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

namely? or is it a thrust at his mother-'So you mis-take husbands, going from the better to a worse'? In 1st Q. : 'So you must take your husband, begin.']

[Footnote 8: Probably a mocking parody or burlesque of some well-known exaggeration-such as not a few of Marlowe's lines.]

[Footnote 9: 'none beholding save the accomplice hour:'.]

[Footnote 10: Not in Q. ]

[Page 150]

His name's Gonzago : the Story is extant and writ
[Sidenote: and written] in choyce Italian. You shall see anon how the
[Sidenote: in very choice] Murtherer gets the loue of Gonzago's wife.

Ophe . The King rises.[1]

Ham . What, frighted with false fire.[2]

Qu . How fares my Lord?

Pol . Giue o're the Play.

King . Giue me some Light. Away.[3]

All . Lights, Lights, Lights. Exeunt
[Sidenote: Pol. | Exeunt all but Ham. & Horatio. ]

Manet Hamlet & Horatio.

Ham .[4] Why let the strucken Deere go weepe, The Hart vngalled play: For some must watch, while some must sleepe; So runnes the world away. Would not this[5] Sir, and a Forrest of Feathers, if the rest of my Fortunes turne Turke with me; with two Prouinciall Roses[6] on my rac'd[7] Shooes, get me
[Sidenote: with prouinciall | raz'd] a Fellowship[8] in a crie[9] of Players sir. [Sidenote: Players?]

Hor . Halfe a share.

Ham . A whole one I,[10] [11] For thou dost know: Oh Damon deere, This Realme dismantled was of Loue himselfe, And now reignes heere. A verie verie Paiocke.[12]

Hora . You might haue Rim'd.[13]

Ham . Oh good Horatio , Ile take the Ghosts word for a thousand pound. Did'st perceiue?

Hora . Verie well my Lord.

Ham . Vpon the talke of the poysoning?

Hora . I did verie well note him.

Enter Rosincrance and Guildensterne .[14]

Ham . Oh, ha? Come some Musick.[15] Come the Recorders:
[Sidenote: Ah ha,]

[Footnote 1: -in ill suppressed agitation.]

[Footnote 2: This speech is not in the Quarto .-Is the 'false fire' what we now call stage-fire ?-'What! frighted at a mere play?']

[Footnote 3: The stage-the stage-stage, that is-alone is lighted. Does the king stagger out blindly, madly, shaking them from him? I think not-but as if he were taken suddenly ill.]

[Footnote 4: - singing -that he may hide his agitation, restrain himself, and be regarded as careless-mad, until all are safely gone.]

[Footnote 5: -his success with the play.]

[Footnote 6: 'Roses of Provins,' we are told-probably artificial.]

[Footnote 7: The meaning is very doubtful. But for the raz'd of the
Quarto , I should suggest lac'd . Could it mean cut low ?]

[Footnote 8: a share , as immediately below.]

[Footnote 9: A cry of hounds is a pack. So in King Lear , act v. sc. 3, 'packs and sects of great ones.']

[Footnote 10: I for ay -that is, yes !-He insists on a whole share.]

[Footnote 11: Again he takes refuge in singing.]

[Footnote 12: The lines are properly measured in the Quarto :

For thou doost know oh Damon deere
This Realme dismantled was
Of Ioue himselfe, and now raignes heere
A very very paiock.

By Jove , he of course intends his father . 170. What 'Paiocke' means, whether pagan , or peacock , or bajocco , matters nothing, since it is intended for nonsense.]

[Footnote 13: To rime with was , Horatio naturally expected ass to follow as the end of the last line: in the wanton humour of his excitement, Hamlet disappointed him.]

[Footnote 14: In Q. after next speech .]

[Footnote 15: He hears Rosincrance and Guildensterne coming, and changes his behaviour-calling for music to end the play with. Either he wants, under its cover, to finish his talk with Horatio in what is for the moment the safest place, or he would mask himself before his two false friends. Since the departure of the king-I would suggest-he has borne himself with evident apprehension, every now and then glancing about him, as fearful of what may follow his uncle's recognition of the intent of the play. Three times he has burst out singing.

