No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -1- Original Text Modern Text Act 1, Scene 1 Enter BARNARDO and FRANCISCO, two sentinels BARNARDO and FRANCISCO, two watchmen, enter. BARNARDO BARNARDO Who’s there? Who’s there? FRANCISCO FRANCISCO Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself. No, who are you? Stop and identify yourself. BARNARDO BARNARDO Long live the king! Long live the king! FRANCISCO FRANCISCO Barnardo? Is that Barnardo? BARNARDO BARNARDO He. Yes, it’s me. FRANCISCO FRANCISCO You come most carefully upon your hour. You’ve come right on time. BARNARDO BARNARDO 5 'Tis now struck twelve. Get thee to bed, Francisco. The clock’s just striking twelve. Go home to bed, Francisco. FRANCISCO FRANCISCO For this relief much thanks. 'Tis bitter cold, Thanks for letting me go. It’s bitterly cold out, and And I am sick at heart. I’m depressed. BARNARDO BARNARDO Have you had quiet guard? Has it been a quiet night? FRANCISCO FRANCISCO Not a mouse stirring. I haven’t even heard a mouse squeak. BARNARDO BARNARDO Well, good night. Well, good night. If you happen to see Horatio If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, and Marcellus, who are supposed to stand guard 10 The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. with me tonight, tell them to hurry. FRANCISCO FRANCISCO I think I hear them.—Stand, ho! Who’s there? I think I hear them. —Stop! Who’s there? Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS MARCELLUS and HORATIO enter. Act 1, Scene 1, Page 2 HORATIO HORATIO Friends to this ground. Friends of this country. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS And liegemen to the Dane. And servants of the Danish king. FRANCISCO FRANCISCO Give you good night. Good night to you both. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS O, farewell, honest soldier. Who hath relieved you? Good-bye. Who’s taken over the watch for you? FRANCISCO FRANCISCO Barnardo has my place. Give you good night. Barnardo’s taken my place. Good night. Exit FRANCISCO FRANCISCO exits. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS 15 Holla, Barnardo. Hello, Barnardo. BARNARDO BARNARDO Say what, is Horatio there? Hello. Is Horatio here too? No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -2- Original Text Modern Text HORATIO HORATIO A piece of him. More or less. BARNARDO BARNARDO Welcome, Horatio.—Welcome, good Marcellus. Welcome, Horatio. Welcome, Marcellus. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS What, has this thing appeared again tonight? So, tell us, did you see that thing again tonight? BARNARDO BARNARDO 20 I have seen nothing. I haven’t seen anything. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Horatio says ’tis but our fantasy Horatio says we’re imagining it, and won’t let And will not let belief take hold of him himself believe anything about this horrible thing Touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us. that we’ve seen twice now. That’s why I’ve Therefore I have entreated him along begged him to come on our shift tonight, so that if 25 With us to watch the minutes of this night, the ghost appears he can see what we see and That if again this apparition come speak to it. He may approve our eyes and speak to it. HORATIO HORATIO Tush, tush, ’twill not appear. Oh, nonsense. It’s not going to appear. Act 1, Scene 1, Page 3 BARNARDO BARNARDO Sit down a while Sit down for a while, and we’ll tell you again the And let us once again assail your ears, story you don’t want to believe, about what we’ve 30 That are so fortified against our story, seen two nights now. What we have two nights seen. HORATIO HORATIO Well, sit we down, Well, let’s sit down and listen to Barnardo tell us. And let us hear Barnardo speak of this. BARNARDO BARNARDO Last night of all, Last night, when that star to the west of the North When yond same star that’s westward from the pole Star had traveled across the night sky to that 35 Had made his course t' illume that part of heaven point where it’s shining now, at one o'clock, Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself, Marcellus and I— The bell then beating one— Enter GHOST The GHOST enters. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Peace, break thee off. Look where it comes again! Quiet, shut up! It’s come again. BARNARDO BARNARDO In the same figure like the king that’s dead. Looking just like the dead king. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS 40 (to HORATIO) Thou art a scholar. Speak to it, (to HORATIO) You’re well-educated, Horatio. Say Horatio. something to it. BARNARDO BARNARDO Looks it not like the king? Mark it, Horatio. Doesn’t he look like the king, Horatio? HORATIO HORATIO Most like. It harrows me with fear and wonder. Very much so. It’s terrifying. BARNARDO BARNARDO It would be spoke to. It wants us to speak to it. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Question it, Horatio. Ask it something, Horatio. No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -3- Original Text Modern Text HORATIO HORATIO What art thou that usurp’st this time of night What are you, that you walk out so late at night, 45 Together with that fair and warlike form looking like the dead king of Denmark when he In which the majesty of buried Denmark dressed for battle? By God, I order you to speak. Did sometimes march? By heaven, I charge thee, speak. Act 1, Scene 1, Page 4 MARCELLUS MARCELLUS It is offended. It looks like you’ve offended it. BARNARDO BARNARDO See, it stalks away. Look, it’s going away. HORATIO HORATIO Stay! Speak, speak! I charge thee, speak! Stay! Speak! Speak! I order you, speak! Exit GHOST The GHOST exits. