HAMLET SPEAKS! and he’s not in a good way… (1.2.64-71) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare

CLAUDIUS      But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son – HAMLET         A little more than kin, and less than kind. CLAUDIUS      How is it that the clouds still hang on you? HAMLET         Not so, my lord, I am too much in the son. GERTRUDE     Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever […]

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Claudius: your father’s my right hand! Laertes: can I go back to France now please? #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare

CLAUDIUS      The head is not more native to the heart, The hand more instrumental to the mouth, Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father. What wouldst thou have, Laertes? LAERTES                                My dread lord, Your leave and favour to return to France, From whence though willingly I came to Denmark To show my duty in your coronation, Yet now I […]

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Claudius continues kinging; Laertes? who he? (1.2.39-46) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare

CLAUDIUS      Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty. VOLTEMAND / CORNELIUS In that and all things will we show our duty. CLAUDIUS      We doubt it nothing. Heartily farewell. [ Exeunt Voltemand and Cornelius.] And now, Laertes, what’s the news with you? You told us of some suit – what is’t, Laertes? You cannot speak of reason to the Dane And lose your voice. What wouldst thou beg, […]

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Claudius, being Statesmanlike in his exposition (1.1.14-25) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare

CLAUDIUS      Nor have we herein barred Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone With this affair along. For all, our thanks. Now follows that you know: young Fortinbras, Holding a weak supposal of our worth Or thinking by our late dear brother’s death Our state to be disjoint and out of frame – Co-leagued with this dream of his advantage – He hath not failed to […]

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Claudius: I’ve actually married my sister-in-law! (1.2.8-14) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare

CLAUDIUS      Therefore our sometime sister, now our Queen, Th’imperial jointress to this warlike state, Have we, as ’twere with a defeated joy, With an auspicious and a dropping eye, With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole, Taken to wife.             (1.1.8-14) Therefore—therefore—because we’ve (I’ve) got to think of ourselves, our own needs as well as those of […]

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Marcellus: roosters crow all night in Advent! No ghosts! Horatio: OK yes (1.1.156-164) #InkyCloak #SlowShakespeare

MARCELLUS   It faded on the crowing of the cock. Some say that ever ’gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated This bird of dawning singeth all night long, And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad, The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, So hallowed and so gracious is that time. HORATIO        So have I […]

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