Hamlet Required Reading

You are required to read the following excerpts. You should know the background, contents and be able to explain
how the lines reflect character, plot, and/or theme. Feel free to use any notes necessary in order to be able to
discuss the lines accurately.

For those of you unfamiliar with play notation it goes Act, Scene, Line. Act and scene are also listed on the top of
each page of your book.

I ii 1 - 16
I ii 67 - 86
I v 40 - 91
I v 165 - 180 III i 36 – 69
III ii 77 - 88
II i 75 - 85 III iii 22 - 39
II ii 1 - 18 III iii 51-56
III i 90 – 120

IV vii 129 - 138

IV v 174 – 185
Suggested Text: No Fear Shakespeare Hamlet ISBN
1586638440 V ii 266 - End

Website for Hamlet:

www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/
ACT I. SCENE II. 83 That can denote me truly: these indeed seem,
84 For they are actions that a man might play:
Lines: 1-16 85 But I have that within which passeth show;
86 These but the trappings and the suits of woe.
Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, HAMLET,
POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, Lords,
and Attendants 80 No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
KING CLAUDIUS 81 Nor the dejected havior of the visage,
Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death 82 Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
The memory be green, and that it us befitted 83 That can denote me truly: these indeed seem,
To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom 84 For they are actions that a man might play:
To be contracted in one brow of woe, 85 But I have that within which passeth show;
Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature 86 These but the trappings and the suits of woe.
That we with wisest sorrow think on him,
Together with remembrance of ourselves. ACT I. SCENE V.
Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,
The imperial jointress to this warlike state, Lines: 40-91
Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy,--
With an auspicious and a dropping eye,
With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, HAMLET
In equal scale weighing delight and dole,-- 40 O my prophetic soul!
Taken to wife: nor have we herein barr'd 41 My uncle?
Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone
With this affair along. For all, our thanks. GHOST
42 Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
Lines: 67-86 43 With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts—

44 O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power

HAMLET 45 So to seduce!—won to his shameful lust
67 Not so, my lord; I am too much i' the sun. 46 The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen:
47 O Hamlet, what a falling-off was there!
QUEEN GERTRUDE 48 From me, whose love was of that dignity
68 Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off, 49 That it went hand in hand even with the vow
69 And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. 50 I made to her in marriage, and to decline
70 Do not for ever with thy vaileè d lids 51 Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor
71 Seek for thy noble father in the dust: 52 To those of mine!
72 Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must 53 But virtue, as it never will be moved,
die, 54 Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven,
73 Passing through nature to eternity. 55 So lust, though to a radiant angel link'd,
56 Will sate itself in a celestial bed,
HAMLET 57 And prey on garbage.
74 Ay, madam, it is common. 58 But, soft! methinks I scent the morning air;
59 Brief let me be. Sleeping within my orchard,
QUEEN 60 My custom always of the afternoon,
74 If it be, 61 Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole,
75 Why seems it so particular with thee? 62 With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial,
63 And in the porches of my ears did pour
HAMLET 64 The leperous distillment; whose effect
76 Seems, madam! nay it is; I know not "seems." 65 Holds such an enmity with blood of man
77 'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, 66 That swift as quicksilver it courses through
78 Nor customary suits of solemn black, 67 The natural gates and alleys of the body,
79 Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, 68 And with a sudden vigor doth posset
80 No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, 69 And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
81 Nor the dejected havior of the visage, 70 The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;
82 Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief, 71 And a most instant tetter bark'd about,
72 Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,
73 All my smooth body.
74 Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand
75 Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch'd:
76 Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
77 Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd,
78 No reckoning made, but sent to my account
79 With all my imperfections on my head:
80 O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
81 If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;
82 Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
83 A couch for luxury and damned incest.
84 But, howsoever thou pursuest this act,
85 Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
86 Against thy mother aught: leave her to heaven
87 And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
88 To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
89 The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
90 And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire:
91 Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.
[Exit Ghost.]
Lines: 165-180
HAMLET
165 And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
166 There are more things in heaven and earth,
Horatio,
167 Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
168 But come—
169 Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
170 How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
171 As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
172 To put an antic disposition on,
173 That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
174 With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake,
175 Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
176 As "Well, well, we know," or "We could, an if we
would,"
177 Or "If we list to speak," or "There be, an if they
might,"
178 Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
179 That you know aught of me—this not to do,
180 So grace and mercy at your most need help you,
Swear.
ACT II. SCENE I
Lines: 75-85
OPHELIA
74 My lord, as I was sewing in my closet,
75 Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced;
76 No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd,
77 Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ankle;
78 Pale as his shirt; his knees knocking each other;
79 And with a look so piteous in purport
80 As if he had been loosed out of hell
81 To speak of horrors—he comes before me.
POLONIUS
82 Mad for thy love?
OPHELIA
82 My lord, I do not know;
83 But truly, I do fear it.
POLONIUS
83 What said he?
OPHELIA
84 He took me by the wrist and held me hard;
85 Then goes he to the length of all his arm;
ACT II: SCENE II
Lines: 1-18
Flourish. Enter KING and QUEEN,
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN.
KING
1 Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern!
2 Moreover that we much did long to see you,
3 The need we have to use you did provoke
4 Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
5 Of Hamlet's transformation; so call it,
6 Sith nor the exterior nor the inward man
7 Resembles that it was. What it should be,
8 More than his father's death, that thus hath put
him
9 So much from th' understanding of himself,
10 I cannot dream of. I entreat you both,
11 That, being of so young days brought up with
him,
12 And sith so neighbor'd to his youth and havior,
13 That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
14 Some little time, so by your companies
15 To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather,
16 So much as from occasion you may glean,
17 Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus,
18 That, open'd, lies within our remedy.
ACT III. SCENE I
Lines: 36-69
Enter a MESSENGER with letters. KING
57 If it be so, Laertes—
KING cont. 58 As how should it be so? how otherwise?—
59 Will you be ruled by me?
36 How now! what news?
LAERTES
Messenger 59 Ay, my lord;
36 Letters, my lord, from Hamlet: 60 So you will not o'errule me to a peace.
37 This to your majesty; this to the queen.
KING
KING 61 To thine own peace. If he be now return'd,
38 From Hamlet! who brought them? 62 As checking at his voyage, and that he means
63 No more to undertake it, I will work him
Messenger 64 To an exploit, now ripe in my device,
39 Sailors, my lord, they say; I saw them not: 65 Under the which he shall not choose but fall:
40 They were given me by Claudio; he received 66 And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe,
them
41 Of him that brought them. 67 But even his mother shall uncharge the practise
68 And call it accident.
KING
41 Laertes, you shall hear them. LAERTES
42 —Leave us. 68 My lord, I will be ruled;
69 The rather, if you could devise it so
[Exit Messenger.]

