Email address:. We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared. Read our privacy policy. Skip to content. A Scene-by-Scene Analysis of Legal Themes and Allusions September 18, by Mark Andre Alexander [In Hamlet ] there is a consistent and coherent pattern of legal allusions to defeated expectations of inheritance, which applies to every major character. Name: Email address: We respect your privacy.
Home Discover Shakespeare Expand child menu Expand. Horatio These are but wild and whirling words, my lord. Touching this vision here, It is an honest73 ghost, that let me tell you. And now, good friends, As you are friends, scholars and soldiers, Give me one poor76 request. We will. Hamlet Never make known what you have seen to-night. Horatio, Marcellus My lord, we will not.
Horatio In faith, My lord, not I. Marcellus Nor I, my lord, in faith. Ghost beneath the stage Swear. Hamlet Ah, ha, boy! Art thou there, Truepenny? Consent to swear. Horatio Propose the oath, my lord. Hamlet Never to speak of this that you have seen. Swear by my sword. Hamlet Hic et ubique?
Swear by my sword Never to speak of this that you have heard Ghost beneath the stage Swear by his sword. Hamlet Well said, old mole! A worthy pioner! Horatio O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!
Hamlet And therefore as a stranger84 give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
So, gentlemen, With all my love I do commend me94 to you, And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do, to express his love and friending to you, God willing, shall not lack. The time is out of joint. Reynaldo I will, my lord. Reynaldo My lord, I did intend it. Polonius Marry, well said; very well said. Reynaldo Ay, very well, my lord. Take heed of that. But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips16 As are companions noted and most known17 To youth and liberty. Reynaldo My lord, that would dishonor him.
Reynaldo Ay, my lord, I would know that. By the mass, I was 50 About to say something! Where did I leave?
So by my former lecture and advice,46 Shall you my son. You have me,47 have you not? Reynaldo My lord, I have. Polonius My lord, I have. God bye48 ye, fare ye well. Reynaldo Good my lord. Polonius Observe his inclination in yourself. Polonius And let him ply his music. Polonius Farewell. Polonius Mad for57 thy love?
Ophelia Mad for57 thy love? My lord, I do not know; But truly, I do fear it. Polonius What said he? Long stayed he so. At last, a little shaking of mine arm, And thrice his head thus waving up and down, He raised a sigh so piteous59 and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk60 And end his being. I will go seek the king. I am sorry. What, have you given him any hard words of late?
Ophelia No, my good lord. But as you did command, I did repel his letters and denied His access to me. Polonius That hath made him mad.
Come, go we to the king. This must be known, which, being kept close, might move69 More grief to hide than hate to utter love. Moreover2 that we much did long to see you, The need we have to use you did provoke Our hasty sending. Rosencrantz Both your Majesties Might, by the sovereign power you have of 15 us, Put your dread pleasures more into command Than to entreaty.
Guildenstern But we both obey, And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,16 To lay our service freely at your feet, To be commanded. Claudius Thanks, Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern. Gertrude Thanks, Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz. Go, some of you, And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is. Gertrude Ay, amen! Claudius Thou still hast been the father of good news.
Polonius Have I, my lord? That do I long to hear. My news shall be the fruit22 to that great feast. Claudius Thyself do grace23 to them, and bring them in. Claudius Well, we shall sift27 him. Say, Voltimand, what28 from our brother Norway? Voltimand Most fair return of greetings and desires. Meantime, we thank you for your well-took42 labour. Most welcome home! Polonius pauses My liege, and madam, to expostulate43 What majesty should be, what duty is, Why day is day, night night, and time is time, Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time.
Your noble son is mad. But let that go. Gertrude More matter,46 with less art. Mad let us grant him, then. Polonius Good madam, stay a while. I will be faithful. But that I love thee best, O most best, believe it.
Claudius But how hath she Received his love? Polonius What do you think of me? Claudius As of a man faithful and honorable. What might you think? Gertrude It may be, very like. Claudius Not that I know.
Polonius pointing to his head and shoulder Take this from this, if this be otherwise. Polonius You know, sometimes he walks four hours together79 Here in the lobby. Be you and I behind an arras81 then. Mark the encounter. Hamlet Well, God-a-mercy. Polonius Do you know me, my lord? Hamlet Excellent well. Polonius Honest, my lord! Hamlet Ay, sir; to be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand.