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS 50 'Tis gone and will not answer. It’s gone. It won’t answer now. BARNARDO BARNARDO How now, Horatio? You tremble and look pale. What’s going on, Horatio? You’re pale and Is not this something more than fantasy? trembling. You agree now that we’re not What think you on ’t? imagining this, don’t you? What do you think about it? HORATIO HORATIO Before my God, I might not this believe I swear to God, if I hadn’t seen this with my own 55 Without the sensible and true avouch eyes I’d never believe it. Of mine own eyes. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Is it not like the king? Doesn’t it look like the king? HORATIO HORATIO As thou art to thyself. Yes, as much as you look like yourself. The king Such was the very armour he had on was wearing exactly this armor when he fought 60 When he the ambitious Norway combated. the king of Norway. And the ghost frowned just So frowned he once when, in an angry parle, like the king did once when he attacked the He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice. Poles, traveling on the ice in sleds. It’s weird. 'Tis strange. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour, It’s happened like this twice before, always at this 65 With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch. exact time. He stalks by us at our post like a warrior. HORATIO HORATIO In what particular thought to work I know not, I don’t know exactly how to explain this, but I But in the gross and scope of mine opinion have a general feeling this means bad news for This bodes some strange eruption to our state. our country. Act 1, Scene 1, Page 5 MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Good now, sit down and tell me, he that knows, All right, let’s sit down and discuss that question. 70 Why this same strict and most observant watch Somebody tell me why this strict schedule of So nightly toils the subject of the land, guards has been imposed, and why so many And why such daily cast of brazen cannon bronze cannons are being manufactured in And foreign mart for implements of war, Denmark, and so many weapons bought from No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -4- Original Text Modern Text Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task abroad, and why the shipbuilders are so busy 75 Does not divide the Sunday from the week. they don’t even rest on Sunday. Is something What might be toward, that this sweaty haste about to happen that warrants working this night Doth make the night joint laborer with the day? and day? Who can explain this to me? Who is ’t that can inform me? HORATIO HORATIO That can I. I can. Or at least I can describe the rumors. As At least, the whisper goes so: our last king, you know, our late king, whom we just now saw 80 Whose image even but now appeared to us, as a ghost, was the great rival of Fortinbras, king Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway, of Norway. Fortinbras dared him to battle. In that Thereto pricked on by a most emulate pride, fight, our courageous Hamlet (or at least that’s Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet how we thought of him) killed old King (For so this side of our known world esteemed him) Fortinbras, who—on the basis of a valid legal 85 Did slay this Fortinbras, who by a sealed compact document—surrendered all his territories, along Well ratified by law and heraldry, with his life, to his conqueror. If our king had lost, Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands he would have had to do the same. But now old Which he stood seized of to the conqueror, Fortinbras’s young son, also called Fortinbras— Against the which a moiety competent he is bold, but unproven—has gathered a bunch 90 Was gagèd by our king, which had returned of thugs from the lawless outskirts of the country. To the inheritance of Fortinbras For some food, they’re eager to take on the Had he been vanquisher, as, by the same covenant tough enterprise of securing the lands the elder And carriage of the article designed, Fortinbras lost. His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras, 95 Of unimprovèd mettle hot and full, Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes, For food and diet, to some enterprise That hath a stomach in ’t, which is no other— 100 As it doth well appear unto our state— But to recover of us, by strong hand Act 1, Scene 1, Page 6 And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands As far as I understand, that’s why we’re posted So by his father lost. And this, I take it, here tonight and why there’s such a commotion Is the main motive of our preparations, in Denmark lately. 