Hamlet: Act 1, Scene 2
Flourish. Enter CLAUDIUS, KING OF
Flourish: trumpet call announcing the arrival of the King and his entourage.
DENMARK,
GERTRUDE THE QUEEN,
HAMLET [dressed all in black], Councilors,
HAMLET [dressed all in black]: Hamlet is in mourning for his dead father, King Hamlet. ...more
POLONIUS and his son LAERTES,
cum aliis [including VOLTEMAND and
cum aliis: with others. Everyone would want to be in court on this important occasion.
CORNELIUS].
KING
1 Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death
1. our: King Claudius uses the royal "we" ...more
2 The memory be green, and that it us befitted
2. green: fresh. it us befitted: it would be entirely befitting for us.
3 To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom
4 To be contracted in one brow of woe,
4. contracted in one brow of woe: knitted in a single woeful brow.
5 Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature
6 That we with wisest sorrow think on him,
7 Together with remembrance of ourselves.
7. remembrance of ourselves: i.e., due consideration of my own concerns.
8 Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,
8. sometime sister: former sister-in-law.
9 The imperial jointress to this warlike state,
9. jointress: i.e., joint holder of royal authority.
10 Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy,
10. defeated: subdued.
11 With an auspicious and a dropping eye,
11. auspicious: cheerful, hopeful. dropping: mournful, weeping.
12 With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage,
13 In equal scale weighing delight and dole,
14 Taken to wife: nor have we herein barr'd
14-15. nor ... wisdoms: i.e., in doing this (marrying Gertrude) I have not ignored your wise advice.
15 Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone
15. freely: fully, without reservation.
16 With this affair along. For all, our thanks.
17 Now follows that you know young Fortinbras,
17. Now . . . know: the next order of business is that you be informed that.
18 Holding a weak supposal of our worth,
18. Holding . . . worth: having a low and mistaken estimate of our readiness and courage.
19 Or thinking by our late dear brother's death
20 Our state to be disjoint and out of frame,
21 Colleagued with this dream of his advantage,
21. Colleagued with: allied with. dream of his advantage: fantasy that he will be successful.
22 He hath not fail'd to pester us with message,
23 Importing the surrender of those lands
24 Lost by his father, with all bands of law,
22-24. He . . . law: he is always pestering us with messages about us returning the lands lost by his father in accordance with legally binding contracts.
25 To our most valiant brother. So much for him.
26 Now for ourself and for this time of meeting:
27 Thus much the business is: we have here writ
28 To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras—
29 Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears
29. impotent and bed-rid: feeble and bedridden.
30 Of this his nephew's purpose—to suppress
31 His further gait herein; in that the levies,
31. gait: proceeding.
32 The lists and full proportions, are all made
33 Out of his subject: and we here dispatch
31-33. in that the levies . . . Out of his subject: i.e., since all of Fortinbras' troops and supplies have been drawn from the subjects of the King of Norway.
34 You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltemand,
35 For bearers of this greeting to old Norway;
36 Giving to you no further personal power
37 To business with the king, more than the scope
38 Of these delated articles allow.
38. delated articles: detailed instructions.
[Giving a paper.]
39 Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty.
39. commend: praise. Perhaps the ambassadors were about to say a few words about their duty to the king, but he tells them that the best way to show their duty is to be quick about carrying out his instructions.
VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS
40 In that and all things will we show our duty.
KING
41 We doubt it nothing: heartily farewell.
41. nothing: not at all.
[Exeunt VOLTEMAND and CORNELIUS.]
42 And now, Laertes, what's the news with you?
43 You told us of some suit; what is't, Laertes?
43. suit: petition, request.
44 You cannot speak of reason to the Dane,
44. speak . . . Dane: i.e., make a reasonable request to me.
45 And lose your voice: what wouldst thou beg, Laertes,
45. lose your voice: waste your breath.
46 That shall not be my offer, not thy asking?
47 The head is not more native to the heart,
47. native: closely related.
48 The hand more instrumental to the mouth,
48. instrumental: serviceable.
49 Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.
50 What wouldst thou have, Laertes?
LAERTES
My dread lord,
51 Your leave and favor to return to France;
51. leave: permission.
52 From whence though willingly I came to Denmark,
53 To show my duty in your coronation,
54 Yet now, I must confess, that duty done,
55 My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France
56 And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon.
56. leave: permission to depart. pardon: i.e., as in "I beg your pardon." As a member of the court, Laertes has a duty to attend on the king.
KING
57 Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius?
