Hamlet

Hamlet

Enough of that, now you’ll hear the rest of my tale. You remember the predicament in which I found myself.

Horatio

How could I forget, my lord?

First Gravedigger

She’s getting a Christian burial, the one who sought her own salvation?

Second Gravedigger

I’m telling you that she is. Therefore, make her grave right away. The coroner examined the case and decided that she should have a Christian burial.

First Gravedigger

How can that be, unless she drowned herself in self-defense?

Second Gravedigger

Well, that was found to be the case.

Claudius

Now, you must accept my innocence and count me as a friend. You’ve heard that the man who killed your noble father also tried to kill me.

Laertes

That certainly appears to be the case. But, tell me: Why didn’t you prosecute such serious offenses? They’re death penalty crimes, and threats to your own safety and power, for which your good judgement should have stirred you to act.

Horatio

Who wishes to speak with me?

Servingman

Sailors, sir. They say that they have letters for you.

Horatio

Let them come in.

Sailor

God bless you, sir.

Horatio

Let him bless you also.

Gertrude

I won’t speak with her.

Horatio

She’s insistent and very distressed. She deserves your pity.

Gertrude

What does she want?

Fortinbras

Go, Captain, and give the Danish King my greetings. Tell him that, based on our previous agreement, Prince Fortinbras seeks authorization to march his army across Denmark. You know where to meet up with us. Also, let the Danish King know that, if he wants anything from me, it would be my duty to grant it to him.

Captain

I’ll do that, my lord.

Fortinbras

[To his soldiers] Go slowly on.

Claudius

I‘ve sent people to find him and the body. How dangerous it is, that Hamlet’s running loose! Yet I can’t have him charged with the murder; the general public adores him. The masses don’t judge us objectively, but by our public image. They would only see Hamlet’s punishment and not his crime. To handle this smoothly, it must appear as if his trip had been planned for some time. Desperate situations call for desperate measures. [Enter Rosencrantz.] What’s happened now?

Hamlet

Safely stowed away.

Gentlemen

[Offstage] Hamlet, Lord Hamlet!

Hamlet

What’s that noise? Who’s calling me? Oh, there they are.

Rosencrantz

What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?

Hamlet

I’ve mixed it with dust, which is its kin – “dust to dust” and all that.

Claudius

The way you are sighing, something is going on. You must explain, because I need to know what it is. Where’s your son?

Gertrude

Oh, my lord, what I have seen tonight!

Claudius

What is it, Gertrude? How’s Hamlet?

Gertrude

As mad and confused as the sea in a storm. In a fit of rage, he heard something behind the curtain, whipped out his sword, and yelled “A rat, a rat.” In a feverish delusion, he killed this good man.