Act 1 Scene 2
1 King Claudius Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death 2 The memory be green, and that it us befitted
3 To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom 4 To be contracted in one brow of woe,
5 Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature 6 That we with wisest sorrow think on him 7 Together with remembrance of ourselves.
8 Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, 9 Th’ imperial jointress of this warlike state, 10 Have we as ’twere with a defeated joy, 11 With one auspicious and one dropping eye, 12 With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, 13 In equal scale weighing delight and dole,
14 Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barred 15 Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone 16 With this affair along. For all, our thanks.
17 Now follows that you know young Fortinbras, 18 Holding a weak supposal of our worth,
19 Or thinking by our late dear brother’s death 20 Our state to be disjoint and out of frame, 21 Co-leaguèd with the dream of his advantage, 22 He hath not failed to pester us with message 23 Importing the surrender of those lands 24 Lost by his father, with all bonds of law, 25 To our most valiant brother. So much for him.
(Enter Valtemand and Cornelius)
26 Now for ourself, and for this time of meeting, 27 Thus much the business is: we have here writ 28 To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras—
29 Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears 30 Of this his nephew’s purpose— to suppress 31 His further gait herein, in that the levies, 32 The lists, and full proportions are all made 33 Out of his subject; and we here dispatch
34 You, good Cornelius, and you, Valtemand, 35 For bearers of this greeting to old Norway, 36 Giving to you no further personal power
37 To business with the King more than the scope 38 Of these dilated ar ticles allow.
39 Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty.
40 Valtemand In that and all things will we show our duty.
41 King Claudius We doubt it nothing, heartily farewell.
Act 2 Scene 1
1 Polonius Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.
2 Reynaldo I will, my lord.
3 Polonius You shall do marv’lous wisely, good Reynaldo, 4 Before you visit him to make enquire
5 Of his behaviour.
Reynaldo My lord, I did intend it.
6 Polonius Marry, well said, very well said. Look you, sir, 7 Enquire me first what Danskers are in Paris,
8 And how, and who, what means, and where they keep, 9 What company, at what expense; and finding
10 By this encompassment and drift of question 11 That they do know my son, come you more nearer 12 Than your particular demands will touch it.
13 Take you, as ’twere, some distant knowledge of him, 14 As thus: “I know his father and his friends,
15 And in part him”— do you mark this, Reynaldo?
16 Reynaldo Ay, very well, my lord.
17 Polonius “And in part him, but”, you may say, “not well, 18 But if ’t be he I mean, he’s very wild,
19 Addicted so and so”; and there put on him 20 What forgeries you please— marry, none so rank 21 As may dishonour him, take heed of that—
22 But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips 23 As are companions noted and most known
24 To youth and liberty.
25 Reynaldo As gaming, my lord?
26 Polonius Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing,
27 Quarrelling, drabbing— you may go so far.
28 Reynaldo My lord, that would dishonour him.
29 Polonius Faith, no, as you may season it in the charge.
30 You must not put another scandal on him, 31 That he is open to incontinency.
32 That’s not my meaning— but breathe his faults so quaintly 33 That they may seem the taints of liberty,
34 The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind, 35 A savageness in unreclaimèd blood,
36 Of general assault.
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102 Polonius Come, go with me. I will go seek the King.
103 This is the very ecstasy of love, 104 Whose violent property fordoes itself
105 And leads the will to desperate undertakings 106 As oft as any passion under heaven
107 That does afflict our natures. I am sorry—
108 What, have you given him any hard words of late?
109 Ophelia No, my good lord, but as you did command 110 I did repel his letter s and denied
111 His access to me.
Polonius That hath made him mad.
112 I am sorry that with better speed and judgement 113 I had not quoted him. I feared he did but trifle 114 And meant to wreck thee. But beshrew my jealousy!
