Madam I Swear I Use No Art at All

• Intro
• Summary
• Modern English
• Act 1, Scene 1
• Act i, Scene 2
• Human action one, Scene iii
• Deed 1, Scene 4
• Deed one, Scene five
• Human action two, Scene 1
• Act 2, Scene 2
• Human action 2, Scene ii Summary
• Human activity 3, Scene one
• Act 3, Scene 2
• Act 3, Scene three
• Act iii, Scene 4
• Deed 4, Scene one
• Deed 4, Scene two
• Act 4, Scene 3
• Act four, Scene iv
• Human activity four, Scene 5
• Human action 4, Scene 6
• Act 4, Scene 7
• Human action 5, Scene 1
• Act 5, Scene 2
• Themes
• Quotes
• Characters
• Analysis
• Questions
• Photos
• Quizzes
• Flashcards
• Flick
• Best of the Web
• Write Essay
• Infographics
• Educational activity
• Lit Glossary
• Tabular array of Contents

Hamlet: Human activity 2, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene two of Village from the original Shakespeare into mod English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Flourish. Enter King and Queen, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Attendants. KING Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Moreover that we much did long to run into you, The demand nosotros have to use you did provoke Our hasty sending. Something have y'all heard Of Hamlet's transformation, so call it, 5 Sith nor th' outside nor the in homo Resembles that information technology was. What it should exist, More than his male parent's decease, that thus hath put him So much from thursday' agreement of himself I cannot dream of. I entreat you both 10 That, beingness of so young days brought up with him And sith then neighbored to his youth and havior, That you lot vouchsafe your residuum here in our court Some little time, so by your companies To draw him on to pleasures, and to get together fifteen And then much as from occasion yous may glean, Whether aught to usa unknown afflicts him thus That, opened, lies within our remedy. QUEEN Practiced gentlemen, he hath much talked of you, And sure I am two men in that location is non living twenty To whom he more adheres. If it will please you To bear witness us so much gentry and goodwill As to expend your fourth dimension with u.s.a. awhile For the supply and profit of our hope, Your visitation shall receive such thanks 25 As fits a king's remembrance.	Village's cray-cray beliefs has Claudius and Gertrude worried. In hopes of finding out what's going on with Hamlet, they invite two of Village'south school friends to stay with them in Denmark. They inquire the friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to report back to the King and Queen with any information they can gather, and Gertrude lets them know they'll be rewarded for their efforts. (Evidently, spying on your children is the thing to do around Denmark.)
ROSENCRANTZ Both your Majesties Might, by the sovereign power y'all have of us, Put your dread pleasures more than into command Than to entreaty. 30 GUILDENSTERN But we both obey, And hither requite up ourselves in the full aptitude To lay our service freely at your feet, To be commanded. King Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern. 35 QUEEN Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz. And I beseech you instantly to visit My besides much changèd son.—Get, some of you, And bring these gentlemen where Village is. GUILDENSTERN Heavens make our presence and our practices xl Pleasant and helpful to him! QUEEN Ay, amen! Rosencrantz and Guildenstern exit with some Attendants.	Guildenstern and Rosencrantz agree to snoop around—for Hamlet's benefit, of grade...though we're sure the budgetary reward is a helpful motivator, too. Gertrude and Claudius dismiss them and a few attendants take them away to see Village.
Enter Polonius. POLONIUS Thursday' ambassadors from Norway, my skillful lord, Are joyfully returned. Rex Thou still hast been the male parent of good news. 45 POLONIUS Have I, my lord? I assure my good liege I concord my duty every bit I hold my soul, Both to my God and to my gracious king, And I do recollect, or else this brain of mine Hunts not the trail of policy so sure l As information technology hath used to do, that I have found The very cause of Village's lunacy. King O, speak of that! That do I long to hear. POLONIUS Give first admittance to thursday' ambassadors. My news shall exist the fruit to that great feast. 55	Speaking of people who spy on their children, Polonius enters. He claims he has found the source of Hamlet's madness, but first, the King really ought to meet his ambassadors.
KING Thyself practice grace to them and bring them in. Polonius exits. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath institute The caput and source of all your son'due south distemper. QUEEN I doubt it is no other but the chief— His male parent'south death and our o'erhasty spousal relationship. 60	Claudius agrees to come across the ambassadors kickoff, simply can't resist telling Gertrude that Polonius has figured out what'south bugging Hamlet. Gertrude is pretty sure it'south the obvious: the fact that Hamlet's dad just died and that she and Claudius got married as soon as the funeral was over.
