Hamlet: Act 1, Scene 5
Enter GHOST and HAMLET.
HAMLET
1
Where wilt thou lead me? speak; I'll go no further.
GHOST
2
Mark me.
HAMLET
2
I will.
GHOST
2. My hour is almost come: As in the first scene of the play, the "hour" when the Ghost must cease to "walk the night" is at cock crow, the first light of dawn. (See 1.1.138.)
2
My hour is almost come,
3
When I to sulphurous and tormenting flames
4
Must render up myself.
HAMLET
4
Alas, poor Ghost!
GHOST
5
Pity me not, but lend thy serious hearing
6
To what I shall unfold.
HAMLET
6
Speak; I am bound to hear.
GHOST
7
So art thou to revenge, when thou shalt hear.
HAMLET
8
What?
GHOST
9
I am thy father's spirit,
10
Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night,
11. fast: do penance.
11
And for the day confined to fast in fires,
12. crimes: sins. days of nature: i.e., life on earth. 13. But that: were it not that.
12
Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature
13
Are burnt and purged away. But that I am forbid
14
To tell the secrets of my prison-house,
15
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
16. harrow up: shred, torment.
16
Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,
17. Make . . . spheres: i.e., make your eyes pop out of their sockets. ...more 18. knotted and combined locks: i.e., hair neatly arranged. part: separate. 20. fretful porpentine: fearful porcupine. ...more
17
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres,
18
Thy knotted and combined locks to part
19
And each particular hair to stand on end,
20
Like quills upon the fretful porpentine:
21. eternal blazon: revelation of eternal things.
21
But this eternal blazon must not be
22. List: listen.
22
To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, O, list!
23
If thou didst ever thy dear father love
HAMLET
24
O God!
GHOST
25
Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.
HAMLET
26
Murder!
GHOST
27-28. Murder most foul, as in the best it is; / But this most foul, strange and unnatural: All murder is "foul" (dirty, criminal), but the murder of King Hamlet by his brother is "most foul" because it was done in a sneaky, cowardly way; Claudius killed his brother by pouring poison in King Hamlet's ear when he was taking a nap in his garden. And the murder is "unnatural" because by nature, Claudius should love his brother, not kill him.
27
Murder most foul, as in the best it is;
28
But this most foul, strange and unnatural.
HAMLET
29
Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift
30
As meditation or the thoughts of love,
31
May sweep to my revenge.
GHOST
31
I find thee apt;
32
And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed
33. Lethe: river of Hades, the water of which made the drinker forget the past. wharf: bank. 34. stir in this: take action on this cause. 35. orchard: garden.
33
That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf,
34
Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear:
35
'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard,
36
A serpent stung me; so the whole ear of Denmark
37. forged process: false account.
37
Is by a forged process of my death
38. abus'd: deceived.
38
Rankly abused: but know, thou noble youth,
39
The serpent that did sting thy father's life
40
Now wears his crown.
HAMLET
40
O my prophetic soul!
41
My uncle?
GHOST
42. adulterate: adulterous.
42
Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
43
With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts
44
O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power
45
So to seduce!won to his shameful lust
46
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen:
47
O Hamlet, what a falling-off was there!
48
From me, whose love was of that dignity
49. went hand in hand even: went exactly hand in hand.
49
That it went hand in hand even with the vow
50
I made to her in marriage, and to decline
51
Upon a wretch whose natural gifts were poor
52
To those of mine!
53
But virtue, as it never will be moved,
54. shape of heaven: heavenly form.
54
Though lewdness court it in a shape of heaven,
55
So lust, though to a radiant angel link'd,
56. sate: satiate.
56
Will sate itself in a celestial bed,
57
And prey on garbage.
58
But, soft! methinks I scent the morning air;
59
Brief let me be. Sleeping within my orchard,
60
My custom always of the afternoon,
61. secure: without suspicion.
61
Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole,
62. hebenon: a deadly poison.
62
With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial,
63
And in the porches of my ears did pour
64. leperous distillment: a distilled (and therefore potent) liquid which produces the disfigurement of leprosy. 66. quicksilver: mercury.