115 By heaven, it is as proper to our age 116 To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions 117 As it is common for the younger sort
118 To lack discretion. Come, go we to the King.
119 This must be known, which, being kept close, might move 120 More grief to hide than hate to utter love.
Act 2 Scene 2
58 King Claudius Well, we shall sift him.
(Enter Polonius, Valtemand, and Cornelius)
Welcome, my good friends.
59 Say, Valtemand, what from our brother Norway?
60 Valtemand Most fair return of greetings and desires.
61 Upon our first he sent out to suppress
62 His nephew’s levies, which to him appeared 63 To be a preparation ’gainst the Polack;
64 But better looked into, he truly found
65 It was against your highness; whereat grieved 66 That so his sickness, age, and impotence 67 Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests 68 On Fortinbras, which he, in brief, obeys, 69 Receives rebuke from Norway, and, in fine, 70 Makes vow before his uncle never more
71 To give th’ essay of arms against your majesty;
72 Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy, 73 Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee 74 And his commission to employ those soldiers 75 So levied as before, against the Polack,
76 With an entreaty herein further shown, (He gives a letter to Claudius)
77 That it might please you to give quiet pass 78 Through your dominions for his enterprise 79 On such regards of safety and allowance 80 As therein are set down.
King Claudius It likes us well,
81 And at our more considered time we’
ll read,
82 Answer, and think upon this business.
83 Meantime we thank you for your well-took labour.
84 Go to your rest; at night we’ll feast together.
85 Most welcome home.
(Exeunt Valtemand and Cornelius) 86 Polonius
This business is very well ended.
87 My liege, and madam, to expostulate 88 What majesty should be, what duty is,
89 Why day is day, night night, and time is time, 90 Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.
91 Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
92 And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
93 I will be brief. Your noble son is mad—
94 “Mad” call I it, for to define true madness, 95 What is ’t but to be nothing else but mad?
96 But let that go.
Queen Ger tr ude More matter with less art.
97 Polonius Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
98 That he is mad, ’tis true; ’tis true ’tis pity, 99 And pity ’tis ’tis true— a foolish figure, 100 But farewell it, for I will use no art.
101 Mad let us grant him, then; and now remains 102 That we find out the cause of this effect—
103 Or rather say “the cause of this defect”, 104 For this effect defective comes by cause.
105 Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
106 Perpend.
107 I have a daughter— have whilst she is mine—
108 Who in her duty and obedience, mark,
109 Hath given me this. Now gather and surmise.
(He reads a letter )
110 “To the celestial and my soul’s idol, the most beautified 111 Ophelia”— that’s an ill phrase, a vile phrase, “beautified”
112 is a vile phrase. But you shall hear— “these in her 113 excellent white bosom, these”.
114 Queen Ger tr ude Came this from Hamlet to her?
115 Polonius Good madam, stay a while. I will be faithful.
116 “Doubt thou the stars are fire,
117 Doubt that the sun doth move,
118 Doubt truth to be a liar,
119 But never doubt I love.
120 O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers. I have not 121 art to reckon my groans. But that I love thee best, O 122 most best, believe it. Adieu.
123 Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this
124 machine is to him,
125 Hamlet.”
126 This in obedience hath my daughter showed me, 127 And more above hath his solicitings,
128 As they fell out by time, by means, and place,
129 All given to mine ear.
King Claudius But how hath she
130 Received his love?
Polonius What do you think of me?
131 King Claudius As of a man faithful and honourable.
132 Polonius I would fain prove so. But what might you think, 133 When I had seen this hot love on the wing, 134 As I perceived it— I must tell you that—
135 Before my daughter told me, what might you, 136 Or my dear majesty your queen here, think, 137 If I had played the desk or table-book,
138 Or given my heart a winking mute and dumb, 139 Or looked upon this love with idle sight—
140 What might you think? No, I went round to work, 141 And my young mistress thus I did bespeak:
142 “Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star.
