ACT 1 Scene I: Sentinels encounter ghost

ACT 1- Scene I

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Scene I
[Elsinore. A platform before the Castle.]
Enter Bernardo and Francisco two Sentinels
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Who's there? Who's there?
FRANCISCO: FRANCISCO:
Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself. No, answer me. Halt, and identify yourself.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Long live the King! Long live the king!
Bernardo? Bernardo?
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
He.(5) Yes.
You come most carefully upon your hour. You’re really on time.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
'tis now struck twelve. Get thee to bed, It’s just midnight. Go to bed, Francisco.
Francisco.
For this relief much thanks. 'tis bitter cold, Thanks for being on time. It’s bitter cold,
And I am sick at heart. And I’m depressed.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Have you had quiet guard?(10) Have things been quiet on your watch?
Not a mouse stirring. Not a mouse stirring.

BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Well, good night. Well, good night.
If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, If you meet Horatio and Marcellus,
The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. The ones who will watch with me, tell them
to hurry up.
I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who is I think I hear them. Halt! Who goes there?
there?(15)
Enter Horatio and Marcellus.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Friends to this ground. Your friends.
MARCELLUS: MARCELLUS:
And liegemen to the Dane. And subjects of the Dane.
Give you good night. Have a good night.
O, farewell, honest soldier. Well, good night, you honest soldier,
Who hath relieved you?(20) Who has relieved you?
Bernardo hath my place. Bernardo.
Give you good night. Have a good-night.
Exit Francisco.
Holla, Bernardo! Hey! Bernardo!
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Say, Hey yourself.
What, is Horatio there?(25) What, is that Horatio with you?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
A piece of him. A piece of him.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Welcome, Horatio. Welcome, good Welcome, Horatio. Welcome, good
Marcellus. Marcellus.
What, has this thing appear'd again to-night? Tell me, has this thing appeared again
tonight?
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
I have seen nothing. I haven’t seen anything.

Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy,(30) Horatio says it’s all in our imagination,
And will not let belief take hold of him And doesn’t believe a word we say
Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us. About this dreaded sight, seen twice by us.
Therefore I have entreated him along So I’ve begged him to come along
With us to watch the minutes of this night, With us to watch what happens this night,
That if again this apparition come(35) That, if this apparition comes again,
He may approve our eyes and speak to it. He may believe what we have seen and speak
to it.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Tush, tush, 'twill not appear. Nonsense, nonsense, it will not appear.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Sit down awhile, Sit down awhile,
And let us once again assail your ears, And let us tell you once again,
That are so fortified against our story,(40) You who is so stubborn in not believing our
What we two nights have seen. story,
What we have seen these last two nights.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Well, sit we down, OK, let’s sit down,
And let us hear Bernardo speak of this. And listen to Bernardo speak of this.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Last night of all, Last night,
When yond same star that's westward from When that star up there, that's west of the
the pole(45) North Pole,
Had made his course to illume that part of Had moved around to light that part of the sky
heaven Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,
Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself, The clock’s bell then tolling one,
The bell then beating one—
Enter the Ghost.
Peace! break thee off! Look where it comes Quiet, stop! Look it’s coming again!
again!(50)
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
In the same figure, like the King that's dead. It looks just like the dead king!
Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio. You’re a scholar, speak to it, Horatio.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
Looks it not like the King? Mark it, Horatio. Doesn’t it look like the King? Look at it,
Horatio.
HORATIO: HORATIO:

Most like. It harrows me with fear and Yes, it does. It fills me with fear and wonder.
wonder.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
It would be spoke to.(55) It wants to be spoken to.
Question it, Horatio. Question it, Horatio.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
What art thou that usurp'st this time of night, What are you, that seizes this time of night,
Together with that fair and warlike form Taking the same fair and warlike form
In which the majesty of buried Denmark In which the dead king of Denmark, now
Did sometimes march? By heaven I charge buried,
thee speak!(60) Did sometimes march? By heaven I order
you, speak!
It is offended. It is offended.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
See, it stalks away! See, it stalks away!
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak! Stay! speak, speak! I order you to speak!
Exit the Ghost.
'tis gone, and will not answer. It is gone, and will not answer us.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
How now, Horatio? You tremble and look What’s wrong, Horatio? You tremble and
pale.(65) look pale.
Is not this something more than fantasy? Is this not more than our imaginations?
What think you on't? What do you think about it?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Before my God, I might not this believe Before my God, I might not believe this thing
Without the sensible and true avouch Without the seeing and true testimony
Of mine own eyes.(70) Of my own eyes.
Is it not like the King? Isn’t it like the King?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
As thou art to thyself. As you are to yourself.
Such was the very armour he had on The very amour he had on was the same as
When he the ambitious Norway combated. When he fought with the ambitious Norway
So frown'd he once when, in an angry in battle,
parle,(75) Even his frown was the same, when, after

He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice. angry talks,
'tis strange. He battled the Polacks on their sleds on the
ice.
It is strange.

Thus twice before, and jump at this dead It’s come twice before, and just appearing out
hour, of nothing,
With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch. he’s gone past us at this dead hour with a
warlike stalk.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
In what particular thought to work I know I don’t know what its intentions are,
not;(80) But, in the plainness and freedom of my
But, in the gross and scope of my opinion, opinion,
This bodes some strange eruption to our state. This foretells some strange eruption to our
state.
Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that OK, sit down and tell me, whoever knows,
knows, Why this strict and very careful watch
Why this same strict and most observant Works on the topic of the land,
watch And why are brazen cannons cast every day,
So nightly toils the subject of the land,(85) And implements of war purchased abroad,
And why such daily cast of brazen cannon, Why so many shipwrights, whose bitter task
And foreign mart for implements of war, Goes on without a day off, not even Sunday,
Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore What is going on that this sweaty rush to
task build
Does not divide the Sunday from the week. Makes night workers and day workers all the
What might be toward, that this sweaty same?
haste(90) Who is the man who can explain this to me?
Doth make the night joint-labourer with the
day?
Who is't that can inform me?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
That can I; I can explain it,
At least the whisper goes so. Our last King, At least, what’s on the grapevine. Our last
Whose image even but now appear'd to us,(95) king,
Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway, Whose image just appeared to us, a very
Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride, proud man,
Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Was, as you know, urged into a fight,
Hamlet— By Old Fortinbras of Norway.
For so this side of our known world esteem'd Dared to a fight, in which our valiant Hamlet,
him— (So this side of our known world thought
Did slay this Fortinbras; who by a seal'd him),