Still harping on my daughter. Hamlet Words, words, words. Polonius What is the matter, my lord? Hamlet Between who? Polonius I mean, the matter that you read, my lord. Hamlet Slanders, sir, for the satirical rogue says here that old men have grey beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber94 and plum-tree gum95 and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams. Will you walk out of the air,98 my lord?
Hamlet Into my grave. A happiness that often madness hits on, which reason and sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of. I will leave him, and suddenly contrive99 the means of meeting between him and my daughter.
Hamlet You cannot, sir, take from me anything that I will more willingly part withal — except my life — except my life — except my life. Polonius Fare you well, my lord. Polonius leaving You go to seek the Lord Hamlet? There he is. Rosencrantz to Polonius God save you, sir! Rosencrantz My most dear lord! Hamlet My excellent good friends!
How dost thou, Guildenstern? Ah, Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do ye both? Guildenstern Happy, in that we are not over-happy. Rosencrantz Neither, my lord.
Hamlet In the secret parts of Fortune? O, most true! She is a strumpet. Hamlet Then is doomsday near: but your news is not true. Let me question more in particular: what have you, my good friends, deserved at the hands of Fortune, that she sends you to prison hither? Guildenstern Prison, my lord? Rosencrantz Then is the world one. Rosencrantz We think not so, my lord. To me it is a prison.
Rosencrantz Why then, your ambition makes it one. Rosencrantz To visit you, my lord; no other occasion. Is it your own inclining? Come, deal justly with me. Come, come. Nay, speak. Guildenstern What should we say, my lord? Hamlet Why, anything, but to the purpose. Rosencrantz To what end, my lord?
Hamlet That you must teach me. But let me conjure you, by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved love, and by what more dear a better proposer could charge you withal, be even and direct with me, whether you were sent for or no. Rosencrantz aside to Guildenstern What say you? Hamlet aside Nay, then, I have an eye of you.
Guildenstern My lord, we were sent for. And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me — nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so. What players are they? Rosencrantz Even those you were wont to take delight in, the tragedians of the city. Rosencrantz I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation. Are they so followed? Hamlet How comes it? Do they grow rusty? These are now the fashion, and so berattle the common stages — so they call them — that many wearing rapiers are afraid of goose-quills and dare scarce come thither.
Hamlet What, are they children? How are they escoted? Guildenstern O, there has been much throwing about of brains. Do the boys carry it away? Guildenstern In what, my dear lord? Hamlet I am but mad north-north-west.
When the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw. Hamlet I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players. Mark it. Polonius My lord, I have news to tell you. Hamlet My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in Rome — Polonius The actors are come hither, my lord. Hamlet Buzz, buzz. Polonius Upon mine honor — Hamlet Then came each actor on his ass — Polonius The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral, scene individable, or poem unlimited.
For the law of writ and the liberty, these are the only men. Hamlet O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou! Polonius What a treasure had he, my lord? Hamlet Nay, that follows not. Polonius What follows, then, my lord? I am glad to see thee well. Welcome, good friends. O, old friend! Why, thy face is valenced since I saw thee last. What, my young lady and mistress! Hamlet I heard thee speak me a speech once, but it was never acted, or, if it was, not above once, for the play, I remember, pleased not the million.
Out, out, thou strumpet Fortune! Say on: come to Hecuba. Prithee, no more. After your death you were better have a bad epitaph than their ill report while you live.
Polonius My lord, I will use them according to their desert. The less they deserve, the more merit is in your bounty. Polonius Come, sirs.
Hamlet Follow him, friends. First Player Ay, my lord. Hamlet Very well. Follow that lord — and look you mock him not. You are welcome to Elsinore. Rosencrantz Good my lord! O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! And all for nothing! For Hecuba! What would he do, Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have?
Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, And can say nothing — no, not for a king, Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? Tweaks me by the nose? O, vengeance! Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murdered, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must like a whore unpack my heart with words, And fall a-cursing like a very drab, A scullion!
About, my brains! Hum — I have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play Have by the very cunning of the scene Been struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaimed their malefactions.