143 This must not be”. And then I precepts gave her, 144 That she should lock herself from his resort, 145 Admit no messengers, receive no tokens;
146 Which done, she took the fruits of my advice, 147 And he, repulsèd— a short tale to make—
148 Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,
149 Thence to a watch, thence into a weakness, 150 Thence to a lightness, and, by this declension, 151 Into the madness wherein now he raves,
152 And all we wail for.
153 King Claudius (to Gertrude) Do you think ’tis this?
154 Queen Ger tr ude It may be; very likely.
155 Polonius Hath there been such a time— I’d fain know that—
156 That I have positively said “’Tis so”
157 When it proved otherwise?
King Claudius Not that I know.
Polonius (touching his head, then his shoulder) 158 Take this from this if this be otherwise.
159 If circumstances lead me I will find
160 Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed
161 Within the centre.
Act 3 Scene 4
King Claudius (to Guildenstern)
56 Follow him at foot. Tempt him with speed aboard.
57 Delay it not. I’ll have him hence tonight.
58 Away, for everything is sealed and done
59 That else leans on th’ affair. Pray you, make haste.
(Exit Guildenstern)
60 And, England, if my love thou hold’st at aught—
61 As my great power thereof may give thee sense, 62 Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red
63 After the Danish sword, and thy free awe 64 Pays homage to us— thou mayst not coldly set 65 Our sovereign process, which imports at full, 66 By letter s conjuring to that effect,
67 The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England, 68 For like the hectic in my blood he rages, 69 And thou must cure me. Till I know ’tis done, 70 Howe’er my haps, my joys were ne’er begun.
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Additional Passage H
At 3.4. line 185, Q2 has these additional lines before “This man . . .”:
1 Hamlet There’s letter s sealed, and my two schoolfellows—
2 Whom I will trust as I will adders fanged—
3 They bear the mandate, they must sweep my way 4 And marshal me to knavery. Let it work,
5 For ’tis the sport to have the engineer
6 Hoised with his own petard; and ’t shall go hard 7 But I will delve one yard below their mines 8 And blow them at the moon. O, ’tis most sweet 9 When in one line two crafts directly meet.
Act 4 Scene 6
1 Hor atio What are they that would speak with me?
2 Ser vant Sailors, sir. They say they have letter s for you.
3 Hor atio Let them come in.
(Exit Servant)
4 I do not know from what part of the world 5 I should be greeted if not from Lord Hamlet.
(Enter Sailors)
6 A Sailor God bless you, sir.
7 Horatio Let him bless thee too.
8 A Sailor A shall, sir, an ’t please him. There’s a letter for 9 you, sir. It comes from th’ ambassador that was bound 10 for England— if your name be Horatio, as I am let to
11 know it is.
12 Horatio (reads) “Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked
13 this, give these fellows some means to the King. They 14 have letter s for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, 15 a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chase.
16 Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on a compelled 17 valour, and in the grapple I boarded them. On the
18 instant they got clear of our ship, so I alone became 19 their prisoner. They have dealt with me like thieves of 20 mercy; but they knew what they did: I am to do a
21 good turn for them. Let the King have the letter s I have 22 sent, and repair thou to me with as much haste as
23 thou wouldst fly death. I have words to speak in thine 24 ear will make thee dumb, yet are they much too light 25 for the bore of the matter. These good fellows will bring 26 thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold 27 their course for England. Of them I have much to tell
28 thee. Farewell.
29 He that thou knowest thine,
30 Hamlet.”
31 Come, I will give you way for these your letter s, 32 And do ’t the speedier that you may direct me 33 To him from whom you brought them.
Act 4 Scene 7
30 King Claudius Break not your sleeps for that. You must not think 31 That we are made of stuff so flat and dull
32 That we can let our beard be shook with danger, 33 And think it pastime. You shortly shall hear more.
34 I loved your father, and we love ourself.
35 And that, I hope, will teach you to imagine—
(Enter a Messenger with letter s)
36 How now? What news?
Messenger Letter s, my lord, from Hamlet.
