Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
|
Enter Hamlet and Horatio. HAMLET
So much for this, sir. Now shall you see the other.
You do remember all the circumstance? HORATIO Remember it, my lord! HAMLET
Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting
That would not let me sleep. Methought I lay 5
Worse than the mutines in the bilboes. Rashly—
And praised be rashness for it: let us know,
Our indiscretion sometime serves us well
When our deep plots do pall; and that should learn
us 10
There’s a divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough-hew them how we will— HORATIO That is most
certain. HAMLET Up from my cabin, 15
My sea-gown scarfed about me, in the dark
Groped I to find out them; had my desire,
Fingered their packet, and in fine withdrew
To mine own room again, making so bold
(My fears forgetting manners) to unfold 20
Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio,
A royal knavery—an exact command,
Larded with many several sorts of reasons
Importing Denmark’s health and England’s too,
With—ho!—such bugs and goblins in my life, 25
That on the supervise, no leisure bated,
No, not to stay the grinding of the ax,
My head should be struck off. | Hamlet tells Horatio what happened while he was out of Denmark: he was on the ship to England, when he got the idea to check out Claudius' letter in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's pack. Surprise! It tells the king to have Hamlet killed—for the good of the country and all. |
HORATIO Is ’t possible? HAMLET
Here’s the commission. Read it at more leisure. 30
Handing him a paper.
But wilt thou hear now how I did proceed? HORATIO I beseech you. HAMLET
Being thus benetted round with villainies,
Or I could make a prologue to my brains,
They had begun the play. I sat me down, 35
Devised a new commission, wrote it fair—
I once did hold it, as our statists do,
A baseness to write fair, and labored much
How to forget that learning; but, sir, now
It did me yeoman’s service. Wilt thou know 40
Th’ effect of what I wrote? HORATIO Ay, good my lord. HAMLET
An earnest conjuration from the King,
As England was his faithful tributary,
As love between them like the palm might flourish, 45
As peace should still her wheaten garland wear
And stand a comma ’tween their amities,
And many suchlike ases of great charge,
That, on the view and knowing of these contents,
Without debatement further, more or less, 50
He should those bearers put to sudden death,
Not shriving time allowed. HORATIO How was this sealed? HAMLET
Why, even in that was heaven ordinant.
I had my father’s signet in my purse, 55
Which was the model of that Danish seal;
Folded the writ up in the form of th’ other,
Subscribed it, gave ’t th’ impression, placed it
safely,
The changeling never known. Now, the next day 60
Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent
Thou knowest already. | Luckily, Hamlet had some tricks up his sleeve. He altered the letter to tell the king that the bearers of the letter (i.e. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) should be killed. Hamlet even sealed the new letter with his father's own signet (a stamp-like object with a design relating to one's title or authority, often on a ring, used to seal official letters) which he conveniently had in his purse. As luck would have it, the next day was the great sea fight where Hamlet ran off with the pirates. Horatio already knows how that went from Hamlet's last letter. |
HORATIO
So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to ’t. HAMLET
Why, man, they did make love to this employment.
They are not near my conscience. Their defeat 65
Does by their own insinuation grow.
’Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes
Between the pass and fell incensèd points
Of mighty opposites. HORATIO Why, what a king is this! 70 HAMLET
Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon—
He that hath killed my king and whored my mother,
Popped in between th’ election and my hopes,
Thrown out his angle for my proper life,
And with such cozenage—is ’t not perfect 75
conscience
To quit him with this arm? And is ’t not to be
damned
To let this canker of our nature come
In further evil? 80 HORATIO
It must be shortly known to him from England
What is the issue of the business there. | Horatio gives Hamlet a chance to be like, "Sorry I killed our friends in a manner that will damn them to eternal Hell," but instead Hamlet just basically shrugs. They're collateral damage, which is to be expected in a battle between two great forces (Hamlet and Claudius, presumably). It's logic: Claudius has tried to kill him; Claudius killed his father; Claudius "whored" his mother; and Claudius deliberately stands in the way of Hamlet's access to the crown of Denmark. Ergo, if anything, he would be wrong not to kill Claudius, since he'd only do more harm with time. |
HAMLET
It will be short. The interim’s mine,
And a man’s life’s no more than to say “one.”
