CLAUDIUS                  How may we try it further? POLONIUS      You know sometimes he walks four hours together Here in the lobby? GERTRUDE                So he does, indeed. POLONIUS      At such a time I’ll loose my daughter to him. Be you and I behind an arras then, Mark the encounter: if he love her not And be not from his reason fallen thereon Let me be no assistant for a state But keep […]

CLAUDIUS      Do you think this? GERTRUDE                It may be, very like. POLONIUS      Hath there been such a time – I would fain know that – That I have positively said ’tis so When it proved otherwise? CLAUDIUS      Not that I know. POLONIUS      Take this from this if this be otherwise. If circumstances lead me I will find Where truth is hid, though it were hid […]

POLONIUS      No, I went round to work And my young mistress thus I did bespeak: ‘Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star. This must not be.’ And then I prescripts gave her That she should lock herself from his resort, Admit no messengers, receive no tokens; Which done, she took the fruits of my advice, And he, repelled, a short tale to make, Fell into […]

CLAUDIUS                  But how hath she Received his love? POLONIUS                  What do you think of me? CLAUDIUS      As of a man faithful and honourable. POLONIUS      I would fain prove so. But what might you think When I had seen this hot love on the wing – As I perceived it (I must tell you that) Before my daughter told me – what might you, Or […]

POLONIUS      [Reads.] Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love. O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers. I have not art to reckon my groans, but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu. Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him. […]

POLONIUS      Thus it remains, and the remainder thus. Perpend, I have a daughter – have while she is mine – Who in her duty and obedience, mark, Hath given me this. Now gather and surmise. [Reads.] To the celestial and my soul’s idol, the most beautified Ophelia – that’s an ill phrase, a vile phrase, ‘beautified’ is a vile phrase, but you shall hear […]

GERTRUDE                More matter with less art. POLONIUS      Madam, I swear I use no art at all. That he is mad, ’tis true, ’tis true ’tis pity, And pity ’tis ’tis true: a foolish figure! But farewell it, for I will use no art. Mad let us grant him then, and now remains That we find out the cause of this effect – Or […]

POLONIUS                  This business is well ended. My liege and madam, to expostulate What majesty should be, what duty is, Why day is day, night night, and time is time, Were nothing but to waste night, day and time; Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes. I will be brief: your noble son is […]

VOLTEMAND Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy, Gives him threescore thousand crowns in annual fee And his commission to employ those soldiers So levied (as before) against the Polack, With an entreaty herein further shown That it might please you to give quiet pass Through your dominions for this enterprise On such regards of safety and allowance As therein are set down. CLAUDIUS                  It likes us well, […]

Enter Voltemand and Cornelius. CLAUDIUS                  Welcome, my good friends. Say, Voltemand, what from our brother Norway? VOLTEMAND Most fair return of greetings and desires. Upon our first he sent out to suppress His nephew’s levies, which to him appeared To be a preparation ’gainst the Polack; But, better looked into, he truly found It was against your highness; whereat, grieved That so his sickness, age and impotence Was falsely borne […]