64
The leperous distillment; whose effect
65
Holds such an enmity with blood of man
66
That swift as quicksilver it courses through
67
The natural gates and alleys of the body,
68-69. posset . . . curd: Both words mean "make into curd." eager droppings: i.e., drops of acid, such as vinegar.
68
And with a sudden vigor doth posset
69
And curd, like eager droppings into milk,
70
The thin and wholesome blood: so did it mine;
71. tetter: scabby eruption. bark'd: formed a rough covering, like bark on a tree. 72. lazar-like: leper-like.
71
And a most instant tetter bark'd about,
72
Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust,
73
All my smooth body.
74
Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand
75. at once: all at the same time. dispatch'd: suddenly deprived.
75
Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatch'd:
76
Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin,
77. Unhous'led: without having received the sacrament. disappointed: without (spiritual) preparation. unanel'd: unanointed, without extreme unction.
77
Unhousel'd, disappointed, unanel'd,
78
No reckoning made, but sent to my account
79
With all my imperfections on my head:
80
O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!
81. nature: natural feelings [of a son for his father].
81
If thou hast nature in thee, bear it not;
82
Let not the royal bed of Denmark be
83. luxury: lust.
83
A couch for luxury and damned incest.
83. pursuest this act: i.e., plan and take a course of action leading to revenge for King Hamlet's murder.
84
But, howsoever thou pursuest this act,
85
Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul contrive
86
Against thy mother aught: leave her to heaven
87
And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge,
88
To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once!
89.
matin: morning.
90. And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire: and his cold fire begins to grow pale.
90. And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire: and his cold fire begins to grow pale.
89
The glow-worm shows the matin to be near,
90
And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire:
91
Adieu, adieu, adieu! Remember me.
[Exit Ghost.]
HAMLET
92
O all you host of heaven! O earth! what else?
93. couple: add.
93
And shall I couple hell? O, fie! Hold, hold, my heart;
94
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old,
95
But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee!
96
Ay, thou poor Ghost, while memory holds a seat
97. globe: head.
97
In this distracted globe. Remember thee!
98. table: writing tablet.
98
Yea, from the table of my memory
99. fond: foolish.
99
I'll wipe away all trivial fond records,
100. saws: wise sayings. forms: shapes, images. pressures: impressions.
100
All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past,
101
That youth and observation copied there;
102
And thy commandment all alone shall live
103
Within the book and volume of my brain,
104
Unmix'd with baser matter: yes, by heaven!
105
O most pernicious woman!
106
O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain!
107. tables: i.e., notebook.
107
My tablesmeet it is I set it down,
108
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain;
109
At least I'm sure it may be so in Denmark:
[Writing.]
110. So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word: It appears to me that Hamlet is writing in a notebook. After he is finished writing that "one may smile, and smile, and be a villain," he says, "So, uncle, there you are," meaning "So much for you"; he then writes down a reminder of his "word," his promise to remember the Ghost.
110
So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word;
111
It is 'Adieu, adieu! remember me.'
112
I have sworn't.
HORATIO [Within.]
113
My lord, my lord
MARCELLUS [Within.]
113
Lord Hamlet
Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS.
HORATIO
113
Heavens secure him!
HAMLET
114. So be it!: I think that Hamlet has finished writing in his notebook, and is once again promising to remember the Ghost.
114
So be it!
MARCELLUS
115
Illo, ho, ho, my lord!
HAMLET
116. Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come: Hamlet answers Marcellus' halloo with a falconer's cry.
116
Hillo, ho, ho, boy! come, bird, come.
MARCELLUS
117
How is't, my noble lord?
HORATIO
117
What news, my lord?
HAMLET
118
O, wonderful!
HORATIO
118
Good my lord, tell it.
HAMLET
119
No; you'll reveal it.
HORATIO
120
Not I, my lord, by heaven.
MARCELLUS
120
Nor I, my lord.
HAMLET
121
How say you, then; would heart of man once think it?
122
But you'll be secret?
HORATIO and MARCELLUS
122
Ay, by heaven, my lord.
HAMLET
123
There's never a villain dwelling in all Denmark
124. arrant: complete.
124
But he's an arrant knave.
