Hamlet: Act 3, Scene 1
Enter KING, QUEEN, POLONIUS,
OPHELIA, ROSENCRANTZ,
GUILDENSTERN, LORDS.
KING
1. drift of circumstance: direction of conversation.
1 And can you, by no drift of circumstance,
2. puts on this confusion: shows this puzzling behavior. 3. Grating so harshly all his days of quiet: i.e., so opposite to his previous reasonable behavior.
2 Get from him why he puts on this confusion,
3 Grating so harshly all his days of quiet
4 With turbulent and dangerous lunacy?
ROSENCRANTZ
5 He does confess he feels himself distracted;
6 But from what cause 'a will by no means speak.
GUILDENSTERN
7. forward: readily willing. sounded: plumbed; tested deeply. 8. crafty madness: i.e., the shrewdness that mad people sometimes exhibit. keeps aloof: i.e., refuses to be pinned down. 10. his true state: his genuine state of mind.
7 Nor do we find him forward to be sounded,
8 But, with a crafty madness, keeps aloof,
9 When we would bring him on to some confession
10 Of his true state.
QUEEN
10 Did he receive you well?
ROSENCRANTZ
11 Most like a gentleman.
GUILDENSTERN
12. disposition: inclination.
12 But with much forcing of his disposition.
ROSENCRANTZ
13. Niggard of question: Miserly in conversation; i.e., unwilling to engage in free and easy conversation. demands: questions.
13 Niggard of question; but, of our demands,
14 Most free in his reply.
QUEEN
14. assay: attempt to win.
14 Did you assay him
15 To any pastime?
ROSENCRANTZ
16. players: actors.
16 Madam, it so fell out, that certain players
17. o'er-raught: overreached; i.e., passed.
17 We o'er-raught on the way. Of these we told him;
18 And there did seem in him a kind of joy
19. They are about the court: i.e., they are already here.
19 To hear of it. They are about the court,
20 And, as I think, they have already order
21 This night to play before him.
POLONIUS
21 'Tis most true:
22 And he beseech'd me to entreat your majesties
23 To hear and see the matter.
KING
24 With all my heart; and it doth much content me
25 To hear him so inclined.
26. edge: incitement.
26 Good gentlemen, give him a further edge,
27. drive his purpose into these delights: i.e., strongly encourage him to focus on such entertainments.
27 And drive his purpose into these delights.
ROSENCRANTZ
28 We shall, my lord. Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
KING
28 Sweet Gertrude, leave us too;
29. closely: privately. we have closely sent for Hamlet hither: This passage raises many questions.
29 For we have closely sent for Hamlet hither,
30 That he, as 'twere by accident, may here
31. Affront: meet, confront, speak to.
31 Affront Ophelia:
32. espials: spies.
32 Her father and myself (lawful espials)
33. bestow ourselves: place ourselves.
33 Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing, unseen,
34. frankly: freely, honestly, accurately.
34 We may of their encounter frankly judge,
35 And gather by him, as he is behaved,
36 If 't be th' affliction of his love or no
37 That thus he suffers for.
QUEEN
37 I shall obey you.
38 And for your part, Ophelia, I do wish
39 That your good beauties be the happy cause
40 Of Hamlet's wildness. So shall I hope your virtues
41. his wonted way: his accustomed mode of behavior.
41 Will bring him to his wonted way again,
42 To both your honors.
OPHELIA
42 Madam, I wish it may.
[Exit Queen.]
POLONIUS
43. Gracious: your Grace [i.e., the king].
43 Ophelia, walk you here. —Gracious, so please you,
44. bestow ourselves: i.e., hide ourselves within earshot.
44 We will bestow ourselves. [To Ophelia.] Read on this book;
45. exercise: i.e., religious exercise. The book is apparently devotional. 45‑46. color / Your loneliness: give your being alone a natural appearance. 47. too much prov'd: too often proved to be true in practice. 48. action: behavior.
45 That show of such an exercise may color
46 Your loneliness. We are oft to blame in this—
47 'Tis too much proved—that with devotion's visage
48 And pious action we do sugar o'er
49 The devil himself.
KING [Aside.]
49 O, 'tis too true!
50. How ... give: what a stinging whipping that speech gives. 51. plastering art: the art of plastering on cosmetics.
50 How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!
51 The harlot's cheek, beautied with plastering art,
52. ugly to: ugly in comparison to.
52 Is not more ugly to the thing that helps it
53. painted: prettified with cosmetics.
53 Than is my deed to my most painted word:
54 O heavy burden!
POLONIUS
55 I hear him coming: let's withdraw, my lord.
[Exeunt King and Polonius.]
Enter HAMLET.
HAMLET
56. To or not to be . . . : There is another version of this famous soliloquy. 57. suffer: endure patiently.
56 To be, or not to be: that is the question:
57 Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
58. slings: i.e., projectiles launched from slings.
