Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
And hitherto doth love on fortune tend: `
` For who not needs shall never lack a friend; `
` And who in want a hollow friend doth try, `
` Directly seasons him his enemy. `
` But, orderly to end where I begun,-- `
` Our wills and fates do so contrary run `
` That our devices still are overthrown; `
` Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own: `
` So think thou wilt no second husband wed; `
` But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead. `
` `
` P. Queen. `
` Nor earth to me give food, nor heaven light! `
` Sport and repose lock from me day and night! `
` To desperation turn my trust and hope! `
` An anchor's cheer in prison be my scope! `
` Each opposite that blanks the face of joy `
` Meet what I would have well, and it destroy! `
` Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife, `
` If, once a widow, ever I be wife! `
` `
` Ham. `
` If she should break it now! [To Ophelia.] `
` `
` P. King. `
` 'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here awhile; `
` My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile `
` The tedious day with sleep. `
` [Sleeps.] `
` `
` P. Queen. `
` Sleep rock thy brain, `
` And never come mischance between us twain! `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Madam, how like you this play? `
` `
` Queen. `
` The lady protests too much, methinks. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O, but she'll keep her word. `
` `
` King. `
` Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence in't? `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, no! They do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i' the `
` world. `
` `
` King. `
` What do you call the play? `
` `
` Ham. `
` The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the `
` image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name; `
` his wife, Baptista: you shall see anon; 'tis a knavish piece of `
` work: but what o' that? your majesty, and we that have free `
` souls, it touches us not: let the gall'd jade wince; our withers `
` are unwrung. `
` `
` [Enter Lucianus.] `
` `
` This is one Lucianus, nephew to the King. `
` `
` Oph. `
` You are a good chorus, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I could interpret between you and your love, if I could see `
` the puppets dallying. `
` `
` Oph. `
` You are keen, my lord, you are keen. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge. `
` `
` Oph. `
` Still better, and worse. `
` `
` Ham. `
` So you must take your husbands.--Begin, murderer; pox, leave `
` thy damnable faces, and begin. Come:--'The croaking raven doth `
` bellow for revenge.' `
` `
` Luc. `
` Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing; `
` Confederate season, else no creature seeing; `
` Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected, `
` With Hecate's ban thrice blasted, thrice infected, `
` Thy natural magic and dire property `
` On wholesome life usurp immediately. `
` `
` [Pours the poison into the sleeper's ears.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` He poisons him i' the garden for's estate. His name's Gonzago: `
` The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian; you `
` shall see anon how the murderer gets the love of Gonzago's wife. `
` `
` Oph. `
` The King rises. `
` `
` Ham. `
` What, frighted with false fire! `
` `
` Queen. `
` How fares my lord? `
` `
` Pol. `
` Give o'er the play. `
` `
` King. `
` Give me some light:--away! `
` `
` All. `
` Lights, lights, lights! `
` `
` [Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, let the strucken deer go weep, `
` The hart ungalled play; `
` For some must watch, while some must sleep: `
` So runs the world away.-- `
` Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers--if the rest of my `
` fortunes turn Turk with me,--with two Provincial roses on my `
` razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players, sir? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Half a share. `
` `
` Ham. `
` A whole one, I. `
` For thou dost know, O Damon dear, `
` This realm dismantled was `
` Of Jove himself; and now reigns here `
` A very, very--pajock. `
` `
` Hor. `
` You might have rhymed. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand `
` pound! Didst perceive? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Very well, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Upon the talk of the poisoning?-- `
` `
` Hor. `
` I did very well note him. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Ah, ha!--Come, some music! Come, the recorders!-- `
` For if the king like not the comedy, `
` Why then, belike he likes it not, perdy. `
` Come, some music! `
` `
` [Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.] `
` `
` Guil. `
` Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Sir, a whole history. `
` `
` Guil. `
` The king, sir-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` Ay, sir, what of him? `
` `
` Guil. `
` Is, in his retirement, marvellous distempered. `
` `
` Ham. `
` With drink, sir? `
` `
` Guil. `
` No, my lord; rather with choler. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify this to `
` the doctor; for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps `
` plunge him into far more choler. `
` `
` Guil. `
` Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start `
` not so wildly from my affair. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I am tame, sir:--pronounce. `
` `
` Guil. `
` The queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, `