But I am very sorry, good Horatio, 85
That to Laertes I forgot myself,
For by the image of my cause I see
The portraiture of his. I’ll court his favors.
But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a tow’ring passion. 90 HORATIO Peace, who comes here? | Hamlet does say he's sorry Laertes got caught up in the whole thing, and he's actually going to try to make up with him. |
Enter Osric, a courtier. OSRIC Your Lordship is right welcome back to
Denmark. HAMLET I humbly thank you, sir. Aside to Horatio.
Dost know this waterfly? 95 HORATIO, aside to Hamlet No, my good lord. HAMLET, aside to Horatio Thy state is the more gracious,
for ’tis a vice to know him. He hath much
land, and fertile. Let a beast be lord of beasts and his
crib shall stand at the king’s mess. ’Tis a chough, 100
but, as I say, spacious in the possession of dirt. OSRIC Sweet lord, if your Lordship were at leisure, I
should impart a thing to you from his Majesty. HAMLET I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of
spirit. Put your bonnet to his right use: ’tis for the 105
head. OSRIC I thank your Lordship; it is very hot. HAMLET No, believe me, ’tis very cold; the wind is
northerly. OSRIC It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. 110 HAMLET But yet methinks it is very sultry and hot for
my complexion. OSRIC Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, as
’twere—I cannot tell how. My lord, his Majesty
bade me signify to you that he has laid a great wager 115
on your head. Sir, this is the matter— HAMLET I beseech you, remember. He motions to
Osric to put on his hat. | Just then, Oscric, a ridiculous member of the court comes in. Hamlet asks Horatio if he knows Osric. When he says he doesn't, Hamlet says, "Lucky you." He then proceeds to have a little fun with Osric by saying that it's hot, then that it's cold, then that it's hot again. Osric agrees with him every time, proving himself to be rather spineless. |
OSRIC Nay, good my lord, for my ease, in good faith.
Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes—believe
me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent 120
differences, of very soft society and great showing.
Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or
calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the
continent of what part a gentleman would see. HAMLET Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in 125
you, though I know to divide him inventorially
would dozy th’ arithmetic of memory, and yet but
yaw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the
verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great
article, and his infusion of such dearth and rareness 130
as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his
mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage,
nothing more. OSRIC Your Lordship speaks most infallibly of him. HAMLET The concernancy, sir? Why do we wrap the 135
gentleman in our more rawer breath? OSRIC Sir? HORATIO Is ’t not possible to understand in another
tongue? You will to ’t, sir, really. HAMLET, to Osric What imports the nomination of 140
this gentleman? OSRIC Of Laertes? HORATIO His purse is empty already; all ’s golden words
are spent. HAMLET Of him, sir. 145 OSRIC I know you are not ignorant— HAMLET I would you did, sir. Yet, in faith, if you did, it
would not much approve me. Well, sir? OSRIC You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes
is— 150 HAMLET I dare not confess that, lest I should compare
with him in excellence. But to know a man well
were to know himself. OSRIC I mean, sir, for his weapon. But in the imputation
laid on him by them, in his meed he’s 155
unfellowed. HAMLET What’s his weapon? OSRIC Rapier and dagger. HAMLET That’s two of his weapons. But, well— | Osric tries to get to the point of his visit. He's trying to talk up Laertes skill as a swordsman as he was clearly instructed to do by Claudius, but Hamlet and Horatio are having a lot of fun confusing him. |
OSRIC The King, sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary 160
horses, against the which he has impawned, as I
take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their
assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so. Three of the
carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very
responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and 165
of very liberal conceit. HAMLET What call you the “carriages”? HORATIO I knew you must be edified by the margent
ere you had done. OSRIC The carriages, sir, are the hangers. 170 HAMLET The phrase would be more germane to the
matter if we could carry a cannon by our sides. I
would it might be “hangers” till then. But on. Six
Barbary horses against six French swords, their
assigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages— 175
that’s the French bet against the Danish. Why is this
all “impawned,” as you call it? OSRIC The King, sir, hath laid, sir, that in a dozen
passes between yourself and him, he shall not
exceed you three hits. He hath laid on twelve for 180
nine, and it would come to immediate trial if your
Lordship would vouchsafe the answer. HAMLET How if I answer no? OSRIC I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person
in trial. 185 HAMLET Sir, I will walk here in the hall. If it please his
Majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me. Let
the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the
King hold his purpose, I will win for him, an I can.
