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| <title>SCENE I. Elsinore. A platform before the castle. | |
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| <tr><td class="play" align="center">The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark | |
| <tr><td class="nav" align="center"> | |
| <a href="/Shakespeare">Shakespeare homepage</A> | |
| | <A href="/Shakespeare/hamlet/">Hamlet</A> | |
| | Act 1, Scene 1 | |
| <br> | |
| <a href="hamlet.1.2.html">Next scene</A> | |
| </table> | |
| <h3>SCENE I. Elsinore. A platform before the castle.</H3> | |
| <p><blockquote> | |
| <i>FRANCISCO at his post. Enter to him BERNARDO</i> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech1><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=1>Who's there?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech2><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=2>Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech3><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=3>Long live the king!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech4><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=4>Bernardo?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech5><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=5>He.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech6><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=6>You come most carefully upon your hour.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech7><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=7>'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech8><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=8>For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=9>And I am sick at heart.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech9><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=10>Have you had quiet guard?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech10><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=11>Not a mouse stirring.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech11><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=12>Well, good night.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=13>If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=14>The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech12><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=15>I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who's there?</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech13><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=16>Friends to this ground.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech14><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=17>And liegemen to the Dane.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech15><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=18>Give you good night.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech16><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=19>O, farewell, honest soldier:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=20>Who hath relieved you?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech17><b>FRANCISCO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=21>Bernardo has my place.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=22>Give you good night.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech18><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=23>Holla! Bernardo!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech19><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=24>Say,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=25>What, is Horatio there?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech20><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=26>A piece of him.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech21><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=27>Welcome, Horatio: welcome, good Marcellus.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech22><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=28>What, has this thing appear'd again to-night?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech23><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=29>I have seen nothing.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech24><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=30>Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=31>And will not let belief take hold of him</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=32>Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=33>Therefore I have entreated him along</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=34>With us to watch the minutes of this night;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=35>That if again this apparition come,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=36>He may approve our eyes and speak to it.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech25><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=37>Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech26><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=38>Sit down awhile;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=39>And let us once again assail your ears,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=40>That are so fortified against our story</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=41>What we have two nights seen.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech27><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=42>Well, sit we down,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=43>And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech28><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=44>Last night of all,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=45>When yond same star that's westward from the pole</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=46>Had made his course to illume that part of heaven</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=47>Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=48>The bell then beating one,--</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Enter Ghost</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech29><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=49>Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech30><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=50>In the same figure, like the king that's dead.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech31><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=51>Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech32><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=52>Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech33><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=53>Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech34><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=54>It would be spoke to.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech35><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=55>Question it, Horatio.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech36><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=56>What art thou that usurp'st this time of night,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=57>Together with that fair and warlike form</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=58>In which the majesty of buried Denmark</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=59>Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech37><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=60>It is offended.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech38><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=61> See, it stalks away!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech39><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=62>Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit Ghost</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech40><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=63>'Tis gone, and will not answer.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech41><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=64>How now, Horatio! you tremble and look pale:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=65>Is not this something more than fantasy?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=66>What think you on't?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech42><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=67>Before my God, I might not this believe</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=68>Without the sensible and true avouch</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=69>Of mine own eyes.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech43><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=70> Is it not like the king?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech44><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=71>As thou art to thyself:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=72>Such was the very armour he had on</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=73>When he the ambitious Norway combated;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=74>So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=75>He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=76>'Tis strange.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech45><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=77>Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=78>With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech46><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=79>In what particular thought to work I know not;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=80>But in the gross and scope of my opinion,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=81>This bodes some strange eruption to our state.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech47><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=82>Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=83>Why this same strict and most observant watch</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=84>So nightly toils the subject of the land,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=85>And why such daily cast of brazen cannon,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=86>And foreign mart for implements of war;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=87>Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=88>Does not divide the Sunday from the week;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=89>What might be toward, that this sweaty haste</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=90>Doth make the night joint-labourer with the day:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=91>Who is't that can inform me?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech48><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=92>That can I;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=93>At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=94>Whose image even but now appear'd to us,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=95>Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=96>Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=97>Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet--</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=98>For so this side of our known world esteem'd him--</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=99>Did slay this Fortinbras; who by a seal'd compact,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=100>Well ratified by law and heraldry,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=101>Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=102>Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=103>Against the which, a moiety competent</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=104>Was gaged by our king; which had return'd</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=105>To the inheritance of Fortinbras,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=106>Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same covenant,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=107>And carriage of the article design'd,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=108>His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=109>Of unimproved mettle hot and full,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=110>Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=111>Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=112>For food and diet, to some enterprise</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=113>That hath a stomach in't; which is no other--</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=114>As it doth well appear unto our state--</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=115>But to recover of us, by strong hand</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=116>And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=117>So by his father lost: and this, I take it,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=118>Is the main motive of our preparations,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=119>The source of this our watch and the chief head</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=120>Of this post-haste and romage in the land.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech49><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=121>I think it be no other but e'en so:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=122>Well may it sort that this portentous figure</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=123>Comes armed through our watch; so like the king</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=124>That was and is the question of these wars.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech50><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=125>A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=126>In the most high and palmy state of Rome,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=127>A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=128>The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=129>Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=130>As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=131>Disasters in the sun; and the moist star</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=132>Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=133>Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=134>And even the like precurse of fierce events,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=135>As harbingers preceding still the fates</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=136>And prologue to the omen coming on,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=137>Have heaven and earth together demonstrated</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=138>Unto our climatures and countrymen.--</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=139>But soft, behold! lo, where it comes again!</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Re-enter Ghost</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=140>I'll cross it, though it blast me. Stay, illusion!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=141>If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=142>Speak to me:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=143>If there be any good thing to be done,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=144>That may to thee do ease and grace to me,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=145>Speak to me:</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Cock crows</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=146>If thou art privy to thy country's fate,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=147>Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, O, speak!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=148>Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=149>Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=150>For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=151>Speak of it: stay, and speak! Stop it, Marcellus.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech51><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=152>Shall I strike at it with my partisan?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech52><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=153>Do, if it will not stand.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech53><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=154>'Tis here!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech54><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=155>'Tis here!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech55><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=156>'Tis gone!</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit Ghost</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=157>We do it wrong, being so majestical,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=158>To offer it the show of violence;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=159>For it is, as the air, invulnerable,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=160>And our vain blows malicious mockery.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech56><b>BERNARDO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=161>It was about to speak, when the cock crew.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech57><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=162>And then it started like a guilty thing</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=163>Upon a fearful summons. I have heard,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=164>The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=165>Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=166>Awake the god of day; and, at his warning,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=167>Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=168>The extravagant and erring spirit hies</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=169>To his confine: and of the truth herein</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=170>This present object made probation.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech58><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=171>It faded on the crowing of the cock.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=172>Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=173>Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=174>The bird of dawning singeth all night long:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=175>And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=176>The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=177>No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=178>So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech59><b>HORATIO</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=179>So have I heard and do in part believe it.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=180>But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=181>Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=182>Break we our watch up; and by my advice,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=183>Let us impart what we have seen to-night</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=184>Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=185>This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=186>Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=187>As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech60><b>MARCELLUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=188>Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning know</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=189>Where we shall find him most conveniently.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
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