Toolbox



Textual Analysis

[ Go ]

Shakespeare on Stage
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
More Performances…
‌

Hamlet (Quarto 2, 1604)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
The Tragedie of Hamlet
Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will,
2955And they shall heare and iudge twixt you and me,
If by direct, or by colaturall hand
They find vs toucht, we will our kingdome giue,
Our crowne, our life, and all that we call ours
To you in satisfaction; but if not,
2960Be you content to lend your patience to vs,
And we shall ioyntly labour with your soule
To giue it due content.
Laer. Let this be so.
His meanes of death, his obscure funerall,
2965No trophe sword, nor hatchment ore his bones,
No noble right, nor formall ostentation,
Cry to be heard as twere from heauen to earth,
That I must call't in question.
King. So you shall,
2970And where th'offence is, let the great axe fall.
I pray you goe with me.
Exeunt.
Enter Horatio and others.
Hora. VVhat are they that would speake with me?
Gent. Sea-faring men sir, they say they haue Letters for you.
2975Hor. Let them come in.
I doe not know from what part of the world
I should be greeted. If not from Lord Hamlet.
Enter Saylers.
Say. God blesse you sir.
2980Hora. Let him blesse thee to.
Say. A shall sir and please him, there's a Letter for you sir, it came
frō th'Embassador that was bound for England, if your name be Ho-
ratio, as I am let to know it is.
Hor. Horatio, when thou shalt haue ouer-lookt this, giue these fel-
lowes some meanes to the King, they haue Letters for him: Ere wee
were two daies old at Sea, a Pyrat of very warlike appointment gaue
vs chase, finding our selues too slow of saile, wee put on a compelled
2990valour, and in the grapple I boorded them, on the instant they got
cleere of our shyp, so I alone became theyr prisoner, they haue dealt
with me like thieues of mercie, but they knew what they did, I am to
doe a turne for them, let the King haue the Letters I haue sent, and
2995repayre thou to me with as much speede as thou wouldest flie death,
I haue wordes to speake in thine eare will make thee dumbe, yet are
they