The spirit that I have seen May be a devil, and the devil hath power unnatural, devoid of natural feeling courageous, splendid open, unload whore attend to it, do it? Rosencrantz He does confess he feels himself distracted,5 But from what cause he will by no means speak. Gertrude Did he receive you well? Rosencrantz Most like a gentleman. Guildenstern But with much forcing9 of his disposition. Rosencrantz Niggard of question,10 but of our demands11 Most free in his reply.
Gertrude Did you assay him 12 To any pastime? Of these we told him, And there did seem in him a kind of joy To hear of it. They are about15 the court And, as I think, they have already order16 This night to play before him.
Rosencrantz We shall, my lord. Gertrude I shall obey you. So shall I hope your virtues Will bring him to his wonted way27 again, To both your honors. Ophelia Madam, I wish it may. How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!
O heavy burden! I pray you now receive them. Hamlet No, not I I never gave you aught. Ophelia My honored lord, you know right well you did, And with them words of so sweet breath composed70 As made the things more rich.
Their perfume lost, Take these again, for to the noble71 mind Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind. There, my lord. Are you honest? Ophelia My lord? Hamlet That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to73 your beauty.
Ophelia Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce74 than with honesty? Hamlet Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 a very formal, aloof acknowledgment in part an answer to her query? Ophelia Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so. Hamlet You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock79 but we shall relish of it. Ophelia I was the more deceived. Hamlet Get thee to a nunnery. Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? What should such fellows as I do,83 crawling between earth and heaven?
We are arrant knaves,84 all: believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery. Ophelia At home, my lord. Ophelia O, help him, you sweet heavens! Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters86 you87make of them. To a nunnery, go, and quickly too. Ophelia O heavenly powers, restore him! God has given you one face, and you make yourselves another. I say, we will have no mo94 marriage.
Those that are married already — all but one95 — shall live. The rest shall keep96 as they are. To a nunnery, go. Polonius It shall do well. But yet do I believe The origin and commencement of his grief Sprung from neglected love.
You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said: We heard it all. But if you mouth it2 as many of your players3 do, I had as lief 4 the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw5 the air too much with your hand — thus — but use all gently,6 for in the very torrent, tempest, and — as I may say — the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness. First Player I warrant14 your honor. Hamlet O, reform it altogether.
And let those that play your 35 27 speak no more than is set down for them, for there clowns be of them that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of barren28 spectators to laugh too, though, in the meantime, some necessary question29 of the play be then to be considered. Go, make you ready. Will the king hear this piece of work? Polonius And the queen too, and that presently. Hamlet to Polonius Bid the players make haste.
Rosencrantz Ay, my lord. No, let the candied tongue lick absurd35 pomp, And crook the pregnant36 hinges of the knee Where thrift may follow fawning. I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot,48 Even with the very comment49 of thy soul Observe mine uncle. You cannot feed capons61 so. These words are not mine. Polonius That did I, my lord, and was accounted a good actor. Polonius I did enact Julius Caesar.
Hamlet It was a brute part of him to kill so capital65 a calf there. They stay upon your patience. Gertrude Come hither, my dear Hamlet. Sit by me. Hamlet approaches Ophelia No, good mother. Do you mark that? I mean, my head upon your lap? Ay, my lord. Do you think I meant country matters?
What is, my lord? Hamlet Who, I? Ophelia Ay, my lord. Hamlet O God, your only jig-maker. Hamlet So long? Die two months ago, and not forgotten yet? Hamlet Marry, this is miching mallecho. Ophelia Belike this show imports the argument89 of the play. Prologue For us, and for our tragedy, Here stooping93 to your clemency, We beg your hearing patiently. Such love must needs be treason in my breast. In second husband let me be accurst! Player King I do believe you think what now you speak, But what we do determine oft we break.
What to ourselves in passion we propose, The passion ending, doth the purpose lose. The violence of either grief or joy Their own enactures with themselves destroy: Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament: Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident. And hitherto doth love on fortune tend, For who not needs shall never lack a friend, And who in want a hollow friend doth try Directly seasons him his enemy. But orderly to end where I begun, Our wills and fates do so contrary run That our devices still are overthrown: Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own.
If she should break it now! Sweet, leave me here awhile. My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile The tedious day with sleep. Gertrude The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Claudius Have you heard the argument?
