Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
`
` King. `
` Pretty Ophelia! `
` `
` Oph. `
` Indeed, la, without an oath, I'll make an end on't: `
` [Sings.] `
` By Gis and by Saint Charity, `
` Alack, and fie for shame! `
` Young men will do't if they come to't; `
` By cock, they are to blame. `
` `
` Quoth she, before you tumbled me, `
` You promis'd me to wed. `
` So would I ha' done, by yonder sun, `
` An thou hadst not come to my bed. `
` `
` King. `
` How long hath she been thus? `
` `
` Oph. `
` I hope all will be well. We must be patient: but I cannot `
` choose but weep, to think they would lay him i' the cold ground. `
` My brother shall know of it: and so I thank you for your good `
` counsel.--Come, my coach!--Good night, ladies; good night, sweet `
` ladies; good night, good night. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` King. `
` Follow her close; give her good watch, I pray you. `
` `
` [Exit Horatio.] `
` `
` O, this is the poison of deep grief; it springs `
` All from her father's death. O Gertrude, Gertrude, `
` When sorrows come, they come not single spies, `
` But in battalions! First, her father slain: `
` Next, your son gone; and he most violent author `
` Of his own just remove: the people muddied, `
` Thick and and unwholesome in their thoughts and whispers `
` For good Polonius' death; and we have done but greenly `
` In hugger-mugger to inter him: poor Ophelia `
` Divided from herself and her fair judgment, `
` Without the which we are pictures or mere beasts: `
` Last, and as much containing as all these, `
` Her brother is in secret come from France; `
` Feeds on his wonder, keeps himself in clouds, `
` And wants not buzzers to infect his ear `
` With pestilent speeches of his father's death; `
` Wherein necessity, of matter beggar'd, `
` Will nothing stick our person to arraign `
` In ear and ear. O my dear Gertrude, this, `
` Like to a murdering piece, in many places `
` Give, me superfluous death. `
` `
` [A noise within.] `
` `
` Queen. `
` Alack, what noise is this? `
` `
` King. `
` Where are my Switzers? let them guard the door. `
` `
` [Enter a Gentleman.] `
` `
` What is the matter? `
` `
` Gent. `
` Save yourself, my lord: `
` The ocean, overpeering of his list, `
` Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste `
` Than young Laertes, in a riotous head, `
` O'erbears your offices. The rabble call him lord; `
` And, as the world were now but to begin, `
` Antiquity forgot, custom not known, `
` The ratifiers and props of every word, `
` They cry 'Choose we! Laertes shall be king!' `
` Caps, hands, and tongues applaud it to the clouds, `
` 'Laertes shall be king! Laertes king!' `
` `
` Queen. `
` How cheerfully on the false trail they cry! `
` O, this is counter, you false Danish dogs! `
` `
` [A noise within.] `
` `
` King. `
` The doors are broke. `
` `
` [Enter Laertes, armed; Danes following.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` Where is this king?--Sirs, stand you all without. `
` `
` Danes. `
` No, let's come in. `
` `
` Laer. `
` I pray you, give me leave. `
` `
` Danes. `
` We will, we will. `
` `
` [They retire without the door.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` I thank you:--keep the door.--O thou vile king, `
` Give me my father! `
` `
` Queen. `
` Calmly, good Laertes. `
` `
` Laer. `
` That drop of blood that's calm proclaims me bastard; `
` Cries cuckold to my father; brands the harlot `
` Even here, between the chaste unsmirched brow `
` Of my true mother. `
` `
` King. `
` What is the cause, Laertes, `
` That thy rebellion looks so giant-like?-- `
` Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person: `
` There's such divinity doth hedge a king, `
` That treason can but peep to what it would, `
` Acts little of his will.--Tell me, Laertes, `
` Why thou art thus incens'd.--Let him go, Gertrude:-- `
` Speak, man. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Where is my father? `
` `
` King. `
` Dead. `
` `
` Queen. `
` But not by him. `
` `
` King. `
` Let him demand his fill. `
` `
` Laer. `
` How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with: `
` To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil! `
` Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! `
` I dare damnation:--to this point I stand,-- `
` That both the worlds, I give to negligence, `
` Let come what comes; only I'll be reveng'd `
` Most throughly for my father. `
` `
` King. `
` Who shall stay you? `
` `
` Laer. `
` My will, not all the world: `
` And for my means, I'll husband them so well, `
` They shall go far with little. `
` `
` King. `
` Good Laertes, `
` If you desire to know the certainty `
` Of your dear father's death, is't writ in your revenge `
` That, sweepstake, you will draw both friend and foe, `
` Winner and loser? `
` `
` Laer. `
` None but his enemies. `
` `
` King. `
` Will you know them then? `
` `
` Laer. `
` To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my arms; `
` And, like the kind life-rendering pelican, `
` Repast them with my blood. `
` `
` King. `
` Why, now you speak `
` Like a good child and a true gentleman. `
` That I am guiltless of your father's death, `
` And am most sensibly in grief for it, `
` It shall as level to your judgment pierce `
` As day does to your eye. `
` `
` Danes. `
` [Within] Let her come in. `
` `
` Laer. `
` How now! What noise is that? `
` `
` [Re-enter Ophelia, fantastically dressed with straws and `
` flowers.] `
` `
` O heat, dry up my brains! tears seven times salt, `
` Burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye!-- `
` By heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight, `
` Till our scale turn the beam. O rose of May! `
` Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!-- `
` O heavens! is't possible a young maid's wits `
` Should be as mortal as an old man's life? `