KING Well, we shall sift him. Enter Ambassadors Voltemand and Cornelius with Polonius. Welcome, my skilful friends. Say, Voltemand, what from our brother Norway? VOLTEMAND Near fair return of greetings and desires. Upon our first, he sent out to suppress 65 His nephew's levies, which to him appeared To exist a training 'gainst the Polack, But, meliorate looked into, he truly plant It was against your Highness. Whereat, grieved That so his sickness, historic period, and impotence 70 Was falsely borne in hand, 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 th' assay of artillery against your Majesty. 75 Whereon erstwhile Norway, overcome with joy, Gives him three-score yard crowns in annual fee And his commission to employ those soldiers, And then levied as before, against the Polack, 80 With an entreaty, herein further shown, He gives a paper. That it might please yous to requite quiet pass Through your dominions for this enterprise, On such regards of safety and assart As therein are set down. 85 KING It likes u.s.a. well, And, at our more considered time, we'll read, Answer, and call up upon this business organization. Meantime, nosotros thank you for your well-took labor. Go to your residue. At nighttime we'll feast together. 90 Virtually welcome abode! Voltemand and Cornelius get out.	Voltemand and Cornelius enter, fresh from their Norwegian expedition. Turns out that Claudius is a successful diplomat; he has avoided state of war with Kingdom of norway after all. Young Fortinbras—remember him from Human activity 1, Scene 1?—was planning to attack Denmark, but his uncle (the current king of Norway) had him arrested subsequently he learned of his plans. Now Fortinbras has promised not to wage war against Denmark in society to take dorsum the lands his expressionless male parent lost in a bet with Village's dad. The King of Norway has forgiven his headstrong nephew, and has just one request of Claudius: that he allow Fortinbras to march through Denmark in order to assault Poland. Claudius says he'll give that request some thought, but overall, this is good news, and he'southward pleased.
POLONIUS This business is well concluded. My liege, and madam, to expostulate What majesty should be, what duty is, Why day is twenty-four hours, night night, and time is fourth dimension 95 Were nothing simply 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 information technology, for, to ascertain truthful madness, 100 What is 't but to be nothing else but mad? But permit that go. QUEEN More matter with less fine art.	With that business out of the way, Polonius says he'll get right to the indicate. It takes him eleven lines to say that he'll exist brief, which leads Gertrude to say, "Out with it, already."
POLONIUS Madam, I swear I use no art at all. That he's mad, 'tis true; 'tis truthful 'tis pity, 105 And pity 'tis 'tis true—a foolish figure, But farewell it, for I will employ no art. Mad let us grant him so, and now remains That we detect out the crusade of this effect, Or, rather say, the cause of this defect, 110 For this effect defective comes by crusade. Thus it remains, and the remainder thus. Perpend. I take a daughter (have while she is mine) Who, in her duty and obedience, mark, 115 Hath given me this. At present gather and surmise. He reads. "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. Merely you lot shall hear. Thus: He reads. 120 "In her excellent white bosom, these, etc.—" QUEEN Came this from Hamlet to her? POLONIUS Good madam, stay awhile. I will be faithful. He reads the letter of the alphabet. "Doubt 1000 the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth movement, 125 Dubiousness truth to be a liar, But never doubt I beloved. O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers. I take not art to reckon my groans, but that I love thee best, O most all-time, believe information technology. Adieu. 130 Thine evermore, most honey lady, whilst this machine is to him, Village." This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown me, And more above, hath his solicitings, Every bit they fell out by time, by means, and place, 135 All given to mine ear.	Of course, getting to the signal isn't exactly office of Polonius's skill set, merely in another dozen lines he manages to get there. He informs Claudius and Gertrude that Hamlet has been driven mad past love for Ophelia. To show his point, he reads some love messages that the Prince wrote almost how sexy she is (seriously—he mentions her "excellent white bosom").
King But how hath she received his love? POLONIUS What do you think of me? Rex Equally of a human faithful and honorable. POLONIUS I would fain bear witness and so. Only what might you recollect, 140 When I had seen this hot love on the fly (As I perceived it, I must tell y'all that, Earlier my daughter told me), what might you, Or my honey Majesty your queen here, think, If I had played the desk or tabular array-book 145 Or given my heart a winking, mute and dumb, Or looked upon this dearest with idle sight? What might you call up? No, I went round to work, And my immature mistress thus I did point: "Lord Hamlet is a prince, out of thy star. 150 This must not exist." And so I prescripts gave her, That she should lock herself from his resort, Admit no messengers, receive no tokens; Which washed, she took the fruits of my advice, And he, repelled (a brusque tale to make), 155 Fell into a sadness, then into a fast, Thence to a spotter, thence into a weakness, Thence to a lightness, and, past this declension, Into the madness wherein now he raves And all we mourn for. 160	Claudius asks how Ophelia responded to Village's letters and flirtations, and Polonius makes certain they understand that he acted properly, as ever. When he realized what was going on, he immediately told Ophelia that Village, who is a prince, was out of her league and that she needed to close him down. Of course, co-ordinate to Polonius, this rejection by Ophelia led directly to Hamlet'southward mad behavior.
