Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

That beetles o'er his base into the sea?
And there assume some other horrible form,
Which might deprive your sovereignty of reason,
And draw you into madness? think of it:
The very place puts toys2 of desperation,
Without more motive, into every brain,
That looks so many fathoms to the sea,
And hears it roar beneath.

Ham.

Go on, I'll follow thee.

It waves me still :-

Mar. You shall not go, my
Ham.

lord.

Ham. Haste me to know it; that I, with wings
as swift

As meditation, or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge.
I find thee apt;

Ghost.
And duller should'st thou be than the fat weed
That rots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,

Would'st thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear:
'Tis given out, that, sleeping in mine orchard,5
A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark
Is, by a forged process of my death,
Rankly abus'd: but know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father's life,
out,Now wears his crown.

Hold off your hands.

Hor. Be rul'd, you shall not go.
Ham.
My fate cries
And makes each petty artery in this body
As hardy as the Némean lion's nerve.-

[Ghost beckons.
Still am I call'd;-unhand me, gentlemen ;-
[Breaking from them.
By heaven, I'll make a ghost of him that lets3

me:-

say, away :-Go on, I'll follow thee.

[ocr errors]

my

Ham. O, my prophetic soul! uncle!
Ghost. Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,
(O wicked wit, and gifts, that have the power
So to seduce!) won to his shameful lust
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen:
O, Hamlet, what a falling off was there!
From me, whose love was of that dignity,
That it went hand in hand even with the vow
I made to her in marriage; and to decline
Upon a wretch, whose natural gifts were poor
To those of mine!

[Exeunt Ghost and Hamlet.
Hor. He waxes desperate with imagination.
Mar. Let's follow; 'tis not fit thus to obey him.
Hor. Have after:-To what issue will this come?
Mar. Something is rotten in the state of Den-But virtue, as it never will be mov'd,

mark.

Hor. Heaven will direct it.
Mar.

Nay, let's follow him.
[Exeunt.
SCENE V.-A more remote part of the plat-
form. Re-enter Ghost and Hamlet.
Ham. Whither wilt thou lead me? speak; I'll
go no further.
Ghost. Mark me.

Ham.

Ghost.

I will.

My hour is almost come,
When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames
Must render up myself.
Ham.
Alas, poor ghost!
Ghost. Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing
To what I shall unfold.
Ham.

Speak, I am bound to hear.

Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven;
So lust, though to a radiant angel link'd,
Will sate itself in a celestial bed,
And prey on garbage.

But, soft! methinks, I scent the morning air;
Brief let me be :-Sleeping within mine orchard,
My custom always of the afternoon,.
Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole,
With juice of cursed hebenon7 in a vial,
And in the porches of mine ears did pour
The leperous distilment: whose effect
Holds such an enmity with blood of man,
That, swift as quicksilver, it courses through
The natural gates and alleys of the body;
And, with a sudden vigour, it doth posset
And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine:
And a most instant tetters bark'd about,

Ghost. So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt || Most lazar-like,9 with vile and loathsome crust,

hear.

Ham. What?

Ghost. I am thy father's spirit:

Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night;
And, for the day, confin'd to fast in fires,
Till the foul crimes, done in my days of nature,
Are burnt and purg'd away. But that I am forbid
To tell the secrets of my prison-house,
I could a tale unfold, whose lightest word
Would harrow up thy soul; freeze thy young blood;
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their
spheres ;

Thy knotted and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to stand an-end,
Like quills upon the fretful Porcupine:
But this eternal blazon4 must not be

To ears of flesh and blood:-List, list, O list!-
If thou didst ever thy dear father love,-
Ham. O heaven!

Ghost. Revenge his foul and most unnatural
murder.

[blocks in formation]

All my smooth body.

Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand,
Of life, of crown, of queen, at once despatch'd:10
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
Unhousel'd, disappointed, 12 unanel'd ;13
No reckoning made, but sent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head:
O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;
Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damned incest.
But, howsoever thou pursu'st this act,
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
Against thy mother aught; leave her to heaven,
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire:
Adieu, adieu, adieu! remember me.

[blocks in formation]

And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
But bear me stiffly up!-Remember thee?
Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat
In this distracted globe. Remember thee?
Yea, from the table of my memory
I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,

All saws2 of books, all forms, all pressures past,
That youth and observation copied there;
And thy commandment all alone shall live
Within the book and volume of my brain,
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven.
O most pernicious woman!

O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
My tables,meet it is, I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;
At least, I am sure, it may be so in Denmark :

[Writing.

