Hamlet Page #7

in my chamber...

...Lord Hamlet,

with his doublet all unbraced...

...no hat upon his head,

his stockings fouled...

...ungartered, and down-gyved

to his ankle...

...pale as his shirt,

his knees knocking each other...

...and with a look so piteous in purport...

...as if he had been loosed out of hell

to speak of horrors...

...he comes before me.

-Mad for thy love?

-My lord, I do not know.

-But truly I do fear it.

-What said he?

He took me by the wrist

and held me hard...

...then goes he to the length

of all his arm...

...and with his other hand

thus o'er his brow...

...he falls to such perusal of my face

as 'a would draw it.

Long stayed he so.

At last, a little shaking of mine arm...

...and thrice his head

thus waving up and down...

...he raised a sigh

so piteous and profound...

...that it did seem to shatter all his bulk

and end his being.

That done, he lets me go...

...and, with his head

over his shoulder turned...

...he seemed to find his way

without his eyes...

...for out o'doors he went

without their help...

...and to the last

bended their light on me.

POLONIUS:

Come.

Go with me.

I will go seek the king.

This is the very ecstasy of love,

whose violent property fordoes itself...

...and leads the will

to desperate undertakings...

...as oft as any passion under heaven

that does afflict our natures.

I am sorry.

[OPHELIA CRYING]

What, have you given him

any hard words of late?

No, my good lord,

but as you did command...

... I did repel his letters and denied

his access to me.

That hath made him mad.

I am sorry that with better heed

and judgment...

... I had not quoted him.

I feared he did but trifle

and meant to wrack thee.

But beshrew my jealousy.

By heaven, it is as proper to our age

to cast beyond ourselves in our opinions...

...as it is common for the younger sort

to lack discretion.

[OPHELIA SOBBING]

Come, go we to the king.

This must be known,

which, being kept close, might move...

...more grief to hide

than hate to utter love.

Come.

Welcome, dear Rosencrantz

and Guildenstern.

Moreover that we much did long

to see you...

...the need we have to use you did provoke

our hasty sending.

Something have you heard

of Hamlet's transformation.

So I call it...

...since not the exterior nor the inward man

resembles that it was.

What it should be...

...more than his father's death,

that hath put him...

...so much from th' understanding of himself,

I cannot dream of.

I entreat you both...

...that, being of so young days

brought up with him...

...and since so neighbored

to his youth and humor...

...that you vouchsafe your rest

here in our court...

...some little time, so by your companies

to draw him into pleasures, and to gather...

...so much as from occasion

you may glean...

...whether aught to us unknown

afflicts him thus...

...that, opened, lies within our remedy.

Good gentlemen,

he hath much talked of you...

...and sure I am, two men there is not living

to whom he more adheres.

If it will please you

to show us so much gentry and good will...

...as to expend your time with us a while

for the supply and profit of our hope...

...your visitation shall receive such thanks

as fits a king's remembrance.

Both your majesties might,

by the sovereign power you have of us...

...put your dread pleasures

more into command that to entreaty.

But we both obey,

and here give up ourselves in the full bent...

...to lay our service freely at your feet

to be commanded.

Thanks, Rosencrantz

and gentle Guildenstern.

Thanks, Guildenstern

and gentle Rosencrantz.

And I beseech you instantly to visit

my too-much changed son.

Go, bring these gentlemen

where Hamlet is.

Heavens make our presence and practices

pleasant and helpful to him.

GERTRUDE:

Ay, amen.

POLONIUS:
Th' ambassadors from

Norway, my lord, are joyfully return'd.

-Thou hast been the father of good news.

POLONIUS:
Have I , my lord?

Assure you, my good liege,

I hold my duty as I hold my soul...

...both to my God

and to my gracious king.

And I do think--

Or else this brain of mine

hunts not the trail of policy so sure...

...as it hath used to do.

--that I have found

the very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

O speak of that, that I do long to hear.

Give first admittance to th' ambassadors.

My news shall be the fruit

to that great feast.

Well, thyself do grace to them,

and bring them in.

He tells me, my dear Gertrude,

that he hath found...

...the head and source

of all your son's distemper.

I doubt it is no other but the main...

...his father's death

and our o'er-hasty marriage.

Well, we shall sift him.

CLAUDIUS:

Welcome, my good friends.

Say, Voltemand,

what from our brother Norway?

Most fair return of greetings and desires.

Upon our first, he sent out to suppress

his nephew's levies...

...which to him appeared

to be a preparation 'gainst the Polack.

But better looked into, he truly found

it was against Your Highness.

Whereat grieved

that so his sickness, age, and impotence...

...was falsely borne in hand,

sends out arrests...

...on Fortinbras, which he, in brief, obeys,

receives rebuke from Norway...

...and, in fine,

makes vow before his uncle never more...

...to give th' essay of arms

against Your Majesty.

Whereon Old Norway,

overcome with joy...

...gives him 3000 crowns in annual fee...

...and his commission

to employ those soldiers...

...so levied as before,

'gainst the Polack...

...with an entreaty herein further shown...

...that it might please you to give quiet pass

through your dominions for his enterprise...

...on such regards of safety and allowance

as therein are set down.

It likes us well.

And at our more consider'd time we'll read,

answer, and think upon this business.

Meantime we thank you

for your well-took labor.

Go to your rest.

At night we'll feast together.

Most welcome home.

This business is well ended.

My liege and madam, to expostulate

what majesty should be, what duty is...

...why day is day, night night,

and time is time...

...were nothing but to waste

night, day, and time.

Therefore, since brevity

is the soul of wit...

...and tediousness the limbs

and outward flourishes...

... I will be brief.

Your noble son is mad.

"Mad" call I it, for to define true madness,

what is't but to be nothing else but mad?

-But let that go.

-More matter with less art.

Madam, I swear I use no art at all.

That he is mad, 'tis true.

'Tis true 'tis pity, and pity 'tis 'tis true.

A foolish figure,

but farewell it, for I will use no art.

Mad let us grant him, then.

And now remains

that we find out the cause of this effect.

Or rather say "the cause of this defect,"

for this effect defective comes by cause.

Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.

Perpend.

Ophelia.

I have a daughter--

Have whilst she is mine.

--who in her duty and obedience, mark,

hath given me this.

Now gather and surmise.

"To...

...the...

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