POLONIUS                  Marry, sir, here’s my drift – And I believe it is a fetch of wit – You laying these slight sallies on my son As ’twere a thing a little soiled with working, Mark you, your party in converse (him you would sound) Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured He closes with you in this consequence: ‘Good sir’ (or so), […]

REYNALDO    My lord, that would dishonour him. POLONIUS      Faith, as you may season it in the charge. You must not put another scandal on him That he is open to incontinency – That’s not my meaning – but breathe his faults so quaintly That they may seem the taints of liberty, The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind, […]

POLONIUS      ‘And in part him, but’, you may say, ‘not well. But if’t be he I mean he’s very wild, Addicted so and so’, and there put on him What forgeries you please. Marry, none so rank As may dishonour him – take heed of that – But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips As are companions noted and most known […]

POLONIUS                  Look you, sir, Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris, And how, and who, what means, and where they keep, What company, at what expense, and finding By this encompassment and drift of question That they do know my son, come you more nearer Than your particular demands will touch it; Take you as ’twere some distant knowledge of him, As thus, ‘I know his father and his […]

Enter POLONIUS with his man [Reynaldo] or two. 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 inquire Of his behaviour. REYNALDO    My lord, I did intend it. POLONIUS      Marry, well said, very well said.       (2.1.1-6) A complete shift of tone and pace: daylight, interior, family matters. Back to […]

HAMLET                     This do swear, So grace and mercy at your most need help you. GHOST                        Swear. HAMLET         Rest, rest, perturbed spirit. So, gentlemen, With all my love I do commend me to you, And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do t’express his love and friending to you God willing shall not lack. Let us […]

HORATIO        O day and night, but this is wondrous strange. HAMLET         And therefore as a stranger give it welcome: There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. But come, Here as before: never – so help you mercy, How strange or odd some’er I bear myself (As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put […]

HORATIO                    Propose the oath, my lord. HAMLET         Never to speak of this that you have seen, Swear by my sword. GHOST            Swear. HAMLET         Hic et ubique? Then we’ll shift our ground. Come hither, gentlemen, and lay your hands Again upon my sword. Swear by my sword Never to speak of this that you have heard. GHOST            Swear by his sword. HAMLET         Well said, old mole, canst work i’th’ earth so […]

HORATIO        What is’t, my lord? We will. HAMLET         Never make known what you have seen tonight. HORATIO / MARCELLUS      My lord, we will not. HAMLET         Nay, but swear’t. HORATIO        In faith, my lord, not I. MARCELLUS                           Nor I, my lord, in faith. HAMLET         Upon my sword. MARCELLUS                           We have sworn, my lord, already. HAMLET         Indeed, […]

HORATIO        These are but wild and whirling words, my lord. HAMLET         I am sorry they offend you – heartily, Yes, faith, heartily. HORATIO        There’s no offence, my lord. HAMLET         Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio, And much offence too. Touching this vision here It is an honest ghost – that let me tell you. For your desire to know what is between us O’ermaster […]