KING, to Queen Do y'all call up 'tis this? QUEEN It may be, very similar. POLONIUS Hath in that location been such a time (I would fain know that) That I have positively said "'Tis and so," 165 When it proved otherwise? KING Non that I know.	Claudius asks Gertrude if she thinks this could be what'south bugging Village, and she says, "I suppose." In a great instance of dramatic irony, Polonius asks, "Have I e'er been wrong?" Of course, we, as readers, know he'southward wrong right at present, but the characters in the play don't.
POLONIUS Take this from this, if this be otherwise. If circumstances atomic number 82 me, I volition detect Where truth is hid, though information technology were hid, indeed, 170 Inside the center. KING How may we try information technology farther? POLONIUS You know sometimes he walks four hours together Here in the lobby. QUEEN So he does indeed. 175 POLONIUS At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him. To the Rex. Be you and I behind an arras then. Mark the run across. If he dear her not, And be non from his reason fall'north thereon, Let me be no assistant for a land, 180 Just keep a farm and carters. KING We will endeavor it.	Polonius has a plan to prove his theory is correct. It involves...spying on their children. Specifically, he plans to set up a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia, in the location where Hamlet has taken to pacing for up to four hours at a time, and watch what happens.
Enter Hamlet reading on a book. QUEEN But look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading. POLONIUS Away, I do beseech you lot both, away. 185 I'll board him before long. O, give me leave. King and Queen go out with Attendants. How does my good Lord Hamlet? Village Well, God-a-mercy. POLONIUS Do y'all know me, my lord? Village Excellent well. Y'all are a fishmonger. 190 POLONIUS Not I, my lord. HAMLET And then I would you were so honest a homo.	When Hamlet enters reading a book, Polonius tells the King and Queen to skedaddle. He wants a chance to question Hamlet and get some more insight. They leave, and Polonius gets to work. Hamlet, however, has his ain ruse going, then he deliberately misunderstands Polonius'south questions. Polonius asks if Village recognizes him, and Village replies he knows him equally a "fishmonger" (that's a guy who sells fish). When Polonius says he's not a fishmonger, Village essentially says that'south too bad. He wishes Polonius were every bit honest equally a human being selling fish. Maybe considering a fishmonger is upwards to ane matter, selling his wares, whereas Polonius is clearly scheming at the moment and not being straightforward with Village.
POLONIUS Honest, my lord? Hamlet Ay, sir. To be honest, as this world goes, is to exist 1 man picked out of ten thousand. 195 POLONIUS That'due south very true, my lord.	Hamlet also quips that honest men are rare in this world, something Polonius agrees with.
HAMLET For if the dominicus breed maggots in a dead canis familiaris, beingness a good kissing carrion—Accept you a daughter? POLONIUS I have, my lord. 200 Village Let her not walk i' th' dominicus. Formulation is a blessing, but, equally your daughter may excogitate, friend, expect to 't.	Next, Hamlet moves on to a confusing bit about how the lord's day isn't detail about who information technology shines on. The lord's day, he says, is willing to "buss" even a dog's rotting mankind. Okay, so Hamlet's pretty downward on the world and likewise quite intent on confusing the bejeezus out of Polonius. He changes subjects speedily by request if Polonius has a daughter and then telling him to proceed her out of the lord's day. Hamlet says that even though "conception," as in agreement, is a good thing, "conception," when it ways getting pregnant, wouldn't be such a good thing for Ophelia. He's making fun of Polonius in two ways here: commencement, for not getting what'due south really going on, and 2d, for being crazy over-protective of his girl.
POLONIUS, aside How say you past that? Nonetheless harping on my daughter. All the same he knew me not at first; he said I 205 was a fishmonger. He is far gone. And truly, in my youth, I suffered much extremity for honey, very nigh this. I'll speak to him once again.—What exercise y'all read, my lord? HAMLET Words, words, words. 210	Polonius, who continues to non go it, can only focus on the fact that Hamlet has mentioned Ophelia. He takes this as a sign that he's on the correct track and that it is indeed Village'south love of Ophelia that is driving him mad. Polonius decides he has to continue engaging Hamlet, so he asks what Village is reading. Hamlet's reply is both literal (he is reading words, of course) and suggestive of some other meaning: Polonius. Won't. Shut. Upward. He keeps coming at Hamlet with more words, words, words.