105 The source of this our watch, and the chief head Of this posthaste and rummage in the land. BARNARDO BARNARDO I think it be no other but e'en so. I think that’s exactly right—that explains why the Well may it sort that this portentous figure ghost of the late king would haunt us now, since Comes armèd through our watch so like the king he caused these wars. 110 That was and is the question of these wars. HORATIO HORATIO A mote it is to trouble the mind’s eye. The ghost is definitely something to worry about. In the most high and palmy state of Rome, In the high and mighty Roman Empire, just A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, before the emperor Julius Caesar was The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead assassinated, corpses rose out of their graves 115 Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets and ran through the streets of Rome speaking As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, gibberish. There were shooting stars, and blood Disasters in the sun, and the moist star mixed in with the morning dew, and threatening Upon whose influence Neptune’s empire stands signs on the face of the sun. The moon, which Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse. controls the tides of the sea, was so eclipsed it 120 And even the like precurse of feared events, almost went completely out. And we’ve had As harbingers preceding still the fates similar omens of terrible things to come, as if No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -5- Original Text Modern Text And prologue to the omen coming on, heaven and earth have joined together to warn Have heaven and earth together demonstrated us what’s going to happen. Unto our climatures and countrymen. Enter GHOST The GHOST enters. 125 But soft, behold! Lo, where it comes again. Wait, look! It has come again. I’ll meet it if it’s the I’ll cross it though it blast me.—Stay, illusion! last thing I do. —Stay here, you hallucination! GHOST spreads his arms The GHOST spreads his arms. If thou hast any sound or use of voice, If you have a voice or can make sounds, speak Speak to me. to me. Act 1, Scene 1, Page 7 If there be any good thing to be done If there’s any good deed I can do that will bring 130 That may to thee do ease and grace to me, you peace and me honor, speak to me. If you Speak to me. have some secret knowledge of your country’s If thou art privy to thy country’s fate, sad fate—which might be avoided if we knew Which happily foreknowing may avoid, about it—then, please, speak. Or if you’ve got Oh, speak! some buried treasure somewhere, which they 135 Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life say often makes ghosts restless, then tell us Extorted treasure in the womb of earth, about it. Stay and speak! For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, Speak of it. Stay and speak! The cock crows A rooster crows. —Stop it, Marcellus. Keep it from leaving, Marcellus. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Shall I strike at it with my partisan? Should I strike it with my spear? HORATIO HORATIO 140 Do, if it will not stand. Yes, if it doesn’t stand still. BARNARDO BARNARDO 'Tis here. It’s over here. HORATIO HORATIO 'Tis here. There it is. Exit GHOST The GHOST exits. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS 'Tis gone. It’s gone. We were wrong to threaten it with We do it wrong, being so majestical, violence, since it looks so much like a king. To offer it the show of violence, Besides, we can’t hurt it anymore than we can For it is, as the air, invulnerable, hurt the air. Our attack was stupid, futile, and 145 And our vain blows malicious mockery. wicked. BARNARDO BARNARDO It was about to speak when the cock crew. It was about to say something when the rooster crowed. Act 1, Scene 1, Page 8 HORATIO HORATIO And then it started like a guilty thing And then it acted startled, like a guilty person Upon a fearful summons. I have heard caught by the law. I’ve heard that the rooster The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, awakens the god of day with its trumpetlike 150 Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat crowing, and makes all wandering ghosts, Awake the god of day, and, at his warning, wherever they are, hurry back to their hiding Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, places. We’ve just seen proof of that. No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -6- Original Text Modern Text Th' extravagant and erring spirit hies To his confine, and of the truth herein 155 This present object made probation. MARCELLUS MARCELLUS It faded on the crowing of the cock. Yes, it faded away when the rooster crowed. Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes Some people say that just before Christmas the Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated, rooster crows all night long, so that no ghost The bird of dawning singeth all night long. dares go wandering, and the night is safe. The 160 And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad. planets have no sway over us, fairies' spells The nights are wholesome. Then no planets strike, don’t work, and witches can’t bewitch us. That’s No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, how holy that night is. So hallowed and so gracious is that time. HORATIO HORATIO So have I heard and do in part believe it. Yes, I’ve heard the same thing and sort of 165 But look, the morn, in russet mantle clad, believe it. But look, morning is breaking beyond Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill. that hill in the east, turning the sky red. Let’s Break we our watch up, and by my advice, interrupt our watch and go tell young Hamlet Let us impart what we have seen tonight what we’ve seen tonight. I’m sure this ghost Unto young Hamlet, for, upon my life, that’s so silent with us will speak to him. Don’t 170 This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him. you agree that we owe it to him to tell him about Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it, this, out of duty and love? As needful in our loves, fitting our duty? MARCELLUS MARCELLUS Let’s do ’t, I pray, and I this morning know Let’s do it. I know where we’ll