ures with | themselves |
destroy:
, ,
, , ,
Where joy | most^rev|els, grief | doth^most |
lament;
T T T
, ,
,
Grief joys, joy | grieves on | slender | accident.
????
,
, , ,
,
This world | is not | for aye,| nor 'tis | not
strange
x ,
, , ,
That even | our loves | should with | our
for|tunes change.
, ,
, , ,
For 'tis | a ques|tion left | us yet | to prove,
2 , , , , ,
Whether love | lead for/tune, or | else for|tune
love.
. T T T
, , ,
The great man down,| you mark | his
fav|orite flies,
, ,
T T . T ,
The poor | advanced | makes friends of
en|emies:
, , , ,
,
And hith|erto | doth^love | on for|tune tend,
, ,
, , ,
For who | not^needs,| shall nev|er lack | a
friend:
, , ,
, ,
And who | in want | a hol|low friend | doth try,
, , ,
, ,
Direct|ly seas|ons him | his en|emy.
, , ,
, ,
But ord|erly | to end,| where^I | begun,
, ,
, , ,
Our wills | and fates | do so | contra|ry run,
, , ,
, ,
That our | devic|es still | are ov|erthrown,
, ,
, , ,
Our thoughts | are ours,| their^ends | none of |
our own.
, , ,
, ,
So think | thou wilt | no sec|ond hus|band
wed.
, , ,
, ,
But die | thy thoughts,| when thy / first lord |
is dead.
PLAYER QUEEN
, ,
, , ,
Nor earth | to me | give^food,| nor heav|en
light,
, 2
T T T ,
,
Sport and re|pose lock from | me day | and night:
, , ,
, ,
[[[[ To des|pera|tion turn | my trust | and hope,
, , ,
, ,
An anch|or's cheer | in pris|on be | my
scope; ]]]]
, , ,
, ,
Each op|posite | that blanks | the face | of joy,
, ,
, , ,
Meet^what | I would | have well,| and it |
destroy:
, ,
, , ,
Both here,| and hence,| pursue | me last|ing
strife,
, , , ,
,
If once | a wid|ow, ev|er I | be wife.
HAMLET
If she should break it now.
PLAYER KING
, ,
'Tis deep|ly sworn:
, ,
,
Sweet*, leave | me here | a while,
x T T
. T , ,
My spirits | grow dull, and fain | I would |
beguile
, 2 ,
,
The ted|ious day | with sleep.
[Sleeps]
PLAYER QUEEN
,
,
Sleep^rock | thy brain, ??
, , ,
, ,
And nev|er come | mischance | between | us twain.
[Exit]
HAMLET
Madam, how like you this play?
GERTRUDE
The lady protests too much methinks.
HAMLET
Oh but she'll keep her word.
CLAUDIUS
Have you heard the argument, Is there no offense in it?
HAMLET
No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest, no offense in the world.
CLAUDIUS
What do you call the play?
HAMLET
The Mousetrap: Marry how? Tropically: This play is the image of a murder
done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name, his wife Baptista: you shall
see anon: 'tis a knavish piece of work: but what of that? Your majesty, and
we that have free souls, it touches us not: let the galled jade wince: our
withers are unwrung. This is one Lucianus nephew to the king.
[Enter LUCIANUS]
OPHELIA
You are a good chorus, my lord.
HAMLET
I could interpret between you and your love: if I could see the puppets
dallying.
OPHELIA
You are keen my lord, you are keen.
HAMLET
It would cost you a groaning, to take off my edge.
OPHELIA
Still better and worse.
HAMLET
So you must take your husbands.
Begin murderer. Pox, leave thy damnable
faces, and begin. Come, the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge.
LUCIANUS
, ,
Thoughts^black,| hands^apt,
, ,
, o
Drugs^fit,| and time | agree|ing:
, 2 ,
, , ,
o
Confed|erate seas|on, else,| no creat|ure
see|ing;
, ,
, , ,
o
Thou mix|ture rank,| of mid|night weeds |
collec|ted,
, ,
T Tx T ,
o
With Hec|ate's ban,| thrice blasted, thrice |
infect|ed,
, 2 , , ,
,
Thy na|tural mag|ic, and / dire prop|erty,
, , ,
, 2 ,
On whole|some life,| usurp | immed|iately.
[Pours the poison into the sleeper's ears]
HAMLET
He poisons him in the garden for his estate: His name's Gonzago: the story
is extant and writ in choice Italian. You shall see anon how the murderer
gets the love of Gonzago's wife.
OPHELIA
The king rises.
HAMLET
What, frighted with false fire.
GERTRUDE
How fares my lord?
POLONIUS
Give ore the play.
CLAUDIUS
Give me some light. Away.
ALL
Lights, lights, lights.
[Exeunt all but HAMLET and HORATIO]
HAMLET
, ,
, ,
Why let | the stric|ken deer | go weep,
, , ,
oo
The hart | ungal|led play:|
, , ,
,
For some | must watch,| while some | must sleep:
,
, , oo
So runs | the world | away.|
Would not this sir, and a forest of feathers, if the rest of my fortunes
turn Turk with me; with two Provincial roses on my raced shoes, get me a
fellowship in a cry of players sir.
HORATIO
Half a share.
