Hamlet
4/5
()
About this ebook
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is the world's greatest ever playwright. Born in 1564, he split his time between Stratford-upon-Avon and London, where he worked as a playwright, poet and actor. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway. Shakespeare died in 1616 at the age of fifty-two, leaving three children—Susanna, Hamnet and Judith. The rest is silence.
Related to Hamlet
Related ebooks
La Tempestad (Ilustrado) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Obras selectas de Robert Louis Stevenson Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Los hermanos corsos Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNuestra Señora de París (texto completo, con índice activo) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings3 Libros para Conocer Ficción Detectivesca Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLas misiones de indios chiquitos que en el Paraguay tienen los padres de la Compañía de Jesús Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsColección integral de Edgar Allan Poe: Cuentos y Poemas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEpisodios nacionales: Primera serie Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAntes de Adan Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRomeo y Julieta: Tragedia clásica Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEl robo del elefante blanco Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSotileza Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSurrealismo infinito Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLas Memorias de Sherlock Holmes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEl castigo sin venganza Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrabajos de amor perdidos Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMachu Picchu en la poesía de Pablo Neruda Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsColección de Miguel de Cervantes: Clásicos de la literatura Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsUna casa de granadas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAntología: Obras de teatro Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNovelistas Imprescindibles - Honoré de Balzac Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings7 mejores cuentos de Regina Alcaide de Zafra Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEl Rojo y el Negro Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHamlet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLas mil y una noches Vol I Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDon Quijote de la Mancha Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHUMANO, DEMASIADO HUMANO: Nietzsche Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsColección integral de Francisco de Quevedo Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLa Tempestad Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Performing Arts For You
Teoría de la Música: Niveles 1 - 3 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Las 50 leyes del poder en El Padrino Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5El Gran Cuaderno de Podcasting: Cómo crear, difundir y monetizar tu podcast Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5La muerte de Ivan Ilich Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fausto: Clásicos de la literatura Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Guía Práctica de Ejercicios de Técnica para Guitarra Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Storytelling: Cómo contar tu historia para que el mundo quiera escucharla Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: El viaje de Chihiro Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Los 100 clasicos de la moda: Una guia de articulos que toda mujer con estilo debe poseer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Oratoria Métodos y ejercicios para aprender el arte de la oratoria Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5El miedo escénico: Orígenes, causas y recursos para afrontarlo con éxito Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5El Kit del escritor: 50 herramientas imprescindibles Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Batman, el héroe: La trilogía de Christopher Nolan Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5El guión. Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5La liberación de la voz natural: El método Linklater Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/550 Clásicos que debes leer antes de morir Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLa historia de la Gaviota y el Gato que le enseñó a volar Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5De la oscuridad a la luz Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Cada Cosa en Su Lugar Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5¿Quieres escribir un cuento? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Iniciación a la Locución Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Un actor se prepara Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5La Mandrágora Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPídelo con respeto: Medio siglo con El padrino Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBiblioteca Studio Ghibli: La princesa Mononoke Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEl diálogo: El arte de hablar en la página, la escena y la pantalla Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Las confesiones Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFausto Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5El crisol del Guerrero. Búsqueda de la perfección en las artes marciales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Hamlet
6,798 ratings89 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5More of the action seemed to happen off-stage than on! Excellent notes, and again many familiar lines I have seen referenced another literature and in everyday speech. Most of the cast dead by the end...
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The more I learn about the English language and literature in general, the richer Shakespeare's works become. Hamlet is no exception.
When considered as a boundary/change marker in the landscape of literature, it makes an interesting mile-marker between earlier eras of the oral heroic, the epic and the blossoming of humanism. (Forgive me if I'm using any of these terminologies incorrectly; I will elaborate what I mean.) Which is to say, the oral heroic focused (in general terms) on family units, clans, tribes, etc. and the conflicts between them. These narratives usually dealt with inscribing some sort of expected behavior(s) that sorted out the violent chaos that accompanied the birthings of civilizations. As an example of a major trope in this early literature that's relevant to Hamlet: blood-feud violence.
The Odyssey comes from the beginning of this and in its ending tries to address the ending of such tit-for-tat retribution.
In this way, Hamlet might be considered (and I'm happy to do so) the ending of this particular literary tradition as a major trope. Instead of focusing on the blood feud (the plot going on with Fortinbras & Norway), it turns a bit more inward. Instead of Hamlet marching off to claim what is his by rights from Norway, there's a more humanistic struggle at play.