POLONIUS
58 H'ath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave
58. H'ath: he has. slow leave: permission given reluctantly.
59 By laborsome petition, and at last
60 Upon his will I seal'd my hard consent:
60. I seal'd: I gave my stamp of approval. hard: reluctant.
61 I do beseech you, give him leave to go.
KING
62 Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thine,
63 And thy best graces spend it at thy will!
64 But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son—
64. cousin: kinsman. "Cousin" was used of cousins, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts, and very close friends. son: i.e., stepson.
HAMLET
65 A little more than kin, and less than kind.
65. A little more than kin, and less than kind: i.e., I am more kin to you than before, since I am now both your nephew and your stepson; and, at the same time, I am no kin to you in natural feelings or affection. —This statement is so insulting that editors sometimes mark it as an aside.
KING
66 How is it that the clouds still hang on you?
HAMLET
67 Not so, my lord; I am too much i' the sun.
67. I am too much i' the sun: (1) I am too much in the sunshine of your royal favor; (2) You have called me "son" once too often.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
68 Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off,
68. nighted color: i.e., mourning for your father.
69 And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.
69. Denmark: i.e., the King of Denmark. Gertrude is pleading with her son to be nice to her new husband.
70 Do not for ever with thy vailèd lids
70. vailèd: downcast.
71 Seek for thy noble father in the dust:
72 Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die,
73 Passing through nature to eternity.
HAMLET
74 Ay, madam, it is common.
72 - 74. common . . . common: Queen Gertrude means that death is a common occurrence. Hamlet's reply may mean that what she says is "common" because it is a cliché that is unfeeling and stupid.
QUEEN
If it be,
75 Why seems it so particular with thee?
75. particular: individual, personal.
HAMLET
76 Seems, madam! nay it is; I know not "seems."
77 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
78 Nor customary suits of solemn black,
79 Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,
79. suspiration: sighing.
80 No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
80. fruitful river in the eye: i.e., copious river of tears.
81. havior of the visage: behavior, expression, of the face.
81 Nor the dejected havior of the visage,
82 Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
83 That can denote me truly: these indeed seem,
84 For they are actions that a man might play:
84. play: act, pretend.
85 But I have that within which passeth show;
86 These but the trappings and the suits of woe.
86. These: i.e., these are. Hamlet is referring to "all forms, moods, shapes of grief." but the trappings and the suits: only the ornaments and the clothes.
KING
87 'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,
88 To give these mourning duties to your father:
89 But, you must know, your father lost a father;
90 That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound
91 In filial obligation for some term
92 To do obsequious sorrow: but to persever
92. obsequious: proper to obsequies, the formalities of funerals. persever: persevere.
93 In obstinate condolement is a course
93. condolement: expressions of sorrow.
course: manner of conduct.
course: manner of conduct.
94 Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief;
95 It shows a will most incorrect to heaven,
94-95. impious . . . heaven: King Claudius calls Hamlet "impious" because Hamlet's continued grief denies the Christian idea that his father is in a better place, heaven. incorrect: rebellious.
96 A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,
97 An understanding simple and unschool'd:
98 For what we know must be and is as common
99 As any the most vulgar thing to sense,
99. any the most vulgar thing to sense:
i.e., what is the most obvious to common sense
100 Why should we in our peevish opposition
101 Take it to heart? Fie! 'tis a fault to heaven,
102 A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,
103 To reason most absurd: whose common theme
103. absurd: contrary.
104 Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried,
105 From the first corse till he that died today,
105. corse: corpse.
106 "This must be so." We pray you, throw to earth
107 This unprevailing woe, and think of us
107. unprevailing: unavailing, useless.
108 As of a father: for let the world take note,
109 You are the most immediate to our throne;
109. the most immediate to our throne: i.e., the one who will inherit my position as King of Denmark.
110 And with no less nobility of love
111 Than that which dearest father bears his son,
111. dearest: most loving.
112 Do I impart toward you. For your intent
112. impart toward you: bestow upon you.
113 In going back to school in Wittenberg,
113. Wittenberg: A famous university in Germany.
114 It is most retrograde to our desire:
114. retrograde: contrary.
115 And we beseech you, bend you to remain
115. bend you: commit yourself.
116 Here, in the cheer and comfort of our eye,
117 Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
118 Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet:
118. prayers: earnest requests.
119 I pray thee, stay with us; go not to Wittenberg.
"go not to Wittenberg"
HAMLET
120 I shall in all my best obey you, madam.
KING
121 Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply:
121. fair: pleasing, comely. — I believe that Hamlet's reply is an insult to the King, and that the King is putting the best face on things.