HAMLET
A whole one I,
, ,
, ,
oo
For thou | dost know:| O Dam|on dear,|
,
, ,
, ,
This realm | dismant|led was | of Jove | himself,
. T T
T
And now reigns here. \\
, , , __
A ve|ry ve|ry pea|cock. \\
HORATIO
You might have rhymed.
HAMLET
Oh good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand pound. Didst
perceive?
HORATIO
Very well my lord.
HAMLET
Upon the talk of the poisoning?
HORATIO
I did very well note him.
HAMLET
Oh, ha? Come some music. come with recorders:
, ,
T T . T ,
For if | the king | like not the com|edy,
, ,
, , ,
Why then | belike | he likes | it not | perdy.
Come some music.
[Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN]
GUILDENSTERN
Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.
HAMLET
Sir, a whole history.
GUILDENSTERN
The king, sir.
HAMLET
Aye sir, what of him?
GUILDENSTERN
Is in his retirement, marvellous distempered.
HAMLET
With drink sir?
GUILDENSTERN
No my lord, rather with choler.
HAMLET
Your wisdom should show itself more richer, to signify this to his doctor:
for for me to put him to his purgation, would perhaps plunge him into far
more choler.
GUILDENSTERN
Good my lord put your discourse into some frame, and start not so wildly
from my affair.
HAMLET
I am tame sir, pronounce.
GUILDENSTERN
The queen your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to
you.
HAMLET
You are welcome.
GUILDENSTERN
Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed. If it shall
please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your mother's
commandment: if not, your pardon, and my return shall be the end of my
business.
HAMLET
Sir, I cannot.
GUILDENSTERN
What, my lord?
HAMLET
Make you a wholesome answer: my wit's diseased. But sir, such answer as I
can make, you shall command: or rather as you say, my mother: therefore no
more but to the matter. My mother you say.
ROSENCRANTZ
Then thus she says: your behavior hath struck her into amazement, and
admiration.
HAMLET
Oh wonderful son, that can so astonish a mother. But is there no sequel at
the heels of this mother's admiration? Impart.
ROSENCRANTZ
She desires to speak with you in her closet, ere you go to bed.
HAMLET
We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any further trade
with us?
ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, you once did love me.
HAMLET
So I do still, by these pickers and stealers.
ROSENCRANTZ
Good my lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do freely bar the door
upon your own liberty, if you deny your griefs to your friend.
HAMLET
Sir I lack advancement.
ROSENCRANTZ
How can that be, when you have the voice of the king himself, for your
succession in Denmark?
HAMLET
Aye, but while the grass grows, the proverb is something musty.
[Enter Players with recorders]
O the recorder. Let me see, to withdraw with you, why do you go about
to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toil?
GUILDENSTERN
O my lord, if my duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly.
HAMLET
I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe?
GUILDENSTERN
My lord, I cannot.
HAMLET
I pray you.
GUILDENSTERN
Believe me, I cannot.
HAMLET
I do beseech you.
GUILDENSTERN
I know no touch of it, my lord.
HAMLET
'Tis as easy as lying: govern these ventages with your lingers and thumb,
give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent music.
Look you, these are the stops.
GUILDENSTERN
But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony. I have not the
skill.
HAMLET
Why look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me: You would play upon
me; you would seem to know my stops: you would pluck out the heart of my
mystery; you would sound me from my lowest note, to the top of my compass:
and there is much music, excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot
you make it. Why do you think, that I am easier to be played on, than a
pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, you
cannot play upon me. God bless you sir.
[Enter POLONIUS]
POLONIUS
My lord; the queen would speak with you, and presently.
HAMLET
Do you see that cloud? that's almost in shape like a camel.
POLONIUS
By the mass, and it's like a camel indeed.
HAMLET
Methinks it is like a weasel.
POLONIUS
It is backed like a weasel.
HAMLET
Or like a whale?
POLONIUS
Very like a whale.
HAMLET
, , 2 ,
, ,
Then will | I come | to my moth|er, by | and by:
, , ,
,
They fool | me to | the top | of my / bent.
<- , , ,
,
I || will come | by and | by.
POLONIUS
, ->
I | will say || so.
HAMLET
, , , 2
, T T T
By || and by,| is eas|ily said.| Leave me
friends:
[Exeunt all but HAMLET]
, , ,
, ,
Tis now | the ve|ry witch|ing time | of night,
, T
T . T . T T T
When church|yards yawn, and hell | itself breathes
out
, 3 3 , ,
2 T T T
Contag|ion to this world.| Now could I | drink
hot blood,
, ,
, , ,
And do | such bit|ter bus|iness as | the day
, ,
, , 2 ,
Would quake | to look | on. Soft | now, to my |
mother:
, ,
, ,
x
Oh heart,| lose^not | thy na|ture; let | not ever
, , , 2 ,
,
The soul | of Ne|ro, ent|er this firm | bosom:
,
, , , ,
Let me | be cru|el, not | unna|tural,
, ,
, , ,
I will / speak dag|gers to | her, but / use none;
, ,
, , ,
My tongue | and soul | in this | be hyp|ocrites.
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How in | my words | soev|er she | be shent,
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To give | them seals,| never | my soul | consent.
[Exit]