37 This to your majesty; this to the Queen.
38 King Claudius From Hamlet? Who brought them?
39 Messenger Sailors, my lord, they say. I saw them not.
40 They were given me by Claudio. He received them.
41 King Claudius Laertes, you shall hear them.— Leave us.
(Exit Messenger)
42 (Reads) “High and mighty, you shall know I am set
43 naked on your kingdom. Tomorrow shall I beg leave 44 to see your kingly eyes, when I shall, first asking your 45 pardon, thereunto recount th’ occasions of my sudden
46 and more strange return.
47 Hamlet.”
48 What should this mean? Are all the rest come back?
49 Or is it some abuse, and no such thing?
50 Laer tes Know you the hand?
King Claudius ’Tis Hamlet’s character.
51 “Naked”— and in a postscript here he says 52 “Alone”. Can you advise me?
53 Laer tes I’m lost in it, my lord. But let him come.
54 It warms the very sickness in my heart 55 That I shall live and tell him to his teeth,
56 “Thus diddest thou”.
King Claudius If it be so, Laertes—
57 As how should it be so, how otherwise?—
58 Will you be ruled by me?
Act 5 Scene 2
1 Hamlet So much for this, sir. Now, let me see, the other.
2 You do remember all the circumstance?
3 Hor atio Remember it, my lord!
4 Hamlet Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting 5 That would not let me sleep. Methought I lay 6 Worse than the mutines in the bilboes. Rashly—
7 And praised be rashness for it: let us know 8 Our indiscretion sometime serves us well
9 When our dear plots do pall, and that should teach us 10 There’s a divinity that shapes our ends,
11 Rough-hew them how we will—
12 Hor atio That is most certain.
13 Hamlet Up from my cabin,
14 My sea-gown scarfed about me in the dark, 15 Groped I to find out them, had my desire, 16 Fingered their packet, and in fine withdrew 17 To mine own room again, making so bold, 18 My fears forgetting manners, to unseal
19 Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio—
20 O royal knavery!— an exact command, 21 Larded with many several sorts of reasons
22 Importing Denmark’s health, and England’s, too, 23 With ho! such bugs and goblins in my life,
24 That on the supervise, no leisure bated, 25 No, not to stay the grinding of the axe, 26 My head should be struck off.
Hor atio Is ’t possible?
Hamlet (giving it to him)
27 Here’s the commission. Read it at more leisure.
28 But wilt thou hear me how I did proceed?
29 Hor atio I beseech you.
30 Hamlet Being thus benetted round with villainies—
31 Ere I could make a prologue to my brains, 32 They had begun the play— I sat me down, 33 Devised a new commission, wrote it fair.
34 I once did hold it, as our statists do,
35 A baseness to write fair, and laboured much
36 How to forget that learning; but, sir, now 37 It did me yeoman’s service. Wilt thou know 38 Th’ effect of what I wrote?
Hor atio Ay, good my lord.
39 Hamlet An earnest conjuration from the King, 40 As England was his faithful tributary,
41 As love between them like the palm should flourish, 42 As peace should still her wheaten garland wear 43 And stand a comma ’tween their amities, 44 And many such like “as”es of great charge, 45 That on the view and know of these contents, 46 Without debatement further more or less, 47 He should the bearers put to sudden death, 48 Not shriving-time allowed.
Hor atio How was this sealed?
49 Hamlet Why, even in that was heaven ordinant.
50 I had my father’s signet in my purse, 51 Which was the model of that Danish seal;
52 Folded the writ up in the form of th’ other,
53 Subscribed it, gave ’t th’ impression, placed it safely, 54 The changeling never known. Now the next day 55 Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent
56 Thou know’st already.
57 Hor atio So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to ’t.
58 Hamlet Why, man, they did make love to this employment.
59 They are not near my conscience. Their defeat 60 Doth by their own insinuation grow.
61 ’Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes 62 Between the pass and fell incensèd points
63 Of mighty opposites.