[Reads.]
Lines: 90-120
43 "High and mighty, You shall know I am
44 set naked on your kingdom. To-morrow shall OPHELIA
45 I beg leave to see your kingly eyes: when I shall, 90 Good my lord,
first 91 How does your honor for this many a day?
46 asking your pardon thereunto, recount the
occasion of HAMLET
47 my sudden and more strange return. 92 I humbly thank you; well, well, well.
48 HAMLET."
49 What should this mean? Are all the rest come OPHELIA
back? 93 My lord, I have remembrances of yours,
50 Or is it some abuse, and no such thing? 94 That I have longed long to re-deliver;
95 I pray you, now receive them.
LAERTES
51 Know you the hand? HAMLET
95 No, not I;
KING 96 I never gave you aught.
51 'Tis Hamlets character. "Naked!"
52 And in a postscript here, he says "alone." OPHELIA
53 Can you advise me? 97 My honor'd lord, you know right well you did;
98 And, with them, words of so sweet breath
LAERTES composed
54 I'm lost in it, my lord. But let him come; 99 As made the things more rich. Their perfume
55 It warms the very sickness in my heart, lost,
56 That I shall live and tell him to his teeth, 100 Take these again; for to the noble mind
57 "Thus didst thou." 101 Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.
102 There, my lord.
 HAMLET 80 Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt
103 Ha, ha! are you honest? 81 Do not itself unkennel in one speech,
82 It is a damned ghost that we have seen,
OPHELIA 83 And my imaginations are as foul
104 My lord? 84 As Vulcan's stithy. Give him heedful note;
85 For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,
HAMLET 86 And after we will both our judgments join
105 Are you fair? 87 In censure of his seeming.

OPHELIA HORATIO
106 What means your lordship? 87 Well, my lord:
88 If a' steal aught the whilst this play is playing,
HAMLET
107 That if you be honest and fair, your honesty SCENE III
should
108 admit no discourse to your beauty. ROSENCRANTZ

OPHELIA 22-39
109 Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce
than 22 Attends the boisterous ruin. Never alone
110 with honesty? 23 Did the king sigh, but with a general groan.

