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| <title>SCENE I. A room in the castle. | |
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| <tr><td class="play" align="center">The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark | |
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| <a href="/Shakespeare">Shakespeare homepage</A> | |
| | <A href="/Shakespeare/hamlet/">Hamlet</A> | |
| | Act 3, Scene 1 | |
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| <H3>SCENE I. A room in the castle.</h3> | |
| <p><blockquote> | |
| <i>Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, POLONIUS, OPHELIA, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN</i> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech1><b>KING CLAUDIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=1>And can you, by no drift of circumstance,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=2>Get from him why he puts on this confusion,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=3>Grating so harshly all his days of quiet</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=4>With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech2><b>ROSENCRANTZ</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=5>He does confess he feels himself distracted;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=6>But from what cause he will by no means speak.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech3><b>GUILDENSTERN</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=7>Nor do we find him forward to be sounded,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=8>But, with a crafty madness, keeps aloof,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=9>When we would bring him on to some confession</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=10>Of his true state.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech4><b>QUEEN GERTRUDE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=11> Did he receive you well?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech5><b>ROSENCRANTZ</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=12>Most like a gentleman.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech6><b>GUILDENSTERN</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=13>But with much forcing of his disposition.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech7><b>ROSENCRANTZ</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=14>Niggard of question; but, of our demands,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=15>Most free in his reply.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech8><b>QUEEN GERTRUDE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=16>Did you assay him?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=17>To any pastime?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech9><b>ROSENCRANTZ</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=18>Madam, it so fell out, that certain players</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=19>We o'er-raught on the way: of these we told him;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=20>And there did seem in him a kind of joy</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=21>To hear of it: they are about the court,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=22>And, as I think, they have already order</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=23>This night to play before him.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech10><b>LORD POLONIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=24>'Tis most true:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=25>And he beseech'd me to entreat your majesties</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=26>To hear and see the matter.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech11><b>KING CLAUDIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=27>With all my heart; and it doth much content me</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=28>To hear him so inclined.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=29>Good gentlemen, give him a further edge,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=30>And drive his purpose on to these delights.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech12><b>ROSENCRANTZ</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=31>We shall, my lord.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech13><b>KING CLAUDIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=32> Sweet Gertrude, leave us too;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=33>For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=34>That he, as 'twere by accident, may here</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=35>Affront Ophelia:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=36>Her father and myself, lawful espials,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=37>Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing, unseen,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=38>We may of their encounter frankly judge,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=39>And gather by him, as he is behaved,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=40>If 't be the affliction of his love or no</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=41>That thus he suffers for.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech14><b>QUEEN GERTRUDE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=42>I shall obey you.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=43>And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=44>That your good beauties be the happy cause</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=45>Of Hamlet's wildness: so shall I hope your virtues</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=46>Will bring him to his wonted way again,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=47>To both your honours.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech15><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=48>Madam, I wish it may.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit QUEEN GERTRUDE</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech16><b>LORD POLONIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=49>Ophelia, walk you here. Gracious, so please you,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=50>We will bestow ourselves.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>To OPHELIA</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=51>Read on this book;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=52>That show of such an exercise may colour</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=53>Your loneliness. We are oft to blame in this,--</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=54>'Tis too much proved--that with devotion's visage</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=55>And pious action we do sugar o'er</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=56>The devil himself.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech17><b>KING CLAUDIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=57>[Aside] O, 'tis too true!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=58>How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=59>The harlot's cheek, beautied with plastering art,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=60>Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=61>Than is my deed to my most painted word:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=62>O heavy burthen!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech18><b>LORD POLONIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=63>I hear him coming: let's withdraw, my lord.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt KING CLAUDIUS and POLONIUS</i></p> | |
| <p><i>Enter HAMLET</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech19><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=64>To be, or not to be, that is the question,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=65>Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=66>The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=67>Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=68>And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=69>No more; and by a sleep to say we end</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=70>The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=71>That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=72>Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=73>To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=74>For in that sleep of death what dreams may come</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=75>When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=76>Must give us pause: there's the respect</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=77>That makes calamity of so long life;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=78>For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=79>The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=80>The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=81>The insolence of office and the spurns</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=82>That patient merit of the unworthy takes,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=83>When he himself might his quietus make</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=84>With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=85>To grunt and sweat under a weary life,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=86>But that the dread of something after death,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=87>The undiscover'd country from whose bourn</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=88>No traveller returns, puzzles the will</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=89>And makes us rather bear those ills we have</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=90>Than fly to others that we know not of?</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=91>Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=92>And thus the native hue of resolution</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=93>Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=94>And enterprises of great pith and moment</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=95>With this regard their currents turn awry,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=96>And lose the name of action.--Soft you now!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=97>The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=98>Be all my sins remember'd.