POLONIUS What is the affair, my lord? Village Between who? POLONIUS I hateful the matter that y'all read, my lord. Village Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says hither that old men have gray beards, that their faces are 215 wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum, and that they take a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams; all which, sir, though I virtually powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to accept it thus set down; for 220 yourself, sir, shall grow old as I am, if, like a crab, you lot could get astern.	Polonius delves deeper and asks Hamlet what the words are about. Village says it's about how foolish and disgusting old men are. Hamlet says that while he agrees with the assessment (a direct insult to Polonius), he doesn't think it'due south very nice that someone wrote it downwardly. He adds that later on all, Polonius would only be as former as Hamlet...if time went backwards. (If yous want to lookout man a master at work, watch David Tennant—ofDoctor Who andJessica Jones fame—deliver these lines.)
POLONIUS, aside Though this be madness, nonetheless in that location is method in 't.—Volition you walk out of the air, my lord? Village Into my grave? 225 POLONIUS Indeed, that'due south out of the air. Bated. How pregnant sometimes his replies are! A happiness that ofttimes madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of. I will leave him and suddenly contrive the ways of 230 meeting between him and my girl.—My lord, I will take my leave of y'all. HAMLET You cannot, sir, have from me anything that I will more than willingly office withal—except my life, except my life, except my life. 235 POLONIUS Fare you well, my lord. HAMLET, aside These ho-hum erstwhile fools.	Polonius is showtime to see that Hamlet is speaking in double entendres—a suspicion that is confirmed when Hamlet says he'd like to walk out of the fresh air and straight into his grave. Still, Polonius doesn't fully understand what's going on here. He decides the best thing to exercise is to go on with his program to send Ophelia to talk to Hamlet and so spy on them to see what happens. When Polonius offers to take leave of Hamlet, and Hamlet says in that location's nothing else Polonius could take that would make him happier, except, of grade, his life. Polonius lets that one go, and equally he leaves, Hamlet dismisses him as a tedious old fool.
Enter Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. POLONIUS You go to seek the Lord Hamlet. There he is. ROSENCRANTZ, to Polonius God salvage you, sir. Polonius exits. GUILDENSTERN My honored lord. 240 ROSENCRANTZ My near dear lord. HAMLET My excellent skillful friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern? Ah, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do you both? ROSENCRANTZ Every bit the indifferent children of the earth. 245 GUILDENSTERN Happy in that we are not overhappy. On Fortune's cap, nosotros are non the very button. HAMLET Nor the soles of her shoe? ROSENCRANTZ Neither, my lord. Hamlet So you live nearly her waist, or in the 250 middle of her favors? GUILDENSTERN Faith, her privates we. HAMLET In the hugger-mugger parts of Fortune? O, near true! She is a strumpet. What news?	Side by side up on the "What'south incorrect with Village?" tour: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. These two start out okay, and Village seems genuinely happy to meet them. They even joke about being in Fortune's private parts, since they're non at the height of their luck (which would be somewhere effectually the button in her cap) or down and out (which would put them at the soles of her shoes). They're correct in the middle, which, as Guidenstern points out, would be right around her "privates."
ROSENCRANTZ None, my lord, but that the world'south 255 grown honest. HAMLET Then is doomsday well-nigh. Simply your news is not true. Let me question more in particular. What have you, my good friends, deserved at the hands of Fortune that she sends yous to prison here? 260 GUILDENSTERN Prison, my lord? Hamlet Denmark's a prison. ROSENCRANTZ Then is the earth i. Hamlet A goodly one, in which there are many confines, wards, and dungeons, Denmark existence one o' 265 thursday' worst. ROSENCRANTZ Nosotros think not then, my lord. Village Why, then, 'tis none to y'all, for there is nothing either good or bad merely thinking makes it and then. To me, it is a prison house. 270 ROSENCRANTZ Why, and so, your appetite makes it i. 'Tis too narrow for your listen. Village O God, I could exist bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of space space, were it not that I have bad dreams. 275 GUILDENSTERN Which dreams, indeed, are ambition, for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream. HAMLET A dream itself is only a shadow. ROSENCRANTZ Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy 280 and light a quality that it is but a shadow's shadow. HAMLET So are our beggars bodies, and our monarchs and outstretched heroes the beggars' shadows. Shall nosotros to th' court? For, by my fay, I cannot reason. 285 ROSENCRANTZ/GUILDENSTERN We'll await upon y'all. HAMLET No such thing. I will not sort you with the rest of my servants, for, to speak to yous similar an honest man, I am nigh dreadfully attended. Simply, in the browbeaten style of friendship, what make you at 290 Elsinore? ROSENCRANTZ To visit you, my lord, no other occasion.	Hamlet speaks pretty bluntly with his friends, letting them know that he's unhappy and that he considers Kingdom of denmark a prison. They try to console him, merely Village is a scrap suspicious. He asks them what brought them to Elsinore, and they say they but wanted to visit him, nothing more than.
