Faculty of English

Enter FORTINBRAS with [his train and] the Ambassadors. FORTINBRAS Where is this sight? HORATIO                   What is it you would see? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search. FORTINBRAS This quarry cries on havoc. O proud Death, What feast is toward in thine eternal cell That thou so many princes at a shot So bloodily hast struck?        (5.2.346-351) Fortinbras! Named in the play’s first scene, encountered for a mere handful […]

HORATIO       Now cracks a noble heart. Goodnight, sweet Prince, And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Why does the drum come hither?   (5.2.343-345) Oh, Horatio. He might as well be talking about himself, that greatness of heart, except he’d never be so self-aggrandising. Now cracks a noble heart. Everything’s broken now, that crack is cataclysmic, definitive. But it’s also got a […]

HAMLET                     O, I die, Horatio. The potent poison quite o’ercrows my spirit, I cannot live to hear the news from England, But I do prophesy th’election lights On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice. So tell him with th’occurrents more and less Which have solicited. – The rest is silence. [Dies.] (5.2.336-342) But no chance for any elaboration on the news of Fortinbras and the ambassadors; […]

(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. […]