Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd; `
` His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy. `
` Sir, in this audience, `
` Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil `
` Free me so far in your most generous thoughts `
` That I have shot my arrow o'er the house `
` And hurt my brother. `
` `
` Laer. `
` I am satisfied in nature, `
` Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most `
` To my revenge. But in my terms of honour `
` I stand aloof; and will no reconcilement `
` Till by some elder masters of known honour `
` I have a voice and precedent of peace `
` To keep my name ungor'd. But till that time `
` I do receive your offer'd love like love, `
` And will not wrong it. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I embrace it freely; `
` And will this brother's wager frankly play.-- `
` Give us the foils; come on. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Come, one for me. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ignorance `
` Your skill shall, like a star in the darkest night, `
` Stick fiery off indeed. `
` `
` Laer. `
` You mock me, sir. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, by this hand. `
` `
` King. `
` Give them the foils, young Osric. Cousin Hamlet, `
` You know the wager? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Very well, my lord; `
` Your grace has laid the odds o' the weaker side. `
` `
` King. `
` I do not fear it; I have seen you both; `
` But since he's better'd, we have therefore odds. `
` `
` Laer. `
` This is too heavy, let me see another. `
` `
` Ham. `
` This likes me well. These foils have all a length? `
` `
` [They prepare to play.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Ay, my good lord. `
` `
` King. `
` Set me the stoups of wine upon that table,-- `
` If Hamlet give the first or second hit, `
` Or quit in answer of the third exchange, `
` Let all the battlements their ordnance fire; `
` The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath; `
` And in the cup an union shall he throw, `
` Richer than that which four successive kings `
` In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups; `
` And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, `
` The trumpet to the cannoneer without, `
` The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth, `
` 'Now the king drinks to Hamlet.'--Come, begin:-- `
` And you, the judges, bear a wary eye. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Come on, sir. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Come, my lord. `
` `
` [They play.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` One. `
` `
` Laer. `
` No. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Judgment! `
` `
` Osr. `
` A hit, a very palpable hit. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Well;--again. `
` `
` King. `
` Stay, give me drink.--Hamlet, this pearl is thine; `
` Here's to thy health.-- `
` `
` [Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within.] `
` `
` Give him the cup. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile.-- `
` Come.--Another hit; what say you? `
` `
` [They play.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` A touch, a touch, I do confess. `
` `
` King. `
` Our son shall win. `
` `
` Queen. `
` He's fat, and scant of breath.-- `
` Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: `
` The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Good madam! `
` `
` King. `
` Gertrude, do not drink. `
` `
` Queen. `
` I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me. `
` `
` King. `
` [Aside.] It is the poison'd cup; it is too late. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I dare not drink yet, madam; by-and-by. `
` `
` Queen. `
` Come, let me wipe thy face. `
` `
` Laer. `
` My lord, I'll hit him now. `
` `
` King. `
` I do not think't. `
` `
` Laer. `
` [Aside.] And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Come, for the third, Laertes: you but dally; `
` I pray you pass with your best violence: `
` I am afeard you make a wanton of me. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Say you so? come on. `
` `
` [They play.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Nothing, neither way. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Have at you now! `
` `
` [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they `
` change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes.] `
` `
` King. `
` Part them; they are incens'd. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Nay, come again! `
` `
` [The Queen falls.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Look to the queen there, ho! `
` `
` Hor. `
` They bleed on both sides.--How is it, my lord? `
` `
` Osr. `
` How is't, Laertes? `
` `
` Laer. `
` Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, Osric; `
` I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. `
` `
` Ham. `
` How does the Queen? `
` `
` King. `
` She swoons to see them bleed. `