58 The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
59 Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
60. To die, to sleep— / No more—: This sequence puzzles me.
60 And by opposing end them? To die, to sleep—
61 No more—and by a sleep to say we end
62 The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
63. consummation: completion, end.
63 That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
64 Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
65. rub: i.e., obstacle, catch. ...more
65 To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
66 For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
67. shuffled off: sloughed, cast off. this mortal coil: the turmoil of this mortal life. 68. respect: consideration.
67 When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
68 Must give us pause: there's the respect
69 That makes calamity of so long life;
70. bear . . . time: i.e., endure the punishments and insults that always come with the passage of time. 71. contumely: insolent abuse. 72. despised: rejected.
73. office: i.e., all those who hold official positions which give them power over others. spurns: insults.
73. office: i.e., all those who hold official positions which give them power over others. spurns: insults.
70 For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
71 The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
72 The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
73 The insolence of office and the spurns
74 That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
75. his quietus make: settle all his debts.
75 When he himself might his quietus make
76. With a bare bodkin: with nothing more than a dagger. fardels: burdens.
76 With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
77 To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
78 But that the dread of something after death,
79. undiscover'd: unknown, mysterious. from whose bourn: from beyond the boundary of which. 80. puzzles: paralyzes.
79 The undiscover'd country from whose bourn
80 No traveller returns, puzzles the will
81 And makes us rather bear those ills we have
82 Than fly to others that we know not of?
83. conscience: consciousness, reflection.
83 Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
84. native hue of resolution: natural complexion of a resolution to take action. 85. pale cast: pallor. ...more
84 And thus the native hue of resolution
85 Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
86. pitch: urgency. ...more moment: importance.
86 And enterprises of great pitch and moment
87. With this regard: because of this kind of consideration [of possibilities]. currents turn awry: turn off course. 88. Soft you now: i.e., wait a minute! ...more 89. orisons: prayers. 90. Be all my sins remember'd: i.e., please pray over my sins.
87 With this regard their currents turn awry,
88 And lose the name of action.—Soft you now,
89 The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons
90 Be all my sins remember'd.
OPHELIA
90 Good my lord,
91 How does your honor for this many a day?
HAMLET
92 I humbly thank you; well, well, well.
OPHELIA
93. remembrances of yours: i.e., love tokens; things Hamlet gave Ophelia to remember him by.
93 My lord, I have remembrances of yours,
94 That I have longed long to re-deliver;
95 I pray you, now receive them.
HAMLET
95. I pray you, now receive them: please take them back now. 96. aught: anything whatsoever.
I think Hamlet means that he didn't give Ophelia anything that needs to be returned.
95 No, not I;
96 I never gave you aught.
OPHELIA
97 My honor'd lord, you know right well you did;
98 And, with them, words of so sweet breath composed
99 As made the things more rich. Their perfume lost,
100 Take these again; for to the noble mind
101. unkind: unnatural; i.e., false.
101 Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.
102 There, my lord.
HAMLET
103. Ha, ha!: I believe that Hamlet is expressing surprise because Ophelia has just spoken as if he were the one who broke off the relationship. honest: 1) truthful; 2) chaste.
103 Ha, ha! are you honest?
OPHELIA
104 My lord?
HAMLET
105. fair: 1) beautiful; 2) honorable.
105 Are you fair?
OPHELIA
106 What means your lordship?
HAMLET
107-108. your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty: your honesty should have no dealings with your beauty.
107 That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should
108 admit no discourse to your beauty.
OPHELIA
109-110. Could beauty . . . have better commerce than with honesty?: could beauty have any better dealings than those with honesty?
109 Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than
110 with honesty?
HAMLET
111 Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner
112. bawd: madame of a whorehouse.
112 transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the
113. translate: transform.
113 force of honesty can translate beauty into his
114-115. sometime: formerly. paradox: a view contrary to accepted belief. the time gives it proof: the present age proves that it is true. I believe that Hamlet is thinking that it is his mother's case which proves his point. His mother was beautiful and honest, but her beauty attracted Claudius, who seduced her into adultery, so her beauty corrupted her honesty.
114 likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but now the
115 time gives it proof. I did love you once.
OPHELIA
116 Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
HAMLET
117-119. virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: i.e., no matter how hard we try to be virtuous, our naturally sinful nature will come through in some way. Hamlet here uses a metaphor from gardening; "inoculate" means "to graft," and in grafting, the "stock" is the hardy root and stem on which the desired plant is grafted.
117 You should not have believ'd me, for virtue cannot
118 so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of
119 it. I lov'd you not.
OPHELIA
120 I was the more deceived.
HAMLET
121 Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst thou be a breeder
122. indifferent honest: i.e., as virtuous as most people are.
122 of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest; but yet I
123 could accuse me of such things that it were better my
124 mother had not borne me: I am very proud, revengeful,
125-126. more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in: I believe that Hamlet is saying that he has more crimes that he could call to mind—and which tempt him—than he has reasons to justify such crimes. 128. arrant knaves: thoroughgoing rascals.
