Scene II

[A room of state in the Castle.]

Flourish. Enter Claudius, King of Denmark, Gertrude the Queen, [Hamlet, Polonius, his son Laertes [his sister Ophelia], Voltimand, Cornelius, Lords Attendant.]

KING:

Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death
The memory be green, and that it us befitted
To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom
To be contracted in one brow of woe,
Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature(5)
That we with wisest sorrow think on him
Together with remembrance of ourselves.
Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,
The imperial jointress to this warlike state,
Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy,(10)
With an auspicious, and a dropping eye,
With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage,
In equal scale weighing delight and dole,
Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barr'd
Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone(15)
With this affair along. For all, our thanks.
Now follows, that you know, young Fortinbras,
Holding a weak supposal of our worth,
Or thinking by our late dear brother's death
Our state to be disjoint and out of frame,(20)
Colleagued with this dream of his advantage,
He hath not fail'd to pester us with message,
Importing the surrender of those lands
Lost by his father, with all bonds of law,
To our most valiant brother. So much for him.(25)
Now for ourself, and for this time of meeting.
Thus much the business is: we have here writ
To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras—
Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears
Of this his nephew's purpose—to suppress(30)
His further gait herein, in that the levies,
The lists, and full proportions, are all made
Out of his subject; and we here dispatch
You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltimand,
For bearers of this greeting to old Norway,(35)
Giving to you no further personal power
To business with the King, more than the scope
Of these dilated articles allow.
Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty.

KING:

Though the memory of our dear brother, Hamlet’s death
Is still fresh, and that it was proper for us
To grieve for him in our hearts, and our whole kingdom
To be united in one sorrow,
Yet discretion has fought with nature so much
That we now think on him with more tempered sorrow,
Together with remembrance of ourselves,
Therefore, our former sister-in-law, now our queen,
The royal dowager of this warring country,
We have, as it were with an unhappy joy,
With a hopeful and crying eye,
With joy in mourning, and with lament in marriage,
In equal parts weighing delight and sorrow,
Married. We have not disregarded
Your good advice, which has freely gone
Along with this affair. To all, our thanks.
I will tell you now, as you know, young Fortinbras,
Not thinking very much of us,
Or thinking that our late dear brother's death
Made our country disorganized and no longer powerful,
Conspiring with this dream of his advantage,
Has not failed to pester us with messages,
Asking us to the surrender of those lands
Lost by his father, within all the rules of law,
To our most valiant brother. So much for him!
Now what we have done so far
Is this. we have here written
To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras,
Who, impotent and bed-rid, knows nothing
Of his nephew's intentions, to stop
His further progress in this plan because the levies,
The lists, and full proportions are all made
Without his knowledge, and we are sending
You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltimand,
To take this greeting to old Norway,
Without giving you any further personal power
To do business with the king, more than the scope
Of these detailed items allow.
Farewell and hurry to do your duty.

CORNELIUS, VOLTIMAND:

In that and all things will we show(40)
our duty.

CORNELIUS, VOLTIMAND:

In that and all things, we will show our duty.

KING:

We doubt it nothing. Heartily farewell.

[Exit Voltimand and Cornelius.]

And now, Laertes, what's the news with you?
You told us of some suit. What is't, Laertes?
You cannot speak of reason to the Dane,(45)
And lose your voice. What wouldst thou beg, Laertes,
That shall not be my offer, not thy asking?
The head is not more native to the heart,
The hand more instrumental to the mouth,
Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.(50)
What wouldst thou have, Laertes?

KING:

We do not doubt it. Heartily, farewell.

And now, Laertes, what's the news with you?
You told us you want something. What is it, Laertes?
You cannot start to ask the King of Denmark,
And then stop. What do you want, Laertes,
That I shall not my offer before you ask?
The head is not more native to the heart,
The hand more instrumental to the mouth,
Than is the throne of Denmark to your father.
What would you ask, Laertes?

LAERTES:

Dread my lord,
Your leave and favour to return to France;
From whence though willingly I came to Denmark,
To show my duty in your coronation,(55)
Yet now, I must confess, that duty done,
My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France
And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon.

LAERTES:

My fearful lord,
Your permission and good wishes to return to France.
I came from there willingly to Denmark,
To show my duty at your coronation,
But now, I must confess, that duty done,
My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France,
And I bow to your gracious permission and good wishes.

