(A march afar off [and a sound of shooting]) HAMLET         What warlike noise is this? Enter OSRIC. OSRIC Young Fortinbras with conquest come from Poland To th’ambassadors of England gives This warlike volley.   (5.2.333-336) The stage has shrunk and shrunk, all eyes now on the dying Hamlet, cradled by his distraught friend Horatio—so there’s a particular violence and violation […]

HORATIO                   Never believe it. I am more an antique Roman than a Dane: Here’s yet some liquor left. HAMLET                     As thou’rt a man Give me the cup. Let go! By heaven I’ll ha’t! O God, Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall I leave behind me! If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart Absent thee from felicity awhile And in this […]

HAMLET         Heaven make thee free of it. I follow thee. I am dead, Horatio. Wretched Queen, adieu. You that look pale and tremble at this chance, That are but mutes or audience to this act, Had I but time (as this fell sergeant Death Is strict in his arrest) – O, I could tell you – But let it be. Horatio, I am dead. Thou livest: report me and […]

HAMLET         The point envenomed too? Then venom to thy work! [Hurts the King.] LORDS            Treason, treason! CLAUDIUS      O, yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt. HAMLET         Here, thou incestuous, damned Dane! Drink of this potion. Is the union here? Follow my mother. [King dies.] LAERTES                    He is justly served. It is a poison tempered by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet, Mine and my […]

HAMLET         O villainy, ho! Let the door be locked. Treachery! Seek it out. [Exit Osric.] LAERTES        It is here, Hamlet, thou art slain. No medicine in the world can do thee good: In thee there is not half an hour’s life; The treacherous instrument is in thy hand Unbated and envenomed. The foul practice Hath turned itself on me. Lo, here I lie, Never to rise again. Thy mother’s poisoned – I can no […]

HORATIO       They bleed on both sides. How is it, my lord? OSRIC How is’t, Laertes? LAERTES        Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric: I am justly killed with mine own treachery. HAMLET         How does the Queen? CLAUDIUS      She swoons to see them bleed. QUEEN           No, no, the drink, the drink, O my dear Hamlet, The drink, the drink – […]

LAERTES        [aside to King]            My lord, I’ll hit him now. CLAUDIUS      [aside to Laertes]       I do not think’t. LAERTES        [aside] And yet it is almost against my conscience. HAMLET         Come for the third, Laertes, you do but dally. I pray you pass with your best violence. I am sure you make a wanton of me. LAERTES        Say you so? Come on. [They play.] OSRIC Nothing neither way. […]

GERTRUDE    He’s fat and scant of breath. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows – The Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. HAMLET         Good madam. CLAUDIUS      Gertrude, do not drink. GERTRUDE    I will, my lord. I pray you pardon me. CLAUDIUS      [aside] It is the poisoned cup! It is too late. HAMLET         I dare not drink yet, madam. By and by. […]

HAMLET         Come on, sir. LAERTES        Come, my lord. [They play.] HAMLET         One! LAERTES        No! HAMLET         Judgement? OSRIC A hit, a very palpable hit. Drum, trumpets and shot LAERTES        Well, again. CLAUDIUS      Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine: Here’s to thy health. Give him the cup. HAMLET         I’ll play this bout first. Set it by awhile. [They play.] Come, another hit! – What say you? […]

CLAUDIUS                  Give me the cups, And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, The trumpet to the cannoneer without, The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth. (Trumpets the while) Now the King drinks to Hamlet. Come, begin. And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.         (5.2.251-256) The tension is rising, rising, as Claudius issues his instructions—give me the cups, go on, […]