HAMLET KING
111 Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner 24 Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage;
112 transform honesty from what it is to a bawd 25 For we will fetters put upon this fear,
than the 26 Which now goes too free-footed.
113 force of honesty can translate beauty into his
114 likeness. This was sometime a paradox, but now ROSENCRANTZ
the 26 We will haste us.
115 time gives it proof. I did love you once.
Exeunt Gentlemen
OPHELIA
116 Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so.
[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern].
HAMLET
117 You should not have believ'd me, for virtue Enter POLONIUS.
cannot
118 so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of POLONIUS
119 it. I lov'd you not. 27 My lord, he's going to his mother's closet:
28 Behind the arras I'll convey myself,
OPHELIA 29 To hear the process; and warrant she'll tax him
120 I was the more deceived. home:
30 And, as you said, and wisely was it said,
31 'Tis meet that some more audience than a
mother,
SCENE II 32 Since nature makes them partial, should o'erhear

77-88 33 The speech, of vantage. Fare you well, my liege:

34 I'll call upon you ere you go to bed,
HAMLET 35 And tell you what I know.

77 Which I have told thee of my father's death: KING

78 I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, 35 Thanks, dear my lord.
79 Even with the very comment of thy soul
 Exit [Polonius]. 130 Hamlet return'd shall know you are come home:

36 O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; 131 We'll put on those shall praise your excellence
37 It hath the primal eldest curse upon't, 132 And set a double varnish on the fame
38 A brother's murder. Pray can I not, 133 The Frenchman gave you, bring you in fine
39 Though inclination be as sharp as will. together
134 And wager on your heads. He, being remiss,
51-56 135 Most generous and free from all contriving,
136 Will not peruse the foils; so that, with ease,
KING cont. 137 Or with a little shuffling, you may choose
138 A sword unbated, and in a pass of practise
51 My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer 139 Requite him for your father.
52 Can serve my turn? "Forgive me my foul
murder"? ACT V. SCENE II
53 That cannot be; since I am still possess'd
54 Of those effects for which I did the murder, Lines: 266 - End
55 My crown, mine own ambition and my queen.
56 May one be pardon'd and retain th' offence? OSRIC
266 Ay, my good lord.
ACT IV. SCENE V
KING
Lines: 174-185 267 Set me the stoups of wine upon that table.
268 If Hamlet give the first or second hit,
LAERTES 269 Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
174 This nothing's more than matter. 270 Let all the battlements their ordnance fire:
271 The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath;
272 And in the cup an union shall he throw,
OPHELIA
273 Richer than that which four successive kings
175 There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray,
274 In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the
176 love, remember: and there is pansies. that's for
cups;
177 thoughts.
275 And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
276 The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
LAERTES
277 The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to
178 A document in madness, thoughts and
earth,
remembrance
278 "Now the king drinks to Hamlet." Come, begin:
179 fitted.
279 And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.
OPHELIA
HAMLET
180 [To King.]There's fennel for you, and
280 Come on, sir.
columbines.
181 [To Queen.] There's rue for you; and here's some
LAERTES
280 Come, my lord.
182 for me: we may call it herb of grace a' Sundays.
183 You may wear your rue with a difference.
There's [They play and Hamlet scores a hit.]
184 a daisy. I would give you some violets, but they
185 withered all when my father died. They say he HAMLET
280 One.
SCENE VII
LAERTES
129 – 138 280 No.

KING cont. HAMLET

129 Will you do this, keep close within your 280 Judgment.
chamber.
 OSRIC KING
281 A hit, a very palpable hit. 295 I do not think't.

LAERTES LAERTES [Aside.]

281 Well; again. 296 And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience.

KING HAMLET
282 Stay; give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine; 297 Come, for the third, Laertes: you but dally;
283 Here's to thy health. 298 I pray you, pass with your best violence;
299 I am afeard you make a wanton of me.
Drum, trumpets [sound] flourish. A piece
goes off [within]. LAERTES
300 Say you so? come on.
283 Give him the cup.
[They play to a draw.]
HAMLET
284 I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile. Come. OSRIC
301 Nothing, neither way.
[They play again.]
[Hamlet turns back to his mother.]

285 Another hit; what say you? LAERTES

302 Have at you now!
LAERTES
286 A touch, a touch, I do confess. [Laertes wounds Hamlet; Hamlet
knocks Laertes' rapier from his hand
KING and picks it up.]
287 Our son shall win.
KING
QUEEN 302 Part them; they are incensed.
287 He's fat, and scant of breath.
288 Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows; HAMLET
289 The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. 303 Nay, come, again.

HAMLET [Hamlet wounds Laertes. The Queen falls.]