compact,(100) Did slay Old Fortinbras, who, by a sealed
Well ratified by law and heraldry, treaty,
Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands Well ratified by the rules of law and heraldry,
Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror; Did lose, together with his life, all his lands,
Against the which, a moiety competent Which he owned, to Old Hamlet.
Was gaged by our King; which had Our king also had an equal agreement that
return'd(105) The lands should be returned
To the inheritance of Fortinbras, To the inheritance of Fortinbras,
Had he been vanquisher, as, by the same If King Hamlet lost, just as by the same
covenant covenant,
And carriage of the article design'd, And terms of the agreement,
His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young His lands went to Hamlet. Now, sir, young
Fortinbras, Fortinbras,
Of unimproved metal hot and full,(110) Hot and full of anger not tested in battle,
Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there, Has, in the outskirts of Norway, here and
Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes, there,
For food and diet to some enterprise Enlisted an army of lawless criminals,
That hath a stomach in't; which is no other— Paid in food and diet, to engage in some
As it doth well appear unto our state—(115) enterprise
But to recover of us, by strong hand That has purpose in it, which is no other,
And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands As it seems to our country,
So by his father lost. And this, I take it, Than to recover from us, by war
Is the main motive of our preparations, And non-negotiable terms, those same lands
The source of this our watch and the chief That his father lost, and this, as I understand
head(120) it,
Of this post-haste and romage in the land. Is the main motive of our preparations,
The source of this our watch, and the chief
reason
For this speed and commotion in the land.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
I think it be no other but e'en so. I think it can be no other reason but that.
Well may it sort that this portentous figure Well it may turn out that this warning figure
Comes armed through our watch, so like the Comes armed through our watch, looking so
King like the king
That was and is the question of these That was and is the question of these wars.
wars.(125)
HORATIO: HORATIO:
A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye. It is a speck of dust to irritate the mind's eye.
In the most high and palmy state of Rome, In the most high and palm tree-like state of
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, Rome,
The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted A little before the mightiest Julius Caesar was
dead killed,
Did squeak and gibber in the Roman The graves had no bodies, and the dead in
streets;(130) sheets
As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, Squeaked and gibbered in the Roman streets,

Disasters in the sun; and the moist star, And stars with trains of fire and red morning
Upon whose influence Neptune's empire dews,
stands Disasters in the sun. Even the wet-looking
Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse. moon,
And even the like precurse of feared That influences the tides of the oceans,
events,(135) Had an eclipse that seemed to go on forever.
As harbingers preceding still the fates And like similar forecasters of fierce events,
And prologue to the omen coming on, As the advance team before the fates,
Have heaven and earth together demonstrated And prologue to the omen coming on,
Unto our climature and countrymen. Heaven and earth have together demonstrated
To our country and countrymen.
Enter Ghost again.
But, quiet, behold! Look where it comes
But soft! behold! Lo, where it comes again!
again!(140) I’ll cross it, though it kill me. Stay, illusion!
I'll cross it, though it blast me. Stay illusion! If you have any sound or use of voice,
If thou hast any sound, or use of voice, Speak to me.
Speak to me; If there needs to be any good thing to be done,
If there be any good thing to be done, That may do you ease and bring grace to me,
That may to thee do ease and grace to Speak to me.
me,(145) If you know anything about your country's
Speak to me; fate,
If thou art privy to thy country's fate, Which it may avoid by knowing in advance,
Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, Please, speak!
O, speak! Or if you have hoarded up treasure
Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life(150) In your life and buried it in the womb of
Extorted treasure in the womb of earth, earth,
For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in For which, they say, you spirits often walk in
death, death,
Speak of it! stay, and speak! [The cock [The rooster crows.]
crows.] Stop it, Speak of it. stay, and speak! Stop it,
Marcellus! Marcellus!

Shall I strike at it with my partisan?(155) Shall I strike at it with my club?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Do, if it will not stand. Go ahead, if it will not stand.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
'tis here! It is here!
HORATIO: HORATIO:
'tis here! It is here!
'tis gone! It is gone!


Exit Ghost. We do it wrong, its being so like the king,
To offer it the show of violence,
We do it wrong, being so majestical,(160) Because it is, like the air, unable to be hurt,
To offer it the show of violence; And our empty blows seem like a malicious
For it is, as the air, invulnerable, joke.
And our vain blows malicious mockery.
BERNARDO: BERNARDO:
It was about to speak, when the cock crew. It was about to speak, when the rooster
crowed.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
And then it started, like a guilty thing(165) And then it seemed startled, like a guilty thing
Upon a fearful summons. I have heard Running from a court order. I have heard
The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, The rooster, that is the trumpet of the
Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat morning,
Awake the god of day, and at his warning, With his lofty and shrill-sounding throat,
Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,(170) Awakes the god of day, and, at his warning,
The extravagant and erring spirit hies Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,
To his confine; and of the truth herein The straying and wandering spirit hurries
This present object made probation. back
To his grave. and the truth of that statement
Has been shown clearly by this object we just
saw.
It faded on the crowing of the cock. It faded on the crowing of the rooster.
Some say that ever, 'gainst that season Some say that when that season comes
comes(175) In which we celebrate Christmas,
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The rooster will sing all night long,
The bird of dawning singeth all night long; And then, they say, no spirit dares to walk
And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad, abroad.
The nights are wholesome, then no planets The nights are wholesome, no planets change
strike, course,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to No fairy takes children, a witch has no power
charm,(180) to charm,
So hallow'd and so gracious is the time. The time is so holy and so full of goodness.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
So have I heard and do in part believe it. I’ve heard that too, and partly believe it.
But look, the morn, in russet mantle clad, But, look, the morning, dressed in a red cape,
Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill. Walks over the dew of that high hill in the
Break we our watch up; and by my east.
advice(185) Let’s break up our watch, and I think
Let us impart what we have seen tonight We should tell all we have seen tonight
Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life, To young Hamlet, for, I swear on my life,
This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him. This spirit, silent to us, will speak to him.

Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it, Do you agree that we shall tell him,
As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?(190) Because we love him and it is our duty?
Let's do't, I pray: and I this morning know Let's do it, I beg you, and I know exactly
Where we shall find him most conveniently. Where we shall easily find him.
Exeunt.