KING:

Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius?

KING:

Have you your father's permission? What says Polonius?

POLONIUS:

He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave(60)
By laboursome petition, and at last
Upon his will I seal'd my hard consent.
I do beseech you, give him leave to go.

POLONIUS:

My lord, he has wrung from me my reluctant permission
By asking me again and again, and I
Finally had to give in.
I do beg you, give him permission to go.

KING:

Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine,
And thy best graces spend it at thy will!(65)
But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son,—

KING:

Take your best chance, Laertes, time be yours,
And do whatever you want to do with it!
But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son.

HAMLET:

A little more than kin, and less than kind!

HAMLET:

A little more than related and less than kind!

KING:

How is it that the clouds still hang on you?

KING:

How is it that the clouds still hang on you?

HAMLET:

Not so, my lord: I am too much i' the sun.

HAMLET:

That’s not so, my lord, I am too much in the sun.

QUEEN:

Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off,(70)
And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.
Do not for ever with thy vailed lids
Seek for thy noble father in the dust.
Thou know'st 'tis common. All that lives must die,
Passing through nature to eternity.(75)

QUEEN:

Good Hamlet, take off your black looks,
And let your eye look on the King like a friend.
Don’t look for your noble father on the ground
Forever with sad eyes.
You know it’s the way it goes, that everyone must die,
Passing through this life to eternity.

HAMLET:

Ay, madam, it is common.

HAMLET:

Yes, madam, that’s the way it goes.

QUEEN:

If it be,
Why seems it so particular with thee?

QUEEN:

If that’s the way it goes,
Why does it seem unusual with you?

HAMLET:

Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not seems.
'tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,(80)
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
Nor the dejected havior of the visage,
Together with all forms, modes, shapes of grief,(85)
That can denote me truly. These indeed seem,
For they are actions that a man might play;
But I have that within which passeth show,
These but the trappings and the suits of woe.

HAMLET:

”Seem?”, madam! No, it is. I don’t know “seem.”
It’s not just my black clothes, good mother,
Or the usual mourning suits of solemn black,
Or loud sighs of forced breath,
No, or the tears of grief in my eyes,
Or the dejected behavior that’s on my face,
Together with all forms, moods, shows of grief,
That truly say what I feel. These things, indeed, “seem”
Because these are actions that might be found in a play,
But within me, I have feelings that cannot be acted,
Those things are only the outside signs of grief.

KING:

'tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,(90)
To give these mourning duties to your father;
But you must know, your father lost a father;
That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound
In filial obligation for some term
To do obsequious sorrow. But to persever(95)
In obstinate condolement is a course
Of impious stubbornness; 'tis unmanly grief;
It shows a will most incorrect to heaven,
A heart unfortified, a mind impatient,
An understanding simple and unschool'd;(100)
For what we know must be, and is as common
As any the most vulgar thing to sense,
Why should we, in our peevish opposition,
Take it to heart? Fie! 'tis a fault to heaven,
A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,(105)
To reason most absurd, whose common theme
Is death of fathers, and who still hath cried,
From the first corse till he that died today,
This must be so. We pray you throw to earth
This unprevailing woe, and think of us(110)
As of a father; for let the world take note
You are the most immediate to our throne,
And with no less nobility of love
Than that which dearest father bears his son
Do I impart toward you. For your intent(115)
In going back to school in Wittenberg,
It is most retrograde to our desire;
And we beseech you, bend you to remain
Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye,
Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son.(120)

KING:

It is sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,
To give these mourning duties to your father,
But, you must know, That your father lost his father,
His father lost his father, and the sons were bound,
In the obligation of a good son, for some time after
To do some general rites and grieving, but to persist
In such a long grieving period is to be on a path
Of unholy stubbornness. It is unmanly grief.
It demonstrates a wrong observance of holy rites,
A weak heart, a restless mind,
A simple and uneducated understanding of death,
Because we know what must be, it’s as common
As anything to sense the most vulgar thing,
Why should we, in our spiteful opposition,
Take it to heart? For shame! It is a sin to heaven,
A sin against the dead, a sin to nature,
Most ridiculous to reason, whose common theme
Is death of fathers, and who still has cried,
From the first corpse to the man who died just today,
”This must be so.” We beg you, give up on
This unusual grief, and think of us
As of a father. Because, let the whole world know,
You are the next in line to our throne,
And, I give you my love, with no less nobility
Than the love which the dearest father
Bears his son. As for your intentions
To go back to school in Wittenberg,
Leaving here is not something that we want,
And we beg you to give into remaining
Here in the happiness and pleasure of our eyes,
Our most important courtier, cousin, and our son.

