Hamlet: Act 1, Scene 1
Enter BARNARDO and FRANCISCO,
two sentinels, [meeting].
BARNARDO
1 Who's there?
FRANCISCO
2 Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.
2. Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself: No [don't you ask me questions], answer me [because I'm the one on guard duty]: stay where you are, and identify yourself.
BARNARDO
3 Long live the king!
FRANCISCO
4 Barnardo?
BARNARDO
5 He.
FRANCISCO
6 You come most carefully upon your hour.
6. You come most carefully upon your hour: i.e., you have come exactly when you were supposed to.
BARNARDO
7 'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.
FRANCISCO
8 For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold,
9 And I am sick at heart.
BARNARDO
10 Have you had quiet guard?
FRANCISCO
Not a mouse stirring.
BARNARDO
11 Well, good night.
12 If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,
13 The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.
13. rivals of my watch: my watchmates.
FRANCISCO
14 I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who's there?
Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS.
HORATIO
15 Friends to this ground.
MARCELLUS
And liegemen to the Dane.
15. liegemen to the Dane: loyal subjects to the King of Denmark.
FRANCISCO
16 Give you good night.
16. Give: Short for "God give."
MARCELLUS
O, farewell, honest soldier:
17 Who hath relieved you?
FRANCISCO
Barnardo has my place.
18 Give you good night.
Exit Francisco.
MARCELLUS
Holla! Barnardo!
BARNARDO
Say—
19 What, is Horatio there?
HORATIO
A piece of him.
BARNARDO
20 Welcome, Horatio: welcome, good Marcellus.
HORATIO
21 What, has this thing appear'd again tonight?
BARNARDO
22 I have seen nothing.
MARCELLUS
23 Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy,
23. 'tis but our fantasy: it is only a figment of our imagination.
24 And will not let belief take hold of him
25 Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us:
26 Therefore I have entreated him along
27 With us to watch the minutes of this night;
27. to watch the minutes of this night: i.e., to stand watch with us and observe everything that happens.
28 That if again this apparition come,
29 He may approve our eyes and speak to it.
29. approve our eyes : corroborate our account of what we have seen.
HORATIO
30 Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.
BARNARDO
Sit down awhile;
31 And let us once again assail your ears,
32 That are so fortified against our story
33 What we have two nights seen.
HORATIO
Well, sit we down,
34 And let us hear Barnardo speak of this.
BARNARDO
35 Last night of all,
36 When yond same star that's westward from the pole
36. pole: polestar; Polaris, the North Star.
37 Had made his course to illume that part of heaven
37. his: its.
38 Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,
 | Norman Wooland as Horatio, Esmond Knight as Bernardo, Anthony Quayle as Marcellus. --1948 film-- |
39 The bell then beating one—
Enter Ghost.
MARCELLUS
40 Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!
BARNARDO
41 In the same figure, like the king that's dead.
41. In the same figure, like the king that's dead: in the exact likeness of the king that's dead.
MARCELLUS
42 Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio.
42. a scholar: i.e., an educated person, therefore one who knows what to say to a ghost.
BARNARDO
43 Looks 'a not like the king? mark it, Horatio.
43. 'a: he. mark it: pay close attention to the likeness between the ghost and the dead king.
HORATIO
44 Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder.
BARNARDO
45 It would be spoke to.
45. It would be spoke to: Folklore said that a ghost had to be spoken to before it would speak.
MARCELLUS
Speak to it, Horatio.
HORATIO
46 What art thou that usurp'st this time of night,
46.usurp'st: usurps. ...more
47 Together with that fair and warlike form
48 In which the majesty of buried Denmark
49 Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, speak!
47-49. that fair . . . sometimes march: i.e., the beautiful, terrifying, and majestic image in which the dead King Hamlet of Denmark used to march.
MARCELLUS
50 It is offended.
BARNARDO
See, it stalks away!
HORATIO
51 Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!
Exit Ghost.