· reveal
· replacements
· followers
· prove correct
· a term indicating scorn
· North Star
· clock
· wrongfully seize
· assurance
· discussion
· struck down
· exactly
· stride
· general range
· disturbance
· puts to work
· common people
· brass
· forced service
· difficult
· coming
· At the time the ghost appears, the Dane are in the middle of an on-and-off war with Norway. Prince
Hamlet's father, King Hamlet, previously defeated and killed King Fortinbras of Norway; by legal
contract, the Norwegian lands mentioned in the contract then became property of Denmark. Now the
Norwegian king's son, also named Fortinbras, is claiming that the lands were stolen and preparing to
wage war on Denmark to regain them.
· urged
· ambitious
· portion
· measured out
· would have
· untested
· outskirts
· hastily gathered
· grievances

· courage
· of force
· hurry
· commotion
· ominous
· tiny speck [Horatio is using understatement]
· thriving
· the Roman dictator Julius Caesar
· moon
· under
· ancient Greek god of the sea
· advance sign
· indicators
· region
· as a Catholic, Horatio believes his good workscan help release the ghost from Hell.
· wrongly gained
· spear
· jumped
· straying
· hurries
· prison
· proof
· rooster
· red
· easily


Scene II
[A room of state in the Castle.]
Flourish. Enter Claudius, King of Denmark,
Gertrude the Queen, [Hamlet, Polonius, his son
Laertes [his sister Ophelia], Voltimand, Cornelius,
Lords Attendant.]
KING: KING:
Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death Though the memory of our dear brother,
The memory be green, and that it us befitted Hamlet’s death
To bear our hearts in grief and our whole Is still fresh, and that it was proper for us
kingdom To grieve for him in our hearts, and our whole
To be contracted in one brow of woe, kingdom
Yet so far hath discretion fought with To be united in one sorrow,
nature(5) Yet discretion has fought with nature so much
That we with wisest sorrow think on him That we now think on him with more
Together with remembrance of ourselves. tempered sorrow,
Therefore our sometime sister, now our Together with remembrance of ourselves,
queen, Therefore, our former sister-in-law, now our

The imperial jointress to this warlike state, queen,
Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy,(10) The royal dowager of this warring country,
With an auspicious, and a dropping eye, We have, as it were with an unhappy joy,
With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in With a hopeful and crying eye,
marriage, With joy in mourning, and with lament in
In equal scale weighing delight and dole, marriage,
Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barr'd In equal parts weighing delight and sorrow,
Your better wisdoms, which have freely Married. We have not disregarded
gone(15) Your good advice, which has freely gone
With this affair along. For all, our thanks. Along with this affair. To all, our thanks.
Now follows, that you know, young I will tell you now, as you know, young
Fortinbras, Fortinbras,
Holding a weak supposal of our worth, Not thinking very much of us,
Or thinking by our late dear brother's death Or thinking that our late dear brother's death
Our state to be disjoint and out of frame,(20) Made our country disorganized and no longer
Colleagued with this dream of his advantage, powerful,
He hath not fail'd to pester us with message, Conspiring with this dream of his advantage,
Importing the surrender of those lands Has not failed to pester us with messages,
Lost by his father, with all bonds of law, Asking us to the surrender of those lands
To our most valiant brother. So much for Lost by his father, within all the rules of law,
him.(25) To our most valiant brother. So much for him!
Now for ourself, and for this time of meeting. Now what we have done so far
Thus much the business is: we have here writ Is this. we have here written
To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras— To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras,
Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears Who, impotent and bed-rid, knows nothing
Of this his nephew's purpose—to suppress(30) Of his nephew's intentions, to stop
His further gait herein, in that the levies, His further progress in this plan because the
The lists, and full proportions, are all made levies,
Out of his subject; and we here dispatch The lists, and full proportions are all made
You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltimand, Without his knowledge, and we are sending
For bearers of this greeting to old Norway,(35) You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltimand,
Giving to you no further personal power To take this greeting to old Norway,
To business with the King, more than the Without giving you any further personal
scope power
Of these dilated articles allow. To do business with the king, more than the
Farewell, and let your haste commend your scope
duty. Of these detailed items allow.
Farewell and hurry to do your duty.
CORNELIUS, VOLTIMAND: CORNELIUS, VOLTIMAND:
In that and all things will we show(40) In that and all things, we will show our duty.
our duty.
KING: KING:
We doubt it nothing. Heartily farewell. We do not doubt it. Heartily, farewell.

And now, Laertes, what's the news with you?

You told us you want something. What is it,
[Exit Voltimand and Cornelius.] Laertes?
You cannot start to ask the King of Denmark,
And now, Laertes, what's the news with you? And then stop. What do you want, Laertes,
You told us of some suit. What is't, Laertes? That I shall not my offer before you ask?
You cannot speak of reason to the Dane,(45) The head is not more native to the heart,
And lose your voice. What wouldst thou beg, The hand more instrumental to the mouth,
Laertes, Than is the throne of Denmark to your father.
That shall not be my offer, not thy asking? What would you ask, Laertes?
The head is not more native to the heart,
The hand more instrumental to the mouth,
Than is the throne of Denmark to thy
father.(50)
What wouldst thou have, Laertes?
LAERTES: LAERTES:
Dread my lord, My fearful lord,
Your leave and favour to return to France; Your permission and good wishes to return to
From whence though willingly I came to France.
Denmark, I came from there willingly to Denmark,
To show my duty in your coronation,(55) To show my duty at your coronation,
Yet now, I must confess, that duty done, But now, I must confess, that duty done,
My thoughts and wishes bend again toward My thoughts and wishes bend again toward
France France,
And bow them to your gracious leave and And I bow to your gracious permission and
pardon. good wishes.
KING: KING:
Have you your father's leave? What says Have you your father's permission? What says
Polonius? Polonius?
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow My lord, he has wrung from me my reluctant
leave(60) permission
By laboursome petition, and at last By asking me again and again, and I
Upon his will I seal'd my hard consent. Finally had to give in.
I do beseech you, give him leave to go. I do beg you, give him permission to go.