QUEEN:

Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet.
I pray thee, stay with us, go not to Wittenberg.

QUEEN:

Don’t let my prayers go unanswered, Hamlet.
I beg you to stay with us, don’t go to Wittenberg.

HAMLET:

I shall in all my best obey you, madam.

HAMLET:

I’ll do my best to obey you, madam.

KING:

Why, 'tis a loving and a fair reply.
Be as ourself in Denmark. Madam, come.(125)
This gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet
Sits smiling to my heart; in grace whereof,
No jocund health that Denmark drinks today
But the great cannon to the clouds shall tell,
And the King's rouse the heaven shall bruit again,(130)
Re-speaking earthly thunder. Come away.

KING:

Why, it is a loving and a fair reply.
Behave as we would in Denmark. Madam, come,
This gentle and unforced agreement of Hamlet’s
Makes my heart happy, so happy that,
For every happy toast that Denmark drinks today
The great cannon shall fire the toast to the sky,
And the king's loud noise shall echo the cannon,
Repeating that earthly thunder. Let’s go.

Flourish. Exeunt all but Hamlet.

HAMLET:

O, that this too too sullied flesh would melt,
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew,
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!(135)
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't! ah, fie! 'tis an unweeded garden
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely. That it should come to this!(140)
But two months dead! Nay, not so much, not two;
So excellent a king, that was, to this,
Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother
That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth!(145)
Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him
As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on; and yet, within a month—
Let me not think on't! Frailty, thy name is woman—
A little month, or ere those shoes were old(150)
With which she follow'd my poor father's body
Like Niobe, all tears—why she, even she—
O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason
Would have mourn'd longer—married with my uncle,
My father's brother, but no more like my father(155)
Than I to Hercules. Within a month,
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!(160)
It is not, nor it cannot come to, good.
But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue!

HAMLET:

O that my too, too solid body would melt,
Thaw, and change itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting God has forbidden
Suicide! O God! O God!
How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
All the habits of this world seem to me!
Shame on it! O for shame! It is an unweeded garden
That is going to seed, only things that are decaying and
Disgusting grow there. That it should come to this!
Only dead for two months! No, not so much, not two.
So excellent a king that, compared to this king, was
A magnificent man to a beast, so loving to my mother,
That he might not allow the winds of heaven
To blow on her face too roughly. Heaven and earth!
Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him
As if her appetite had only increased
By what it fed on. And yet, within a month — Don’t let
me think about it! Weakness, your name is woman —
A little month, even before those shoes with which she
Followed my poor father's body were old, she was
Totally inconsolable, all tears, why she, even she—
O God! a beast that lacks the gift of reason,
Would have mourned longer— married my uncle,
My father's brother, but no more like my father
Than I am like Hercules. Within a month,
Before the salt of the most wicked tears
Had left the redness in her bitter eyes,
She married. O, most wicked speed, to travel
With such quickness to incestuous sheets!
It is not good and it cannot come to good.
But, break my heart, for I must be silent!

Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo.

HORATIO:

Hail to your lordship!

HORATIO:

Greetings to your lordship!

HAMLET:

I am glad to see you well.
Horatio—or I do forget myself.(165)

HAMLET:

I am glad to see you well.
Horatio? Or I do forget myself!

HORATIO:

The same, my lord, and your poor servant ever.

HORATIO:

It’s me, my lord, and your poor servant forever.

HAMLET:

Sir, my good friend; I'll change that name with you.
And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?—
Marcellus?

HAMLET:

Sir, my good friend! I’ll exchange that name with you.
And why are you here from Wittenberg, Horatio?
Marcellus?

MARCELLUS:

My good lord!(170)

MARCELLUS:

My good lord.

HAMLET:

I am very glad to see you.— [To Bernardo] Good
even, sir.—
But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?

