May 2022

A room in the castle.Enter King, Rosencrantz, andGuildenstern. King. I like him not, nor stands it safe with usTo let his madness range. Therefore prepare you;I your commission will forthwith dispatch.And he to England shall along with you:The terms of our estate may not endureHazard so near us as doth hourly growOut of his lunacies.Guildenstern. […]

A hall in the castle.Enter Hamlet and Players. Hamlet. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue: but if you mouth it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your

A room in the castle.Enter King, Queen, Polonius, Ophelia,Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. King. And can you, by no drift of circumstance,Get from him why he puts on this confusion,Grating so harshly all his days of quietWith turbulent and dangerous lunacy?Rosencrantz. He does confess he feels himself distracted;But from what cause he will by no means speak.Guildenstern.

A room in the castle.Enter King, Queen, Rosencrantz, Guilden-stern, and Attendants. King. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern!Moreover that we much did long to see you,The need we have to use you did provokeOur hasty sending. Something have you heardOf Hamlet’s transformation; so call it,Sith nor the exterior nor the inward manResembles that it was. What

A room in Polonius’ house.Enter Polonius and Reynaldo. Polonius. Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo.Reynaldo. I will, my lord.Polonius. You shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo,Before you visit him, to make inquireOf his behaviour.Reynaldo. My lord, I did intend it.Polonius. Marry, well said; very well said. Look you, sir,Inquire me first what Danskers

Another part of the platform. Enter Ghost and Hamlet.Hamlet. Where wilt thou lead me? speak: I ’ll go no futher. Ghost. Mark me.Hamlet. I will.Ghost. My hour is almost come,When I to sulphurous and tormenting flamesMust render up myself.Hamlet. Alas, poor ghost!Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearingTo what I shall unfold.Hamlet. Speak;

The platform.Enter Hamlet, Horatio, and Marcellus. Hamlet. The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold.Horatio. It is a nipping and an eager air.Hamlet. What hour now?Horatio. I think it lacks of twelve.Marcellus. No, it is struck.Horatio. Indeed? I heard it not: then it draws near the seasonWherein the spirit held his wont to walk.[A flourish

A room in Polonius’ houseEnter Laertes and Ophelia. Laertes. My necessaries are embark’d: farewell:And, sister, as the winds give benefitAnd convoy is assistant, do not sleep,But let me hear from you.Ophelia. Do you doubt that?Laertes. For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour,Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood,A violet in the youth

A room of state in the castle.Enter the King, Queen, Hamlet, Polonius, Laertes,Voltimand, Cornelius, Lords, and Attendants. King. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother’s deathThe memory be green, and that it us befittedTo bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdomTo be contracted in one brow of woe,Yet so far hath discretion fought

Elsinore. A platform before the castle.Francisco at his post. Enter to him Bernardo. Bernardo. Who ’s there?Francisco. Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.Bernardo. Long live the king!Francisco. Bernardo?Bernardo. He.Francisco. You come most carefully upon your hour.Bernardo. ’Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.Francisco. For this relief much thanks: ’tis bitter cold, and