122 Be as ourself in Denmark. Madam, come;
123 This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet
124 Sits smiling to my heart: in grace whereof,
125 No jocund health that Denmark drinks today,
125. jocund: joyful, merry.
126 But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell,
127 And the king's rouse the heavens shall bruit again,
127. rouse: bumper, draft of liquor. bruit again: i.e., echo loudly.
128 Respeaking earthly thunder. Come away.
Flourish.
Exeunt all but HAMLET.
HAMLET
129 O, that this too too solid flesh would melt,
129. solid: Some editors put "sullied" here.
130 Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
130. resolve: i.e., transform.
131 Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
132 His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!
132. canon: divine law.
133 How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,
134 Seem to me all the uses of this world!
134. uses: customs.
135 Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,
136 That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
137 Possess it merely. That it should come to this!
137. merely: completely, utterly.
138 But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:
139 So excellent a king; that was, to this,
139. to: in comparison with.
140 Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother
140. Hyperion: In Greek mythology, the sun god. ...more
141 That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
141. beteem: allow.
142 Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth!
143 Must I remember? why, she would hang on him,
144 As if increase of appetite had grown
145 By what it fed on: and yet, within a month—
146 Let me not think on't—Frailty, thy name is woman!—
147 A little month, or ere those shoes were old
148 With which she follow'd my poor father's body,
149 Like Niobe, all tears:—why she, even she—
149. Niobe: Figure of Greek mythology who wept endlessly for her dead children. ...more
150 O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
150. wants discourse of reason: lacks the power of reason.
151 Would have mourn'd longer—married with my uncle,
152 My father's brother, but no more like my father
153 Than I to Hercules: within a month:
153. Hercules: mythological superhero.
154 Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
154. unrighteous: i.e., hypocritical.
155 Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
155. flushing: redness. galled: inflamed.
156 She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
156. post: hurry, rush.
157 With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!
157. incestuous: Many in Shakespeare's time regarded the marriage of a man to his brother's widow as incestuous.
158 It is not nor it cannot come to good:
159 But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.
Enter HORATIO, MARCELLUS,
and BARNARDO.
HORATIO
160 Hail to your lordship!
HAMLET
160 I am glad to see you well:
161 Horatio!—or I do forget myself.
HORATIO
162 The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever.
HAMLET
163 Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name with you:
163. Sir . . . you: i.e., you're my friend, not my servant; let me be your servant.
164 And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?
164. what make you from: what are you doing away from.
165 —Marcellus.
165. Marcellus: I believe this shows Hamlet's common touch. He is a prince, and could have acknowledged Marcellus, a common soldier, with a nod of his head, but he knows the soldier's name, and greets him warmly.
MARCELLUS
166 My good lord.
HAMLET
167 I am very glad to see you.
[To Barnardo.]
Good even, sir.—
[To Horatio.]
168 But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?
168. what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?: what, really, made you come away from the university at Wittenberg?
HORATIO
169 A truant disposition, good my lord.
169. A truant disposition: an impulse to skip school.
HAMLET
170 I would not hear your enemy say so,
170. I would not hear your enemy say so: I would refuse to believe your enemy say as you have just said.
171 Nor shall you do mine ear that violence,
172 To make it truster of your own report
173 Against yourself: I know you are no truant.
174 But what is your affair in Elsinore?
175 We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.
HORATIO
176 My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.
HAMLET
177 I pray thee, do not mock me, fellow-student;
178 I think it was to see my mother's wedding.
HORATIO
179 Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon.
179. hard upon: close behind.
HAMLET
180 Thrift, thrift, Horatio! the funeral baked meats
180. baked meats: pastries.
181 Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
181. coldly: 1) when cold; 2) without feeling.
182 Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
182. dearest: direst; most intensely hated.
183 Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!
183. Or ever I had seen that day: before I had ever seen that day.
184 My father!—methinks I see my father.
HORATIO
185 Where, my lord?
HAMLET
In my mind's eye, Horatio.
HORATIO
186 I saw him once. 'A was a goodly king.
186. 'A: he.
HAMLET
187 'A was a man, take him for all in all,
188 I shall not look upon his like again.
"My lord, I think I saw him yesternight"
HORATIO
189 My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.
HAMLET
190 Saw? who?
HORATIO
191 My lord, the king your father.
HAMLET
The king my father!
HORATIO
192 Season your admiration for a while
192. Season: calm down, restrain. admiration: wonder, astonishment.
193 With an attent ear, till I may deliver,
193. attent: attentive. deliver: report.
