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"Why, what a king is this!"
Discussion
Act 5,
Scene 2
Lines 57-62b

An explanation of Horatio’s line in Act 5, Scene 2 of myShakespeare’s Hamlet.

Hamlet

Why, man, they did make love to this employment. 
They are not near my conscience. Their defeat
Does by their own insinuation grow.
'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes
Between the pass and fell incensed points
Of mighty opposites.

Horatio 

                                       Why, what a king is this!    

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 is ambiguous. It’s unclear if Horatio is referring to Claudius or Hamlet, who has just admitted culpability in the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.