HAMLET O, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows and noise. I would have such a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termagant – it […]
Continue ReadingAuthor: Hester Lees-Jeffries
Hamlet: so, some acting tips, guys (3.2.1-8) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
Enter HAMLET and three of the 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 our players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your […]
Continue ReadingPolonius: let’s get Hamlet to talk to his mother, I’ll listen in (3.1.179-187) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
POLONIUS My lord, do as you please, But if you hold it fit after the play Let his Queen-mother all alone entreat him To show his grief. Let her be round with him And I’ll be placed, so please you, in the ear Of all their conference. If she find him not, To England send him or confine him where Your wisdom best shall […]
Continue ReadingClaudius: a holiday will do Hamlet good! Polonius: you’re still here are you, Ophelia? (3.1.170-179) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
CLAUDIUS Haply the seas and countries different With variable objects shall expel This something-settled matter in his heart Whereon his brains still beating puts him thus From fashion of himself. What think you on’t? POLONIUS It shall do well. But yet do I believe The origin and commencement of his grief Sprung from neglected love. How now, Ophelia? You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said […]
Continue ReadingClaudius: I don’t trust Hamlet one inch, I’m sending him to England (3.1.161-169) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
CLAUDIUS Love! His affections do not that way tend. Nor what he spake, though it lacked form a little, Was not like madness. There’s something in his soul O’er which his melancholy sits on brood And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose Will be some danger – which for to prevent I have in quick determination Thus set it down. He shall with speed to England […]
Continue ReadingOphelia: what just happened? where’s my lovely Hamlet gone? (3.1.149-160) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
OPHELIA O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown! The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s eye, tongue, sword, Th’ expectation and rose of the fair state, The glass of fashion and the mould of form, Th’observed of all observers, quite, quite down. And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, That sucked the honey of his musicked vows, Now see what noble and most sovereign reason Like sweet bells jangled out of time and harsh – That […]
Continue ReadingHamlet: women, marriage, it all makes me SICK (3.1.140-148) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
OPHELIA [aside] Heavenly powers restore him. HAMLET I have heard of your paintings well enough. God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another. You jig and amble and you lisp, you nickname God’s creatures and make your wantonness ignorance. Go to, I’ll no more on’t. It hath made me mad. I say […]
Continue ReadingHamlet: WOMEN, damned if you do, damned if you don’t (3.1.129-139) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
HAMLET Where’s your father? OPHELIA At home, my lord. HAMLET Let the doors be shut upon him that he may play the fool nowhere but in’s own house. Farewell. OPHELIA [aside] O help him, you sweet heavens! HAMLET If thou dost marry, I’ll give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as […]
Continue ReadingHamlet: I’m not a bad person, actually I’m a terrible person; get thee to a nunnery? (3.1.120-129) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
HAMLET Get thee to a nunnery! Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me. I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to […]
Continue ReadingHamlet: I loved you! Ophelia: that’s what I thought; Hamlet: fooled you! (3.1.114-119) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare
HAMLET I did love you once. OPHELIA Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so. HAMLET You should not have believed me. For virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not. OPHELIA I was the more deceived. (3.1.114-119) Oooof. The pain here, lashing out, Hamlet being […]
Continue Reading