Claudius What do you call the play? You shall see anon. Your Majesty, and we that have free souls, it touches us not. Let the galled jade wince our withers are unwrung. Ophelia You are as good as a chorus, my lord. Leave thy damnable faces, and begin.
Come: the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge. The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian. Ophelia The king rises.
Claudius Give me some light. Polonius Lights, lights, lights! Would not this, sir, and a forest of feathers — if the rest of my fortunes Turk with me — with two Provincial roses on my razed shoes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players? Hamlet A whole one, I. Didst perceive? Horatio Very well, my lord. I did very well note him. Ah, ha! Come, some music! Come, the recorders! Hamlet Sir, a whole history. Guildenstern Is in his retirement marvellous distempered.
Guildenstern No, my lord, rather with choler. Hamlet You are welcome. Guildenstern Nay, good my lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed. If not, your pardon and my return shall be the end of my business. Hamlet Sir, I cannot. Rosencrantz What, my lord? Hamlet Make you a wholesome answer. But, sir, such answer as I can make, you shall command — or, rather, as you say, my mother. Therefore no more, but to the matter.
My mother, you say — Rosencrantz Then thus she says: your behavior hath struck her into amazement and admiration. Hamlet We shall obey, were she ten times our mother.
Rosencrantz My lord, you once did love me. Hamlet So I do still, by these pickers and stealers. Hamlet Sir, I lack advancement. Let me see one. Will you play upon this pipe? Guildenstern My lord, I cannot. Hamlet I pray you. He will have the players perform a scene closely resembling the sequence by which Hamlet imagines his uncle to have murdered his father, so that if Claudius is guilty, he will surely react.
When the moment of the murder arrives in the theater, Claudius leaps up and leaves the room. Hamlet and Horatio agree that this proves his guilt. Hamlet goes to kill Claudius but finds him praying. Since he believes that killing Claudius while in prayer would send Claudius's soul to heaven, Hamlet considers that it would be an inadequate revenge and decides to wait.
Claudius, now frightened of Hamlet's madness and fearing for his own safety, orders that Hamlet be sent to England at once. Hamlet goes to confront his mother, in whose bedchamber Polonius has hidden behind a tapestry.
Hearing a noise from behind the tapestry, Hamlet believes the king is hiding there. He draws his sword and stabs through the fabric, killing Polonius. For this crime, he is immediately dispatched to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
However, Claudius's plan for Hamlet includes more than banishment, as he has given Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sealed orders for the King of England demanding that Hamlet be put to death.
Prince Hamlet is depressed. Having been summoned home to Denmark from school in Germany to attend his father's funeral, he is shocked to find his mother Gertrude already remarried. The Queen has wed Hamlet's Uncle Claudius, the dead king's brother. To Hamlet, the marriage is "foul incest. Hamlet suspects foul play. When his father's ghost visits the castle, Hamlet's suspicions are confirmed.
The Ghost complains that he is unable to rest in peace because he was murdered. Claudius, says the Ghost, poured poison in King Hamlet's ear while the old king napped. Unable to confess and find salvation, King Hamlet is now consigned, for a time, to spend his days in Purgatory and walk the earth by night. He entreats Hamlet to avenge his death, but to spare Gertrude, to let Heaven decide her fate. Hamlet vows to affect madness - puts "an antic disposition on" - to wear a mask that will enable him to observe the interactions in the castle, but finds himself more confused than ever.
In his persistent confusion, he questions the Ghost's trustworthiness. What if the Ghost is not a true spirit, but rather an agent of the devil sent to tempt him? What if killing Claudius results in Hamlet's having to relive his memories for all eternity?
Hamlet agonizes over what he perceives as his cowardice because he cannot stop himself from thinking. Words immobilize Hamlet, but the world he lives in prizes action.
In order to test the Ghost's sincerity, Hamlet enlists the help of a troupe of players who perform a play called The Murder of Gonzago to which Hamlet has added scenes that recreate the murder the Ghost described. Hamlet calls the revised play The Mousetrap, and the ploy proves a success. As Hamlet had hoped, Claudius' reaction to the staged murder reveals the King to be conscience-stricken. Claudius leaves the room because he cannot breathe, and his vision is dimmed for want of light.
Convinced now that Claudius is a villain, Hamlet resolves to kill him. But, as Hamlet observes, "conscience doth make cowards of us all.
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