Or might not his whole carriage, with the call for music, be the outcome of a grimly merry satisfaction at the success of his scheme?]

[Page 152]

For if the King like not the Comedie, Why then belike he likes it not perdie.[1] Come some Musicke.

Guild. Good my Lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.

Ham. Sir, a whole History.

Guild. The King, sir.

Ham. I sir, what of him?

Guild. Is in his retyrement, maruellous distemper'd.

Ham. With drinke Sir?

Guild. No my Lord, rather with choller.[2] [Sidenote: Lord, with]

Ham. Your wisedome should shew it selfe more richer, to signifie this to his Doctor: for me to
[Sidenote: the Doctor,] put him to his Purgation, would perhaps plundge him into farre more Choller.[2] [Sidenote: into more]

Guild. Good my Lord put your discourse into some frame,[3] and start not so wildely from my [Sidenote: stare] affayre.

Ham. I am tame Sir, pronounce.

Guild. The Queene your Mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you.

Ham. You are welcome.[4]

Guild. Nay, good my Lord, this courtesie is not of the right breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholsome answer, I will doe your Mothers command'ment: if not, your pardon, and my returne shall bee the end of my Businesse. [Sidenote: of busines.]

Ham. Sir, I cannot.

Guild. What, my Lord?

Ham. Make you a wholsome answere: my wits diseas'd. But sir, such answers as I can make, you [Sidenote: answere] shal command: or rather you say, my Mother: [Sidenote: rather as you] therfore no more but to the matter. My Mother you say.

[Footnote 1: These two lines he may be supposed to sing.]

[Footnote 2: Choler means bile, and thence anger. Hamlet in his answer plays on the two meanings:-'to give him the kind of medicine I think fit for him, would perhaps much increase his displeasure.']

[Footnote 3: some logical consistency.]

[Footnote 4: -with an exaggeration of courtesy .]

[Page 154]

Rosin. Then thus she sayes: your behauior hath stroke her into amazement, and admiration.[1]

Ham. Oh wonderfull Sonne, that can so astonish [Sidenote: stonish] a Mother. But is there no sequell at the heeles of this Mothers admiration? [Sidenote: admiration, impart.]

Rosin. She desires to speake with you in her Closset, ere you go to bed.

Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our Mother. Haue you any further Trade with vs?

Rosin. My Lord, you once did loue me.

Ham. So I do still, by these pickers and [Sidenote: And doe still] stealers.[2]

Rosin. Good my Lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do freely barre the doore of your
[Sidenote: surely barre the door vpon your] owne Libertie, if you deny your greefes to your your Friend.

Ham. Sir I lacke Aduancement.

Rosin. How can that be, when you haue the [Sidenote: 136] voyce of the King himselfe, for your Succession in Denmarke?

[3]

Ham. I, but while the grasse growes,[4] the [Sidenote: I sir,] Prouerbe is something musty.

Enter one with a Recorder. [5]

O the Recorder. Let me see, to withdraw with,
[Sidenote: ô the Recorders, let mee see one, to] you,[6] why do you go about to recouer the winde of mee,[7] as if you would driue me into a toyle?[8]

Guild. O my Lord, if my Dutie be too bold, my loue is too vnmannerly.[9]

Ham. I do not well vnderstand that.[10] Will you, play vpon this Pipe?

Guild. My Lord, I cannot.

Ham. I pray you.

Guild. Beleeue me, I cannot.

Ham. I do beseech you.

[Footnote 1: wonder, astonishment.]

[Footnote 2: He swears an oath that will not hold, being by the hand of a thief.

In the Catechism: 'Keep my hands from picking and stealing.']

[Footnote 3: Here in Quarto, Enter the Players with Recorders. ]

[Footnote 4: '... the colt starves.']

[Footnote 5: Not in Q. The stage-direction of the Folio seems doubtful. Hamlet has called for the orchestra: we may either suppose one to precede the others, or that the rest are already scattered; but the
Quarto direction and reading seem better.]

[Footnote 6: -taking Guildensterne