290 Good madam!
OSRIC
KING 303 Look to the queen there, ho!
290 Gertrude, do not drink.
HORATIO
QUEEN 304 They bleed on both sides. How is it, my lord?
291 I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me.
OSRIC
KING [Aside.] 305 How is't, Laertes?
292 It is the poison'd cup: it is too late.
LAERTES
HAMLET 306 Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric;
293 I dare not drink yet, madam; by and by. 307 I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery.

QUEEN HAMLET
294 Come, let me wipe thy face. 308 How does the queen?

LAERTES KING
295 My lord, I'll hit him now. 308 She swoons to see them bleed.
 QUEEN
309 No, no, the drink, the drink—O my dear Hamlet
— 333 I am dead, Horatio. Wretched queen, adieu!
310 The drink, the drink! I am poison'd.
[Dies.]
HAMLET
311 O villany! Ho! let the door be lock'd:
312 Treachery! Seek it out.
LAERTES
313 It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain;
314 No medicine in the world can do thee good;
315 In thee there is not half an hour of life;
316 The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
317 Unbated and envenom'd: the foul practise
318 Hath turn'd itself on me. Lo, here I lie,
319 Never to rise again: thy mother's poison'd:
320 I can no more: the king, the king's to blame.
HAMLET
321 The point envenom'd too!
322 Then, venom, to thy work.
[Stabs the King.]
All
323 Treason! treason!
KING
324 O, yet defend me, friends; I am but hurt.
HAMLET
325 Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned
Dane,
326 Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?
[Forces the poisoned drink down the King's
throat.]
327 Follow my mother.
[King dies.]
LAERTES
327 He is justly served;
328 It is a poison temper'd by himself.
329 Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet:
330 Mine and my father's death come not upon thee,
331 Nor thine on me.
[Dies.]
HAMLET
332 Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee.
334 You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
335 That are but mutes or audience to this act,
336 Had I but time—as this fell sergeant, death,
337 Is strict in his arrest—O, I could tell you—
338 But let it be. Horatio, I am dead;
339 Thou livest. Report me and my cause aright
340 To the unsatisfied.
HORATIO
340 Never believe it:
341 I am more an antique Roman than a Dane:
342 Here's yet some liquor left.
HAMLET
342 As thou'rt a man,
343 Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have't.
344 O good Horatio, what a wounded name,
345 Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind
me!
346 If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart
347 Absent thee from felicity awhile,
348 And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,
349 To tell my story.
March afar off [and a shot within].
349 What warlike noise is this?
OSRIC
350 Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from
Poland,
351 To the ambassadors of England gives
352 This warlike volley.
HAMLET
352 O, I die, Horatio;
353 The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit:
354 I cannot live to hear the news from England;
355 But I do prophesy the election lights
356 On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
357 So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
358 Which have solicited. The rest is silence.
[Dies.]
HORATIO
359 Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet
prince:
360 And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
[March within.]
361 Why does the drum come hither? more;
393 But let this same be presently perform'd,
Enter FORTINBRAS with the 394 Even while men's minds are wild; lest more
[English] Ambassadors. mischance
395 On plots and errors, happen.
FORTINBRAS
362 Where is this sight? FORTINBRAS
395 Let four captains
HORATIO 396 Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage;
362 What is it ye would see? 397 For he was likely, had he been put on,
363 If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search. 398 To have proved most royally: and, for his
passage,
FORTINBRAS 399 The soldiers' music and the rites of war
364 This quarry cries on havoc. O proud death, 400 Speak loudly for him.
365 What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, 401 Take up the bodies: such a sight as this
366 That thou so many princes at a shot 402 Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.
367 So bloodily hast struck? 403 Go, bid the soldiers shoot.

Ambassador Exeunt.
367 The sight is dismal;
368 And our affairs from England come too late:
369 The ears are senseless that should give us
hearing,
370 To tell him his commandment is fulfill'd,
371 That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead:
372 Where should we have our thanks?

HORATIO
372 Not from his mouth,
373 Had it the ability of life to thank you:
374 He never gave commandment for their death.
375 But since, so jump upon this bloody question,
376 You from the Polack wars, and you from
England,
377 Are here arrived give order that these bodies
378 High on a stage be placed to the view;
379 And let me speak to the yet unknowing world
380 How these things came about. So shall you hear
381 Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts,
382 Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters,
383 Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause,
384 And, in this upshot, purposes mistook
385 Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I
386 Truly deliver.

FORTINBRAS
386 Let us haste to hear it,
387 And call the noblest to the audience.
388 For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune:
389 I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,
390 Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.

HORATIO
391 Of that I shall have also cause to speak,
392 And from his mouth whose voice will draw on