If not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd 190
hits. OSRIC Shall I deliver you e’en so? HAMLET To this effect, sir, after what flourish your
nature will. OSRIC I commend my duty to your Lordship. 195 HAMLET Yours. Osric exits. He does well to commend
it himself. There are no tongues else for ’s
turn. HORATIO This lapwing runs away with the shell on his
head. 200 HAMLET He did comply, sir, with his dug before he
sucked it. Thus has he (and many more of the same
breed that I know the drossy age dotes on) only got
the tune of the time, and, out of an habit of
encounter, a kind of yeasty collection, which carries 205
them through and through the most fanned
and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to
their trial, the bubbles are out. | Osric finally gets to the point (more or less). He's been sent to ask Hamlet if he is willing to fight a friendly duel with Laertes based on a bet. King Claudius has bet six fine horses, six fine French swords, and three beautiful carriages, on the odds that Laertes wouldn't get more than three hits in over Hamlet in a fencing match. Hamlet says sure, and Osric leaves, giving Hamlet and Horatio an opportunity to make fun of him behind his back now. |
Enter a Lord. LORD My lord, his Majesty commended him to you by
young Osric, who brings back to him that you 210
attend him in the hall. He sends to know if your
pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will
take longer time. HAMLET I am constant to my purposes. They follow
the King’s pleasure. If his fitness speaks, mine is 215
ready now or whensoever, provided I be so able as
now. LORD The King and Queen and all are coming down. HAMLET In happy time. LORD The Queen desires you to use some gentle 220
entertainment to Laertes before you fall to play. HAMLET She well instructs me. Lord exits. HORATIO You will lose, my lord. HAMLET I do not think so. Since he went into France, I
have been in continual practice. I shall win at the 225
odds; but thou wouldst not think how ill all’s here
about my heart. But it is no matter. HORATIO Nay, good my lord— HAMLET It is but foolery, but it is such a kind of
gaingiving as would perhaps trouble a woman. 230 HORATIO If your mind dislike anything, obey it. I will
forestall their repair hither and say you are not fit. HAMLET Not a whit. We defy augury. There is a
special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be
now, ’tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be 235
now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The
readiness is all. Since no man of aught he leaves
knows, what is ’t to leave betimes? Let be. | Two seconds later a Lord enters and says, "Well, are you coming?" Apparently the duel is taking place: Right. Now. Hamlet agrees to go, but Horatio has a bad feeling about all of this. He tells Hamlet he's going to lose. Hamlet says he doesn't think so. He's been practicing since Laertes went to France. Plus, they've given him good odds. But even if he does lose, it's just fooling around—nothing serious. Horatio isn't so sure. He tells Hamlet that if something doesn't feel right, he should listen to his gut. Hamlet dismisses Horatio's concerns and says, basically, we all have to die sometime. If this is my time, so be it. |
A table prepared. Enter Trumpets, Drums, and Officers
with cushions, King, Queen, Osric, and all the state,
foils, daggers, flagons of wine, and Laertes. KING
Come, Hamlet, come and take this hand from me.
He puts Laertes’ hand into Hamlet’s. HAMLET, to Laertes
Give me your pardon, sir. I have done you wrong; 240
But pardon ’t as you are a gentleman. This presence
knows,
And you must needs have heard, how I am punished
With a sore distraction. What I have done
That might your nature, honor, and exception 245
Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.
Was ’t Hamlet wronged Laertes? Never Hamlet.