So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word; It is, Adieu, adieu! remember me.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

We have sworn, my lord, already. Ham. Indeed, upon my sword, indeed. Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Ha, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, true-penny?

Come on,-you hear this fellow in the cellarage,-Consent to swear.

Hor.

Propose the oath, my lord. Ham. Never to speak of this that you have seen, Swear by my sword.

Ghost. Beneath.] Swear.

Ham. Hic et ubique ?4 then we'll shift our ground:

Come hither, gentlemen,

And lay your hands upon my sword:
Swear by my sword,

Never to speak of this that you have heard.
Ghost. Beneath.] Swear by his sword.

Ham. Well said, old mole! canst work i'the earth so fast?

A worthy pioneer!-Once more remove, good

friends.

[blocks in formation]

come.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
But come;

Here, as before, never, so help you mercy!
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on,-

That you, at such times, seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As, Well, well, we know ;-or, We could, an if we
would;-or, If we list to speak-or, There be, an

Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
That you know aught of me :-This do you swear,
So grace and mercy at your most need help you!
Ghost. [Beneath.] Swear.

Hor. There needs no ghost, my lord, come from if they might;-
the grave,
To tell us this.
Ham. Why, right; you are in the right;
And so, without more circumstance at all,
I hold it fit, that we shake hands, and part:
You, as your business, and desire, shall point

[blocks in formation]

It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you;

For your desire to know what is between us,

Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen, With all my love I do commend me to you: And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do, to express his love and friending to you, God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together; And still your fingers on your lips, I pray. The time is out of joint:-O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right! Nay, come, let's go together.

ACT II.

[Exeunt.

O'er-master it as you may. And now, good friends, SCENE I-A room in Polonius's house. Enter As you are friends, scholars, and soldiers,

Give me one poor request.

Hor.

We will.

What is't, my lord?

Ham. Never make known what you have seen

to-night.

Hor. Mar. My lord, we will not.

(1) Head. (2) Sayings, sentences. (3) Memorandum-book.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris;
And how, and who, what means, and where they
keep,

What company, at what expense; and finding,
By this encompassment and drift of question,
That they do know my son, come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it :
Take you, as 'twere, some distant knowledge of

him;

As thus,-I know his father, and his friends,
And, in part, him;-Do you mark this, Reynaldo?
Rey. Ay, very well, my lord.

Pol. And, in part, him;—but, you may say,

not well:

But, if't be he I mean, he's very wild;
Addicted so and so;--and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips,
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.

Rey.
As gaming, my lord.
Pol. Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing,
relling,

Drabbing -You may go so far.

[blocks in formation]

God be wi' you; fare you well.

Rey. Good my lord,

Pol. Observe his inclination in yourself.
Rey. I shall, my lord.

Pol. And let him ply his music.
Rey.

Well, my lord. [Exit.
Enter Ophelia.

Pol. Farewell!-How now, Ophelia? what's the matter?

Oph. O, my lord, my lord, I have been so af-
frighted!

Pol. With what, in the name of heaven?
Oph. My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbrac'd;
No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
Ungarter'd, and down-gyved5 to his ancle;
Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
And with a look so piteous in purport,

quar-As if he had been loosed out of hell,
To speak of horrors,-he comes before me.
Pol. Mad for thy love?
Oph.
But, truly, I do fear it.

Rey. My lord, that would dishonour him.
Pol. 'Faith, no; as you may season it in the
charge.

You must not put another scandal on him,

That he is open to incontinency;

Pol.

My lord, I do not know;

What said he?

Oph. He took me by the wrist, and held me

hard;

That's not my meaning: but breathe his faults so Then goes he to the length of all his arm;

quaintly,

That they may seem the taints of liberty:
The flash and out-break of a fiery mind;
A savageness2 in unreclaimed blood,

Of general assault.

Rey.

But, my good lord,

Pol. Wherefore should you do this?
Rey.

I would know that.

Pol.

Ay, my lord,

Marry, sir, here's my drift;
And, I believe, it is a fetch of warrant:
You laying these slight sullies on my son,
As 'twere a thing a little soii'd i'the working,

Mark you,

Your party in converse, him you would sound,
Having ever seen in the prenominate3 crimes,
The youth you breathe of, guilty, be assur'd,
He closes with you in this consequence;
Good sir, or so; or friend, or gentleman,-
According to the phrase, or the addition,
Of man, and country.

Very good, my lord.