KING: KING:
Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine, Take your best chance, Laertes, time be yours,
And thy best graces spend it at thy will!(65) And do whatever you want to do with it!
But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son,— But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
A little more than kin, and less than kind! A little more than related and less than kind!
KING: KING:

How is it that the clouds still hang on you? How is it that the clouds still hang on you?
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Not so, my lord: I am too much i' the sun. That’s not so, my lord, I am too much in the
sun.
QUEEN: QUEEN:
Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off,(70) Good Hamlet, take off your black looks,
And let thine eye look like a friend on And let your eye look on the King like a
Denmark. friend.
Do not for ever with thy vailed lids Don’t look for your noble father on the
Seek for thy noble father in the dust. ground
Thou know'st 'tis common. All that lives must Forever with sad eyes.
die, You know it’s the way it goes, that everyone
Passing through nature to eternity.(75) must die,
Passing through this life to eternity.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Ay, madam, it is common. Yes, madam, that’s the way it goes.
QUEEN: QUEEN:
If it be, If that’s the way it goes,
Why seems it so particular with thee? Why does it seem unusual with you?
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not seems. ”Seem?”, madam! No, it is. I don’t know
'tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,(80) “seem.”
Nor customary suits of solemn black, It’s not just my black clothes, good mother,
Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, Or the usual mourning suits of solemn black,
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Or loud sighs of forced breath,
Nor the dejected havior of the visage, No, or the tears of grief in my eyes,
Together with all forms, modes, shapes of Or the dejected behavior that’s on my face,
grief,(85) Together with all forms, moods, shows of
That can denote me truly. These indeed seem, grief,
For they are actions that a man might play; That truly say what I feel. These things,
But I have that within which passeth show, indeed, “seem”
These but the trappings and the suits of woe. Because these are actions that might be found
in a play,
But within me, I have feelings that cannot be
acted,
Those things are only the outside signs of
grief.
KING: KING:
'tis sweet and commendable in your nature, It is sweet and commendable in your nature,
Hamlet,(90) Hamlet,
To give these mourning duties to your father; To give these mourning duties to your father,
But you must know, your father lost a father; But, you must know, That your father lost his
That father lost, lost his, and the survivor father,

bound His father lost his father, and the sons were
In filial obligation for some term bound,
To do obsequious sorrow. But to persever(95) In the obligation of a good son, for some time
In obstinate condolement is a course after
Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief; To do some general rites and grieving, but to
It shows a will most incorrect to heaven, persist
A heart unfortified, a mind impatient, In such a long grieving period is to be on a
An understanding simple and unschool'd;(100) path
For what we know must be, and is as common Of unholy stubbornness. It is unmanly grief.
As any the most vulgar thing to sense, It demonstrates a wrong observance of holy
Why should we, in our peevish opposition, rites,
Take it to heart? Fie! 'tis a fault to heaven, A weak heart, a restless mind,
A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,(105) A simple and uneducated understanding of
To reason most absurd, whose common theme death,
Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried, Because we know what must be, it’s as
From the first corse till he that died today, common
This must be so. We pray you throw to earth As anything to sense the most vulgar thing,
This unprevailing woe, and think of us(110) Why should we, in our spiteful opposition,
As of a father; for let the world take note Take it to heart? For shame! It is a sin to
You are the most immediate to our throne, heaven,
And with no less nobility of love A sin against the dead, a sin to nature,
Than that which dearest father bears his son Most ridiculous to reason, whose common
Do I impart toward you. For your intent(115) theme
In going back to school in Wittenberg, Is death of fathers, and who still has cried,
It is most retrograde to our desire; From the first corpse to the man who died just
And we beseech you, bend you to remain today,
Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye, ”This must be so.” We beg you, give up on
Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our This unusual grief, and think of us
son.(120) As of a father. Because, let the whole world
know,
You are the next in line to our throne,
And, I give you my love, with no less nobility
Than the love which the dearest father
Bears his son. As for your intentions
To go back to school in Wittenberg,
Leaving here is not something that we want,
And we beg you to give into remaining
Here in the happiness and pleasure of our
eyes,
Our most important courtier, cousin, and our
son.
QUEEN: QUEEN:
Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. Don’t let my prayers go unanswered, Hamlet.
I pray thee, stay with us, go not to I beg you to stay with us, don’t go to
Wittenberg. Wittenberg.

HAMLET: HAMLET:
I shall in all my best obey you, madam. I’ll do my best to obey you, madam.
KING: KING:
Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply. Why, it is a loving and a fair reply.
Be as ourself in Denmark. Madam, come.(125) Behave as we would in Denmark. Madam,
This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet come,
Sits smiling to my heart; in grace whereof, This gentle and unforced agreement of
No jocund health that Denmark drinks today Hamlet’s
But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell, Makes my heart happy, so happy that,
And the King's rouse the heaven shall bruit For every happy toast that Denmark drinks
again,(130) today
Re-speaking earthly thunder. Come away. The great cannon shall fire the toast to the
sky,
And the king's loud noise shall echo the
cannon,
Repeating that earthly thunder. Let’s go.

Flourish. Exeunt all but Hamlet.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt, O that my too, too solid body would melt,
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew, Thaw, and change itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd Or that the Everlasting God has forbidden
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! Suicide! O God! O God!
God!(135) How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable All the habits of this world seem to me!
Seem to me all the uses of this world! Shame on it! O for shame! It is an unweeded
Fie on't! ah, fie! 'tis an unweeded garden garden
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in That is going to seed, only things that are
nature decaying and
Possess it merely. That it should come to Disgusting grow there. That it should come to
this!(140) this!
But two months dead! Nay, not so much, not Only dead for two months! No, not so much,
two; not two.
So excellent a king, that was, to this, So excellent a king that, compared to this
Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother king, was
That he might not beteem the winds of heaven A magnificent man to a beast, so loving to my
Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and mother,
earth!(145) That he might not allow the winds of heaven
Must I remember? Why, she would hang on To blow on her face too roughly. Heaven and
him earth!
As if increase of appetite had grown Must I remember? Why, she would hang on
By what it fed on; and yet, within a month— him
Let me not think on't! Frailty, thy name is As if her appetite had only increased
woman— By what it fed on. And yet, within a month —