HAMLET:

I am very glad to see you. [To Bernardo] Good evening, sir.
But why, truly, are you here from Wittenberg?

HORATIO:

A truant disposition, good my lord.

HORATIO:

A lazy disposition, my good lord.

HAMLET:

I would not hear your enemy say so,(175)
Nor shall you do my ear that violence
To make it truster of your own report
Against yourself. I know you are no truant.
But what is your affair in Elsinore?
We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.(180)

HAMLET:

I wouldn’t even hear your enemy say so,
And you shall not violently throw those words to my ear,
To make my ear the keeper of your own report
Against yourself. I know you are not lazy.
But what are you doing in Elsinore?
We'll teach you to drink a lot before you leave!

HORATIO:

My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.

HORATIO:

My lord, I came to see your father's funeral.

HAMLET:

I prithee do not mock me, fellow student.
I think it was to see my mother's wedding.

HAMLET:

Please don’t mock me, fellow-student.
I think it was to see my mother's wedding.

HORATIO:

Indeed, my lord, it followed hard upon.

HORATIO:

Indeed, my lord, it followed very soon after.

HAMLET:

Thrift, thrift, Horatio. The funeral baked meats(185)
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio!
My father—methinks I see my father.

HAMLET:

Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The meats baked for the funeral
Were also put on the marriage tables.
I wish I had met my dearest enemy in heaven
Before I had ever seen that day, Horatio!
My father… I think I see my father.

HORATIO:

O, where, my lord?(190)

HORATIO:

Where, my lord?

HAMLET:

In my mind's eye, Horatio.

HAMLET:

In my mind's eye, Horatio.

HORATIO:

I saw him once. He was a goodly king.

HORATIO:

I saw him once, he was a goodly king.

HAMLET:

He was a man, take him for all in all;
I shall not look upon his like again.

HAMLET:

He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again.

HORATIO:

My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.(195)

HORATIO:

My lord, I think I saw him last night.

HAMLET:

Saw? Who?

HAMLET:

Saw who?

HORATIO:

My lord, the King your father.

HORATIO:

My lord, the king your father.

HAMLET:

The King my father?

HAMLET:

The King my father!

HORATIO:

Season your admiration for a while
With an attent ear, till I may deliver(200)
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,
This marvel to you.

HORATIO:

Hold off your compliments for awhile
And pay attention, until I may deliver,
With the witness of these gentlemen,
Something marvelous to you.

HAMLET:

For God's love let me hear!

HAMLET:

For God's love, let me hear what you have to say.

HORATIO:

Two nights together had these gentlemen
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch(205)
In the dead vast and middle of the night,
Been thus encountered. A figure like your father,
Armed at point exactly, cap-à-pie,
Appears before them, and with solemn march
Goes slow and stately by them. Thrice he walk'd(210)
By their oppress'd and fear-surprised eyes,
Within his truncheon's length; whilst they, distill'd
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,
Stand dumb and speak not to him. This to me
In dreadful secrecy impart they did,(215)
And I with them the third night kept the watch;
Where, as they had deliver'd, both in time,
Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
The apparition comes. I knew your father.
These hands are not more like.(220)

HORATIO:

Two nights in a row had these gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead vast country and middle of the night,
Encountered a figure like your father,
Armed at every point exactly, head to toe,
Appearing before them, and, with solemn march,
Goes slow and stately by them. Three times he walked
By their oppressed and fear-surprised eyes,
Within the length of their spears, while they, reduced
Almost to jelly with the act of fear,
Stood speechless, and did not speak They told
Me this in dreadful secrecy,
So I kept the watch with them the third night.
Where, just as they had said, both in time and
Form of the thing, each word being true and good,
The apparition comes. I knew your father,
These hands are not more like the apparition I saw.

HAMLET:

But where was this?

HAMLET:

But where was this?

MARCELLUS:

My lord, upon the platform where we watch'd.

MARCELLUS:

My lord, on the platform where we watched.

HAMLET:

Did you not speak to it?

HAMLET:

Didn’t you speak to it?