find him this Where we shall find him most conveniently. morning. Exeunt They exit. Act 1, Scene 2 Enter CLAUDIUS, king of Denmark; GERTRUDEthe CLAUDIUS, the king of Denmark, enters, along queen; HAMLET; POLONIUS; his sonLAERTES; with GERTRUDE the and his daughter OPHELIA; LORDSattendant queen, HAMLET,POLONIUS, POLONIUS ’s son LAERTES and daughter OPHELIA, and LORDS who wait on the king. CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s death Although I still have fresh memories of my brother The memory be green, and that it us befitted the elder Hamlet’s death, and though it was To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom proper to mourn him throughout our kingdom, life To be contracted in one brow of woe, still goes on—I think it’s wise to mourn him while 5 Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature also thinking about my own well being. Therefore, That we with wisest sorrow think on him I’ve married my former sister-in-law, the queen, Together with remembrance of ourselves. with mixed feelings of happiness and sadness. I Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, know that in marrying Gertrude I’m only doing Th' imperial jointress to this warlike state, what all of you have wisely advised all along—for 10 Have we—as ’twere with a defeated joy, which I thank you. Now, down to business. You With an auspicious and a dropping eye, all know what’s happening. Young Fortinbras, With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, underestimating my strength or imagining that the In equal scale weighing delight and dole— death of the king has thrown my country into Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barred turmoil, dreams of getting the better of me, and 15 Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone never stops pestering me with demands that I With this affair along. For all, our thanks. surrender the territory his father lost to the elder Now follows that you know. Young Fortinbras, Hamlet, my dead brother-in-law. So much for Holding a weak supposal of our worth Fortinbras. Or thinking by our late dear brother’s death No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -7- Original Text Modern Text 20 Our state to be disjoint and out of frame, Colleaguèd with the dream of his advantage, He hath not failed to pester us with message Importing the surrender of those lands Lost by his father, with all bonds of law, 25 To our most valiant brother. So much for him. Enter VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS enter. Now for ourself and for this time of meeting Now, here’s what needs to be done. Act 1, Scene 2, Page 2 Thus much the business is: we have here writ I’ve written to Fortinbras’s uncle, the present To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras— head of Norway, an old bedridden man who Who, impotent and bedrid, scarcely hears knows next to nothing about his nephew’s plans. 30 Of this his nephew’s purpose—to suppress I’ve told the uncle to stop those plans, which he His further gait herein, in that the levies, has the power to do, since all the troops The lists, and full proportions are all made assembled by young Fortinbras are Norwegian, Out of his subject; and we here dispatch and thus under the uncle’s control. I’m giving the You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltemand, job of delivering this letter to you, good Cornelius, 35 For bearers of this greeting to old Norway, and you, Voltemand. Your business in Norway Giving to you no further personal power will be limited to this task. (he gives them a To business with the king more than the scope paper) Now good-bye. Show your loyalty by Of these dilated articles allow. (gives them a paper) leaving quickly, rather than with elaborate Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty. speeches. CORNELIUS, VOLTEMAND CORNELIUS, VOLTEMAND 40 In that and all things will we show our duty. We’ll do our duty to you in that and everything else. CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS We doubt it nothing. Heartily farewell. I have no doubt you will. Good-bye. Exeunt VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS CORNELIUS and VOLTEMAND exit. And now, Laertes, what’s the news with you? And now, Laertes, what do you have to tell me? You told us of some suit. What is ’t, Laertes? You have a favor you to ask of me. What is it, You cannot speak of reason to the Dane Laertes? You’ll never waste your words when 45 And lose your voice. What wouldst thou beg, Laertes, talking to the king of Denmark. What could you That shall not be my offer, not thy asking? ever ask for that I wouldn’t give you? Your father The head is not more native to the heart, and the Danish throne are as close as the mind The hand more instrumental to the mouth, and the heart, or the hand and the mouth. What Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father. would you like, Laertes? 