A little month, or ere those shoes were Don’t let
old(150) me think about it! Weakness, your name is
With which she follow'd my poor father's woman —
body A little month, even before those shoes with
Like Niobe, all tears—why she, even she— which she
O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason Followed my poor father's body were old, she
Would have mourn'd longer—married with was
my uncle, Totally inconsolable, all tears, why she, even
My father's brother, but no more like my she—
father(155) O God! a beast that lacks the gift of reason,
Than I to Hercules. Within a month, Would have mourned longer— married my
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears uncle,
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes, My father's brother, but no more like my
She married. O, most wicked speed, to post father
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!(160) Than I am like Hercules. Within a month,
It is not, nor it cannot come to, good. Before the salt of the most wicked tears
But break, my heart, for I must hold my Had left the redness in her bitter eyes,
tongue! She married. O, most wicked speed, to travel
With such quickness to incestuous sheets!
It is not good and it cannot come to good.
But, break my heart, for I must be silent!
Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Hail to your lordship! Greetings to your lordship!
HAMLET: HAMLET:
I am glad to see you well. I am glad to see you well.
Horatio—or I do forget myself.(165) Horatio? Or I do forget myself!
HORATIO: HORATIO:
The same, my lord, and your poor servant It’s me, my lord, and your poor servant
ever. forever.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name Sir, my good friend! I’ll exchange that name
with you. with you.
And what make you from Wittenberg, And why are you here from Wittenberg,
Horatio?— Horatio?
Marcellus? Marcellus?
My good lord!(170) My good lord.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
I am very glad to see you.— [To Bernardo] I am very glad to see you. [To Bernardo]
Good Good evening, sir.
even, sir.— But why, truly, are you here from

But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?
Wittenberg?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
A truant disposition, good my lord. A lazy disposition, my good lord.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
I would not hear your enemy say so,(175) I wouldn’t even hear your enemy say so,
Nor shall you do my ear that violence And you shall not violently throw those words
To make it truster of your own report to my ear,
Against yourself. I know you are no truant. To make my ear the keeper of your own
But what is your affair in Elsinore? report
We'll teach you to drink deep ere you Against yourself. I know you are not lazy.
depart.(180) But what are you doing in Elsinore?
We'll teach you to drink a lot before you
leave!
HORATIO: HORATIO:
My lord, I came to see your father's funeral. My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
I prithee do not mock me, fellow student. Please don’t mock me, fellow-student.
I think it was to see my mother's wedding. I think it was to see my mother's wedding.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon. Indeed, my lord, it followed very soon after.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Thrift, thrift, Horatio. The funeral baked Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The meats baked for
meats(185) the funeral
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. Were also put on the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven I wish I had met my dearest enemy in heaven
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio! Before I had ever seen that day, Horatio!
My father—methinks I see my father. My father… I think I see my father.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
O, where, my lord?(190) Where, my lord?
HAMLET: HAMLET:
In my mind's eye, Horatio. In my mind's eye, Horatio.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
I saw him once. He was a goodly king. I saw him once, he was a goodly king.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
He was a man, take him for all in all; He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again. I shall not look upon his like again.

HORATIO: HORATIO:

My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.(195) My lord, I think I saw him last night.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Saw? Who? Saw who?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
My lord, the King your father. My lord, the king your father.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
The King my father? The King my father!
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Season your admiration for a while Hold off your compliments for awhile
With an attent ear, till I may deliver(200) And pay attention, until I may deliver,
Upon the witness of these gentlemen, With the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to you. Something marvelous to you.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
For God's love let me hear! For God's love, let me hear what you have to
say.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Two nights together had these gentlemen Two nights in a row had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch(205) Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead vast and middle of the night, In the dead vast country and middle of the
Been thus encountered. A figure like your night,
father, Encountered a figure like your father,
Armed at point exactly, cap-à-pie, Armed at every point exactly, head to toe,
Appears before them, and with solemn march Appearing before them, and, with solemn
Goes slow and stately by them. Thrice he march,
walk'd(210) Goes slow and stately by them. Three times
By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes, he walked
Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, By their oppressed and fear-surprised eyes,
distill'd Within the length of their spears, while they,
Almost to jelly with the act of fear, reduced
Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to me Almost to jelly with the act of fear,
In dreadful secrecy impart they did,(215) Stood speechless, and did not speak They told
And I with them the third night kept the Me this in dreadful secrecy,
watch; So I kept the watch with them the third night.
Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time, Where, just as they had said, both in time and
Form of the thing, each word made true and Form of the thing, each word being true and
good, good,
The apparition comes. I knew your father. The apparition comes. I knew your father,
These hands are not more like.(220) These hands are not more like the apparition I
saw.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
But where was this? But where was this?

My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd. My lord, on the platform where we watched.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Did you not speak to it? Didn’t you speak to it?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
My lord, I did; My lord, I did,
But answer made it none. Yet once But it made me no answer. However, once I
methought(225) thought
It lifted up it head and did address It lifted up its head, and urged
Itself to motion, like as it would speak; Itself to motion, just as if it would speak.
But, even then, the morning cock crew loud, But then the morning rooster crew loud,
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away And at that sound, it shrunk away very
And vanish'd from our sight.(230) quickly,
And vanished from our sight.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
'tis very strange. It is very strange.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true; I swear, my honored lord, it is true,
And we did think it writ down in our duty And we thought it was our duty
To let you know of it. To let you know about it.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Indeed, indeed, sirs. But this troubles me.(235) Indeed, indeed, gentlemen, but this troubles
Hold you the watch tonight? me.
Are you going to watch again tonight?
MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO: MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:
We do, my lord. We are, my lord.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Arm'd, say you? He was armed, you say?
Arm'd, my lord. Armed, my lord.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
From top to toe?(240) From top to toe?
My lord, from head to foot. My lord, from head to foot.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Then saw you not his face? Then you didn’t see his face?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
O, yes, my lord! He wore his beaver up. O, yes, my lord. He had the front visor of his
helmet up.
HAMLET: HAMLET:

What, look'd he frowningly? What, did he look like he was frowning?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
A countenance more in sorrow than in His face showed more sorrow than anger.
anger.(245)
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Pale, or red? Was he pale or red?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Nay, very pale. No, very pale.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
And fix'd his eyes upon you? And he fixed his eyes on you?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Most constantly. Most constantly.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
I would I had been there.(250) I wish I had been there.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
It would have much amazed you. It would have amazed you very much.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Very like, very like. Stay'd it long? I’m sure it would’ve, I’m sure it would’ve.
Did it stay long?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
While one with moderate haste might tell a As long as an average person might count to a
hundred. hundred.
Longer, longer. Longer, longer.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Not when I saw't.(255) Not when I saw it.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
His beard was grizzled, no? His beard was grizzly, no?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
It was as I have seen it in his life, It was, as I have seen it in his life,
A sable silvered. A silvery sable.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
I will watch tonight. I will watch tonight,
Perchance 'twill walk again.(260) Maybe it will walk again.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
I warrant it will. I guarantee it will.
HAMLET: HAMLET:

If it assume my noble father's person, If it takes on my noble father's appearance,
I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape I’ll speak to it, though hell itself should open
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all, wide
If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,(265) And order me to be silent. I beg you all,
Let it be tenable in your silence still; If you have kept this sight secret so far,
And whatsoever else shall hap tonight, Keep your silence still,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue. And whatever else shall happen tonight,
I will requite your loves. So, fare you well. Take it in, but don’t talk about it.
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and I will reward your loyalty. So, goodbye for
twelve,(270) now.
I'll visit you. On the platform, between eleven and twelve,
I’ll visit you.

