The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by George MacDonald (big ebook reader TXT) 📕

Table of my Memory,[3] Ile wipe away all triuiall fond Records, All sawes[4] of Bookes, all formes, all presures past, That youth and obseruation coppied there; And thy Commandment all alone shall liue Within the Booke and Volume of my Braine, Vnmixt with baser matter; yes, yes, by Heauen:
[Sidenote: matter, yes by] [Sidenote: 168] Oh most pernicious woman![5] Oh Villaine, Villaine, smiling damned Villaine! My Tables, my Tables; meet it is I set it downe,[6]
[Sidenote: My tables, meet] That one may smile, and smile and be a Villaine; At least I'm sure it may be so in Denmarke; [Sidenote: I am] So Vnckle there you are: now to my word;[7] It is; Adue, Adue, Remember me:[8] I haue sworn't.
[Sidenote: Enter Horatio, and Marcellus ]

Hor. and Mar. within . My Lord, my Lord. [Sidenote: Hora. My]

Enter Horatio and Marcellus.

Mar . Lord Hamlet .

Hor . Heauen secure him. [Sidenote: Heauens]

Mar . So be it.

Hor . Illo, ho, ho, my Lord.

Ham . Hillo, ho, ho, boy; come bird, come.[9]
[Sidenote: boy come, and come.]

Mar . How ist't my Noble Lord?

Hor . What newes, my Lord?

Ham . Oh wonderfull![10]

Hor . Good my Lord tell it.

Ham . No you'l reueale it. [Sidenote: you will]

Hor . Not I, my Lord, by Heauen.

Mar . Nor I, my Lord.

Ham . How say you then, would heart of man once think it? But you'l be secret?

[Footnote 1: For the moment he has no doubt that he has seen and spoken with the ghost of his father.]

[Footnote 2: his head.]

[Footnote 3: The whole speech is that of a student, accustomed to books, to take notes, and to fix things in his memory. 'Table,' tablet .]

[Footnote 4: wise sayings .]

[Footnote 5: The Ghost has revealed her adultery: Hamlet suspects her of complicity in the murder, 168.]

[Footnote 6: It may well seem odd that Hamlet should be represented as, at such a moment, making a note in his tablets; but without further allusion to the student-habit, I would remark that, in cases where strongest passion is roused, the intellect has yet sometimes an automatic trick of working independently. For instance from Shakspere, see Constance in King John -how, in her agony over the loss of her son, both her fancy, playing with words, and her imagination, playing with forms, are busy.

Note the glimpse of Hamlet's character here given: he had been something of an optimist; at least had known villainy only from books; at thirty years of age it is to him a discovery that a man may smile and be a villain! Then think of the shock of such discoveries as are here forced upon him! Villainy is no longer a mere idea, but a fact! and of all villainous deeds those of his own mother and uncle are the worst! But note also his honesty, his justice to humanity, his philosophic temperament, in the qualification he sets to the memorandum, '-at least in Denmark!']

[Footnote 7: 'my word,'-the word he has to keep in mind; his cue.]

[Footnote 8: Should not the actor here make a pause, with hand uplifted, as taking a solemn though silent oath?]

[Footnote 9: -as if calling to a hawk.]

[Footnote 10: Here comes the test of the actor's possible : here Hamlet himself begins to act, and will at once assume a rôle , ere yet he well knows what it must be. One thing only is clear to him-that the communication of the Ghost is not a thing to be shared-that he must keep it with all his power of secrecy: the honour both of father and of mother is at stake. In order to do so, he must begin by putting on himself a cloak of darkness, and hiding his feelings-first of all the present agitation which threatens to overpower him. His immediate impulse or instinctive motion is to force an air, and throw a veil of grimmest humour over the occurrence. The agitation of the horror at his heart, ever working and constantly repressed, shows through the veil, and gives an excited uncertainty to his words, and a wild vacillation to his manner and behaviour.]

