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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
[Exit Ghost.]
ACT II: SCENE II
Lines: 165-180
Lines: 1-18
HAMLET
165 And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
Flourish. Enter KING and QUEEN,
166 There are more things in heaven and earth,
ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN.
Horatio,
167 Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
168 But come— KING
169 Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, 1 Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern!
170 How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, 2 Moreover that we much did long to see you,
171 As I perchance hereafter shall think meet 3 The need we have to use you did provoke
172 To put an antic disposition on, 4 Our hasty sending. Something have you heard
173 That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, 5 Of Hamlet's transformation; so call it,
174 With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake, 6 Sith nor the exterior nor the inward man
175 Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, 7 Resembles that it was. What it should be,
176 As "Well, well, we know," or "We could, an if we 8 More than his father's death, that thus hath put
would," him
177 Or "If we list to speak," or "There be, an if they 9 So much from th' understanding of himself,
might," 10 I cannot dream of. I entreat you both,
178 Or such ambiguous giving out, to note 11 That, being of so young days brought up with
179 That you know aught of me—this not to do, him,
180 So grace and mercy at your most need help you, 12 And sith so neighbor'd to his youth and havior,
Swear. 13 That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
14 Some little time, so by your companies
ACT II. SCENE I 15 To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather,
16 So much as from occasion you may glean,
Lines: 75-85 17 Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus,
18 That, open'd, lies within our remedy.
OPHELIA
74 My lord, as I was sewing in my closet, ACT III. SCENE I
75 Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced;
76 No hat upon his head; his stockings foul'd, 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
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 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.]
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 HAMLET
309 No, no, the drink, the drink—O my dear Hamlet 332 Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee.
— 333 I am dead, Horatio. Wretched queen, adieu!
310 The drink, the drink! I am poison'd. 334 You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
335 That are but mutes or audience to this act,
[Dies.] 336 Had I but time—as this fell sergeant, death,
337 Is strict in his arrest—O, I could tell you—
HAMLET 338 But let it be. Horatio, I am dead;
311 O villany! Ho! let the door be lock'd: 339 Thou livest. Report me and my cause aright
312 Treachery! Seek it out. 340 To the unsatisfied.
LAERTES HORATIO
313 It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain; 340 Never believe it:
314 No medicine in the world can do thee good; 341 I am more an antique Roman than a Dane:
315 In thee there is not half an hour of life; 342 Here's yet some liquor left.
316 The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
317 Unbated and envenom'd: the foul practise HAMLET
318 Hath turn'd itself on me. Lo, here I lie, 342 As thou'rt a man,
319 Never to rise again: thy mother's poison'd: 343 Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have't.
320 I can no more: the king, the king's to blame. 344 O good Horatio, what a wounded name,
345 Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind
HAMLET me!
321 The point envenom'd too! 346 If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart
322 Then, venom, to thy work. 347 Absent thee from felicity awhile,
348 And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,
[Stabs the King.]
349 To tell my story.
All
323 Treason! treason! March afar off [and a shot within].
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