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All Site ContentHamletAct 5Scene 2
Back to the Play
"prologue" and "play"
Metaphor
Act 5,
Scene 2
Lines 29-37a

An explanation of the play metaphor in Act 5, Scene 2 of myShakespeare’s Hamlet.

Hamlet

Being thus benetted round with villains,     
Ere I could make a prologue to my brains,
They had begun the play. I sat me down,    
Devised a new commission, wrote it fair.
I once did hold it, as our statists do, 
A baseness to write fair, and labored much
How to forget that learning. But, sir, now
It did me yeoman's service. Wilt thou know
Th' effects of what I wrote?

Horatio

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

Hamlet uses a theatrical metaphor in describing his actions. In an Elizabethan play, the plot is first laid out in the prologue and then performed by the actors. Aboard the ship, Hamlet’s brain directed him to act without waiting for the plan (plot) to be laid out.