Hamlet

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.]

Claudius  

How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!
The harlot's cheek, beautied with plast'ring art,
Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it
Than is my deed to my most painted word.    
Oh, heavy burden!

Hamlet

Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a 
breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet
I could accuse me of such things that it were better my
mother had not borne me. I am very proud, revengeful,
ambitious, with more offenses at my beck than I have
thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape,
or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do
crawling between heaven and earth? We are arrant 
knaves all. Believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery. –     
Where's your father?

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.

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