2

Hamlet

'Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn, and hell itself breaks out
Contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood,
And do such bitter business as the day
Would quake to look on. Soft, now to my mother.     
Oh heart, loose not thy nature! Let not ever
The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom.    
Let me be cruel, not unnatural.
I will speak daggers to her, but use none.
My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites.
How in my words somever she be shent,
To give them seals, never my soul consent!
[Exit Hamlet.]

Rosencrantz

Than to entreaty.

Guildenstern

                                We both obey, 
And here give up ourselves in the full bent,
To lay our services freely at your feet

Claudius

Oh, speak of that! That do I long to hear. 

Polonius

Give first admittance to th' ambassadors.
My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.    

Claudius

Thyself do grace to them and bring them in.    

Polonius

Give first admittance to th' ambassadors.
My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.    

Claudius

Thyself do grace to them and bring them in.    

Polonius

My liege and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night, night, and time is time —
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, 
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief. Your noble son is mad.
Mad call I it, for to define true madness,
What is't but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.

Gertrude

Polonius

[He reads from a letter.]

Gertrude

Polonius

[He reads.]

Claudius 

Polonius 

Claudius

Polonius

Claudius 

Gertrude

Polonius

Claudius

Polonius     

[Indicating his head and shoulder]

Claudius

Polonius

Gertrude

Polonius

Claudius 

[Enter Hamlet reading a book].

Gertrude

Polonius

[Exit Claudius and Gertrude.]

Polonius

"To the celestial and my soul's idol, the most
‘beautified’ Ophelia" — That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase;
beautified is a vile phrase. But you shall hear —
"thus in her excellent white bosom, these ..."

Polonius

"Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Doubt that the sun does move,
Doubt truth to be a liar,
But never doubt I love.
Oh, dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers.
I have not art to reckon my groans. But that I  
love thee best, oh, most best, believe it. Adieu.
Thine evermore, most dear lady, 
Whilst this machine is to him,  Hamlet."

Polonius

You know sometimes he walks four hours together
Here in the lobby.

Gertrude

                              So he has indeed.

Polonius

At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him. 
Be you and I behind an arras then,
Mark the encounter. If he love her not,
And be not from his reason fallen thereon,
Let me be no assistant for a state
But keep a farm and carters.

Hamlet   

My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern?
Oh, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do you both?

Rosencrantz

As the indifferent children of the earth.

Guildenstern

Happy in that we are not over-happy. 
On Fortune's cap we are not the very button.    

Hamlet

Nor the soles of her shoe?

Rosencrantz

Neither, my lord.

Both

We'll wait upon you.

Hamlet   

No such matter. I will not sort you with the rest of my 
servants, for (to speak to you like an honest man) I am
most dreadfully attended. – But in the beaten way of    
friendship, what make you at Elsinore?

Rosencrantz   

To visit you my lord, no other occasion.

Pages