` Nature is fine in love; and where 'tis fine, `
`
` King. `
` Pretty Ophelia! `
` `
` Oph. `
` Indeed, la, without an oath, I'll make an end on't: `
` [Sings.] `
` By Gis and by Saint Charity, `
` Alack, and fie for shame! `
` Young men will do't if they come to't; `
` By cock, they are to blame. `
` `
` Quoth she, before you tumbled me, `
` You promis'd me to wed. `
` So would I ha' done, by yonder sun, `
` An thou hadst not come to my bed. `
` `
` King. `
` How long hath she been thus? `
` `
` Oph. `
` I hope all will be well. We must be patient: but I cannot `
` choose but weep, to think they would lay him i' the cold ground. `
` My brother shall know of it: and so I thank you for your good `
` counsel.--Come, my coach!--Good night, ladies; good night, sweet `
` ladies; good night, good night. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` King. `
` Follow her close; give her good watch, I pray you. `
` `
` [Exit Horatio.] `
` `
` O, this is the poison of deep grief; it springs `
` All from her father's death. O Gertrude, Gertrude, `
` When sorrows come, they come not single spies, `
` But in battalions! First, her father slain: `
` Next, your son gone; and he most violent author `
` Of his own just remove: the people muddied, `
` Thick and and unwholesome in their thoughts and whispers `
` For good Polonius' death; and we have done but greenly `
` In hugger-mugger to inter him: poor Ophelia `
` Divided from herself and her fair judgment, `
` Without the which we are pictures or mere beasts: `
` Last, and as much containing as all these, `
` Her brother is in secret come from France; `
` Feeds on his wonder, keeps himself in clouds, `
` And wants not buzzers to infect his ear `
` With pestilent speeches of his father's death; `
` Wherein necessity, of matter beggar'd, `
` Will nothing stick our person to arraign `
` In ear and ear. O my dear Gertrude, this, `
` Like to a murdering piece, in many places `
` Give, me superfluous death. `
` `
` [A noise within.] `
` `
` Queen. `
` Alack, what noise is this? `
` `
` King. `
` Where are my Switzers? let them guard the door. `
` `
` [Enter a Gentleman.] `
` `
` What is the matter? `
` `
` Gent. `
` Save yourself, my lord: `
` The ocean, overpeering of his list, `
` Eats not the flats with more impetuous haste `
` Than young Laertes, in a riotous head, `
` O'erbears your offices. The rabble call him lord; `
` And, as the world were now but to begin, `
` Antiquity forgot, custom not known, `
` The ratifiers and props of every word, `
` They cry 'Choose we! Laertes shall be king!' `
` Caps, hands, and tongues applaud it to the clouds, `
` 'Laertes shall be king! Laertes king!' `
` `
` Queen. `
` How cheerfully on the false trail they cry! `
` O, this is counter, you false Danish dogs! `
` `
` [A noise within.] `
` `
` King. `
` The doors are broke. `
` `
` [Enter Laertes, armed; Danes following.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` Where is this king?--Sirs, stand you all without. `
` `
` Danes. `
` No, let's come in. `
` `
` Laer. `
` I pray you, give me leave. `
` `
` Danes. `
` We will, we will. `
` `
` [They retire without the door.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` I thank you:--keep the door.--O thou vile king, `
` Give me my father! `
` `
` Queen. `
` Calmly, good Laertes. `
` `
` Laer. `
` That drop of blood that's calm proclaims me bastard; `
` Cries cuckold to my father; brands the harlot `
` Even here, between the chaste unsmirched brow `
` Of my true mother. `
` `
` King. `
` What is the cause, Laertes, `
` That thy rebellion looks so giant-like?-- `
` Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person: `
` There's such divinity doth hedge a king, `
` That treason can but peep to what it would, `
` Acts little of his will.--Tell me, Laertes, `
` Why thou art thus incens'd.--Let him go, Gertrude:-- `
` Speak, man. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Where is my father? `
` `
` King. `
` Dead. `
` `
` Queen. `
` But not by him. `
` `
` King. `
` Let him demand his fill. `
` `
` Laer. `
` How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with: `
` To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil! `
` Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! `
` I dare damnation:--to this point I stand,-- `
` That both the worlds, I give to negligence, `
` Let come what comes; only I'll be reveng'd `
` Most throughly for my father. `
` `
` King. `
` Who shall stay you? `
` `
` Laer. `
` My will, not all the world: `
` And for my means, I'll husband them so well, `
` They shall go far with little. `
` `
` King. `
` Good Laertes, `
` If you desire to know the certainty `
` Of your dear father's death, is't writ in your revenge `
` That, sweepstake, you will draw both friend and foe, `
` Winner and loser? `
` `
` Laer. `
` None but his enemies. `
` `
` King. `
` Will you know them then? `
` `
` Laer. `
` To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my arms; `
` And, like the kind life-rendering pelican, `
` Repast them with my blood. `
` `
` King. `
` Why, now you speak `
` Like a good child and a true gentleman. `
` That I am guiltless of your father's death, `
` And am most sensibly in grief for it, `
` It shall as level to your judgment pierce `
` As day does to your eye. `
` `
` Danes. `
` [Within] Let her come in. `
` `
` Laer. `
` How now! What noise is that? `
` `
` [Re-enter Ophelia, fantastically dressed with straws and `
` flowers.] `
` `
` O heat, dry up my brains! tears seven times salt, `
` Burn out the sense and virtue of mine eye!-- `
` By heaven, thy madness shall be paid by weight, `
` Till our scale turn the beam. O rose of May! `
` Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!-- `
` O heavens! is't possible a young maid's wits `
` Should be as mortal as an old man's life? `
` Nature is fine in love; and where 'tis fine, `
`