ALL: ALL:
Our duty to your honour. Our duty to your honor.
Exeunt [all but Hamlet.]
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Your loves, as mine to you. Farewell. Your loyalty, as mine to you. Goodbye.
My father's spirit in arms! All is not well. My father's spirit in arms! All is not well,
I doubt some foul play. Would the night were I suspect some foul play. I wish the night
come.(275) were here now!
Till then sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will Until then, sit still, my soul. Wicked deeds
rise, will rise to be
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's Seen even if they are buried very deep in the
eyes. earth.
Exit.

· fresh
· woman who holds right of inheritance
· funeral song
· sorrow
· disorganized
· joined
· regarding
· steps (i.e., course of action)
· gathered forces
· explanatory
· sighing
· manner
· misery

· corpse
· a city in Germany
· contrary
· noisy drinking
· announce, echo
· law
· sun god
· half-human, half-goat
· allow
· in Greek mythology, a woman whose children were killed after she boasted about them; she was
turned to stone, but continued to weep.
· lacks
· the strongest man in the world
· swollen
· quickness
· negligent
· control
· from head to toe
· heavy club's
· visor
· black
· held


Scene III
[A room in the house of Polonius.]
Enter Laertes, and Ophelia, his sister.
LAERTES: LAERTES:
My necessaries are embark'd. Farewell. The things I need are all on the ship.
And, sister, as the winds give benefit Goodbye.
And convoy is assistant, do not sleep, And, sister, as the winds will be favorable
But let me hear from you. And the ships are strong to sail, don’t sleep,
Until you let me hear from you.
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
Do you doubt that?(5) Do you doubt that?
LAERTES: LAERTES:
For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favours, As for Hamlet and the foolishness of his
Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood; attentions,
A violet in the youth of primy nature, Think that it is only a phase and a toy in
Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting; blood.
The perfume and suppliance of a minute;(10) A violet in the youth of nature that is in its
No more. prime,
Bold, not permanent, sweet, not lasting,

The burning passion and extreme wanting of a
moment,
Nothing more.
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
No more but so? Nothing more than that?
LAERTES: LAERTES:
Think it no more. Stop thinking about it,
For nature, crescent, does not grow alone Because nature, the moon, does not grow
In thews and bulk; but as this temple alone
waxes,(15) In strength and size, but as this temple grows,
The inward service of the mind and soul The inward duty of the mind and soul
Grows wide withal. Perhaps he loves you Grows wide along with the rest. Maybe he
now, loves you now,
And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch And now no dirt nor trick dims the luster of
The virtue of his will; but you must fear, The purity of his intentions, but you must fear
His greatness weigh'd, his will is not his him.
own;(20) His greatness considered, his intentions are
For he himself is subject to his birth. not his own,
He may not, as unvalued persons do, He himself is subject to his birth as a prince.
Carve for himself; for on his choice depends He may not, as lower persons do,
The safety and health of this whole state, Select for himself, for on his choice depends
And therefore must his choice be The safety and health of this whole state,
circumscribed(25) And therefore must his choice be subject
Unto the voice and yielding of that body To the voice and consent of that state
Whereof he is the head. Then if he says he That he is the head of. Then if he says he
loves you, loves you,
It fits your wisdom so far to believe it You would be wise to believe it
As he in his particular act and place Because then being in his particular act and
May give his saying deed; which is no place
further(30) May do what he says, which is what
Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal. The majority of people in of Denmark go
Then weigh what loss your honour may along with.
sustain So decide what loss your honor may receive
If with too credent ear you list his songs, If you listen to his songs with a too believing
Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure ear,
open Or lose your heart, or lose your virginity
To his unmast'red importunity.(35) To his wild sense of bad timing.
Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister, Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister,
And keep you in the rear of your affection, And keep your affections deep within you,
Out of the shot and danger of desire. Out of the range and danger of desire.
The chariest maid is prodigal enough The most careful maid is wasteful enough
If she unmask her beauty to the moon.(40) If she unmasks her beauty to the moon.
Virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes. Virtue itself doesn’t aim at lying deeds.
The canker galls the infants of the spring An ugly disease afflicts the new flowers of
Too oft before their buttons be disclosed, the spring

And in the morn and liquid dew of youth Too often before they have bloomed,
Contagious blastments are most imminent.(45) And in the morning and liquid dew of youth
Be wary then; best safety lies in fear. Contagious shriveling is the most imminent.
Youth to itself rebels, though none else near. Be careful then. The safest way lies in fear.
Youth rebels against itself, even if no one else
is near.
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
I shall the effect of this good lesson keep I shall keep the purpose of this good lesson
As watchman to my heart. But, good my As watchman to my heart. But, my good
brother, brother,
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,(50) Don’t, as some insincere ministers do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven, Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whilst, like a puff'd and reckless libertine, While, like a proud and reckless wild man,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads Preaches against the primrose path of sin
And recks not his own rede. And does not practice what he preaches.
LAERTES: LAERTES:
O, fear me not!(55) O, don’t be afraid of me.