If Hamlet from himself be ta’en away,
And when he’s not himself does wrong Laertes,
Then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it. 250
Who does it, then? His madness. If ’t be so,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wronged;
His madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy.
Sir, in this audience
Let my disclaiming from a purposed evil 255
Free me so far in your most generous thoughts
That I have shot my arrow o’er the house
And hurt my brother. | Everyone is ready to watch the duel, including the King (poisoned beverage on the table!) and Queen. Hamlet, shockingly, is the picture of quiet gentleness. Claudius puts Laertes' hand into Hamlet's, and Hamlet takes the opportunity to apologize: he tells Laertes how sorry he is for hurting him. And in fact, it wasn't Hamlet that wronged Laertes, it was Hamlet's madness, of which Hamlet is also a victim. (Does that count as an apology?) Finally, Hamlet makes a passing reference to the fact that Polonius's death was an accident. He says it's like he shot an arrow over a house and hit someone on the other side without being able to see where his arrow would land. Sure, that's kind of like stabbing a tapestry without knowing who's on the other side. |
LAERTES I am satisfied in nature,
Whose motive in this case should stir me most 260
To my revenge; but in my terms of honor
I stand aloof and will no reconcilement
Till by some elder masters of known honor
I have a voice and precedent of peace
To keep my name ungored. But till that time 265
I do receive your offered love like love
And will not wrong it. HAMLET I embrace it freely
And will this brothers’ wager frankly play.—
Give us the foils. Come on. 270 LAERTES Come, one for me. HAMLET
I’ll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ignorance
Your skill shall, like a star i’ th’ darkest night,
Stick fiery off indeed. LAERTES You mock me, sir. 275 HAMLET No, by this hand. KING
Give them the foils, young Osric. Cousin Hamlet,
You know the wager? HAMLET Very well, my lord.
Your Grace has laid the odds o’ th’ weaker side. 280 KING
I do not fear it; I have seen you both.
But, since he is better, we have therefore odds. | Laertes hears all of this. He says he's satisfied by Hamlet's apology, but he'd look like a bit of a fool if he just responded, "Thanks for apologizing for killing my dad" and left it at that. Basically, they have to fight to save Laertes' reputation—but it'll be a friendly little fight. Just before the duel begins, Hamlet declares himself to be the weaker player, but Claudius declares he doesn't mind. |
LAERTES
This is too heavy. Let me see another. HAMLET
This likes me well. These foils have all a length? OSRIC Ay, my good lord. 285 Prepare to play. | As Osric presents the men the swords, Laertes quibbles, dismissing one as being too heavy. He's clearly picking through the swords, seeming to be choosy, when actually we know he's searching for the sharpened, poisoned sword. Hamlet is much less choosy than Laertes; he's satisfied and takes a sword after asking only one question about whether the swords are all the same length (which matters for fighting, but not for pulling off a dastardly plan). |
KING
Set me the stoups of wine upon that table.—
If Hamlet give the first or second hit
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire.
The King shall drink to Hamlet’s better breath, 290
And in the cup an union shall he throw,
Richer than that which four successive kings
In Denmark’s crown have worn. Give me the cups,
And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
The trumpet to the cannoneer without, 295
The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth,
“Now the King drinks to Hamlet.” Come, begin.
And you, the judges, bear a wary eye. | Claudius also makes a big show, saying cannons will fire and the King will drink to Hamlet's good hits. He's got plenty of wine ready to go on the table, including, we assume, his poisoned cup. |
Trumpets the while. HAMLET Come on, sir. LAERTES Come, my lord. They play. 300 HAMLET One. LAERTES No. HAMLET Judgment! OSRIC A hit, a very palpable hit. LAERTES Well, again. 305 KING
Stay, give me drink.—Hamlet, this pearl is thine.
Here’s to thy health.
He drinks and then drops the pearl in the cup.
Drum, trumpets, and shot.
Give him the cup. HAMLET
I’ll play this bout first. Set it by awhile.
