The Complete Hamlet

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Contents

Act One.........................1Act Two.........................45Act Three.......................85Act Four........................138Act Five........................176Works Cited.....................219

Chapter One

SCENE I. Elsinore. A platform before the castle. FRANCISCO at his post. Enter to him BERNARDO

BERNARDO 1 Who's there?

FRANCISCO 2 Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.

"You answer me. Francisco is on watch; Bernardo has come to relieve him." Unfold yourself: make known who you are" (Riverside, 1,189). "A password" (Cambridge, 1,047)

BERNARDO 3 Long live the king!

"Perhaps a password, perhaps simply ... to allow the voice to be recognized" (Cambridge, 1,047)

FRANCISCO 4 Bernardo?

BERNARDO 5 He.

FRANCISCO 6 You come most carefully upon your hour.

Why don't you ever come early? You're always late.

BERNARDO 7 'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.

FRANCISCO 8 For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold, 9 And I am sick at heart.

BERNARDO 10 Have you had quiet guard?

FRANCISCO 11 Not a mouse stirring.

A cliché today but not when Shakespeare wrote it.

BERNARDO 12 Well, good night. 13 If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, 14 The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.

Rivals: sharers or partners

FRANCISCO 15 I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who's there?

Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS

HORATIO 16 Friends to this ground.

MARCELLUS 17 And liegemen to the Dane.

"Loyal subjects to the King of Denmark" (Riverside, 1,189)

FRANCISCO 18 Give you good night.

Give: "God give" (Riverside, 1,189)

MARCELLUS 19 O, farewell, honest soldier: 20 Who hath relieved you?

FRANCISCO 21 Bernardo has my place. 22 Give you good night.

Exit

MARCELLUS 23 Holla! Bernardo!

BERNARDO 24 Say, 25 What, is Horatio there?

HORATIO 26 A piece of him.

A joke as Horatio doesn't want to be there.

BERNARDO 27 Welcome, Horatio: welcome, good Marcellus.

MARCELLUS 28 What, has this thing appear'd again to-night?

BERNARDO 29 I have seen nothing.

MARCELLUS 30 Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy,

Fantasy: "fancy" (Wright, 2)

31 And will not let belief take hold of him 32 Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us: 33 Therefore I have entreated him along 34 With us to watch the minutes of this night; 35 That if again this apparition come, 36 He may approve our eyes and speak to it.

Approve: "corroborate" (Riverside, 1,189)

HORATIO 37 Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.

BERNARDO 38 Sit down awhile; 39 And let us once again assail your ears, 40 That are so fortified against our story 41 What we have two nights seen.

HORATIO 42 Well, sit we down, 43 And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.

BERNARDO 44 Last night of all, 45 When yond same star that's westward from the pole

Pole: "pole star" (Riverside, 1,190)

46 Had made his course to illume that part of heaven

His: "its ... neuter possessive singular in Shakespeare's day" (Riverside, 1,190)

47 Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself, 48 The bell then beating one,—

Enter Ghost

"The Ghost is a spirit that can take on any shape for any purpose" (Asimov, 82)

MARCELLUS 49 Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!

Quiet; hush!

BERNARDO 50 In the same figure, like the king that's dead.

Like: "In the likeness of" (Riverside, 1,190)

MARCELLUS 51 Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio.

Scholar: "One had to address spirits in Latin" (Riverside, 1,048)

BERNARDO 52 Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio.

HORATIO 53 Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder.

BERNARDO 54 It would be spoke to.

"A ghost had to be spoken to before it could speak" (Riverside, 1,190)

MARCELLUS 55 Question it, Horatio.

HORATIO 56 What art thou that usurp'st this time of night,

Usurp'st: "To take without right" (Asimov, 82)

57 Together with that fair and warlike form 58 In which the majesty of buried Denmark 59 Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak!

MARCELLUS 60 It is offended.

BERNARDO 61 See, it stalks away!

HORATIO 62 Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!

Exit Ghost

MARCELLUS 63 'Tis gone, and will not answer.

BERNARDO 64 How now, Horatio! you tremble and look pale: 65 Is not this something more than fantasy? 66 What think you on't?

