Faculty of English

POLONIUS      What is the matter, my lord? HAMLET         Between who? POLONIUS      I mean the matter that you read, my lord. HAMLET         Slanders, sir. For the satirical rogue says here that old men have grey beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and plumtree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack […]

HAMLET         For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a good kissing carrion – have you a daughter? POLONIUS      I have, my lord. HAMLET         Let her not walk i’th’ sun: conception is a blessing but as your daughter may conceive, friend – look to’t. POLONIUS      [aside] How say you by that? Still harping on my […]

Enter HAMLET . GERTRUDE    But look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading. POLONIUS      Away, I do beseech you both, away. I’ll board him presently. O, give me leave. (Exeunt CLAUDIUS and GERTRUDE.) How does my good lord Hamlet? HAMLET                                 Well, God-a-mercy. POLONIUS      Do you know me, my lord? HAMLET         Excellent well, you are a fishmonger. POLONIUS      Not I, my lord. HAMLET         Then I would you were so honest a man. POLONIUS      […]

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 […]