Hamlet Ragamuffin that I am, I am even poor in thanks; simply I thank you, and certain, beloved friends, my cheers are too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? 295 Is it your ain inclining? Is it a complimentary visitation? Come, come, bargain justly with me. Come up, come; nay, speak. GUILDENSTERN What should we say, my lord? Village Anything but to th' purpose. You were sent 300 for, and at that place is a kind of confession in your looks which your modesties accept non arts and crafts enough to color. I know the skillful rex and queen have sent for you. ROSENCRANTZ To what end, my lord? 305 Village That you lot must teach me. Only let me conjure you by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love, and by what more dearest a better proposer can charge you withal: be even and straight 310 with me whether y'all were sent for or no. ROSENCRANTZ, to Guildenstern What say you? Village, aside Nay, and so, I have an heart of yous.—If y'all dear me, agree not off. GUILDENSTERN My lord, we were sent for. 315	Hamlet asks his buddies to come clean: they were sent for past the King and Queen, weren't they? Rosencrantz and Guildenstern try to avoid answering the question, but neither one of them has a very good poker face. Somewhen they admit it. Yep, they came because the Male monarch and Queen sent for them.
HAMLET I will tell y'all why; then shall my anticipation prevent your discovery, and your secrecy to the King and Queen molt no feather. I have of late, merely wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises, and, indeed, information technology goes so heavily 320 with my disposition that this goodly frame, the Globe, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent awning, the air, look yous, this dauntless o'erhanging empyrean, this majestical roof, fretted with gilded fire—why, information technology appeareth nothing to me 325 but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors. What a piece of piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in class and moving how limited and admirable; in activity how like an angel, in anticipation how similar a god: the 330 beauty of the earth, the paragon of animals—and even so, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights non me, no, nor women neither, though past your smiling you seem to say so.	Hamlet says he'll save his buddies the trouble of spying on him and informing the King and Queen what'south up. Here's the deal: he'southward depressed, everything sucks, and he takes no delight in either men or women.
ROSENCRANTZ My lord, at that place was no such stuff in my 335 thoughts. Hamlet Why did you laugh, then, when I said "homo delights not me"? ROSENCRANTZ To think, my lord, if you please non in human being, what Lenten amusement the players shall 340 receive from you lot. We coted them on the way, and hither are they coming to offer you service.	Rosencrantz has a bit of a giggle when Hamlet declared that men don't delight him, and Hamlet wants to know what's funny. Oh, it'southward just that there are a bunch of actors heading to the castle. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern passed them on their way at that place.
Village He that plays the rex shall be welcome—his Majesty shall accept tribute on me. The adventurous knight shall use his foil and target, the lover shall 345 non sigh gratis, the humorous human being shall end his part in peace, the clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickle o' th' sear, and the lady shall say her mind freely, or the blank poetry shall halt for 't. What players are they? 350 ROSENCRANTZ Even those you were wont to take such please in, the tragedians of the city. Village How chances it they travel? Their residence, both in reputation and turn a profit, was better both ways.	Hamlet expresses some interest in the actors and asks which troupe information technology is that's headed to the castle. Rosencrantz tells him it'southward the troupe he always enjoyed so much in the city, the ones who put on tragedies. "Huh, why are they traveling?" Hamlet asks. They accept a good theater and a good reputation in the metropolis. Seems like it would exist more profitable for them to stay put.
ROSENCRANTZ I think their inhibition comes by the 355 ways of the late innovation. HAMLET Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the urban center? Are they so followed? ROSENCRANTZ No, indeed are they not. Hamlet How comes it? Practice they grow rusty? 360 ROSENCRANTZ Nay, their try keeps in the wonted pace. But in that location is, sir, an aerie of children, little eyases, that cry out on the top of question and are most tyrannically clapped for 't. These are now the way and and then berattle the common stages (so 365 they call them) that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose quills and dare scarce come thither. HAMLET What, are they children? Who maintains 'em? How are they escoted? Will they pursue the quality no longer than they can sing? Volition they not say 370 later on, if they should abound themselves to common players (as it is most similar, if their ways are no meliorate), their writers do them wrong to make them exclaim confronting their own succession? ROSENCRANTZ Faith, there has been much to-do on 375 both sides, and the nation holds it no sin to tar them to controversy. There was for a while no money bid for argument unless the poet and the player went to cuffs in the question. Village Is 't possible? 380 GUILDENSTERN O, there has been much throwing nigh of brains. Village Practise the boys comport it abroad? ROSENCRANTZ Ay, that they practice, my lord—Hercules and his load too. 385 Village Information technology is not very strange; for my uncle is King of Denmark, and those that would brand mouths at him while my father lived give twenty, forty, 50, a hundred ducats apiece for his motion picture in little. 'Sblood, at that place is something in this more than natural, 390 if philosophy could notice it out.	Rosencrantz says the actors are likely on the road because of a contempo innovation: children's plays. Plays with child actors were all the rage in England at this time, which forced theater troupes featuring adults to take their shows on the road.  Shakespeare was on the side of the grown upwards actors, and is making a little jab at the children's plays, specially when Rosencrantz refers to child actors equally "little eyases" or, footling hawks. Shakespeare also takes the chance to make fun of the folks that support the children's plays in Elizabethan England by having Hamlet compare child-play supporters to the men that used to make stupid faces at his Uncle Claudius, and at present pay large money for little pictures of him.