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech20><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=99>Good my lord,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=100>How does your honour for this many a day?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech21><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=101>I humbly thank you; well, well, well.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech22><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=102>My lord, I have remembrances of yours,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=103>That I have longed long to re-deliver;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=104>I pray you, now receive them.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech23><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=105>No, not I;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=106>I never gave you aught.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech24><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=107>My honour'd lord, you know right well you did;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=108>And, with them, words of so sweet breath composed</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=109>As made the things more rich: their perfume lost,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=110>Take these again; for to the noble mind</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=111>Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=112>There, my lord.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech25><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=113>Ha, ha! are you honest?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech26><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=114>My lord?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech27><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=115>Are you fair?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech28><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=116>What means your lordship?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech29><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=117>That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=118>admit no discourse to your beauty.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech30><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=119>Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=120>with honesty?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech31><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=121>Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=122>transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=123>force of honesty can translate beauty into his</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=124>likeness: this was sometime a paradox, but now the</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=125>time gives it proof. I did love you once.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech32><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=126>Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech33><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=127>You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=128>so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=129>it: I loved you not.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech34><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=130>I was the more deceived.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech35><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=131>Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst thou be a</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=132>breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=133>but yet I could accuse me of such things that it</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=134>were better my mother had not borne me: I am very</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=135>proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=136>my beck than I have thoughts to put them in,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=137>imagination to give them shape, or time to act them</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=138>in. What should such fellows as I do crawling</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=139>between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=140>all; believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=141>Where's your father?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech36><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=142>At home, my lord.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech37><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=143>Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=144>fool no where but in's own house. Farewell.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech38><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=145>O, help him, you sweet heavens!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech39><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=146>If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=147>thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=148>snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=149>nunnery, go: farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=150>marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=151>what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=152>and quickly too. Farewell.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech40><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=153>O heavenly powers, restore him!</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech41><b>HAMLET</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=154>I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=155>has given you one face, and you make yourselves</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=156>another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=157>nick-name God's creatures, and make your wantonness</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=158>your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it hath</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=159>made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=160>those that are married already, all but one, shall</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=161>live; the rest shall keep as they are. To a</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=162>nunnery, go.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exit</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech42><b>OPHELIA</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=163>O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=164>The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=165>The expectancy and rose of the fair state,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=166>The glass of fashion and the mould of form,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=167>The observed of all observers, quite, quite down!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=168>And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=169>That suck'd the honey of his music vows,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=170>Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=171>Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=172>That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=173>Blasted with ecstasy: O, woe is me,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=174>To have seen what I have seen, see what I see!</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Re-enter KING CLAUDIUS and POLONIUS</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech43><b>KING CLAUDIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=175>Love! his affections do not that way tend;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=176>Nor what he spake, though it lack'd form a little,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=177>Was not like madness. There's something in his soul,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=178>O'er which his melancholy sits on brood;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=179>And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=180>Will be some danger: which for to prevent,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=181>I have in quick determination</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=182>Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=183>For the demand of our neglected tribute</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=184>Haply the seas and countries different</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=185>With variable objects shall expel</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=186>This something-settled matter in his heart,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=187>Whereon his brains still beating puts him thus</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=188>From fashion of himself. What think you on't?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech44><b>LORD POLONIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=189>It shall do well: but yet do I believe</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=190>The origin and commencement of his grief</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=191>Sprung from neglected love. How now, Ophelia!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=192>You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=193>We heard it all. My lord, do as you please;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=194>But, if you hold it fit, after the play</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=195>Let his queen mother all alone entreat him</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=196>To show his grief: let her be round with him;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=197>And I'll be placed, so please you, in the ear</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=198>Of all their conference. If she find him not,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=199>To England send him, or confine him where</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=200>Your wisdom best shall think.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech45><b>KING CLAUDIUS</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=201>It shall be so:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=202>Madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
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