125 ambitious, with more offences at my beck than I have
126 thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape,
127 or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do
128 crawling between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves,
129 all; believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery.
130 Where's your father?
OPHELIA
131 At home, my lord.
HAMLET
132 Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the
133 fool no where but in's own house. Farewell.
OPHELIA
134 O, help him, you sweet heavens!
HAMLET
135 If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy
136 dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou
137. calumny: slander.
137 shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go:
138 farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for
139. monsters: i.e., cuckolds. ...more you: i.e., you women. 140. nunnery: Here, and at his next use of the word "nunnery," Hamlet may be punning on the slang meaning of the word, which is "whorehouse."
139 wise men know well enough what monsters you make
140 of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Farewell.
OPHELIA
141. restore him: restore him [to sanity]. Ophelia believes that Hamlet has gone mad before her eyes. ...more
141 O heavenly powers, restore him!
HAMLET
142. your paintings: i.e., women's use of cosmetics.
142 I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God
143 has given you one face, and you make yourselves
144-146. you jig ... ignorance: i.e., you walk and talk affectedly; you make up cute names for people; and you pretend that your sexual desires are just innocent childishness. 147-148. moe: more. those that are married already, all but one, shall live: This may be a threat against King Claudius.
144 another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nick-name
145 God's creatures, and make your wantonness your
146 ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it hath made me mad.
147 I say, we will have no moe marriages: those that are
148 married already, all but one, shall live; the rest shall
149 keep as they are. To a nunnery, go.
Exit.
OPHELIA
150. o'erthrown: overthrown, destroyed.
150 O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!
151. The courtier's . . . sword: i.e., the courtier's tongue (persuasiveness, charisma); the soldier's sword (courage, fighting ability); the scholar's eye (discernment, wisdom). 152. expectancy: hope. rose: ornament. the fair state: i.e., the kingdom made beautiful by his presence. 153. glass of fashion and mold of form: mirror (model) of pleasing manners and pattern of courtly behavior. 154. The observed of all observers: i.e., the center of attention and honor. 159. blown: in full bloom.
160. Blasted: withered. ecstasy: madness.
160. Blasted: withered. ecstasy: madness.
151 The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword;
152 The expectancy and rose of the fair state,
153 The glass of fashion and the mold of form,
154 The observed of all observers, quite, quite down!
155 And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
156 That suck'd the honey of his music vows,
157 Now see that noble and most sovereign reason,
158 Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh;
159 That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth
160 Blasted with ecstasy: O, woe is me,
161 To have seen what I have seen, see what I see! Enter KING CLAUDIUS and POLONIUS.
KING
162. affections: inclinations, feelings.
162 Love! his affections do not that way tend;
163 Nor what he spake, though it lack'd form a little,
164 Was not like madness. There's something in his soul,
165. sits on brood: i.e., prepares to hatch. ...more 166. doubt: suspect, fear. disclose: disclosure, hatching.
165 O'er which his melancholy sits on brood;
166 And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose
167 Will be some danger: which for to prevent,
168-169. I have in quick determination / Thus set it down: i.e., I have quickly and firmly decided as follows.
168 I have in quick determination
169 Thus set it down: he shall with speed to England,
170. For . . . tribute: to demand the tribute (money payment) due to Denmark, which has not been paid. 171. Haply: perchance, happily. 172. variable objects: i.e., a variety of things to see.
170 For the demand of our neglected tribute.
171 Haply the seas and countries different
172 With variable objects shall expel
173 This something-settled matter in his heart,
174-175. puts him thus / From fashion of himself: estranges him [as we have just seen] from his natural manner of acting.
174 Whereon his brains still beating puts him thus
175 From fashion of himself. What think you on't?
POLONIUS
176 It shall do well: but yet do I believe
177. grief: problem, what is troubling him.
177 The origin and commencement of his grief
178. neglected love: i.e., Hamlet's love for Ophelia, which Ophelia, on her father's orders, has refused. How now, Ophelia!: There seems to be some implied stage direction here, but I don't know just what it is. Did Ophelia, when her father said "neglected love," give her father a significant look?
178 Sprung from neglected love. How now, Ophelia!
179 You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said;
180 We heard it all. My lord, do as you please;
181 But, if you hold it fit, after the play
182 Let his queen mother all alone entreat him
183. his grief: what is troubling him. round: blunt, outspoken. 184-185. in the ear / Of all their conference: within earshot of everything they say. 185. find him: learn the truth about him. 186. confine him: Confinement in a dark room was a common treatment for madness.
183 To show his grief: let her be round with him;
184 And I'll be placed, so please you, in the ear
185 Of all their conference. If she find him not,
186 To England send him, or confine him where
187 Your wisdom best shall think.
KING
187 It shall be so:
188 Madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go.
Exeunt.