Enter Polonius. I’ve stayed too long. But here comes my
father.
I stay too long. But here my father comes. A double blessing is a double grace,
A double blessing is a double grace; It’s a better occasion to smile at saying
Occasion smiles upon a second leave. goodbye again.
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
Yet here, Laertes? Aboard, aboard, for shame! You’re still here, Laertes! Aboard, aboard, for
The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,(60) shame!
And you are stay'd for. There, my blessing The wind sits in the best part of your sail,
with thee. And the ship waits for you. There, my
And these few precepts in thy memory blessing with you!
See thou character. Give thy thoughts no And see that you write these few precepts
tongue, In your memory. Give your thoughts to
Nor any unproportion'd thought his act. yourself,
Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.(65) And don’t act without thinking.
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption Be friendly, but by no means vulgar.
tried, Those friends you have, and their friendship
Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; tested,
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Anchor them to your soul with hoops of steel,
Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. But don’t spend your money on entertaining
Beware Each newly acquired, unproven friend.
Of entrance to a quarrel; but being in,(70) Beware
Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee. Of getting into a quarrel, but, once you are in,
Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; Fight so that the man you fight with may
Take each man's censure, but reserve thy beware of you.
judgment. Listen to what every man says, but speak to
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, few.

But not express'd in fancy; rich, not Take each man's opinion, but reserve your
gaudy;(75) judgment.
For the apparel oft proclaims the man, Buy as costly clothes as can pay for,
And they in France of the best rank and But not made fancy, rich, and certainly not
station gaudy.
Are of a most select and generous, chief in For the clothes often tell what kind of man
that. you are,
Neither a borrower nor a lender be; And the ones in France of the best rank and
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,(80) station
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. Are most choosy and generous in that regard.
This above all: to thine own self be true, Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
And it must follow, as the night the day, For a loan often loses both the loan and the
Thou canst not then be false to any man. friend,
Farewell. My blessing season this in thee!(85) And borrowing dulls the edge of the
economy.
This above all, to your own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
You cannot then be false to any man.
Goodbye. My blessing instill these things in
you!

LAERTES: LAERTES:
Most humbly do I take my leave, my lord. I take my leave most humbly, my lord.
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
The time invites you. Go, your servants tend. It’s time to leave, go, your servants are
waiting.
LAERTES: LAERTES:
Farewell, Ophelia, and remember well Goodbye, Ophelia, and remember well
What I have said to you. What I have said to you.
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
'tis in my memory lock'd,(90) It is locked in my memory,
And you yourself shall keep the key of it. And you yourself shall keep the key of it.
LAERTES: LAERTES:
Farewell. Goodbye.
Exit Laertes.
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
What is't, Ophelia, he hath said to you? What is it, Ophelia, that he has said to you?
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
So please you, something touching the Lord If it pleases you, something touching the Lord
Hamlet.(95) Hamlet.

POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
Marry, well bethought! By Mary, well thought.
'tis told me, he hath very oft of late I have heard that he has very often lately
Given private time to you, and you yourself Given private time to you, and you yourself
Have of your audience been most free and Have been most free and generous with your
bounteous. time,
If it be so— as so 'tis put on me,(100) If it that is so, as it was put to me
And that in way of caution—I must tell you, And that in way of cautioning me, I must tell
You do not understand yourself so clearly you
As it behooves my daughter and your honour. You don’t understand yourself so clearly
What is between you? Give me up the truth. What is morally fitting my daughter and your
honor.
What is going on between you? Tell me the
truth.
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
He hath, my lord, of late made many My lord, he has of late made many offers
tenders(105) Of his affection to me.
Of his affection to me.
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
Affection? Pooh! You speak like a green girl, Affection! Pooh! You speak like a green girl,
Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. Ignorant in such dangerous circumstances.
Do you believe his tenders, as you call them? Do you believe his “offers,” as you call them?
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
I do not know, my lord, what I should My lord, I don’t know what I should think.
think.(110)
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
Marry, I'll teach you. Think yourself a baby, By Mary, I’ll teach you. Think that you are a
That you have ta'en these tenders for true pay, baby,
Which are not sterling. Tender yourself more That you have taken these offers for true love,
dearly, Which are not true offers. Consider yourself
Or—not to crack the wind of the poor phrase, more dearly,
Running it thus—you'll tender me a fool.(115) Or, not to keep harping on that poor phrase,
Doing harm to it, you'll “offer” me a fool!
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
My lord, he hath importuned me with love My lord, he has courted me with love
In honourable fashion. In honorable fashion.
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
Ay, fashion you may call it. Go to, go to! Yes, fashion you may call it, get going, get
going.
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
And hath given countenance to his speech, And has given proper appearance to his
my speech, my lord,

lord,(120) With almost all the holy vows of heaven.
With almost all the holy vows of heaven.
POLONIUS: POLONIUS:
Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know, Yes, mousetraps to catch fools. I do know,
When the blood burns, how prodigal the soul When passion burns the blood, how the
Lends the tongue vows. These blazes, wasteful soul
daughter, Gives the tongue vows to speak. These blazes,
Giving more light than heat, extinct in daughter,
both(125) Giving more light than heat, dead in both,
Even in their promise, as it is a-making, Even in their promises, dying as they are
You must not take for fire. From this time being made,
Be something scanter of your maiden Must not be taken for real fire. From this time
presence. Let your maiden presence be somewhat less
Set your entreatments at a higher rate visible,
Than a command to parley. For Lord Set your conversations at a higher rate
Hamlet,(130) Than a command to chit-chat. As for Lord
Believe so much in him, that he is young, Hamlet,
And with a larger tether may he walk Only believe so much about him, that he is
Than may be given you. In few, Ophelia, young,
Do not believe his vows; for they are brokers, And he may walk on a higher mountain
Not of that dye which their investments Than may be given you. In short, Ophelia,
show,(135) Don’t believe his vows, because they are
But mere implorators of unholy suits, pimps,
Breathing like sanctified and pious bonds, Not made of those things which show outside,
The better to beguile. This is for all: But mere beggars of unholy courtships,
I would not, in plain terms, from this time Breathing like holy and righteous procurers,
forth The better to deceive you. This is true for all.
Have you so slander any moment leisure(140) I would not, in plain terms, from this time
As to give words or talk with the Lord forward
Hamlet. Have you waste any leisure moment
Look to't, I charge you. Come your ways. By giving words to or talking with the Lord
Hamlet.
Do as I say, I order you. Let’s go.
OPHELIA: OPHELIA:
I shall obey, my lord. I shall obey, my lord.
Exeunt.