On't: "of it" (Wright, 3)

HORATIO 67 Before my God, I might not this believe 68 Without the sensible and true avouch

Sensible: "of the senses" (Cambridge, 1,048)

69 Of mine own eyes.

MARCELLUS 70 Is it not like the king?

HORATIO 71 As thou art to thyself: 72 Such was the very armour he had on 73 When he the ambitious Norway combated;

Norway: "King of Norway" (Barnet, 6)

74 So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle,

Parle: "Parley" (Barnet, 6)

75 He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.

Sledded Polacks: "Poles in sledges" (Barnet, 6)

76 'Tis strange.

MARCELLUS 77 Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour,

Jump: "just" (Barnet, 6)

78 With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.

HORATIO 79 In what particular thought to work I know not; 80 But in the gross and scope of my opinion,

Gross and scope: "general drift" (Barnet, 6)

81 This bodes some strange eruption to our state.

MARCELLUS 82 Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows, 83 Why this same strict and most observant watch 84 So nightly toils the subject of the land,

Toils the subject: "makes the subject toil" (Barnet, 6)

85 And why such daily cast of brazen cannon, 86 And foreign mart for implements of war;

Foreign mart: "trade abroad" (Wright, 4)

87 Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task

Impress: "conscription" (Wright, 4)

88 Does not divide the Sunday from the week;

They don't get Sunday off

89 What might be toward, that this sweaty haste

Toward: "in preparation" (Barnet, 7)

90 Doth make the night joint-labourer with the day: 91 Who is't that can inform me?

HORATIO 92 That can I; 93 At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king, 94 Whose image even but now appear'd to us, 95 Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,

Fortinbras: A French name which means "strong-in-arm" (Asimov, 84)

96 Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride,

Emulate: "Envious" (Wright, 4)

97 Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet— 98 For so this side of our known world esteem'd him— 99 Did slay this Fortinbras; who by a seal'd compact, 100 Well ratified by law and heraldry,

Law and heraldry: "heraldic law (governing the combat)" (Barnet, 7)

101 Did forfeit, with his life, all those his land 102 Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror:

Stood seized of: "Owned" (Wright, 4)

103 Against the which, a moiety competent

A moiety competent: "equal share"(Cambridge, 1,048)

104 Was gaged by our king; which had return'd

Gaged: "Pledged" (Wright, 4)

105 To the inheritance of Fortinbras, 106 Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same covenant, 107 And carriage of the article design'd,

"Import of the agreement drawn up" (Barnet, 7)

108 His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras, 109 Of unimproved mettle hot and full,

Unimproved: "untried (Barnet, 7); Mettle: "courage" (Wright, 5)

110 Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there

Skirts: "borders" (Barnet, 7)

111 Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes,

Shark'd up a list: "gathered voraciously, enlisted" (Wright, 5)

Resolutes: "Adventurers, desperadoes" Wright, 5)

112 For food and diet, to some enterprise

For food and diet: "As cannon fodder" (Wright, 5)

113 That hath a stomach in't; which is no other—

Hath a stomach in't: "requires courage" (Wright, 5)

114 As it doth well appear unto our state— 115 But to recover of us, by strong hand 116 And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands

Compulsatory: compelling

117 So by his father lost: and this, I take it, 118 Is the main motive of our preparations, 119 The source of this our watch and the chief head

Head: "Source" (Wright, 5)

120 Of this post-haste and romage in the land.

Post-haste: "Speedy delivery"; romage: "bustle, commotion" (Wright, 5)

BERNARDO 121 I think it be no other but e'en so: 122 Well may it sort that this portentous figure

Sort: "befit" (Barnet, 8)

123 Comes armed through our watch; so like the king 124 That was and is the question of these wars.

HORATIO 125 A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye. 126 In the most high and palmy state of Rome, 127 A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, 128 The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead 129 Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets:

"A reference to the legends that arose concerning the night before the assassination of Julius Caesar" (Asimov, 85)

130 As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood,

Stars with trains of fire: "meteors" (Wright, 5)

131 Disasters in the sun; and the moist star

Disasters: "threatening signs" (Barnet, 8);

Moist star: "the moon" (Wright, 5)

132 Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands

Neptune: "Ancient Italian god of the sea" (Wright, 5)

133 Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse:

Sick almost to doomsday with eclipse: "a reference to the Biblical promise of a lightless moon on the Day of Judgment (Matthew 14:29)" (Wright, 6)