MARCELLUS
52 'Tis gone, and will not answer.
BARNARDO
53 How now, Horatio! you tremble and look pale:
54 Is not this something more than fantasy?
55 What think you on't?
HORATIO
56 Before my God, I might not this believe
57 Without the sensible and true avouch
57. sensible: i.e., confirmed by the senses. avouch: guarantee.
58 Of mine own eyes.
MARCELLUS
Is it not like the king?
HORATIO
59 As thou art to thyself:
60 Such was the very armor he had on
61 When he the ambitious Norway combated;
61. Norway: i.e., the King of Norway.
62 So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle,
62. parle: parley.
63 He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.
63. sledded: using sleds. Polacks: Poles. ...more
64 'Tis strange.
MARCELLUS
65 Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour,
65. jump: precisely.
66 With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.
66. With martial stalk: i.e., with a military bearing.
HORATIO
67 In what particular thought to work I know not;
68 But in the gross and scope of my opinion,
69 This bodes some strange eruption to our state.
67-69. In what ... our state: i.e., I don't know how to work out the details, but considering everything, it seems to me that this foretells some strange upheaval in the state of Denmark.
MARCELLUS
70 Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows,
71 Why this same strict and most observant watch
71. this same ... watch: i.e., this high security alert.
72 So nightly toils the subject of the land,
72. toils . . . land: i.e., puts a heavy burden of toil on the people of Denmark.
73 And why such daily cast of brazen cannon,
73. brazen cannon: bronze cannons.
74 And foreign mart for implements of war;
74. foreign mart: dealing in foreign markets.
75 Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task
75. impress: forced service.
76 Does not divide the Sunday from the week;
77 What might be toward, that this sweaty haste
77. toward: in preparation.
78 Doth make the night joint-laborer with the day:
79 Who is't that can inform me?
HORATIO
That can I;
80 At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king,
81 Whose image even but now appear'd to us,
82 Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,
83 Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride,
83. prick'd on: prodded, incited. most emulate: extremely competitive.
84 Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet—
85 For so this side of our known world esteem'd him—
86 Did slay this Fortinbras; who by a seal'd compact,
86. seal'd compact: i.e., a signed and sealed agreement.
87 Well ratified by law and heraldry,
87. Well ratified by law and heraldry: i.e., in full accordance with law and the rules of combat.
88 Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands
89 Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror:
89. seiz'd of: possessed of. ...more
90 Against the which, a moiety competent
91 Was gaged by our king; which had return'd
90-91. Against ... gaged by our king: i.e., King Hamlet matched the wager of King Fortinbras. had: would have.
92 To the inheritance of Fortinbras,
92. inheritance: permanent possession.
93 Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same comart,
93. comart: joint bargain.
94 And carriage of the article design'd,
94. carriage: tenor. article design'd: agreement drawn up.
95 His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras,
96 Of unimproved mettle hot and full,
96. unimproved mettle: desperate and untested temperament.
97 Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there
97. skirts: outlying territories.
98 Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes,
98. Shark'd up a list of lawless resolutes: i.e., hastily rounded up a gang of desperadoes.
99 For food and diet, to some enterprise
100 That hath a stomach in't; which is no other—
99-100. For food and diet, to some enterprise / That hath a stomach in't (1) for no pay except their keep, to engage in some enterprise that requires courage; (2) as cannon-fodder, to engage in some enterprise that will devour them.
101 As it doth well appear unto our state—
102 But to recover of us, by strong hand
103 And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands
104 So by his father lost: and this, I take it,
105 Is the main motive of our preparations,
106 The source of this our watch and the chief head
106. head: main cause.
107 Of this post-haste and romage in the land.
107. post-haste and romage: i.e., hustle and bustle. "Romage" is an older spelling of "rummage."
BARNARDO
108 I think it be no other but e'en so:
109 Well may it sort that this portentous figure
109. portentous: ominous.