· on the ship
· transportation
· convenient
· passing phase

· diversion
· muscles
· along with it
· deceit
· make dirty
· confined
· believing
· persistence (in asking)
· most cautious
· reckless
· worm
· revealed
· plagues
· one who acts without restraint
· indulgence
· follows
· advice
· out-of-line; inappropriate
· tested
· fasten
· keep in mind
· their apparel
· money management
· “tender” has several meanings in this passage
· untested
· real silver
· “stupid person,” but also an Elizabethan term for “child”
· traps
· birds thought of as stupid
· less generous
· negotiations
· conference
· leash
· agents
· clothes (i.e., their outward appearance)
· ones who beg
· idle


Scene IV
[Elsinore. The platform before the Castle.]
Enter Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold. The air bites sharply, It is very cold.

HORATIO: HORATIO:
It is a nipping and an eager air. It is a nipping and an eager air.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
What hour now? What time is it now?
HORATIO: HORATIO:
I think it lacks of twelve. I think it’s just before twelve.
No, it is struck.(5) No, the clock has already struck twelve.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Indeed? I heard it not. It then draws near the Indeed? I didn’t hear it. Then it’s getting close
season to the time
Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk. When the spirit has his habit of walking.

A flourish of trumpets, and ordnance go off. What does that mean, my lord?

What doth this mean, my lord?
HAMLET: HAMLET:
The King doth wake tonight and takes his The King stays awake tonight and has a
rouse, drinking party,
Keeps wassail, and the swaggering upspring Keeps toasting, and the swaggering morning
reels,(10) whirls,
And as he drains his draughts of Rhenish And, as he drinks down his drafts of Rhine
down, wine,
The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out The kettle-drum and trumpet thus noisily
The triumph of his pledge. announce
The triumph of his drinking it all down at
once.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Is it a custom? Is it a custom?
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Ay, marry, is't;(15) Yes, by Mary, it is,
But to my mind, though I am native here But to my mind, though I am a native here,
And to the manner born, it is a custom And know the customs since birth, it is a
More honour'd in the breach than the custom
observance. More honored in the braking it than the
This heavy-headed revel, east and west, observing it.
Makes us traduced and tax'd of other This heavy-headed drinking from east to west
nations;(20) Makes us maligned and written off by other
They clepe us drunkards and with swinish nations.
phrase They call us drunkards, and with that swinish
Soil our addition; and indeed it takes phrase they
From our achievements, though perform'd at Detract from our good points and, indeed, it

height, takes away
The pith and marrow of our attribute. From our achievements, although performed
So, oft it chances in particular men,(25) the best,
That for some vicious mole of nature in them, That are the heart and bone of our attributes.
As in their birth—wherein they are not guilty, So often it might happen in particular men
Since nature cannot choose his origin— That, for some vicious disfigurement of
By the o'ergrowth of some complexion, nature in them,
Oft breaking down the pales and forts of Like a birthmark— something they are not
reason,(30) guilty of
Or by some habit that too much o'erleavens Because a man cannot choose how he is
The form of plausive manners, that these born—
men— By the overdevelopment of some
Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect, temperament,
Being nature's livery, or fortune's star— That often defies the intelligent use of reason,
Their virtues else—be they as pure as Or by some habit, that too much exceeds
grace,(35) The limits of acceptable behavior, that these
As infinite as man may undergo— men,
Shall in the general censure take corruption Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect,
From that particular fault. The dram of evil Being the result of nature, or a star of fortune,
Doth all the noble substance of a doubt Whatever other virtues they have, even if they
To his own scandal.(40) are
As pure as grace, as infinite as men may have,
Shall in the general opinion be labeled corrupt
From that one particular fault. The drop of
affliction
Often causes doubt about all the virtues they
have
To men’s own disgrace.
Enter Ghost.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Look, my lord, it comes! Look, my lord, it comes!
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Angels and ministers of grace defend us! Angels and ministers of grace defend us!
Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd, Whether you are a spirit of health or a goblin
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts damned,
from hell, Bringing with you airs from heaven or blasts
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,(45) from hell,
Thou comest in such a questionable shape Whether your intentions are wicked or
That I will speak to thee. I'll call thee Hamlet, charitable,
King, father, royal Dane. O, answer me! You come in such a questionable shape
Let me not burst in ignorance, but tell That I will speak to you. I’ll call you Hamlet!
Why thy canonized bones, hearsed in King! Father! Royal Dane! O, answer me!
death,(50) Don’t let me burst in ignorance, but tell me
Have burst their cerements, why the sepulchre Why your sacred bones, buried in death,
Wherein we saw thee quietly inurn'd, Have escaped from the cemetery, why the

Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws tomb
To cast thee up again. What may this mean Wherein we saw you quietly laid to rest,
That thou, dead corse, again, in complete Has opened his frightening and marble jaws
steel,(55) To bring you back to life! What does this
Revisits thus the glimpses of the moon, mean,
Making night hideous, and we fools of nature That you, dead corpse, again in full armor,
So horridly to shake our disposition Revisit us in the light and shadows of the
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our moon,
souls? Making night hideous, and making us fools of
Say, why is this? Wherefore? What should we nature
do?(60) Shake our dispositions so horridly
With thoughts that go beyond the reaches of
our souls?
Say, why is this? Why? What should we do?
[Ghost beckons Hamlet.]
HORATIO: HORATIO:
It beckons you to go away with it, It beckons you to go away with it,
As if it some impartment did desire As if it had something to say
To you alone. To you alone.
Look with what courteous action Look with what courteous action
It waves you to a more removed ground.(65) It waves you to a more private ground.
But do not go with it! But don’t go with it!

HORATIO: HORATIO:
No, by no means. No, by no means.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
It will not speak; then will I follow it. If it will not speak, then I will follow it.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
Do not, my lord! Don’t, my lord.
HAMLET: HAMLET:
Why, what should be the fear?(70) Why, what should I be afraid of?
I do not set my life at a pin's fee; I don’t value my life at the price of a pin,
And for my soul, what can it do to that, And as for my soul, what can it do to that,
Being a thing immortal as itself? Being a thing that is immortal as it is?
It waves me forth again. I'll follow it. It waves me forward again. I’ll follow it.
HORATIO: HORATIO:
What if it tempt you toward the flood, my What if it tempts you toward the ocean, my
lord,(75) lord,
Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff
That beetles o'er his base into the sea, That hangs so threateningly over his base into

ACT 1 Scene I: Sentinels encounter ghost

ACT 1 Scene I: Sentinels encounter ghost

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ACT 1 Scene I: Sentinels encounter ghost