The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Part 80

[Footnote 6: The actor should not allow her: she approaches Hamlet; he recoils a little.]

[Footnote 7: He has compunctions, but it needs failure to make them potent.]

[Footnote 8: 'treat me as an effeminate creature.']

[Footnote 9: He makes a sudden attack, without warning of the fourth bout.]

[Footnote 10: _Not in Q._

The 1st Q. directs:--_They catch one anothers Rapiers, find both are wounded_, &c.

The thing, as I understand it, goes thus: With the words 'Have at you now!' Laertes stabs Hamlet; Hamlet, apprised thus of his treachery, lays hold of his rapier, wrenches it from him, and stabs him with it in return.]

[Footnote 11: 'they have lost their temper.']

[Footnote 12: --said with indignation and scorn, but without suspicion of the worst.]

[Footnote 13: --the proverbially foolish bird. The speech must be spoken with breaks. Its construction is broken.]

[Footnote 14: His conscience starts up, awake and strong, at the approach of Death. As the show of the world withdraws, the realities a.s.sert themselves. He repents, and makes confession of his sin, seeing it now in its true nature, and calling it by its own name. It is a compensation of the weakness of some that they cannot be strong in wickedness. The king did not so repent, and with his strength was the more to blame.]

[Footnote 15: _swounds, swoons_.]

[Footnote 16: She is true to her son. The maternal outlasts the adulterous.]

[Page 270]

Oh my deere _Hamlet_, the drinke, the drinke, I am poyson'd.

_Ham_. Oh Villany! How? Let the doore be lock'd.

Treacherie, seeke it out.[1]

_Laer_. It is heere _Hamlet_.[2]

_Hamlet_,[3] thou art slaine, No Medicine in the world can do thee good.

In thee, there is not halfe an houre of life; [Sidenote: houres life,]

The Treacherous Instrument is in thy hand, [Sidenote: in my]

Vnbated and envenom'd: the foule practise[4]

Hath turn'd it selfe on me. Loe, heere I lye, Neuer to rise againe: Thy Mothers poyson'd: I can no more, the King, the King's too blame.[5]

_Ham_. The point envenom'd too, Then venome to thy worke.[6]

_Hurts the King._[7]

_All_. Treason, Treason.

_King_. O yet defend me Friends, I am but hurt.

_Ham_. Heere thou incestuous, murdrous, [Sidenote: Heare thou incestious d.a.m.ned Dane,]

d.a.m.ned Dane, Drinke off this Potion: Is thy Vnion heere?

[Sidenote: of this is the Onixe heere?]

Follow my Mother.[8] _King Dyes._[9]

_Laer_. He is iustly seru'd.

It is a poyson temp'red by himselfe: Exchange forgiuenesse with me, n.o.ble _Hamlet_; Mine and my Fathers death come not vpon thee, Nor thine on me.[10] _Dyes._[11]

_Ham_. Heauen make thee free of it,[12] I follow thee.

I am dead _Horatio_, wretched Queene adiew.

You that looke pale, and tremble at this chance, That are but Mutes[13] or audience to this acte: Had I but time (as this fell Sergeant death Is strick'd in his Arrest) oh I could tell you. [Sidenote: strict]

[Footnote 1: The thing must be ended now. The door must be locked, to keep all in that are in, and all out that are out. Then he can do as he will.]

[Footnote 2: --laying his hand on his heart, I think.]

[Footnote 3: In Q. _Hamlet_ only once.]

[Footnote 4: _scheme, artifice, deceitful contrivance_; in modern slang, _dodge_.]

[Footnote 5: He turns on the prompter of his sin--crowning the justice of the king's capital punishment.]

[Footnote 6: _Point_: 'too!'

_1st Q._ Then venome to thy venome, die d.a.m.n'd villaine.]

[Footnote 7: _Not in Quarto._

The true moment, now only, has at last come. Hamlet has lived to do his duty with a clear conscience, and is thereupon permitted to go. The man who asks whether this be poetic justice or no, is unworthy of an answer.

'The Tragedie of Hamlet' is _The Drama of Moral Perplexity_.]

[Footnote 8: A grim play on the word _Union: 'follow my mother_'. It suggests a terrible meeting below.]

[Footnote 9: _Not in Quarto._]

[Footnote 10: His better nature triumphs. The moment he was wounded, knowing he must die, he began to change. Defeat is a mighty aid to repentance; and processes grow rapid in the presence of Death: he forgives and desires forgiveness.]

[Footnote 11: _Not in Quarto._]

[Footnote 12: Note how heartily Hamlet pardons the wrong done to himself--the only wrong of course which a man has to pardon.]

[Footnote 13: _supernumeraries_. Note the other figures too--_audience, act_--all of the theatre.]

[Page 272]

But let it be: _Horatio_, I am dead, Thou liu'st, report me and my causes right [Sidenote: cause a right]

To the vnsatisfied.[1]

_Hor_. Neuer beleeue it.

[Sidenote: 134] I am more an Antike Roman then a Dane: [Sidenote: 135] Heere's yet some Liquor left.[2]

_Ham_. As th'art a man, giue me the Cup.