` `
` Queen. `
` No, no! the drink, the drink!--O my dear Hamlet!-- `
` The drink, the drink!--I am poison'd. `
` `
`
` His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy. `
` Sir, in this audience, `
` Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil `
` Free me so far in your most generous thoughts `
` That I have shot my arrow o'er the house `
` And hurt my brother. `
` `
` Laer. `
` I am satisfied in nature, `
` Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most `
` To my revenge. But in my terms of honour `
` I stand aloof; and will no reconcilement `
` Till by some elder masters of known honour `
` I have a voice and precedent of peace `
` To keep my name ungor'd. But till that time `
` I do receive your offer'd love like love, `
` And will not wrong it. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I embrace it freely; `
` And will this brother's wager frankly play.-- `
` Give us the foils; come on. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Come, one for me. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ignorance `
` Your skill shall, like a star in the darkest night, `
` Stick fiery off indeed. `
` `
` Laer. `
` You mock me, sir. `
` `
` Ham. `
` No, by this hand. `
` `
` King. `
` Give them the foils, young Osric. Cousin Hamlet, `
` You know the wager? `
` `
` Ham. `
` Very well, my lord; `
` Your grace has laid the odds o' the weaker side. `
` `
` King. `
` I do not fear it; I have seen you both; `
` But since he's better'd, we have therefore odds. `
` `
` Laer. `
` This is too heavy, let me see another. `
` `
` Ham. `
` This likes me well. These foils have all a length? `
` `
` [They prepare to play.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Ay, my good lord. `
` `
` King. `
` Set me the stoups of wine upon that table,-- `
` If Hamlet give the first or second hit, `
` Or quit in answer of the third exchange, `
` Let all the battlements their ordnance fire; `
` The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath; `
` And in the cup an union shall he throw, `
` Richer than that which four successive kings `
` In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups; `
` And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, `
` The trumpet to the cannoneer without, `
` The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth, `
` 'Now the king drinks to Hamlet.'--Come, begin:-- `
` And you, the judges, bear a wary eye. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Come on, sir. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Come, my lord. `
` `
` [They play.] `
` `
` Ham. `
` One. `
` `
` Laer. `
` No. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Judgment! `
` `
` Osr. `
` A hit, a very palpable hit. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Well;--again. `
` `
` King. `
` Stay, give me drink.--Hamlet, this pearl is thine; `
` Here's to thy health.-- `
` `
` [Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within.] `
` `
` Give him the cup. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile.-- `
` Come.--Another hit; what say you? `
` `
` [They play.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` A touch, a touch, I do confess. `
` `
` King. `
` Our son shall win. `
` `
` Queen. `
` He's fat, and scant of breath.-- `
` Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: `
` The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Good madam! `
` `
` King. `
` Gertrude, do not drink. `
` `
` Queen. `
` I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me. `
` `
` King. `
` [Aside.] It is the poison'd cup; it is too late. `
` `
` Ham. `
` I dare not drink yet, madam; by-and-by. `
` `
` Queen. `
` Come, let me wipe thy face. `
` `
` Laer. `
` My lord, I'll hit him now. `
` `
` King. `
` I do not think't. `
` `
` Laer. `
` [Aside.] And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Come, for the third, Laertes: you but dally; `
` I pray you pass with your best violence: `
` I am afeard you make a wanton of me. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Say you so? come on. `
` `
` [They play.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Nothing, neither way. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Have at you now! `
` `
` [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they `
` change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes.] `
` `
` King. `
` Part them; they are incens'd. `
` `
` Ham. `
` Nay, come again! `
` `
` [The Queen falls.] `
` `
` Osr. `
` Look to the queen there, ho! `
` `
` Hor. `
` They bleed on both sides.--How is it, my lord? `
` `
` Osr. `
` How is't, Laertes? `
` `
` Laer. `
` Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, Osric; `
` I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. `
` `
` Ham. `
` How does the Queen? `
` `
` King. `
` She swoons to see them bleed. `
` `
` Queen. `
` No, no! the drink, the drink!--O my dear Hamlet!-- `
` The drink, the drink!--I am poison'd. `
` `
`