"as'es of great charge"
Language
Act 5,
Scene 2
Lines 38-47a
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
Horatio
[Enter young Osric, a courtier.]
Osric
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
Osric
[With his hat in his hand]
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
[Motioning for Osric to put on his hat.]
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
Horatio
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
Osric
Hamlet
[Exit Osric.]
Horatio
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
Horatio
Hamlet
This line refers to the fact that important sounding phrases starting with “as”. But it can also refer to asses, or mules, bearing heavy loads (charges).