Act IV
Scene I
A room in the castle.
Enter King, Queen, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. | |
King |
There’s matter in these sighs, these profound heaves:
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Queen |
Bestow this place on us a little while. Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
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King | What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet? |
Queen |
Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend
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King |
O heavy deed!
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Queen |
To draw apart the body he hath kill’d:
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King |
O Gertrude, come away!
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Re-enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. | |
Friends both, go join you with some further aid:
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Scene II
Another room in the castle.
Enter Hamlet. | |
Hamlet | Safely stowed. |
Rosencrantz Guildenstern |
Within. Hamlet! Lord Hamlet! |
Hamlet | But soft, what noise? who calls on Hamlet? O, here they come. |
Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. | |
Rosencrantz | What have you done, my lord, with the dead body? |
Hamlet | Compounded it with dust, whereto ’tis kin. |
Rosencrantz |
Tell us where ’tis, that we may take it thence
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Hamlet | Do not believe it. |
Rosencrantz | Believe what? |
Hamlet | That I can keep your counsel and not mine own. Besides, to be demanded of a sponge! what replication should be made by the son of a king? |
Rosencrantz | Take you me for a sponge, my lord? |
Hamlet | Ay, sir, that soaks up the king’s countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end: he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to be last swallowed: when he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you shall be dry again. |
Rosencrantz | I understand you not, my lord. |
Hamlet | I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. |
Rosencrantz | My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us to the king. |
Hamlet | The body is with the king, but the king is not with the body. The king is a thing— |
Guildenstern | A thing, my lord! |
Hamlet | Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after. Exeunt. |
Scene III
Another room in the castle.
Enter King, attended. | |
King |
I have sent to seek him, and to find the body.
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Enter Rosencrantz. | |
How now! what hath befall’n? | |
Rosencrantz |
Where the dead body is bestow’d, my lord,
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King | But where is he? |
Rosencrantz | Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. |
King | Bring him before us. |
Rosencrantz | Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord. |
Enter Hamlet and Guildenstern. | |
King | Now, Hamlet, where’s Polonius? |
Hamlet | At supper. |
King | At supper! where? |
Hamlet | Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain convocation of politic worms are e’en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table: that’s the end. |
King | Alas, alas! |
Hamlet | A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm. |
King | What dost you mean by this? |
Hamlet | Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. |
King | Where is Polonius? |
Hamlet | In heaven; send hither to see: if your messenger find him not there, seek him i’ the other place yourself. But indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. |
King | Go seek him there. To some Attendants. |
Hamlet | He will stay till ye come. Exeunt Attendants. |
King |
Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety—
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Hamlet | For England! |
King | Ay, Hamlet. |
Hamlet | Good. |
King | So is it, if thou knew’st our purposes. |
Hamlet | I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for England! Farewell, dear mother. |
King | Thy loving father, Hamlet. |
Hamlet | My mother: father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England! Exit. |
King |
Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard;
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Scene IV
A plain in Denmark.
Enter Fortinbras, a Captain, and Soldiers, marching. | |
Prince Fortinbras |
Go, captain, from me greet the Danish king;
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Captain | I will do’t, my lord. |
Prince Fortinbras | Go softly on. Exeunt Fortinbras and Soldiers. |
Enter Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and others. | |
Hamlet | Good sir, whose powers are these? |
Captain | They are of Norway, sir. |
Hamlet | How purposed, sir, I pray you? |
Captain | Against some part of Poland. |
Hamlet | Who commands them, sir? |
Captain | The nephews to old Norway, Fortinbras. |
Hamlet |
Goes it against the main of Poland, sir,
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Captain |
Truly to speak, and with no addition,
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Hamlet | Why, then the Polack never will defend it. |
Captain | Yes, it is already garrison’d. |
Hamlet |
Two thousand souls and twenty thousand ducats
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Captain | God be wi’ you, sir. Exit. |
Rosencrantz | Will’t please you go, my lord? |
Hamlet |
I’ll be with you straight. Go a little before. Exeunt all except Hamlet.
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Scene V
Elsinore. A room in the castle.
Enter Queen, Horatio, and a Gentleman. | |
Queen | I will not speak with her. |
Gentleman |
She is importunate, indeed distract:
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Queen | What would she have? |
Gentleman |
She speaks much of her father; says she hears
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Horatio |
’Twere good she were spoken with; for she may strew
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Queen |
Let her come in. Exit Horatio.
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Re-enter Horatio, with Ophelia. | |
Ophelia | Where is the beauteous majesty of Denmark? |
Queen | How now, Ophelia! |
Ophelia |
Sings.
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Queen | Alas, sweet lady, what imports this song? |
Ophelia |
Say you? nay, pray you, mark. Sings.
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Queen | Nay, but, Ophelia— |
Ophelia |
Pray you, mark. Sings.
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Enter King. | |
Queen | Alas, look here, my lord. |
Ophelia |
Sings.
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King | How do you, pretty lady? |
Ophelia | Well, God ’ild you! They say the owl was a baker’s daughter. Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be. God be at your table! |
King | Conceit upon her father. |
Ophelia |
Pray you, let’s have no words of this; but when they ask you what it means, say you this: Sings.