I feel that most Shakespeare could benefit from a little extra knowledge and context than most of us get upon our first exposure. Hamlet's definitely gotten 'better' for me over time. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Oh, Hamlet, Hamlet, Hamlet, Hamlet, Hamlet. Get thee to a nunnery.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hamlet's an amazingly dynamic and complex play about the lure of death and the struggle against inaction. Wonderful and dark and always a pleasure to read
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5This is one of the best Shakespeare plays. The soliloquies of Hamlet give us a real insight into his mind as he tortures himself with the way he is treating Ophelia, yet slowly descends himself into the madness he has forced upon her. I always say that Shakespeare cannot be understood by simply reading the text, you have to see it performed the way it was intended to be enjoyed, and Samuel West's portrayal of Hamlet at the theatre was superb.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Read it in Sixth Form and it spoiled me for Julius Ceaser.It is a wonderful complex read. And trying to discover all the layers is part of the fun.At its base, Hamlet is a prince called to avenge his late father the murdered King of Denmark. Yet it's not as simple as that. Hamlet's birthright has him in turmoil with himself, and then there is the issue of his mother and her new husband, the King's brother.A modern version would be tacky and full of soap opera bachannal...but Shakesphere's play is a serious psychological study of a young man who should be King.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Classic. I did enjoy reading this and I still have all my original underlines and footnotes on the page. The perfect definition of tragedy!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Hamlet is the most annoying lead in Shakespeare. And the play is the most apt metaphor for the last couple of months of my high school career. Anenergy, baby! It took me forEVER to finish the term paper on the play; Brother Phil graciously gave me a C+ despite me turning it in, oh, probably a month past the due date. And that dinged my GPA just enough for someone else to win the Senior English prize. Ah well. At least it was one of my friends.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It's difficult to critique a work that is widely considered to be the best piece produced by the greatest author who ever lived. To put it in simple terms, I did enjoy Hamlet for the most part. Once I got used to the language and re-familiarized myself with reading a script, the story flowed very well. My only real complaint was that the format took a bit out of the climactic finale for me. I feel that it would have read much better in a novel format.Shakespeare has written one of the most compelling tragedies ever in Hamlet, and his plot and character development are topnotch. Hamlet's downward spiral into madness is classically done. All said, a must read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I refuse to offer up a literary review on Shakespeare. I wouldn't presume. However, I will say that I enjoyed this dark story. Watching a man descend into madness, yet still retain enough sanity to accomplish his purpose is drama at its best. Half the fun for me is finding out where all the quotes one hears all the time come from.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hey its Hamlet. What else can I say. You either love it or hate it.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Forced reading from high school - I hated every moment of this.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hamlet is my favorite and most quotable of all Shakespeare's plays. It is much more than a straightforward tale of revenge and focuses a great deal on the philosophical, moral and psychological, and even the reader/audience is left with many unanswered questions at the play's end. However, I prefer to be immersed in a play, listening to the beautiful language, rather than reading the text, so it's difficult for me to rate as simply a book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth are my favorite Shakespeare plays. I remember being bored to tears reading it in school and then being overwhelmed by the power of Hamlet seeing it performed shortly thereafter. How can you have kids read a play (alone and not aloud)?
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It read it on my Great Books class in college, at first I thought it was going to be boring but it is very interesting. I have read it a few times and this edition was for sure the best one.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My favorite Shakespearean play. Though there is one that may end up taking it's place.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I like other Shakespeare plays better, but I admit that this is Shakespeare's zenith.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hamlet was the original diva, mmhhmm.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5William Shakespeare's HAMLET is argueably the best play/ book every written. It follows a story of the young prince Hamlet and his quest to avenge his father. As one travels through the play they also enter a complex world of introspection, doubt, struggle, and beauty. Even read for the 20th time there are new things to glean from the greatest work ever written. This book will captivate and mezmerize.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5While it can be quite long and tedious in parts, it's still Hamlet.I mean, it's hard to beat Hamlet.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One of the bard's all time classics, so frequently performed that it occasionally needs to be re-read to experience it the way he wrote it, without all the directorial impulses to pretty it up or modernize it. It had been a long time since my last read, and I was somewhat surprised to realize that this play comes with very few stage directions outside of entrances and exits; there are so many things that directors do exactly the same, you forget they weren't mentioned in the stage directions, and have simply become habit. Anyway, this play, about ambition and revenge, still holds up well through the centuries, though many of the actions seem outdated to us now. The poetry of the language and the rich texturing of the characters, even the most minor of characters, creates a complex story that successfully holds many balls in the air at once. Shakespeare's frequent use of ghosts is noteworthy, since that is something that modern day playwrights are told to be very careful about, and avoid if at all possible. A satisfying story, and a satisfying re-read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This continues to remain my second-least-favorite of the seven Tragedies I've read so far. This preference isn't based upon the quality of the play qua play; it boils down to the fact that I simply don't enjoy Mr. Prince Hamlet, Jr. Despite some arguments to the contrary, he still comes across to me as a bipolar obsessive with impulse control problems, a distinct lack of responsibility, a poor attitude toward girlfriends and who, if we read only what is written, appears to make monumental judgments about his mother on little or no evidence. In other words, I don't like him. Of course, I don't particularly like fellows such as Mr. Macbeth either, but it's a different lack of esteem: a dislike for the bad guy (which is a sneaking regard) rather than a disdain for the self-absorbed.I find the characters of Polonius, Ophelia and Gertrude much more intriguing in this play and I do enjoy it for them. So, while I love the language of this play, and the supporting cast, and acknowledge the structure and plot, I still don't enjoy it as much as a romp through Birnham Wood or, better yet, Lear's Britain.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of my favorites. Best film adaptation: surprisingly, Mel Gibson's. Branagh's was way too long (yeah, I know, but still) and had Robin Williams in it; we won't talk about Ethan Hawke's.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Story:
Everyone knows Hamlet. Okay, maybe not everyone, but most people do. Now, if you were to ask me if I liked Hamlet, my short answer would probably be 'no.' Really, though, it's not fair for me to encapsulate my feelings on Hamlet into such a simple answer. If Hamlet and I were in a relationship on facebook (assuming he it could ever decide whether to be in one...punned!), it would most definitely be complicated.
Here's the thing: Hamlet is a great play. There's no denying it. When I think about the play objectively, there's a lot of amazing stuff in there. Shakespeare's wit is fantastic; gotta love all of those dirty jokes he makes in here. And, of course, the language is completely gorgeous.
The characters I have never been particularly tied to, which is one reason Hamlet does not rank among my favorite plays; the tragedies often lack the sassy heroines you can find in the comedies. Hamlet's indecisiveness frustrates me endlessly. Whine, whine, whine, think about doing something, wimp out, wine more. Cry moar, anon. Yoda judges you. Hamlet's uncle father and his aunt mother are not especially likable, even if you don't think they're guilty of what Hamlet's ghosty father accused them of (namely, turning him into a ghost). Ophelia isn't the brightest; plus, her end does not for admiration make. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are probably my favorites, and that's only because of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard.
Truly though, the reason that I don't really like Hamlet is how prevalent it is. I just get so tired of always hearing this same play over and over. I mean, who didn't have to read this in high school, and again in college?
Performance:
This audiobook is the recording of a stage version of the play, performed by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival cast. They do a good job, and I imagine it was quite a fun performance that they did. It sounds like they did some interesting things with the characters, such as changing gender in some cases and some modernizing (thus the leather jacket Hamlet's wearing).
Unfortunately, listening to a play and watching it just aren't the same. Had I not already been very familiar with Hamlet, I have little doubt that I would at time have been confused by some of the quick scene changes or by which voice belonged to which character. Some of the actors did have rather similar sounding voices.
Between scenes, there is creepy dramatic music, which definitely set a mood, but I don't think I liked. Nor did I care for the fact that the players rapped everything. That was kind of weird. At least Ophelia didn't rap her crazyface songs. Speaking of Ophelia, she was my favorite part of the performance. Her voice and manner definitely reminded me of River Tam (Summer Glau's character in Firefly, who has a couple of screws loose). What an awesome way to portray Ophelia. Now I kind of want to try to write some fan fiction with the characters from Firefly performing Hamlet. Maybe not. - Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'm not a big Shakespeare fan, so I won't rate any of his works very high
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5By far the best Shakespeare play ever, and that's saying a lot. It's just so incredibly complex. Hamlet's soliloquies give insight into the human psyche that even most novels, let alone dramas, can't match. And Horatio just might be my favorite Shakespeare character of all time,
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5While this book is incredibly depressing, the story is one that holds your attention the entire time. Shakespeare seems to be good at doing that...
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of the greatest works of writing ever created. I consider it to be the best example of expressing epic, universal themes with personal struggles. There are some rough spots within the play (More if you easily tire of monologues), but taken as a whole, Hamlet is almost without peer in quality.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Tormented Boy who spawned an entire genus of Tormented Boys. My Ur-story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I have loved this play since I first read it in high school. I find it both very tragic (but in a heroic kind of way) and very funny. I remember laughing at the fishwife dialogue in the library and my class mate thinking I was terribly odd. It doesn't matter, I still think this book is beautiful to read and very funny.
Book preview
Hamlet - William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
Hamlet
(texto completo, con índice activo)
e-artnow, 2013
ISBN -978-80-268-0355-3
Contenido
Contenido
Primero Acto
Escena I
Escena II
Escena III
Escena IV
Escena V
Escena VI
Escena VII
Escena VIII
Escena IX
Escena X
Escena XI
Escena XII
Escena XIII
Segundo Acto
Escena I
Escena II
Escena III
Escena IV
Escena V
Escena VI
Escena VII
Escena VIII
Escena IX
Escena X
Escena XI
Tercero Acto
Escena I
Escena II
Escena III
Escena IV
Escena V
Escena VI
Escena VII
Escena VIII
Escena IX
Escena X
Escena XI
Escena XII
Escena XIII
Escena XIV
Escena XV
Escena XVI
Escena XVII
Escena XVIII
Escena XIX
Escena XX
Escena XXI
Escena XXII
Escena XXIII
Escena XXIV
Escena XXV
Escena XXVI
Escena XXVII
Escena XXVIII
Cuarto Acto
Escena I
Escena II
Escena III
Escena IV
Escena V
Escena VI
Escena VII
Escena VIII
Escena IX
Escena X
Escena XI
Escena XII
Escena XIII
Escena XIV
Escena XV
Escena XVI
Escena XVII
Escena XVIII
Escena XIX
Escena XX
Escena XXI
Escena XXII
Quinto Acto
Escena I
Escena II
Escena III
Escena IV
Escena V
Escena VI
Escena VII
Escena VIII
Escena IX
Escena X
Escena XI
Primero Acto
Escena I
Explanada delante del Palacio Real de Elsingor. Noche oscura. FRANCISCO, BERNARDO
Bernardo
¿Quién está ahí?
Francisco
No, respóndame él a mí. Deténgase y diga quién es.
Bernardo
¡Viva el Rey!
Francisco
¿Es Bernardo?
Bernardo
El mismo.
Francisco
Tú eres el más puntual en venir a la hora.
Bernardo
Las doce han dado ya; bien puedes ir a recogerte
Francisco
Te doy mil gracias por la mudanza. Hace un frío que penetra y yo estoy delicado del pecho.
Bernardo
¿Has hecho tu guardia tranquilamente?
Francisco
Ni un ratón se ha movido.
Bernardo
Muy bien. Buenas noches. Si encuentras a Horacio y Marcelo, mis compañeros de guardia, diles que vengan presto.
Francisco
Me parece que los oigo. Alto ahí. ¡Eh! ¿Quién va?
Escena II
HORACIO, MARCELO y dichos.
Horacio
Amigos de este país.
Marcelo
Y fieles vasallos del Rey de Dinamarca.
Francisco
Buenas noches.
Marcelo
¡Oh! ¡Honrado soldado! Pásalo bien. ¿Quién te relevó de la centinela?
Francisco
Bernardo, que queda en mi lugar. Buenas noches.
Marcelo
¡Hola! ¡Bernardo!
Bernardo
¿Quién está ahí? ¿Es Horacio?
Horacio
Un pedazo de él.
Bernardo
Bienvenido, Horacio; Marcelo, bienvenido.
Marcelo
¿Y qué? ¿Se ha vuelto a aparecer aquella cosa esta noche?
Bernardo
Yo nada he visto
Marcelo
Horacio dice que es aprehensión nuestra, y nada quiere creer de cuanto le he dicho acerca de ese espantoso fantasma que hemos visto ya en dos ocasiones. Por eso le he rogado que se venga a la guardia con nosotros, para que si esta noche vuelve el aparecido, pueda dar crédito a nuestros ojos, y le hable si quiere.
Horacio
¡Qué! No, no vendrá.
Bernardo
Sentémonos un rato, y deja que asaltemos de nuevo tus oídos con el suceso que tanto repugnan oír y que en dos noches seguidas hemos ya presenciado nosotros.
Horacio
Muy bien, sentémonos y oigamos lo que Bernardo nos cuente.
Bernardo
La noche pasada, cuando esa misma estrella que está al occidente del polo había hecho ya su carrera, para iluminar aquel espacio del cielo donde ahora resplandece, Marcelo y yo, a tiempo que el reloj daba la una…
Marcelo
Chit. Calla, mírale por donde viene otra vez.
Bernardo
Con la misma figura que tenía el difunto Rey.
Marcelo
Horacio, tú que eres hombre de estudios, háblale.
Bernardo
¿No se parece todo al Rey? Mírale, Horacio.