[Page 58]

Both . I, by Heau'n, my Lord.[1]

Ham . There's nere a villaine dwelling in all Denmarke But hee's an arrant knaue.

Hor . There needs no Ghost my Lord, come from the Graue, to tell vs this.

Ham . Why right, you are i'th'right; [Sidenote: in the] And so, without more circumstance at all, I hold it fit that we shake hands, and part: You, as your busines and desires shall point you: [Sidenote: desire] For euery man ha's businesse and desire,[2] [Sidenote: hath] Such as it is: and for mine owne poore part, [Sidenote: my] Looke you, Ile goe pray.[4] [Sidenote: I will goe pray.[3]]

Hor . These are but wild and hurling words, my Lord.
[Sidenote: whurling[5]]

Ham . I'm sorry they offend you heartily: [Sidenote: I am] Yes faith, heartily.

Hor . There's no offence my Lord.

Ham . Yes, by Saint Patricke , but there is my Lord,[6]
[Sidenote: there is Horatio ] And much offence too, touching this Vision heere;[7] [Sidenote: 136] It is an honest Ghost, that let me tell you:[8] For your desire to know what is betweene vs, O'remaster't as you may. And now good friends, As you are Friends, Schollers and Soldiers, Giue me one poore request.

Hor . What is't my Lord? we will.

Ham . Neuer make known what you haue seen to night.[9]

Both . My Lord, we will not.

Ham . Nay, but swear't.

Hor . Infaith my Lord, not I.[10]

Mar . Nor I my Lord: in faith.

Ham . Vpon my sword.[11]

[Footnote 1: Q. has not 'my Lord.']

[Footnote 2: Here shows the philosopher.]

[Footnote 3: Q. has not 'Looke you.']

[Footnote 4: '-nothing else is left me.' This seems to me one of the finest touches in the revelation of Hamlet.]

[Footnote 5: 1st Q . 'wherling'.]

[Footnote 6: I take the change from the Quarto here to be no blunder.]

[Footnote 7: Point thus : 'too!-Touching.']

[Footnote 8: The struggle to command himself is plain throughout.]

[Footnote 9: He could not endure the thought of the resulting gossip;-which besides would interfere with, possibly frustrate, the carrying out of his part.]

[Footnote 10: This is not a refusal to swear; it is the oath itself: ' In faith I will not !']

[Footnote 11: He would have them swear on the cross-hilt of his sword.]

[Page 60]

Marcell. We haue sworne my Lord already.[1]

Ham. Indeed, vpon my sword, Indeed.

Gho. Sweare.[2] Ghost cries vnder the Stage. [3]

Ham. Ah ha boy, sayest thou so. Art thou [Sidenote: Ha, ha,] there truepenny?[4] Come one you here this fellow
[Sidenote: Come on, you heare] in the selleredge Consent to sweare.

Hor. Propose the Oath my Lord.[5]

Ham. Neuer to speake of this that you haue seene. Sweare by my sword.

Gho. Sweare.

Ham. Hic & vbique ? Then wee'l shift for grownd, [Sidenote: shift our] Come hither Gentlemen, And lay your hands againe vpon my sword, Neuer to speake of this that you haue heard:[6] Sweare by my Sword.

Gho. Sweare.[7] [Sidenote: Sweare by his sword.]

Ham. Well said old Mole, can'st worke i'th' ground so fast?
[Sidenote: it'h' earth] A worthy Pioner, once more remoue good friends.

Hor. Oh day and night: but this is wondrous strange.

Ham. And therefore as a stranger giue it welcome. There are more things in Heauen and Earth, Horatio , Then are dream't of in our Philosophy But come, [Sidenote: in your] Here as before, neuer so helpe you mercy, How strange or odde so ere I beare my selfe; [Sidenote: How | so mere] (As I perchance heereafter shall thinke meet [Sidenote: As] [Sidenote: