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Elsinore. A room in the castle.
[Enter GERTRUDE, HORATIO, and a Gentleman]
GERTRUDE
I will not speak with her.
GENTLEMAN
She is importunate, indeed distract, her mood will needs be pitied.
GERTRUDE
What would she have?
GENTLEMAN
, ,
, ,
,
She speaks | much of | her fath|er; says | she
hears
,
2 , , ,
,
There's tricks | in the world,| and hems,|
and beats | her heart,
, ,
, T T
. T
Spurns env/iously | at straws,| speaks things in
doubt,
, 2 , ,
,
,
That car|ry but half | sense: her | speech is
| nothing,
, T
T T , ,
Yet the | unshaped use | of it | doth move
, ,
, , , 2
The hear|ers to | collec|tion; they | aim at it,
, ,
, , ,
And botch | the words | up fit | to their / own
thoughts,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Which as her | winks, and | nods, and | gestures
| yield them,
, , ,
, ,
Indeed | would make | one^think | there might |
be thought,
,
, , ,
,
Though noth|ing sure,| yet much | unhap|pily.
GERTRUDE
, , ,
__ oo
'Twere good | she were | spoken | with,|
,
, , ,
,
For she | may strew | dange|rous con|jectures
, ,
___ ,
,
In ill-|breeding |
minds.| Let her | come in.
2 , ,
T T T ,
To my sick | soul (as | sin's true na|ture is)
, T T T 2 , ,
Each toy | seems prologue,| to some great |
amiss,
, ,
, ,
,
So full | of art|less jeal|ousy | is guilt,
, ,
, ,
,
It spills | itself,| in fear|ing to | be spilt.
[Enter HORATIO with OPHELIA distracted]
OPHELIA
, 2 ,
2 , ,
,
Where is the | beauteous | maje|sty of | Denmark.
GERTRUDE
, , 2
How now | Ophel|ia? \\
OPHELIA
,
, ,
__ , ,
___ oo
How should | I your | true love^|know | from a|nother
| one?|
, ,
, ___ ,
, ___ oo
By his | cockle | hat and | staff,| and his |
sandal | shoon.|
GERTRUDE
,
, , ,
,
Alas | sweet* la|dy: what | imports | this song?
OPHELIA
, ,
,
Say you?| Nay* pray | you mark. \\
Sings
,
, __ ,
, ,
__ oo
He is | dead and | gone | lady,| he is | dead and
| gone,|
, ,
T T T ,
, ___ oo
At his | head a | grass-green turf,| at his | heels a |
stone.|
GERTRUDE
,
, 2
Nay but | Ophel|ia.
OPHELIA
,
, oo
Pray | you mark.|
[Sings]
,
, 2 ,
__
White his | shroud as the | mountain | snow.
[Enter CLAUDIUS]
GERTRUDE
Alas, look here my lord.
OPHELIA [Sings]
, T
T T
Larded | with sweet flowers:
,
, 2 ,
,
Which be|wept to the | grave did | not go,
__ T
T T
With | true-love showers.
CLAUDIUS
How do you, pretty lady?
OPHELIA
Well, God yield you. They say the owl was a baker's daughter. Lord, we know
what we are, but know not what we may be. God be at your table.
CLAUDIUS
Conceit upon her father.
OPHELIA
Pray you let's have no words of this: but when they ask you what it means,
say you this:
[Sings]
, ,
, 2 ,
Tomor|row is | Saint Val|entine's^day,
, 2 , 2
__ oo
All in the | morning be|time,|
, , ,
,
And I | a maid | at your | window,
, , ,
oo
To be | your Val|entine.|
, , ,
,
Then up | he rose,| and donned | his clothes,
, , ,
oo
And dupped | the chamb|er-door,|
, ,
, ,
Let in | the maid,| that out | a maid,
, ,
, oo
Never | depart|ed more.|
CLAUDIUS
Pretty Ophelia.
OPHELIA
Indeed la? Without an oath I'll make an end on it.
[Sings]
, ,
, ,
By Gis,| and by | Saint Char|ity,
,
, , oo
Alack,| and fie | for shame:|
,
x ,
x
Young men | will do it,| if they | come^to it,
, ,
, oo
By cock | they are | to blame.|
, ,
, ,
Quoth^she | before | you tum|bled me,
, , ,
oo
You prom|ised me | to wed:|
, 2 ,
, ,
So would | I have done | by yond|er sun,
, 2 ,
2 , oo
And thou | hadst not come | to my bed.|
CLAUDIUS
How long hath she been thus?
OPHELIA
I hope all will be well. We must be patient, but I cannot choose but weep,
to think they should lay him in the cold ground; My brother shall know of
it, and so I thank you for your good counsel. Come, my coach: Good night
ladies: good night sweet ladies: good night, good night.
[Exit]
CLAUDIUS
, 2 ,
Follow her | close,
,
, ,
Give / her good | watch I | pray you:
, 2 ,
, , ,
Oh this | is the pois|on of / deep grief,| it
springs
, 2
, , ,
,
All from her | father's | death. O | Gertrude,|
Gertrude,
, ,
, ,
,
When sor|rows come,| they come | not sing|le
spies,
, , ,
, ,
But in | battal|ions. First,| her fath|er slain,
T . T T
, , 2 ,
->
Next your* son gone,| and he | most vi|olent
auth||or
2 ,
, ,
x ,
Of his / own just | remove:| the people
| muddied,
, 2
, ,
, ,
Thick and un|wholesome | in their | thoughts, and |
whispers
, , 2
, 3 3 ,
, 2->
For good | Polon|ius' death;| and we have done |
but green||ly
, , 3 3 , ,
, 3 3->
In hug|ger-mug|ger to inter | him. Poor |
Ophel||ia
, ,
, 2 , ,
Divid|ed from | herself,| and her fair |
judgment,
, , 2
, , ,
Without | the which | we are pic|tures, or / mere
beasts.
,
, , , ,
Last, and | as much | contain|ing as / all these,
, , , ,
,
Her broth|er is | in sec|ret come | from France,
,
, , ,
,
Keeps on | his wond|er, keeps | himself | in
clouds,
, , ,
, ,
And wants | not buz/zers to | infect | his ear
, 2 , ,
, ,
With pest|ilent speech|es of | his fath|er's
death,
, , , x ,
Wherein | neces|sity | of matter | beggared,
, ,
, , ,
Will noth|ing stick | our pers/on to | arraign
, ,
, , ,
In ear | and ear.| O my | dear* Gert|rude, this,
, 2 , 2
, , ,
Like to a | murdering-|piece in | many | places,
, , 2
,
Gives me | super|fluous death. \\
[A noise within]
GERTRUDE
,
, ,
Alack,| what noise | is this?
CLAUDIUS
, 2
,
Where are my | Switzers?
,
, ,
,
,
Let them | guard the
| door. What / is the | matter?
[Enter another Gentleman]
GENTLEMAN
,
, ,
Save your|self, my | lord. \\
, , , , ,
The o|cean (ov|erpeer|ing of | his list)
T T . T
, , 2 ,
Eats not the flats | with more | impet|uous haste
, , ,
, 2 ,
Than young | Laert|es, in | a ri|otous head,
, , ,
, , , ->
Orebears | your of|ficers,| The rab|ble call ||
him lord,
, 2 ,
, 3 3 ,
And as the | world | were now | but to begin,
??
, , ,
, ,
Anti|quity | forgot,| custom | not^known,
, , 2 ,
, ,
The rat|ifi|ers and props | of eve|ry word,
, ,
, , ,
They cry | choose we?| Laert|es shall | be king,
T T .
T , ,
,
Caps, hands, and tongues,| applaud | it to | the
clouds,
, ,
, , ,
Laert|es shall | be king,| Laert|es king.
GERTRUDE
, ,
, , ,
How cheer|fully | on the / false trail | they
cry,
, ,
, , ,
Oh this | is count|er you / false Dan|ish dogs.
CLAUDIUS
, ,
The doors | are broke. \\
[Noise within. Enter LAERTES, armed; Danes following]
LAERTES
, ,
, , ,
Where is | the king,| sirs? Stand | you all |
without.
DANES
__ ,
__
No,| let's come | in. \\
LAERTES
, , ,
I pray | you give | me leave.
DANES
, ,
We will, we will.
[They retire without the door]
LAERTES
, , ,
I thank | you: keep | the door. \\
T T T
, ,
,
O thou vile
| king, give / me my | father.
GERTRUDE
, ,
Calmly,| good Laert|es.
LAERTES
, ,
,
That drop | of blood,| that's calm
,
,
Proclaims | me bast|ard: \\
, ,
2 , ,
,
Cries cuck/old to my | father,| brands the | harlot
2 , ,
, ,
,
Even here | between | the chaste | unsmirch|ed brow
2 ,
,
Of my true | mother.
CLAUDIUS
, 2
, ,
What is the | cause La|ertes,
, ,
, , ,
That thy | rebel|lion looks | so gi|ant-like?
T . T T ,
,
x
Let him go Gert|rude: do | not fear | our person:
, ,
, , ,
There's such | divin|ity | doth^hedge | a king,
, , ,
, ,
That treas|on can | but peep | to what | it
would,
, ,
, ,
x
Acts lit/tle of | his will.| Tell me | Laertes,
, ,
, 2 , ,
Why thou | art thus | incensed?| Let him go |
Gertrude.
T T
Speak man.
LAERTES
T
,
Where's
| my
fath|er?
CLAUDIUS
__
oo
Dead.|
GERTRUDE
, ,
But not | by him.
CLAUDIUS
, ,
,
Let him | demand | his fill.
LAERTES
, ,
, , ,
How came | he dead?| I'll not | be jug|gled
with.
, , ,
2 , x
To hell | alleg|iance: vows,| to the black|est
devil.
,
, ,
, ,
Conscience | and grace,| to the | profound|est
pit.
, , , ,
,
I dare | damna|tion: To | this point | I stand,
, ,
, , ,
That both | the worlds | I give | to neg|ligence,
, , ,
, ,
Let come | what comes:| only | I'll be | revenged
, 2 , ,
Most^thor|oughly for | my fath|er.
CLAUDIUS
,
, 2->
Who | shall stay || you?
LAERTES
, , ,
My will,| not all | the world: \\
, , , ,
,
And for | my means,| I'll hus|band them | so
well,
, 2 , ,
They shall go | far with | little.
CLAUDIUS
,
,
Good La|ertes:
, , ,
, ,
If you | desire | to know | the cert|ainty
,
, , 2 ,
3 3 ,
Of your / dear fath|er's death,|
is it writ |
in your revenge,
, , ,
T T . T
That swoop|stake you | will draw | both friend and foe,
, 2 ,
Winner and | loser. \\
LAERTES
,
, ,
None but | his en|emies.
CLAUDIUS
2
, ,
Will you know | them then.
LAERTES
, ,
, , ,
To his / good friends,| thus wide | I'll ope | my
arms:
, . T
T T 2 ,
x
And like | the kind life-rend|ering pol|itician, ??
, , ,
Repast | them with | my blood.
CLAUDIUS
, ,
Why now | you speak
T . T
T
, , ,
Like a good child,| and a / true gent|leman.
, ,
, ,
,
That I | am guilt|less of | your fath|er's death,
, ,
, ,
,
And am | most sens|ible | in grief | for it,
, , ,
, ,
It shall | as lev|el to | your judg|ment pierce
, ,
,
As day | does to | your eye.
DANES [Within]
,
,
Let her | come in.
[Enter OPHELIA]
LAERTES
, , ,
oo
How now?| What noise | is that?|
<- , , ,
T Tx T __
O heat || dry up | my brains,| tears seven
times | salt, ??