A flourish for the Players. GUILDENSTERN There are the players. Hamlet Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come and then. Th' appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony. Let me comply 395 with you in this garb, lest my extent to the players, which, I tell you, must bear witness fairly outwards, should more appear like entertainment than yours. You lot are welcome. But my uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived. 400 GUILDENSTERN In what, my dear lord? HAMLET I am but mad north-n-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.	Their conversation comes to an cease when the players arrive. Village tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that they are welcome to hang out, but that they should know Hamlet's "uncle-male parent and aunt-female parent" are deceived. Hamlet isn't mad. Or rather, he's only mad when the wind blows from a sure direction. Otherwise, he can tell the difference between a hawk and a handsaw. Um...okay. This current of air/hawk/handsaw business is another i of Hamlet's crazy comments virtually not being crazy that pretty much makes everyone else call back he is, indeed, losing it.
Enter Polonius. POLONIUS Well be with you, gentlemen. Village Hark you, Guildenstern, and yous likewise—at 405 each ear a hearer! That great baby y'all see at that place is non withal out of his swaddling clouts. ROSENCRANTZ Haply he is the 2nd fourth dimension come to them, for they say an one-time human being is twice a child. HAMLET I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the 410 players; mark it.—You lot say right, sir, a Monday morning, 'twas then indeed. POLONIUS My lord, I have news to tell you. Hamlet My lord, I accept news to tell you: when Roscius was an actor in Rome— 415 POLONIUS The actors are come hither, my lord. Hamlet Buzz, fizz. POLONIUS Upon my award— HAMLET Then came each actor on his ass. POLONIUS The all-time actors in the world, either for 420 tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited. Seneca cannot exist besides heavy, nor Plautus besides lite. For the law of writ and the liberty, 425 these are the only men. Hamlet O Jephthah, guess of Israel, what a treasure hadst yard! POLONIUS What a treasure had he, my lord? Hamlet Why, 430 One off-white girl, and no more than, The which he lovèd passing well. POLONIUS, bated Withal on my daughter. Village Am I not i' th' right, old Jephthah? POLONIUS If you call me "Jephthah," my lord: I accept a 435 daughter that I love passing well.	When Polonius comes in, Hamlet mocks him openly, making fun of the fact that Polonius is coming in to tell him something he already knows: that the actors have arrived. When Polonius says he has news, Village says, "So exercise I," and then begins to relate a bit of news so erstwhile it'due south about Roman times. Of course, Polonius'due south news isn't that erstwhile, but still, Village'due south having fun at his expense and it goes right over Polonius's head. In fact, Polonius doesn't sympathise anything Hamlet says until Village starts calling him Jephthah, estimate of Israel. Jephthah is a graphic symbol from Judges eleven, of the King James Bible, who inadvertently offers up his only child, a virgin girl, as human sacrifice in commutation for winning a battle. And when Polonius picks up on that, he again thinks that Hamlet is still obsessing over Ophelia. Hamlet sure knows how to push Polonius's buttons.
Hamlet Nay, that follows not. POLONIUS What follows and then, my lord? Village Why, Equally by lot, God wot 440 and then, you know, Information technology came to pass, every bit most like it was— the get-go row of the pious chanson will show you more than, for expect where my abridgment comes. Enter the Players. You are welcome, masters; welcome all.—I am glad 445 to run across thee well.—Welcome, skilful friends.—O my old friend! Why, thy face is valanced since I saw thee last. Com'st thou to beard me in Denmark?—What, my young lady and mistress! By 'r Lady, your Ladyship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last, by 450 the altitude of a chopine. Pray God your voice, like a slice of uncurrent gold, exist not croaky within the band. Masters, you lot are all welcome. We'll e'en to 't similar French falconers, fly at anything we run across. We'll have a speech communication straight. Come up, requite the states a gustation of your 455 quality. Come, a passionate speech.	Village abruptly leaves off talking with Polonius when the players arrive. He'southward actually super excited to run across them and he asks them to perform a speech correct away.