And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
He falls to such perusal of my face,

As he would draw it. Long stay'd he so;

At last,-a little shaking of mine arm,

And thrice his head thus waving up and down,→
He rais'd a sigh so piteous and profound,
As it did seem to shatter all his bulk,6
And end his being: That done, he lets me go
And, with his head over his shoulder turn'd,
He seem'd to find his way without his eyes;
For out o'doors he went without their helps,
And, to the last, bended their light on me.
Pol. Come, go with me; I will go
seek the king.
This is the very ecstacy of love;
Whose violent property foredoes? itself,
And leads the will to desperate undertakings,
As oft as any passion under heaven,

That does afflict our natures. I am sorry,-
What, have you given him any hard words of late?
Oph. No, my good lord; but, as you did com-
mand,

I did repel his letters, and denied

Rey.
Pol. And then, sir, does he this,-He does-His access to me
What was I about to say?-By the mass, I was
about to say something-Where did I leave?

Rey. At, closes in the consequence.

Pol. At, closes in the consequence,--Ay, marry; He closes with you thus:-I know the gentleman;| I saw him yesterday, or t'other day,

Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as
you say,

There was he gaming; there o'ertook in his rouse;
There falling out at tennis: or, perchance,
I saw him enter such a house of sale,
(Videlicet,4 a brothel,) or so forth.-
See you now;

[blocks in formation]

That hath made him mad.

I am sorry, that with better heed and judgment,
! had not quoted him: i fear'd, he did but trifle,
And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jeal-
ousy!

It seems, it is as proper to our age
To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions,
As it is common for the younger sort
To lack discretion. Come, go we to the king:
This must be known; which, being kept close,
might move

More grief to hide, than hate to utter love.
Come.

[blocks in formation]

(5) Hanging down, like fetters.
(7) Destroys.

[blocks in formation]

King. Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in. [Exit Polonius. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found Guil-The head and source of all your son's distemper. Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main; His father's death, and our o'er-hasty marriage. Re-enter Polonius, with Voltimand and Cornelius. King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my good friends!

Moreover that we much did long to see you,
The need we have to use you, did provoke
Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it,
Since not the exterior nor the inward man
Resembles that it was: What it should be,
More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,
That,-being of so young days brought up with him;
And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and hu-

mour,

That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
Some little time: so by your companies
To draw him on to pleasures; and to gather,
So much as from occasion you may glean,
Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus,
That, open'd, lies within our remedy.

Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd
of you;

And, sure I am, two men there are not living,
To whom he more adheres. If it will please you
To show us so much gentry, and good will,
As to expend your time with us a while,
For the supply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation shall receive such thanks
As fits a king's remembrance.

Ros.

Both your majesties Might, by the sovereign power you have of us, Put your dread pleasures more into command Than to entreaty.

Guil.

But we both obey;

And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,2
To lay our service freely at your feet,
To be commanded.

King. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guil-
denstern.

Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Ro

sencrantz :

And I beseech you instantly to visit
My too much changed son.-Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.
Guil. Heavens make our presence, and our

tices,

[blocks in formation]

Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?
Volt. Most fair return of greetings, and desires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress
His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;
But, better look'd into, he truly found
It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,—
That so his sickness, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand,6-sends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys;
Receives rebuke from Norway; and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give the assay of arms against your majesty.
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,

Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee;
And his commission, to employ those soldiers,
So levied as before, against the Polack:
With an entreaty, herein further shown,

[Gives a paper.

That it might please you to give quiet pass
Through your dominions, for this enterprise;
On such regards of safety, and allowance,
As therein are set down.

King.

It likes us well :
And, at our more consider'd time, we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this business.
Mean time, we thank you for your well-took labour:
Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together:
Most welcome home!

[Exeunt Voltimand and Cornelius.
Pol.
This business is well ended.
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:

prac-Mad call I it; for, to define true madness,
What is't, but to be nothing else but mad?
But let that go.
Queen. More matter, with less art.
Pol. Madam, I swear I use no art at all.
That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity;
And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure;

[Exeunt Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and
some Attendants.

Enter Polonius.

Pol. The embassadors from Norway, my good But farewell it, for I will use no art. lord,

Are joyfully return'd.

King. Thou still hast been the father of good

news.

Pol. Have I, my lord? Assure you my good liege,

I hold my duty, as I hold my soul,

Both to my God, and to my gracious king:
And I do think (or else this brain of mine
Hunts not the trails of policy so sure

As it hath us'd to do,) that I have found

The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

Mad let us grant him then and now remains,
That we find out the cause of this effect;
Or, rather say, the cause of this defect;
For this effect, defective, comes by cause:
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
Perpend.