`
` For who not needs shall never lack a friend; `
` And who in want a hollow friend doth try, `
` Directly seasons him his enemy. `
` But, orderly to end where I begun,-- `
` Our wills and fates do so contrary run `
` That our devices still are overthrown; `
` Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own: `
` So think thou wilt no second husband wed; `
` But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead. `
` `
` P. Queen. `
` Nor earth to me give food, nor heaven light! `
` Sport and repose lock from me day and night! `
` To desperation turn my trust and hope! `
` An anchor's cheer in prison be my scope! `
` Each opposite that blanks the face of joy `
` Meet what I would have well, and it destroy! `
` Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife, `
` If, once a widow, ever I be wife! `
` `
` Ham. `
` If she should break it now! [To Ophelia.] `
` `
` P. King. `
` 'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here awhile; `
` My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile `
` The tedious day with sleep. `
` [Sleeps.] `
` `
` P. Queen. `
` Sleep rock thy brain, `
` And never come mischance between us twain! `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Madam, how like you this play? `
` `
` Queen. `
` The lady protests too much, methinks. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O, but she'll keep her word. `
` `
` King. `
` Have you heard the argument? Is there no offence in't? `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, no! They do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i' the `
` world. `
` `
` King. `
` What do you call the play? `
` `
` Ham. `
` The Mouse-trap. Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the `
` image of a murder done in Vienna: Gonzago is the duke's name; `
` his wife, Baptista: you shall see anon; 'tis a knavish piece of `
` work: but what o' that? your majesty, and we that have free `
` souls, it touches us not: let the gall'd jade wince; our withers `
` are unwrung. `
` `
` [Enter Lucianus.] `
` `
` This is one Lucianus, nephew to the King. `
` `
` Oph. `
` You are a good chorus, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I could interpret between you and your love, if I could see `
` the puppets dallying. `
` `
` Oph. `
` You are keen, my lord, you are keen. `
` `
` Ham. `
` It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge. `
` `
` Oph. `
` Still better, and worse. `
` `
` Ham. `
` So you must take your husbands.--Begin, murderer; pox, leave `
` thy damnable faces, and begin. Come:--'The croaking raven doth `
` bellow for revenge.' `
` `
` Luc. `
` Thoughts black, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing; `
` Confederate season, else no creature seeing; `
` Thou mixture rank, of midnight weeds collected, `
` With Hecate's ban thrice blasted, thrice infected, `
` Thy natural magic and dire property `
` On wholesome life usurp immediately. `
` `
` [Pours the poison into the sleeper's ears.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` He poisons him i' the garden for's estate. His name's Gonzago: `
` The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian; you `
` shall see anon how the murderer gets the love of Gonzago's wife. `
` `
` Oph. `
` The King rises. `
` `
` Ham. `
` What, frighted with false fire! `
` `
` Queen. `
` How fares my lord? `
` `
` Pol. `
` Give o'er the play. `
` `
` King. `
` Give me some light:--away! `
` `
` All. `
` Lights, lights, lights! `
` `
` [Exeunt all but Hamlet and Horatio.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` Why, let the strucken deer go weep, `
` The hart ungalled play; `
` For some must watch, while some must sleep: `
` So runs the world away.-- `
` Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers--if the rest of my `
` fortunes turn Turk with me,--with two Provincial roses on my `
` razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players, sir? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Half a share. `
` `
` Ham. `
` A whole one, I. `
` For thou dost know, O Damon dear, `
` This realm dismantled was `
` Of Jove himself; and now reigns here `
` A very, very--pajock. `
` `
` Hor. `
` You might have rhymed. `
` `
` Ham. `
` O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand `
` pound! Didst perceive? `
` `
` Hor. `
` Very well, my lord. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Upon the talk of the poisoning?-- `
` `
` Hor. `
` I did very well note him. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Ah, ha!--Come, some music! Come, the recorders!-- `
` For if the king like not the comedy, `
` Why then, belike he likes it not, perdy. `
` Come, some music! `
` `
` [Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.] `
` `
` Guil. `
` Good my lord, vouchsafe me a word with you. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Sir, a whole history. `
` `
` Guil. `
` The king, sir-- `
` `
` Ham. `
` Ay, sir, what of him? `
` `
` Guil. `
` Is, in his retirement, marvellous distempered. `
` `
` Ham. `
` With drink, sir? `
` `
` Guil. `
` No, my lord; rather with choler. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify this to `
` the doctor; for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps `
` plunge him into far more choler. `
` `
` Guil. `
` Good my lord, put your discourse into some frame, and start `
` not so wildly from my affair. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I am tame, sir:--pronounce. `
` `
` Guil. `
` The queen, your mother, in most great affliction of spirit, `
`