, ,
, , ,
Burn^out | the sense | and vir|tue of | mine^eye.
x ,
, , ,
By heaven,| thy mad|ness shall | be paid | by
weight,
, ,
, , ,
Till our / scale turn | the beam.| O rose | of
May,
T T T
, ,
, 2
Dear maid, kind | sister,| sweet O|phelia:
x 2 ,
, . T T T
O heavens,| is it pos|sible,| a young maid's wits,
, , ,
. T T T
Should be | as mor|al as | an old man's life?
,
, ,
, ,
Nature | is fine | in love,| and where | 'tis
fine,
, , , ,
,
It sends | some pre|cious inst|ance of | itself
, ,
,
After | the thing | it loves. \\
OPHELIA [Sings]
, ,
, , oo
They bore | him bare|faced on | the bier,|
, Tx
Tx T ,
oo
Hey non | nonny, nonny, hey | nonny:|
, ,
, 2 , oo
And in | his grave | rained^ma|ny a tear,|
__ ___ __
, oo
Fare | you | well | my dove.|
LAERTES
Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, it could not move thus.
OPHELIA
You must sing a-down a-down, and you call him a-down-a. Oh, how the wheel
becomes it? It is the false steward that stole his master's daughter.
LAERTES
This nothing's more than matter.
OPHELIA
There's rosemary, that's for remembrance. Pray love remember: and there is
pansies, that's for thoughts.
LAERTES
A document in madness, thoughts and remembrance fitted.
OPHELIA
There's fennel for you, and columbines: there's rue for you, and here's some
for me. We may call it herb-grace of Sundays: Oh you must wear your rue with
a difference. There's a daisy, I would give you some violets, but they
withered all when my father died: they say, he made a good end;
[Sings]
,
, ___ ___
For bonny | sweet* Robin | is all | my joy.
(amphibrach)
LAERTES
, ,
, , ,
Thought and | afflic|tion, pas|sion, hell |
itself:
, , ,
, ,
She turns | to fav|or, and | to pret|tiness.
OPHELIA [Sings]
, ,
__ oo
And will he | not come a|gain,|
,
, __
oo
And will he | not come a|gain:|
, , ,
No, no,| he is dead,
, , ,
Go to | thy death^bed,
,
, __ oo
He never | will come a|gain.|
, , ,
oo
His beard | as white | as snow,|
, ,
, oo
All flax|en was | his poll:|
, ,
He is gone,| he is gone,
, ,
And we cast | away moan,
, , , oo
Gramer|cy on | his soul.|
,
, , , ___
And of | all Chris|tian souls,| I pray | God.
,
,
God be | with ye.
[Exit]
LAERTES
,
, ,
Do you | see this,|
you gods?
CLAUDIUS
, ,
, ,
,
Laert|es, I | must com|mune with | your grief,
, , , ,
,
Or you | deny | me right:| Go but^|apart,
, ,
, ,
,
Make^choice | of whom | your wis|est friends
| you will,
, ,
, ,
,
And they | shall hear | and judge | 'twixt^you | and me;
, , , ,
2 ,
If by | direct | or by | collat|eral hand
, ,
, , ,
They find | us touched,| we will | our king|dom
give,
, ,
, , ,
Our crown,| our life,| and all | that we / can
ours
, , ,
, ,
To you | in sat|isfac|tion. But | if not,
, ,
, ,
x
Be you | content | to lend | your pa|tience to
us,
, , ,
, ,
And we | shall joint|ly lab|or with / your soul
, , ,
To give | it due | content.
LAERTES
,
,
Let^this |
be so:
, ,
, , ,
His means | of death,| his ob|scure bur/ial;
, ,
, ,
,
No troph|y, sword,| nor hatch|ment ore | his
bones,
x , ,
, ,
No noble | rite, nor | formal | osten|tation,
,
, ,
x ,
Cry to | be heard,| as 'twere | from heaven | to
earth,
, ,
,
That I | must call | in ques|tion.
CLAUDIUS
,
,
So | you shall:
, 2 ,
, 2 T T T
And where | the offense | is, let the | great axe
fall.
, ,
,
I pray | you go | with me. \\
[Exeunt]