110 Comes armed through our watch; so like the king
109-110. Well . . . armed: i.e., Because King Hamlet was a warrior, it may be suitable that his ghost appears in armor.
111 That was and is the question of these wars.
111. question: subject, cause.
HORATIO
112 A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye.
112. mote: speck of dust.
113 In the most high and palmy state of Rome,
113. palmy: flourishing.
114 A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,
115 The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead
115. the sheeted dead: the dead in their shrouds.
116 Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets:
117 As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood,
117. As: ??? trains: tails. dews: mists.
118 Disasters in the sun; and the moist star,
118. Disasters: ominous signs. moist star: the moon.
119 Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands,
119. Upon . . . stands: i.e.. which governs the tides.
120 Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse:
121 And even the like precurse of fierce events,
121. precurse: foreshadowing.
122 As harbingers preceding still the fates
122. harbingers: advance messengers. still: always. the fates: i.e., fateful events.
123 And prologue to the omen coming on,
123. omen: foretold calamity.
124 Have heaven and earth together demonstrated
125 Unto our climatures and countrymen—
125. climatures: regions.
Illustrator: H.C. Selous
Illustrator: H.C. Selous
Enter GHOST.
126 But soft, behold! lo, where it comes again!
It spreads his arms.
his: its.
127 I'll cross it, though it blast me. Stay, illusion!
127. cross it: cross its path, confront it directly. blast: wither.
128 If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,
129 Speak to me:
130 If there be any good thing to be done,
131 That may to thee do ease and grace to me,
132 Speak to me:
133 If thou art privy to thy country's fate,
134 Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid,
134. happily: haply, by good chance.
135 O, speak!
136 Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life
137 Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,
137. Extorted treasure: i.e., ill-gotten gains.
138 For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,
The cock crows.
139 Speak of it: stay, and speak! Stop it, Marcellus.
MARCELLUS
140 Shall I strike at it with my partisan?
140. partisan: spear with a barbed head.
Illustrator: Kenny Meadows
HORATIO
141 Do, if it will not stand.
[They strike at it.]
BARNARDO
'Tis here!
HORATIO
'Tis here!
MARCELLUS
142 'Tis gone!
[Exit Ghost.]
143 We do it wrong, being so majestical,
144 To offer it the show of violence;
145 For it is, as the air, invulnerable,
146 And our vain blows malicious mockery.
146. mockery: empty pretense.
BARNARDO
147 It was about to speak when the cock crew.
HORATIO
148 And then it started like a guilty thing
148. started: moved suddenly, as though surprised or frightened.
149 Upon a fearful summons. I have heard,
150 The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,
150. trumpet: trumpeter.
151 Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat
152 Awake the god of day; and, at his warning,
153 Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,
154 The extravagant and erring spirit hies
154. The: i.e., any. extravagant: outside its proper bounds. erring: wandering about.
155 To his confine: and of the truth herein
154-155. hies . . . confine: i.e., hastens to the place where it is usually confined.
156 This present object made probation.
156. This . . . probation: i.e., what we just saw proved that to be true.
MARCELLUS
157 It faded on the crowing of the cock.
158 Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
158. ever 'gainst: always just before.
159 Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated,
160 The bird of dawning singeth all night long:
161 And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad;
162 The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,
162. strike: exert an evil influence.
163 No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,
163. takes: bewitches.
164 So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.
164. gracious: blessed.
HORATIO
165 So have I heard and do in part believe it.
166 But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,
166. russet: coarse cloth, reddish-brown to gray-brown.
"the morn, in russet mantle clad"
--Photo by Michael Wolf--
"the morn, in russet mantle clad"
--Photo by Michael Wolf--
167 Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill:
168 Break we our watch up; and by my advice,
169 Let us impart what we have seen tonight
170 Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life,
171 This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.
172 Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it,
173 As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?
MARCELLUS
174 Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning know
175 Where we shall find him most conveniently.
Exeunt.