134 And even the like precurse of fierce events,

Precurse: "precursor, foreshadowing" (Barnet, 8)

135 As harbingers preceding still the fates

Harbinger: "was a servant or officer who preceded his superiors to arrange for accommodations" (Wright, 6)

The fates: "Personified in classical mythology as three women" (Wright, 6)

136 And prologue to the omen coming on,

Omen: "calamity" (Barnet, 8)

137 Have heaven and earth together demonstrated 138 Unto our climatures and countrymen.—

Climatures: "regions" (Barnet, 8)

139 But soft, behold! lo, where it comes again!

Re-enter Ghost

140 I'll cross it, though it blast me. Stay, illusion!

Cross it: "Cross has a double meaning here, `intercept' and `make the sign of the cross to avert evil'" (Wright, 6)

141 If thou hast any sound, or use of voice, 142 Speak to me: 143 If there be any good thing to be done, 144 That may to thee do ease and grace to me, 145 Speak to me:

Cock crows

146 If thou art privy to thy country's fate,

Privy to: aware of

147 Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, O, speak!

Happily: "haply, perhaps" (Barnet, 8)

148 Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life 149 Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,

Extorted: "Ill-won" (Barnet, 9)

150 For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, 151 Speak of it: stay, and speak! Stop it, Marcellus.

MARCELLUS

152 Shall I strike at it with my partisan?

Partisan: "Long-handled weapon, like a pike" (Wright, 6)

HORATIO 153 Do, if it will not stand.

BERNARDO 154 Tis here!

HORATIO 155 'Tis here!

MARCELLUS 156 'Tis gone!

Exit Ghost

157 We do it wrong, being so majestical, 158 To offer it the show of violence; 159 For it is, as the air, invulnerable, 160 And our vain blows malicious mockery.

BERNARDO 161 It was about to speak, when the cock crew.

HORATIO 162 And then it started like a guilty thing 163 Upon a fearful summons. I have heard,

I have heard: "Horatio is the epitome of rationality" (Asimov, 86)

164 The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,

Trumpet: "trumpeter" (Cambridge, 1,049)

165 Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat 166 Awake the god of day; and, at his warning, 167 Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, 168 The extravagant and erring spirit hies

Extravagant and erring: "out of bounds and wandering" (Barnet, 6)

169 To his confine: and of the truth herein 170 This present object made probation.

Probation: "proof" (Barnet, 9)

MARCELLUS

171 It faded on the crowing of the cock. 172 Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes

'Gainst: "Just before" (Wright, 7)

173 Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, 174 The bird of dawning singeth all night long: 175 And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad; 176 The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,

Strike: "exert an evil influence" (Barnet, 9)

177 No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,

Takes: "bewitches" (Wright, 7)

178 So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.

HORATIO 179 So have I heard and do in part believe it. 180 But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad, 181 Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill: 182 Break we our watch up; and by my advice, 183 Let us impart what we have seen to-night 184 Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life, 185 This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.

Foreshadowing as the ghost will talk to Hamlet

186 Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it, 187 As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?

MARCELLUS 188 Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning know 189 Where we shall find him most conveniently.

Exeunt

SCENE II. A room of state in the castle. Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, Lords, and Attendants

KING CLAUDIUS 1 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,

Sometime: "erstwhile, former" (Wright, 8)

9 The imperial jointress to this warlike state,

Jointress: "A widow who has inherited property rights, provided in a `jointure,' to be shared" (Wright, 8)

10 Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy,—

Defeated: "Overcome" (Wright, 8)

11 With an auspicious and a dropping eye,

Auspicious: "Joyful" (Barnet, 10)

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 barr'd 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,

Frame: "order" (Barnet, 11)

21 Colleagued with the dream of his advantage,

Colleagued: "joined" (Cambridge, 1,050);

Advantage: "superiority" (Barnet, 11)

22 He hath not fail'd to pester us with message,

Pester ... message: "trouble me with persistent messages (the original sense of pester is `overcrowd'" (Riverside, 1,192)

23 Importing the surrender of those lands

Importing: "having as import" (Riverside, 1,192)

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Complete Hamlet by Donald J. Richardson Copyright © 2012 by Donald J. Richardson. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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