The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: ACT IV , SCENE I. A room in the castle.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: ACT IV


	Introduction

	ACT I

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

		SCENE I. A room in the castle.

		SCENE II. Another room in the castle.

		SCENE III. Another room in the castle.

		SCENE IV. A plain in Denmark.

		SCENE V. Elsinore. A room in the castle.

		SCENE VI. Another room in the castle.

		SCENE VII. Another room in the castle.

	ACT V

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SCENE I. A room in the castle.

Enter KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, ROSENCRANTZ, and GUILDENSTERN

KING CLAUDIUS

      There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves:
      You must translate: 'tis fit we understand them.
      Where is your son?

QUEEN GERTRUDE

Bestow this place on us a little while.

Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN

5 Ah, my good lord, what have I seen to-night!

KING CLAUDIUS

What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet?

QUEEN GERTRUDE

      Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend
      Which is the mightier: in his lawless fit,
      Behind the arras hearing something stir,
10    Whips out his rapier, cries, 'A rat, a rat!'
      And, in this brainish apprehension, kills
      The unseen good old man.

KING CLAUDIUS

      O heavy deed!
      It had been so with us, had we been there:
15    His liberty is full of threats to all;
      To you yourself, to us, to every one.
      Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answer'd?
      It will be laid to us, whose providence
      Should have kept short, restrain'd and out of haunt,
20    This mad young man: but so much was our love,
      We would not understand what was most fit;
      But, like the owner of a foul disease,
      To keep it from divulging, let it feed
      Even on the pith of Life. Where is he gone?

QUEEN GERTRUDE

25    To draw apart the body he hath kill'd:
      O'er whom his very madness, like some ore
      Among a mineral of metals base,
      Shows itself pure; he weeps for what is done.

KING CLAUDIUS

      O Gertrude, come away!
30    The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch,
      But we will ship him hence: and this vile deed
      We must, with all our majesty and skill,
      Both countenance and excuse. Ho, Guildenstern!

Re-enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN

      Friends both, go join you with some further aid:
35    Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,
      And from his mother's closet hath he dragg'd him:
      Go seek him out; speak fair, and bring the body
      Into the chapel. I pray you, haste in this.

Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN

      Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends;
40    And let them know, both what we mean to do,
      And what's untimely done...
      Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter,
      As level as the cannon to his blank,
      Transports his poison'd shot, may miss our name,
45    And hit the woundless air. O, come away!
      My soul is full of discord and dismay.

Exeunt

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