50 What wouldst thou have, Laertes? LAERTES LAERTES My dread lord, My lord, I want your permission to go back to Your leave and favor to return to France, France, which I left to come to Denmark for your From whence though willingly I came to Denmark coronation. I confess, my thoughts are on France, To show my duty in your coronation, now that my duty is done. Please, let me go. Yet now, I must confess, that duty done, 55 My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon. Act 1, Scene 2, Page 3 CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS Have you your father’s leave? What says Polonius? Do you have your father’s permission? What does Polonius say? No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -8- Original Text Modern Text POLONIUS POLONIUS He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave My son has worn me down by asking me so By laborsome petition, and at last many times. In the end I grudgingly consented. I 60 Upon his will I sealed my hard consent. beg you, let him go. I do beseech you, give him leave to go. CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine, In that case, leave when you like, Laertes, and And thy best graces spend it at thy will.— spend your time however you wish. I hereby grant But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son— your request, and hope you have a good time. And now, Hamlet, my nephew and my son— HAMLET HAMLET 65 (aside) A little more than kin and less than kind. (speaking so no one else can hear) Too many family ties there for me. CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS How is it that the clouds still hang on you? Why are you still so gloomy, with a cloud hanging over you? HAMLET HAMLET Not so, my lord. I am too much i' the sun. It’s not true, sir. Your son is out in the sun. GERTRUDE GERTRUDE Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off, My dear Hamlet, stop wearing these black And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. clothes, and be friendly to the king. You can’t 70 Do not forever with thy vailèd lids spend your whole life with your eyes to the Seek for thy noble father in the dust. ground remembering your noble father. It Thou know’st ’tis common. All that lives must die, happens all the time, what lives must die Passing through nature to eternity. eventually, passing to eternity. HAMLET HAMLET Ay, madam, it is common. Yes, mother, it happens all the time. GERTRUDE GERTRUDE If it be, So why does it seem so particular to you? 75 Why seems it so particular with thee? Act 1, Scene 2, Page 4 HAMLET HAMLET “Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.” “Seem,” mother? No, it is. I don’t know what you 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, mean by “seem.” Neither my black clothes, my Nor customary suits of solemn black, dear mother, nor my heavy sighs, nor my Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, weeping, nor my downcast eyes, nor any other 80 No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, display of grief can show what I really feel. It’s Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, true that all these things “seem” like grief, since a Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, person could use them to fake grief if he wanted That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem,” to. But I’ve got more real grief inside me that you For they are actions that a man might play. could ever see on the surface. These clothes are 85 But I have that within which passeth show, just a hint of it. These but the trappings and the suits of woe. CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS 'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet, Hamlet, you are so sweet and such a good son To give these mourning duties to your father. to mourn your father like this. But you have to But you must know your father lost a father, remember, that your father lost his father, who 90 That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound lost his father before him, and every time, each In filial obligation for some term son has had to mourn his father for a certain To do obsequious sorrow. But to persever period. But overdoing it is just stubborn. It’s not In obstinate condolement is a course manly. It’s not what God wants, and it betrays a No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -9- Original Text Modern Text Of impious stubbornness. 'Tis unmanly grief. vulnerable heart and an ignorant and weak mind. 95 It shows a will most incorrect to heaven, Since we know that everyone must die sooner or A heart unfortified, a mind impatient, later, why should we take it to heart? You’re An understanding simple and unschooled. committing a crime against heaven, against the For what we know must be and is as common dead, and against nature. And it’s irration-al, As any the most vulgar thing to sense, since the truth is that all fathers must die. Please 100 Why should we in our peevish opposition give up this useless mourning of yours and start Take it to heart? Fie! 'Tis a fault to heaven, thinking of me as your new father. A fault against the dead, a fault to nature, To reason most absurd, whose common theme Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried, 105 From the first corse till he that died today, “This must be so.” We pray you, throw to earth This unprevailing woe, and think of us As of a father. For let the world take note, You are the most immediate to our throne, Act 1, Scene 2, Page 5 110 And with no less nobility of love Because everyone knows that you are the man Than that which dearest father bears his son closest to this throne, and I love you just as much Do I impart toward you. For your intent as any father loves his son. And your plans for In going back to school in Wittenberg, going back to Wittenberg are not what I want. I’m It is most retrograde to our desire. asking you now to stay here in my company as 115 And we beseech you, bend you to remain the number-one member of my court, my Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye, nephew and now my son too. Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son. GERTRUDE GERTRUDE Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. Please answer my prayers, Hamlet, and stay I pray thee, stay with us. Go not to Wittenberg. with us. Don’t go back to Wittenberg. HAMLET HAMLET 120 I shall in all my best obey you, madam. I’ll obey you as well as I can, ma'am. CLAUDIUS CLAUDIUS Why, ’tis a loving and a fair reply. That’s the right answer—it shows your love. Stay Be as ourself in Denmark.—Madam, come. in Denmark like us.—My dear wife, come. This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet Hamlet’s agreeing to stay makes me happy, and Sits smiling to my heart, in grace whereof every merry toast I’ll drink today will be heard as 125 No jocund health that Denmark drinks today far as the clouds overhead. My drinking will be But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell, echoed in the heavens. Let’s go. And the king’s rouse the heavens shall bruit again, Respeaking earthly thunder. Come away. Flourish. Exeunt all but HAMLET Trumpets play. Everyone except HAMLET exits. HAMLET HAMLET Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Ah, I wish my dirty flesh could melt away into a 130 Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, vapor, or that God had not made a law against Or that the Everlasting had not fixed suicide. Oh God, God! How tired, stale, and His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God! pointless life is to me. Damn it! It’s like a garden How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable that no one’s taking care of, and that’s growing Seem to me all the uses of this world! wild. Only nasty weeds grow in it now. I can’t 135 Fie on ’t, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden believe it’s come to this. My father’s only been That grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature dead for two months—no, not even two. Such an Possess it merely. That it should come to this. excellent king, as superior to my uncle as a god But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two. is to a beast, and so loving toward my mother So excellent a king, that was to this that he kept the wind from blowing too hard on No Fear Shakespeare – Hamlet (by SparkNotes) -10- Original Text Modern Text 140 Hyperion to a satyr. So loving to my mother her face. Act 1, Scene 2, Page 6 That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Oh God, do I have to remember that? She would Visit her face too roughly.—Heaven and earth, hang on to him, and the more she was with him Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him the more she wanted to be with him; she couldn’t As if increase of appetite had grown get enough of him. Yet even so, within a month 145 By what it fed on, and yet, within a month— of my father’s death (I don’t even want to think Let me not think on ’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!— about it. Oh women! You are so weak!), even A little month, or ere those shoes were old before she had broken in the shoes she wore to With which she followed my poor father’s body, his funeral, crying like crazy—even an animal Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she— would have mourned its mate longer than she 150 O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason did!—there she was marrying my uncle, my Would have mourned longer!—married with my father’s brother, who’s about as much like my uncle, father as I’m like Hercules. Less than a month My father’s brother, but no more like my father after my father’s death, even before the tears on Than I to Hercules. Within a month, her cheeks had dried, she remarried. Oh, so 155 Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears quick to jump into a bed of incest! That’s not Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, good, and no good can come of it either. But my She married. O most wicked speed, to post heart must break in silence, since I can’t mention With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! my feelings aloud. It is not nor it cannot come to good, But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue. Enter HORATIO, MARCELLUS, and BARNARDO HORATIO, MARCELLUS, and BARNARDOenter. HORATIO HORATIO 160 Hail to your lordship. Hello, sir. HAMLET HAMLET I am glad to see you well.— Nice to see you again, Horatio—that is your Horatio? Or I do forget myself? name, right? HORATIO HORATIO The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever. That’s me, sir. Still your respectful servant. HAMLET HAMLET Sir, my good friend, I’ll change that name with you. Not my servant, but my friend. I’ll change that And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?— name for you. But what are you doing so far from 165 Marcellus! Wittenberg, Horatio? —Oh, Marcellus? MARCELLUS MARCELLUS My good lord. Hello, sir. Act 1, Scene 2, Page 7 HAMLET HAMLET (to MARCELLUS) I am very glad to see you.— (to MARCELLUS) So nice to see you.— (toBARNARDO) Good even, sir. (toBARNARDO) Hello, sir.(to HORATIO)—But (to HORATIO) —But what, in faith, make you from what are you doing away from Wittenberg, Wittenberg? Horatio? HORATIO HORATIO A truant disposition, good my lord. I felt like skipping school, sir. HAMLET HAMLET I would not hear your enemy say so, I wouldn’t allow your enemies to say that, and I 170 Nor shall you do mine ear that violence, won’t believe it from you. I know you’d never skip To make it truster of your own report school. What are you doing here in Elsinore? I’ll