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King | Pretty Ophelia! |
Ophelia |
Indeed, la, without an oath, I’ll make an end on’t: Sings.
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King | How long hath she been thus? |
Ophelia | I hope all will be well. We must be patient: but I cannot choose but weep, to think they should lay him i’ the cold ground. My brother shall know of it: and so I thank you for your good counsel. Come, my coach! Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies; good night, good night. Exit. |
King |
Follow her close; give her good watch, I pray you. Exit Horatio.
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Queen | Alack, what noise is this? |
King | Where are my Switzers? Let them guard the door. |
Enter another Gentleman. | |
What is the matter? | |
Gentleman |
Save yourself, my lord:
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Queen |
How cheerfully on the false trail they cry!
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King | The doors are broke. Noise within. |
Enter Laertes, armed; Danes following. | |
Laertes | Where is this king? Sirs, stand you all without. |
Danes | No, let’s come in. |
Laertes | I pray you, give me leave. |
Danes | We will, we will. They retire without the door. |
Laertes |
I thank you: keep the door. O thou vile king,
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Queen | Calmly, good Laertes. |
Laertes |
That drop of blood that’s calm proclaims me bastard,
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King |
What is the cause, Laertes,
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Laertes | Where is my father? |
King | Dead. |
Queen | But not by him. |
King | Let him demand his fill. |
Laertes |
How came he dead? I’ll not be juggled with:
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King | Who shall stay you? |
Laertes |
My will, not all the world:
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King |
Good Laertes,
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Laertes | None but his enemies. |
King | Will you know them then? |
Laertes |
To his good friends thus wide I’ll ope my arms;
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King |
Why, now you speak
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Danes | Within. Let her come in. |
Laertes | How now! what noise is that? |
Re-enter Ophelia. | |
O heat, dry up my brains! tears seven times salt,
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Ophelia |
Sings.
Fare you well, my dove! |
Laertes |
Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge,
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Ophelia |
Sings.
O, how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his master’s daughter. |
Laertes | This nothing’s more than matter. |
Ophelia | There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember: and there is pansies, that’s for thoughts. |
Laertes | A document in madness, thoughts and remembrance fitted. |
Ophelia |
There’s fennel for you, and columbines: there’s rue for you; and here’s some for me: we may call it herb-grace o’ Sundays: O you must wear your rue with a difference. There’s a daisy: I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died: they say he made a good end—Sings.
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Laertes |
Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself,
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Ophelia |
Sings.
And of all Christian souls, I pray God. God be wi’ ye. Exit. |
Laertes | Do you see this, O God? |
King |
Laertes, I must commune with your grief,
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Laertes |
Let this be so;
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King |
So you shall;
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Scene VI
Another room in the castle.
Enter Horatio and a Servant. | |
Horatio | What are they that would speak with me? |
Servant | Sailors, sir: they say they have letters for you. |
Horatio | Let them come in. Exit Servant. I do not know from what part of the world I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet. |
Enter Sailors. | |
First Sailor | God bless you, sir. |
Horatio | Let him bless thee too. |
First Sailor | He shall, sir, an’t please him. There’s a letter for you, sir; it comes from the ambassador that was bound for England; if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. |
Horatio |
Reads.
Come, I will make you way for these your letters;
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Scene VII
Another room in the castle.
Enter King and Laertes. | |
King |
Now must your conscience my acquittance seal,
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Laertes |
It well appears: but tell me
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King |
O, for two special reasons;
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Laertes |
And so have I a noble father lost;
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King |
Break not your sleeps for that: you must not think
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Enter a Messenger. | |
How now! what news? | |
Messenger |
Letters, my lord, from Hamlet:
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King | From Hamlet! who brought them? |
Messenger |
Sailors, my lord, they say; I saw them not:
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King |
Laertes, you shall hear them. Leave us. Exit Messenger. Reads.
What should this mean? Are all the rest come back?
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Laertes | Know you the hand? |
King |
’Tis Hamlet’s character. “Naked!”
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Laertes |
I’m lost in it, my lord. But let him come;
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King |
If it be so, Laertes—
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Laertes |
Ay, my lord;
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King |
To thine own peace. If he be now return’d,
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Laertes |
My lord, I will be ruled;
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King |
It falls right.
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Laertes | What part is that, my lord? |
King |
A very riband in the cap of youth,
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Laertes | A Norman was’t? |
King | A Norman. |
Laertes | Upon my life, Lamond. |
King | The very same. |
Laertes |
I know him well: he is the brooch indeed
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King |
He made confession of you,
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Laertes | What out of this, my lord? |
King |
Laertes, was your father dear to you?
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Laertes | Why ask you this? |
King |
Not that I think you did not love your father;
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Laertes | To cut his throat i’ the church. |
King |
No place, indeed, should murder sanctuarize;
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Laertes |
I will do’t:
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King |
Let’s further think of this;
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Enter Queen. | |
How now, sweet queen! | |
Queen |
One woe doth tread upon another’s heel,
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Laertes | Drown’d! O, where? |
Queen |
There is a willow grows aslant a brook,
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Laertes | Alas, then, she is drown’d? |
Queen | Drown’d, drown’d. |
Laertes |
Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia,
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King |
Let’s follow, Gertrude:
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