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"Hercules and his load"
Allusion
Act 2,
Scene 2
Lines 348-357

An explanation of the allusion to Hercules in Act 2, Scene 2 of myShakespeare’s Hamlet.

Rosencrantz   

Faith, there has been much to-do on both 
sides, and the nation holds it no sin to tar them to 
controversy. There was, for a while, no money bid
for argument unless the poet and the player went to
cuffs on the question.

Hamlet   

Is't possible? 

Guildenstern   

Oh, there has been much throwing about of brains.

Hamlet   

Do the boys carry it away?

Rosencrantz   

Ay, that they do, my lord, Hercules and his load
too.    

Hercules was sometimes pictured carrying the earth on his shoulders; so Rosencrantz is using this allusion to say that the child acting companies are winning the competition for spectators by carrying away the world. Since this image was also the symbol used by Shakespeare's Globe theater, Shakespeare is cleverly implying that even his famous acting company is feeling the effects of this competition.