HORATIO
125
There needs no Ghost, my lord, come from the grave
126
To tell us this.
HAMLET
126
Why, right; you are i' the right;
127. circumstance: ceremony.
127
And so, without more circumstance at all,
128
I hold it fit that we shake hands and part:
129
You, as your business and desire shall point you;
130
For every man has business and desire,
131
Such as it is; and for mine own poor part,
132
Look you, I'll go pray.
HORATIO
133
These are but wild and whirling words, my lord.
HAMLET
134
I'm sorry they offend you, heartily;
135
Yes, 'faith heartily.
HORATIO
135
There's no offence, my lord.
HAMLET
136. Saint Patrick: The keeper of Purgatory (where the Ghost abides during the day), St. Patrick was also the patron saint of blunders and confusion. 138. honest: genuine; truth-telling.
136
Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
137
And much offence too. Touching this vision here,
138
It is an honest Ghost, that let me tell you:
139
For your desire to know what is between us,
140
O'ermaster 't as you may. And now, good friends,
141
As you are friends, scholars and soldiers,
142
Give me one poor request.
HORATIO
143
What is't, my lord? we will.
HAMLET
144
Never make known what you have seen tonight.
HORATIO and MARCELLUS
145
My lord, we will not.
HAMLET
145
Nay, but swear't.
HORATIO
145
In faith,
146
My lord, not I.
MARCELLUS
146
Nor I, my lord, in faith.
HAMLET
147
Upon my sword.
MARCELLUS
147
We have sworn, my lord, already.
HAMLET
148
Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.
Ghost cries under the stage.
GHOST
149
Swear.
HAMLET
150. truepenny: trusty fellow.
150
Ah, ha, boy! say'st thou so? art thou there, truepenny?
151
Come onyou hear this fellow in the cellarage
152
Consent to swear.
HORATIO
152
Propose the oath, my lord.
HAMLET
153
Never to speak of this that you have seen,
154
Swear by my sword.
GHOST [Beneath.]
155
Swear.
HAMLET
156. Hic et ubique: here and everywhere. (Latin.)
156
Hic et ubique? Then we'll shift our ground.
157
Come hither, gentlemen,
158
And lay your hands again upon my sword:
159
Swear by my sword
160
Never to speak of this that you have heard,
GHOST [Beneath.]
161
Swear by his sword.
HAMLET
162
Well said, old mole! canst work i' the earth so fast?
163. pioner: digger, miner.
163
A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends.
HORATIO
164
O day and night, but this is wondrous strange!
HAMLET
165. as a stranger give it welcome: give it the welcome due in courtesy to strangers.
165
And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
166
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
167. your philosophy: the natural philosophy [i.e., science] that everyone talks about.
167
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
168
But come
169
Here, as before, never, so help you mercy,
170
How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself,
171
As I perchance hereafter shall think meet
172. antic disposition: weird mannerisms. ...more
172
To put an antic disposition on,
173
That you, at such times seeing me, never shall,
174. With arms encumber'd thus: folded, crossed, this way. ...more 175. doubtful: i.e., supposedly ambiguous, but actually transparent. 176. We could, an if we would: i.e., we could explain, if we chose to. 177. list to: cared to, were inclined to. There . . . might: i.e., there are those who could explain. ...more 178. such ambiguous giving out: to note: to give a sign 179. know aught of me: i.e., know anything about my state of mind.
174
With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake,
175
Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase,
176
As "Well, well, we know," or "We could, an if we would,"
177
Or "If we list to speak," or "There be, an if they might,"
178
Or such ambiguous giving out, to note
179
That you know aught of methis not to do,
180
So grace and mercy at your most need help you, Swear.
GHOST [Beneath.]
181
Swear.
[They swear.]
HAMLET
182
Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen,
183
With all my love I do commend me to you:
184
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is
185
May do, to express his love and friending to you,
186
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;
187. still: always.
187
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
188
The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,
189
That ever I was born to set it right!
190. Nay, come, let's go together: It appears to me that Marcellus and Horatio are so confounded by Hamlet's "wild and whirling words" that they can't move until Hamlet invites them to go with him.
190
Nay, come, let's go together.
Exeunt.