HORATIO:

My lord, I did;
But answer made it none. Yet once methought(225)
It lifted up it head and did address
Itself to motion, like as it would speak;
But, even then, the morning cock crew loud,
And at the sound it shrunk in haste away
And vanish'd from our sight.(230)

HORATIO:

My lord, I did,
But it made me no answer. However, once I thought
It lifted up its head, and urged
Itself to motion, just as if it would speak.
But then the morning rooster crew loud,
And at that sound, it shrunk away very quickly,
And vanished from our sight.

HAMLET:

'tis very strange.

HAMLET:

It is very strange.

HORATIO:

As I do live, my honour'd lord, 'tis true;
And we did think it writ down in our duty
To let you know of it.

HORATIO:

I swear, my honored lord, it is true,
And we thought it was our duty
To let you know about it.

HAMLET:

Indeed, indeed, sirs. But this troubles me.(235)
Hold you the watch tonight?

HAMLET:

Indeed, indeed, gentlemen, but this troubles me.
Are you going to watch again tonight?

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

We do, my lord.

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

We are, my lord.

HAMLET:

Arm'd, say you?

HAMLET:

He was armed, you say?

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

Arm'd, my lord.

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

Armed, my lord.

HAMLET:

From top to toe?(240)

HAMLET:

From top to toe?

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

My lord, from head to foot.

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

My lord, from head to foot.

HAMLET:

Then saw you not his face?

HAMLET:

Then you didn’t see his face?

HORATIO:

O, yes, my lord! He wore his beaver up.

HORATIO:

O, yes, my lord. He had the front visor of his helmet up.

HAMLET:

What, look'd he frowningly?

HAMLET:

What, did he look like he was frowning?

HORATIO:

A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.(245)

HORATIO:

His face showed more sorrow than anger.

HAMLET:

Pale, or red?

HAMLET:

Was he pale or red?

HORATIO:

Nay, very pale.

HORATIO:

No, very pale.

HAMLET:

And fix'd his eyes upon you?

HAMLET:

And he fixed his eyes on you?

HORATIO:

Most constantly.

HORATIO:

Most constantly.

HAMLET:

I would I had been there.(250)

HAMLET:

I wish I had been there.

HORATIO:

It would have much amazed you.

HORATIO:

It would have amazed you very much.

HAMLET:

Very like, very like. Stay'd it long?

HAMLET:

I’m sure it would’ve, I’m sure it would’ve. Did it stay long?

HORATIO:

While one with moderate haste might tell a hundred.

HORATIO:

As long as an average person might count to a hundred.

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

Longer, longer.

MARCELLUS AND BERNARDO:

Longer, longer.

HORATIO:

Not when I saw't.(255)

HORATIO:

Not when I saw it.

HAMLET:

His beard was grizzled, no?

HAMLET:

His beard was grizzly, no?

HORATIO:

It was as I have seen it in his life,
A sable silvered.

HORATIO:

It was, as I have seen it in his life,
A silvery sable.

HAMLET:

I will watch tonight.
Perchance 'twill walk again.(260)

HAMLET:

I will watch tonight,
Maybe it will walk again.

HORATIO:

I warrant it will.

HORATIO:

I guarantee it will.

HAMLET:

If it assume my noble father's person,
I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this sight,(265)
Let it be tenable in your silence still;
And whatsoever else shall hap tonight,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
I will requite your loves. So, fare you well.
Upon the platform, 'twixt eleven and twelve,(270)
I'll visit you.

HAMLET:

If it takes on my noble father's appearance,
I’ll speak to it, though hell itself should open wide
And order me to be silent. I beg you all,
If you have kept this sight secret so far,
Keep your silence still,
And whatever else shall happen tonight,
Take it in, but don’t talk about it.
I will reward your loyalty. So, goodbye for now.
On the platform, between eleven and twelve,
I’ll visit you.

ALL:

Our duty to your honour.

ALL:

Our duty to your honor.

Exeunt [all but Hamlet.]

HAMLET:

Your loves, as mine to you. Farewell.
My father's spirit in arms! All is not well.
I doubt some foul play. Would the night were come.(275)
Till then sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will rise,
Though all the earth o'erwhelm them, to men's eyes.

HAMLET:

Your loyalty, as mine to you. Goodbye.
My father's spirit in arms! All is not well,
I suspect some foul play. I wish the night were here now!
Until then, sit still, my soul. Wicked deeds will rise to be
Seen even if they are buried very deep in the earth.

Exit.