FIRST PLAYER What speech, my skilful lord? Hamlet I heard thee speak me a speech in one case, just it was never acted, or, if information technology was, not above one time; for the play, I call back, pleased non the 1000000: 460 'twas caviary to the full general. Only it was (as I received it, and others whose judgments in such matters cried in the top of mine) an fantabulous play, well digested in the scenes, prepare down with equally much modesty equally cunning. I remember one said there 465 were no sallets in the lines to make the matter savory, nor no matter in the phrase that might indict the author of affection, but called it an honest method, as wholesome as sweet and, by very much, more than handsome than fine. 1 spoken communication in 't I 470 chiefly loved. 'Twas Aeneas' tale to Dido, and thereabout of it peculiarly when he speaks of Priam's slaughter. If it alive in your memory, begin at this line—allow me see, let me encounter: "The rugged Pyrrhus, similar th' Hyrcanian beast"— 475 'tis non so; it begins with Pyrrhus: "The rugged Pyrrhus, he whose sable arms, Black equally his purpose, did the night resemble When he lay couchèd in th' ominous horse, Hath now this dread and black complexion smeared 480 With heraldry more dismal. Head to foot, Now is he total gules, horridly tricked With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, Baked and impasted with the parching streets, That lend a tyrannous and a damnèd calorie-free 485 To their lord's murder. Roasted in wrath and fire, And thus o'ersizèd with coagulate gore, With eyes similar carbuncles, the hellish Pyrrhus Old grandsire Priam seeks." And so, proceed you. 490	What speech does Hamlet desire? 1 he's heard before; he thinks it was performed no more than once, because the vulgar masses couldn't appreciate information technology, though he and the critics did. (Hamlet's telling united states hither that he has a fine artistic sensibility, and a penchant for poetry, different the groundlings or, common folks that sat in the cheap seats at plays.) Turns out the speech communication Hamlet wants is the tale Aeneas told Dido virtually Priam's murder, all fatigued from Virgil'sAeneid. Information technology's a significant story because Pyrrhus, son of the warrior Achilles, comes to Troy in the Trojan equus caballus to avenge the death of his father by killing Priam, King of Troy. (Hm, a son killing a king to avenge his dad?) Hamlet starts reciting the spoken communication himself, and so lets an histrion take over.
POLONIUS 'Fore God, my lord, well spoken, with good accent and expert discretion. FIRST Player Betimes he finds him Striking as well short at Greeks. His antique sword, Rebellious to his arm, lies where it falls, 495 Repugnant to control. Unequal matched, Pyrrhus at Priam drives, in rage strikes wide; But with the whiff and wind of his cruel sword Thursday' unnervèd father falls. So senseless Ilium, Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming superlative 500 Stoops to his base of operations, and with a hideous crash Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear. For lo, his sword, Which was failing on the milky head Of reverend Priam, seemed i' th' air to stick. So as a painted tyrant Pyrrhus stood 505 And, like a neutral to his will and matter, Did cypher. But equally nosotros frequently run across against some storm A silence in the heavens, the rack stand up withal, The assuming winds speechless, and the orb below 510 As hush equally death, anon the dreadful thunder Doth rend the region; and so, after Pyrrhus' pause, Arousèd vengeance sets him new a-piece of work, And never did the Cyclops' hammers autumn On Mars's armor, forged for proof eterne, 515 With less remorse than Pyrrhus' haemorrhage sword Now falls on Priam. Out, out, k strumpet Fortune! All you gods In general synod take away her power, Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, 520 And bowl the circular nave downward the hill of heaven As low as to the fiends! POLONIUS This is besides long. Hamlet It shall to the hairdresser's with your beard.— Prithee say on. He'south for a jig or a tale of bawdry, or 525 he sleeps. Say on; come to Hecuba. FIRST Thespian Simply who, ah woe, had seen the moblèd queen— Hamlet "The moblèd queen"? POLONIUS That's good. "Moblèd queen" is adept. FIRST PLAYER Run barefoot up and down, threat'ning the flames 530 With bisson rheum, a ascendancy upon that caput Where tardily the diadem stood, and for a robe, Most her lank and all o'erteemèd loins A blanket, in the warning of fearfulness caught up— Who this had seen, with tongue in venom steeped, 535 'Gainst Fortune's state would treason have pronounced. But if the gods themselves did see her then When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In mincing with his sword her husband'due south limbs, 540 The instant outburst of clamor that she made (Unless things mortal motility them not at all) Would accept made milch the burning eyes of heaven And passion in the gods.	Polonius is impressed with Hamlet'south recitation, and then the Starting time Player takes over. The speech details Pyrrhus'due south dark, scary, claret-covered rage, which totally bores Polonius, who only likes the bits with dancing and sex. Eventually, we get to the part about Hecuba, Priam'due south wife, who's pretty upset past the whole affair.