I have a daughter; have, while she is mine;
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,
Hath given me this: Now gather and surmise.
-To the celestial, and my soul's idol, the most
beautified Ophelia,-

That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; beautified is a

King. O, speak of that; that do I long to hear.vile phrase; but you shall hear. Thus :

Pol. Give first admittance to the embassadors;

My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.

In her excellent white bosom, these, &c.

Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?
(7) Discuss.

(1) Complaisance. (2) Utmost exertion.
(3) Scent.
(4) Dessert.

(5) Poland.

(6) Imposed on.

[blocks in formation]

Pol.
What do you think of me?
King. As of a man faithful and honourable.
Pol. I would fain prove so. But what might
you think,

When I had seen this hot love on the wing
(As I perceiv'd it, I must tell you that,
Before my daughter told me,) what might you,
Or my dear majesty your queen here, think,
If I had play'd the desk, or table-book ;
Or given my heart a working, mute and dumb;
Or look'd upon this love with idle sight;
What might you think? no, I went round' to work,
And my young mistress thus did I bespeak ;
Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy sphere;
This must not be: and then I precepts gave her,
That she should lock herself from his resort,
Admit no messengers, receive no tokens.
Which done, she took the fruits of my advice;
And he, repulsed (a short tale to make,)
Fell into a sadness; then into a fast;
Thence to a watch; thence into a weakness;
Thence to a lightness; and, by this declension,
Into the madness wherein now he raves,
And all we mourn for.
King
Do you think, 'tis this?
Queen. It may be, very likely.
Pol. Hath there been such a time (I'd fain know
that,)

That I have positively said, 'Tis so,
When it prov'd otherwise?

King.

Not that I know.

Pol. Take this from this, if this be otherwise :
[Pointing to his head and shoulder.

If circumstances lead me, I will find
Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed
Within the centre.

King

How may we try it further?

Pol. You know, sometimes he walks four hours together,

Here in the lobby.

Queen.

So he does, indeed.

Pol. At such a time I'll loose my daughter to

him :

Be you and I behind an arras2 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.
King.

We will try it.
Enter Hamlet, reading.
Queen. But look, where sadly the poor wretch
comes reading.

(1) Roundly, without reserve. (2) Tapestry. (3) Accost. (4) Understanding.

Pol. Away, I do beseech you, both away; I'll boards him presently :-O, give me leave. [Exeunt King, Queen, and Attendants.

How does my good lord Hamlet?
Ham. Well, god-'a-mercy.

Pol. Do you know me, my lord?

Ham. Excellent well; you are a fishmonger. Pol. Not I, my lord.

Ham. Then I would you were so honest a man. Pol. Honest, my lord?

Ham. Ay, sir; to be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand, Pol. That's very true, my lord.

Ham. For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god, kissing carrion,-Have you a daughter?

Pol. I have, my lord.

Ham. Let her not walk i'the sun: conception1 is a blessing; but as your daughter may conceive,5— friend, look to't.

Pol. How say you by that? [Aside.] Still harping on my daughter:-yet he knew me not at first; he said, I was a fishmonger: He is far gone, far gone: and, truly, in my youth I suffered much extremity for love; very near this. I'll speak to him again.What do you read, my lord?

Ham. Words, words, words!
Pol. What is the matter, my lord?
Ham. Between who?

Pol. I mean, the matter that you read, my lord. Ham. Slanders, sir: for the satirical rogue says here, that old men have grey beards; that their faces are wrinkled; their eyes purging thick amber, and plum-tree gum; and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams: All of which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, shall be as old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward.

Pol. Though this be madness, yet there's method in it. [Aside.] Will you walk out of the air, my lord?

Ham. Into my grave?

Pol. Indeed, that is out o'the air.-How pregnants sometimes his replies are! a happiness that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity? could not so prosperously be delivered of. I will leave him, and suddenly contrive the means of meeting between him and my daughter.-My honourable lord, I will most humbly take my leave of you.

Ham. You cannot, sir, take from me any thing that I will more willingly part withal; except my life, except my life, except my life.

Pol. Fare you well, my lord.
Ham. These tedious old fools!

Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

Pol. You go to seek the lord Hamlet; there he is. Ros. God save you, sir!

Guil. My honour'd lord!

Ros. My most dear lord!

[To Polonius. [Exit Polonius.

Ham. My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern? Ah, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do

ye

both?

Ros. As the indifferent children of the earth. Guil. Happy, in that we are not overhappy; On fortune's cap we are not the very button. Ham. Nor the soles of her shoe? Ros. Neither, my lord.

[blocks in formation]
« AnteriorContinuar »