194 Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
194. Upon the witness of these gentlemen: i.e., confirmed by what Marcellus and Barnardo have witnessed.
195 This marvel to you.
HAMLET
For God's love, let me hear.
HORATIO
196 Two nights together had these gentlemen,
197 Marcellus and Barnardo, on their watch,
198 In the dead waste and middle of the night,
198. waste: emptiness.
199 Been thus encount'red: A figure like your father,
200 Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pe,
200. Armed at point exactly, cap-a-pe: armed [as your father was] exactly in every way, from head to foot.
201 Appears before them, and with solemn march
202 Goes slow and stately by them: thrice he walk'd
203 By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes,
203. By: before, in front of. oppress'd: overwhelmed.
204 Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distilled
204. truncheon's length: Six feet? ...more
205 Almost to jelly with the act of fear,
205. act: action, effect.
206 Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to me
207 In dreadful secrecy impart they did;
206-207. This to me / In dreadful secrecy impart they did: i.e., they told me this as a dreadful secret.
208 And I with them the third night kept the watch;
209 Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time,
209. as they had deliver'd: just as they had reported.
210 Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
211 The apparition comes: I knew your father;
212 These hands are not more like.
212. These hands are not more like: i.e., my two hands do not resemble each other more closely than the apparition resembled Hamlet's father.
HAMLET
But where was this?
MARCELLUS
213 My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.
HAMLET
214 Did you not speak to it?
HORATIO
My lord, I did;
215 But answer made it none: yet once methought
216 It lifted up it head and did address
216. it: its.
217 Itself to motion, like as it would speak;
216-217. did address . . . speak: began to make a gesture, as if it were about to speak.
218 But even then the morning cock crew loud,
219 And at the sound it shrunk in haste away,
220 And vanish'd from our sight.
HAMLET
'Tis very strange.
HORATIO
221 As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true;
222 And we did think it writ down in our duty
223 To let you know of it.
HAMLET
224 Indeed, indeed, sirs, but this troubles me.
225 Hold you the watch tonight?
MARCELLUS and BARNARDO
We do, my lord.
HAMLET
226 Arm'd, say you?
MARCELLUS and BARNARDO
227 Arm'd, my lord.
HAMLET
228 From top to toe?
MARCELLUS and BARNARDO
My lord, from head to foot.
HAMLET
229 Then saw you not his face?
HORATIO
230 O, yes, my lord; he wore his beaver up.
230. beaver: visor.
Knight with his beaver up.
Knight with his beaver up.
HAMLET
231 What, look'd he frowningly?
HORATIO
A countenance more
232 In sorrow than in anger.
HAMLET
Pale or red?
HORATIO
233 Nay, very pale.
HAMLET
And fix'd his eyes upon you?
HORATIO
234 Most constantly.
HAMLET
I would I had been there.
HORATIO
235 It would have much amazed you.
HAMLET
236 Very like, very like. Stay'd it long?
HORATIO
237 While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred.
237. tell: count.
MARCELLUS and BARNARDO
238 Longer, longer.
HORATIO
239 Not when I saw't.
HAMLET
His beard was grizzled—no?
239. grizzled: mixed with grey.
HORATIO
240 It was, as I have seen it in his life,
241 A sable silver'd.
241. A sable silver'd: In heraldry, "sable" is the word for black. Hamlet asked if the Ghost's beard was "grizzled," and Horatio says it was, but the words he uses makes the mixture of black and white sound impressively dignified.
HAMLET
I will watch tonight;
242 Perchance 'twill walk again.
HORATIO
I warrant it will.
HAMLET
243 If it assume my noble father's person,
244 I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape
244. gape: open its mouth wide (as though to swallow him).
245 And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
245. bid me hold my peace: i.e., tell me to shut up.
246 If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,
247 Let it be tenable in your silence still;
247. tenable: held close.
248 And whatsoever else shall hap tonight,
248. hap: happen to happen.
249 Give it an understanding, but no tongue:
249. Give it an understanding, but no tongue: i.e., pay attention, and remember, but don't say anything.
250 I will requite your loves. So, fare you well:
250. I will requite your loves: I will return your friendship. Hamlet may also mean that he will give them some sort of reward for keeping the secret.
251 Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,
252 I'll visit you.
All
Our duty to your honor.
HAMLET
253 Your loves, as mine to you: farewell.
253. Your loves, as mine to you: i.e., what you have done shows more than duty; it shows deep friendship, and I return that friendship.
Exeunt [all but HAMLET].
254 My father's spirit in arms! all is not well;
255 I doubt some foul play: would the night were come!
255. doubt: suspect.
256 Till then, sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will rise,
257 Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.
Exit.