POLONIUS Look whe'er he has not turned his colour and 545 has tears in 'southward eyes. Prithee, no more than. HAMLET 'Tis well. I'll have thee speak out the rest of this soon.—Good my lord, will you meet the players well bestowed? Exercise yous hear, allow them be well used, for they are the abstract and brief chronicles of the 550 time. After your death you were better accept a bad epitaph than their ill report while you live. POLONIUS My lord, I will employ them according to their desert. HAMLET God's bodykins, man, much meliorate! Utilise every 555 homo afterwards his desert and who shall 'scape whipping? Use them later on your own laurels and dignity. The less they deserve, the more merit is in your bounty. Take them in. POLONIUS Come, sirs. 560	The role player gets so worked upward by the clarification of Hecuba'south emotion at her married man's death that he has tears in his eyes, and that'south besides much for Polonius. Hamlet, on the other hand, is impressed and looking frontward to hearing more than. He tells Polonius to provide the players with room and board and accept excellent intendance of them.
Hamlet Follow him, friends. We'll hear a play tomorrow. Every bit Polonius and Players exit, Village speaks to the First Player. Dost one thousand hear me, old friend? Can y'all play "The Murder of Gonzago"? FIRST PLAYER Ay, my lord. 565 Village We'll ha 't tomorrow night. You could, for a need, study a speech of some dozen or sixteen lines, which I would set downward and insert in 't, could you not? Start Thespian Ay, my lord. 570 HAMLET Very well. Follow that lord—and look y'all mock him not. First Player exits. My good friends, I'll leave you till night. Y'all are welcome to Elsinore. ROSENCRANTZ Good my lord.	Equally almost of the players follow Polonius out, Village has a individual confab with the main actor. He asks if they can performThe Murder of Gonzago for the court tomorrow nighttime—with the little addition of a speech communication that Hamlet will write himself. The histrion agrees. (Village is the prince, after all.)
Village Ay, then, adept-bye to y'all. 575 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern exit. Now I am solitary. O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! Is it not monstrous that this thespian here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his ain conceit 580 That from her working all his visage wanned, Tears in his optics, distraction in his attribute, A cleaved voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit—and all for aught! For Hecuba! 585 What'due south Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What would he exercise Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I take? He would drown the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech, 590 Make mad the guilty and appall the costless, Confound the ignorant and amaze indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears. Still I, A deadening and muddy-mettled rascal, peak Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my crusade, 595 And can say zero—no, non for a king Upon whose belongings and nearly dearest life A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me "villain"? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my bristles and blows information technology in my face? 600 Tweaks me by the nose? gives me the lie i' th' pharynx Every bit deep as to the lungs? Who does me this? Ha! 'Swounds, I should take information technology! For it cannot exist Simply I am pigeon-livered and lack gall To make oppression bitter, or ere this 605 I should accept fatted all the region kites With this slave's offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! O vengeance! 610 Why, what an donkey am I! This is most dauntless, That I, the son of a dear begetter murdered, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my center with words And fall a-cursing like a very drab, 615 A stallion! Fie upon 't! Foh! Virtually, my brains!—Hum, I take heard That guilty creatures sitting at a play Have, by the very cunning of the scene, Been struck and so to the soul that presently 620 They take proclaimed their malefactions; For murder, though it take no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. I'll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle. I'll observe his looks; 625 I'll tent him to the quick. If he do blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape; yea, and possibly, Out of my weakness and my melancholy, 630 As he is very stiff with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. I'll have grounds More relative than this. The play'southward the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King. He exits.	Left alone, Hamlet berates himself for not all the same having avenged his father'southward murder, in one of the most famous soliloquies...ever. (Scout David Tennant evangelize it beautifully. It'll take you less than 5 minutes.) He basically asks how the actor tin can cry for a fictional character, while he himself does nothing about his own father's very real death. Hamlet calls himself a coward and a promiscuous woman (seriously) for not having acted on the ghost's revelation. Beyond his cowardice, he's ashamed that fifty-fifty when Heaven and Hell would have him take revenge, he can merely prance about and whine. One affair that's holding him dorsum is the fright that the ghost was lying—since, sometimes the devil takes a pleasing shape to ease a worried listen. Hamlet decides to have the actors stage a version of his father'due south death in front end of Claudius and so he tin lookout man Claudius' reaction. If Claudius flips out, Hamlet can rest bodacious that he's guilty. And and so he'll act. (Really. He will. He swears.)

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