Come. They play. Another hit. What say you? 310 LAERTES
A touch, a touch. I do confess ’t. KING
Our son shall win. | As Hamlet and Laertes cross swords, Hamlet scores the first few points. Claudius, impatient for his stepson's death, offers him the poisoned goblet of wine, but Hamlet declines and keeps fighting. |
QUEEN He’s fat and scant of breath.—
Here, Hamlet, take my napkin; rub thy brows.
The Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. 315
She lifts the cup. HAMLET Good madam. KING Gertrude, do not drink. QUEEN
I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me. She drinks. KING, aside
It is the poisoned cup. It is too late. HAMLET
I dare not drink yet, madam—by and by. 320 QUEEN Come, let me wipe thy face. | Gertrude then toasts Hamlet with the poisoned wine, and though Claudius tells her not to drink...she defies him and takes a big sip. Oops. |
LAERTES, to Claudius
My lord, I’ll hit him now. KING I do not think ’t. LAERTES, aside
And yet it is almost against my conscience. HAMLET
Come, for the third, Laertes. You do but dally. 325
I pray you pass with your best violence.
I am afeard you make a wanton of me. LAERTES Say you so? Come on. Play. OSRIC Nothing neither way. LAERTES Have at you now! 330 Laertes wounds Hamlet. Then in scuffling they change
rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes. | Laertes tells Claudius he'll hit Hamlet now, but he's struggling a little with his conscience. The struggle doesn't last, though. Hamlet does a little trash-talking, like, "Hey Laertes, are you even trying?" and Laertes charges him. He wounds Hamlet with the poisoned sword and they scuffle. In the scuffle, they accidentally change swords, and Hamlet wounds Laertes with the poisoned blade. Oops again. This isn't exactly going according to plan. |
KING Part them. They are incensed. HAMLET Nay, come again. The Queen falls. OSRIC Look to the Queen there, ho! HORATIO
They bleed on both sides.—How is it, my lord? OSRIC How is ’t, Laertes? 335 LAERTES
Why as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric.
He falls.
I am justly killed with mine own treachery. HAMLET
How does the Queen? KING She swoons to see them bleed. QUEEN
No, no, the drink, the drink! O, my dear Hamlet! 340
The drink, the drink! I am poisoned. She dies. HAMLET
O villainy! Ho! Let the door be locked. Osric exits.
Treachery! Seek it out. | All hell starts to break loose. The Queen falls, and Horatio notices that both Hamlet and Laertes are bleeding, which shouldn't happen in a duel with rubber tipped foils. Claudius tries to say Gertrude has fainted because of the sight of blood, but Gertrude says no, her drink was poisoned. Hamlet orders Osric to lock the doors so they can root out the treachery. |
LAERTES
It is here, Hamlet. Hamlet, thou art slain.
No med’cine in the world can do thee good. 345
In thee there is not half an hour’s life.
The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
Unbated and envenomed. The foul practice
Hath turned itself on me. Lo, here I lie,
Never to rise again. Thy mother’s poisoned. 350
I can no more. The King, the King’s to blame. | They don't have to look too hard to find the traitor, because Laertes blurts out the whole sordid plan in his next breath. The sword was poisoned, the wine was poisoned, and the King's to blame. |
HAMLET
The point envenomed too! Then, venom, to thy
work. Hurts the King. ALL Treason, treason! KING
O, yet defend me, friends! I am but hurt. 355 HAMLET
Here, thou incestuous, murd’rous, damnèd Dane,
Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?
Forcing him to drink the poison.
Follow my mother. King dies. | In the next six seconds, Hamlet finally does what he's been talking about for the last two hours, and he does it twice over. First he stabs Claudius with the poisoned blade, then he makes him drink the poisoned wine. Claudius dies. |
LAERTES He is justly served.
It is a poison tempered by himself. 360
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet.
Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee,
Nor thine on me. Dies. | Laertes declares that Claudius got what he deserved. He also absolves both himself and Hamlet of responsibility for any of the deaths that have occurred...or are about to. Then he dies. (But it's not Hamlet's fault.) |
HAMLET
Heaven make thee free of it. I follow thee.—
I am dead, Horatio.—Wretched queen, adieu.— 365
You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time (as this fell sergeant, Death,
Is strict in his arrest), O, I could tell you—
But let it be.—Horatio, I am dead. 370
Thou livest; report me and my cause aright
To the unsatisfied. | Hamlet realizes he's about to die, too, so he says he doesn't have enough time to tell the story himself, but Horatio should explain to the world what just happened. |
HORATIO Never believe it.
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane.
Here’s yet some liquor left. He picks up the cup. 375 | Horatio says no way. There's still some wine left, and he wants to have a tragic ending, too. |
HAMLET As thou ’rt a man,
Give me the cup. Let go! By heaven, I’ll ha ’t.
O God, Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall I leave behind
me! 380
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,
Absent thee from felicity awhile
And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain
To tell my story.
A march afar off and shot within.
What warlike noise is this? 385 | Seriously, man, Hamlet says. Someone who knows what happened here has to live to explain all of this. He grabs the cup from Horatio and then pauses when he hears the sounds of marching soldiers. |
Enter Osric. OSRIC
Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland,
To th’ ambassadors of England gives
This warlike volley. HAMLET O, I die, Horatio!
The potent poison quite o’ercrows my spirit. 390
I cannot live to hear the news from England.
But I do prophesy th’ election lights
On Fortinbras; he has my dying voice.
So tell him, with th’ occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited—the rest is silence. 395
O, O, O, O! Dies. | It's Fortinbras and his army, returning from Poland. Hamlet says he won't live long enough to hear the news from England, but he declares Fortinbras should become the next King of Denmark...probably because everyone in Denmark is dead. |
HORATIO
Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince,
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.
March within.
Why does the drum come hither? Enter Fortinbras with the English Ambassadors with
Drum, Colors, and Attendants. FORTINBRAS Where is this sight? 400 HORATIO What is it you would see?
If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search. FORTINBRAS
This quarry cries on havoc. O proud Death,
What feast is toward in thine eternal cell
That thou so many princes at a shot 405
So bloodily hast struck? AMBASSADOR The sight is dismal,
And our affairs from England come too late.
The ears are senseless that should give us hearing
To tell him his commandment is fulfilled, 410
That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.
Where should we have our thanks? HORATIO Not from his
mouth,
Had it th’ ability of life to thank you. 415
He never gave commandment for their death.
But since, so jump upon this bloody question,
You from the Polack wars, and you from England,
Are here arrived, give order that these bodies
High on a stage be placed to the view, 420
And let me speak to th’ yet unknowing world
How these things came about. So shall you hear
Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,
Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters,
Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause, 425
And, in this upshot, purposes mistook
Fall’n on th’ inventors’ heads. All this can I
Truly deliver. | Horatio bids goodnight to Hamlet just as Fortinbras enters with the English ambassadors. Fortinbras is puzzled by all of the dead bodies strewn about. The English ambassadors say they've just come to report that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been killed, according to orders. Everyone is appropriately shocked, but Horatio promises to explain the entire bloody story. |
FORTINBRAS Let us haste to hear it
And call the noblest to the audience. 430
For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune.
I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,
Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me. HORATIO
Of that I shall have also cause to speak,
And from his mouth whose voice will draw on 435
more.
But let this same be presently performed
Even while men’s minds are wild, lest more
mischance
On plots and errors happen. 440 FORTINBRAS Let four captains
Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage,
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have proved most royal; and for his passage,
The soldier’s music and the rite of war 445
Speak loudly for him.
Take up the bodies. Such a sight as this
Becomes the field but here shows much amiss.
Go, bid the soldiers shoot. They exit, marching, after the which, a peal of
ordnance are shot off. | Fortinbras says it's all really too bad, but he's pretty sure he has some rights to the throne. Yeah, Horatio has some information to share on that, too. (Good thing he didn't drink that wine.) In the meantime, Hamlet should have a fine burial with the rites of war and soldier's music, since Fortinbras is sure that Hamlet would've been a good king. And, with a body count of eight (Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, Laertes, Gertrude, Claudius, and Hamlet), it's over: The End. |