Hamlet by William Shakespeare (e book reader free TXT) 📕
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Not only was Hamlet one of William Shakespeare’s most popular works during his lifetime, it is also considered among the most powerful and influential works of world literature. “To be, or not to be,” a line from one of Hamlet’s soliloquies, is one of the most widely known quotes in modern English and has been referenced in countless works of literature, theater, film, and music.
During a dark winter night Horatio and a pair of watchmen encounter a ghost that resembles the late King of Denmark, the father of Prince Hamlet. After failing to converse with the ghost, Hamlet is brought to the site of the encounter. The ghost tells the story of his death. He was murdered by King Claudius, the dead king’s brother and Hamlet’s new stepfather. Hamlet swears to avenge him and kill Claudius.
This Standard Ebooks production is based on William George Clark and William Aldis Wright’s 1887 Victoria edition, which is taken from the Globe edition.
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- Author: William Shakespeare
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How say you, then; would heart of man once think it?
But you’ll be secret?
Marcellus Ay, by heaven, my lord. Hamlet
There’s ne’er a villain dwelling in all Denmark
But he’s an arrant knave.
There needs no ghost, my lord, come from the grave
To tell us this.
Why, right; you are i’ the right;
And so, without more circumstance at all,
I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:
You, as your business and desire shall point you;
For every man has business and desire,
Such as it is; and for mine own poor part,
Look you, I’ll go pray.
I’m sorry they offend you, heartily;
Yes, ’faith heartily.
Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
And much offence too. Touching this vision here,
It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you:
For your desire to know what is between us,
O’ermaster’t as you may. And now, good friends,
As you are friends, scholars and soldiers,
Give me one poor request.
Marcellus My lord, we will not. Hamlet Nay, but swear’t. Horatio
In faith,
My lord, not I.
Ah, ha, boy! say’st thou so? art thou there, truepenny?
Come on—you hear this fellow in the cellarage—
Consent to swear.
Never to speak of this that you have seen,
Swear by my sword.
Hic et ubique? then we’ll shift our ground.
Come hither, gentlemen,
And lay your hands again upon my sword:
Never to speak of this that you have heard,
Swear by my sword.
Well said, old mole! canst work i’ the earth so fast?
A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends.
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
But come;
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
How strange or odd soe’er I bear myself,
As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
To put an antic disposition on,
That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
With arms encumber’d thus, or this headshake,
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
As “Well, well, we know,” or “We could, an if we would,”
Or “If we list to speak,” or “There be, an if they might,”
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
That you know aught of me: this not to do,
So grace and mercy at your most need help you,
Swear.
Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! They swear. So, gentlemen,
With all my love I do commend me 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. Let us go in together;
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let’s go together. Exeunt.
A room in Polonius’ house.
Enter Polonius and Reynaldo. Polonius Give him this money and these notes, Reynaldo. Reynaldo I will, my lord. PoloniusYou shall do marvellous wisely, good Reynaldo,
Before you visit him, to make inquire
Of his behavior.
Marry, well said; very well said. Look you, sir,
Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris;
And how, and who, what means, and where they keep,
What company, at what expense; and finding
By this encompassment and drift of question
That they do know my son, come you more nearer
Than your particular demands will touch it:
Take you, as ’twere, some distant knowledge of him;
As thus, “I know his father and his friends,
And in part him:” do you mark this, Reynaldo?
“And in part him; but” you may say “not well:
But, if’t be he I mean, he’s very wild;
Addicted so-and-so:” and there put on him
What forgeries you please; marry, none so rank
As may dishonour him; take heed of that;
But, sir, such wanton, wild and usual slips
As are companions noted and most known
To youth and liberty.
Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, quarrelling,
Drabbing: you may go so far.
’Faith, no; as you may season it in the charge.
You must not put another scandal on him,
That he is open to incontinency;
That’s not my meaning: but breathe his faults so quaintly
That they may seem the taints of liberty,
The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,
A savageness in unreclaimed blood,
Of general assault.
Ay, my lord,
I would know that.
Marry, sir, here’s my drift;
And, I believe, it is a fetch of wit:
You laying these slight sullies on my son,
As ’twere a thing a little soil’d i’ the working,
Mark you,
Your party in converse, him you would sound,
Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes
The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured
He closes with you in this consequence;
“Good sir,” or so, or “friend,” or “gentleman,”
According to the phrase or the addition
Of man and country.
At “closes in the consequence,” ay, marry;
He closes thus: “I know the gentleman;
I saw him yesterday, or t’ other day,
Or then, or then; with such, or such; and, as you say,
There was a’ gaming; there o’ertook
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