CLAUDIUS      O, speak of that, that do I long to hear. POLONIUS      Give first admittance to th’ambassadors. My news shall be the fruit to that great feast. CLAUDIUS      Thyself do grace to them and bring them in. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found The head and source of all your son’s distemper. GERTRUDE    I doubt it is no other but the main – His father’s death […]

GUILDENSTERN        Heavens make our presence and our practices Pleasant and helpful to him. GERTRUDE                Ay, amen. Exeunt Rosencrantz, Guildenstern [and one or more Courtiers]. Enter Polonius. POLONIUS      Th’ambassadors from Norway, my good lord, Are joyfully returned. CLAUDIUS      Thou still hast been the father of good news. POLONIUS      Have I, my lord? I assure my good liege I hold my duty as I hold my […]

ROSENCRANTZ         Both your majesties Might by the sovereign power you have of us Put your dread pleasures more into command Than to entreaty. GUILDENSTERN        But we both obey And here give up ourselves in the full bent To lay our service freely at your feet To be commanded. CLAUDIUS      Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern. GERTRUDE    Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Rosencrantz. And I beseech you instantly to […]

QUEEN           Good gentlemen, he hath much talked of you And sure I am two men there is not living To whom he more adheres. If it will please you To show us so much gentry and good will As to expend your time with us awhile For the supply and profit of our hope, Your visitation shall receive such thanks As […]

CLAUDIUS                  I entreat you both That, being of so young days brought up with him And sith so neighboured to his youth and haviour, That you vouchsafe your rest here in our Court Some little time, so by your companies To draw him on to pleasures and to gather So much as from occasion you may glean, Whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus That opened lies within our remedy.           (2.2.10-18) This is […]

Flourish. Enter KING and QUEEN, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern [and other Courtiers] KING   Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Moreover that we much did long to see you The need we have to use you did provoke Our hasty sending. Something have you heard Of Hamlet’s transformation – so call it Sith nor th’exterior nor the inward man Resembles that it was. What it should be More than his father’s death, that thus […]

POLONIUS                  That hath made him mad. I am sorry that with better heed and judgement I had not quoted him. I feared he did but trifle And meant to wrack thee – but beshrew my jealousy – By heaven it is as proper to our age To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions As it is common for the younger sort To lack discretion. Come, go we to the King: This must be known which, […]

POLONIUS      Come, go with me: I will go seek the King. This is the very ecstasy of love, Whose violent property fordoes itself And leads the will to desperate undertakings As oft as any passions under heaven That does afflict our natures. I am sorry – What, have you given him any hard words of late? OPHELIA        No, my good lord, but as […]

OPHELIA                    Long stayed he so; At last, a little shaking of mine arm And thrice his head thus waving up and down, He raised a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk And end his being. That done, he lets me go And with his head over his shoulder turned He seemed to find […]

POLONIUS      Mad for thy love? OPHELIA                    My lord, I do not know, But truly I do fear it. POLONIUS                  What said he? OPHELIA        He took me by the wrist and held me hard, Then goes he to the length of all his arm And with his other hand thus o’er his brow He falls to such perusal of my face […]