Horacio
Muy parecido es… Su vista me conturba con miedo y asombro.
Bernardo
Querrá que le hablen.
Marcelo
Háblale, Horacio.
Horacio
¿Quién eres tú, que así usurpas este tiempo a la noche, y esa presencia noble y guerrera que tuvo un día la majestad del Soberano Danés, que yace en el sepulcro? Habla, por el Cielo te lo pido.
Marcelo
Parece que está irritado.
Bernardo
¿Ves? Se va, como despreciándonos.
Horacio
Detente, habla. Yo te lo mando. Habla.
Marcelo
Ya se fue. No quiere respondernos.
Bernardo
¿Qué tal, Horacio? Tú tiemblas y has perdido el color. ¿No es esto algo más que aprensión? ¿Qué te parece?
Horacio
Por Dios que nunca lo hubiera creído, sin la sensible y cierta demostración de mis propios ojos.
Marcelo
¿No es enteramente parecido al Rey?
Horacio
Como tú a ti mismo. Y tal era el arnés de que iba ceñido cuando peleó con el ambicioso Rey de Noruega, y así le vi arrugar ceñudo la frente cuando en una altercación colérica hizo caer al de Polonia sobre el hielo, de un solo golpe… ¡Extraña aparición es ésta!
Marcelo
Pues de esa manera, y a esta misma hora de la noche, se ha paseado dos veces con ademán guerrero delante de nuestra guardia.
Horacio
Yo no comprendo el fin particular con que esto sucede; pero en mi ruda manera de pensar, pronostica alguna extraordinaria mudanza a nuestra nación.
Marcelo
Ahora bien, sentémonos y decidme, cualquiera de vosotros que lo sepa; ¿por qué fatigan todas las noches a los vasallos con estas guardias tan penosas y vigilantes? ¿Para qué es esta fundición de cañones de bronce y este acopio extranjero de máquinas de guerra? ¿A qué fin esa multitud de carpinteros de marina, precisados a un afán molesto, que no distingue el domingo de lo restante de la semana? ¿Qué causas puede haber para que sudando el trabajador apresurado junte las noches a los días? ¿Quién de vosotros podrá decírmelo?
Horacio
Yo te lo diré, o a lo menos, los rumores que sobre esto corren. Nuestro último Rey (cuya imagen acaba de aparecérsenos) fue provocado a combate, como ya sabéis, por Fortimbrás de Noruega estimulado éste de la más orgullosa emulación. En aquel desafío, nuestro valeroso Hamlet (que tal renombre alcanzó en la parte del mundo que nos es conocida) mató a Fortimbrás, el cual por un contrato sellado y ratificado según el fuero de las armas, cedía al vencedor (dado caso que muriese en la pelea) todos aquellos países que estaban bajo su dominio. Nuestro Rey se obligó también a cederle una porción equivalente, que hubiera pasado a manos de Fortimbrás, como herencia suya, si hubiese vencido; así como, en virtud de aquel convenio y de los artículos estipulados, recayó todo en Hamlet. Ahora el joven Fortimbrás, de un carácter fogoso, falto de experiencia y lleno de presunción, ha ido recogiendo de aquí y de allí por las fronteras de Noruega, una turba de gente resuelta y perdida, a quien la necesidad de comer determina a intentar empresas que piden valor; y según claramente vemos, su fin no es otro que el de recobrar con violencia y a fuerza de armas los mencionados países que perdió su padre. Este es, en mi dictamen, el motivo principal de nuestras prevenciones, el de esta guardia que hacemos, y la verdadera causa de la agitación y movimiento en que toda la nación está.
Bernardo
Si no es esa, yo no alcanzo cuál puede ser…, y en parte lo confirma la visión espantosa que se ha presentado armada en nuestro puesto, con la figura misma del Rey, que fue y es todavía el autor de estas guerras.
Horacio
Es por cierto una mota que turba los ojos del entendimiento. En la época más gloriosa y feliz de Roma, poco antes que el poderoso César cayese quedaron vacíos los sepulcros y los amortajados cadáveres vagaron por las calles de la ciudad, gimiendo en voz confusa; las estrellas resplandecieron con encendidas colas, cayó lluvia de sangre, se ocultó el sol entre celajes funestos y el húmedo planeta, cuya influencia gobierna el imperio de Neptuno, padeció eclipse como si el fin del mundo hubiese llegado. Hemos visto ya iguales anuncios de sucesos terribles, precursores que avisan los futuros destinos, el cielo y la tierra juntos los han manifestado a nuestro país y a nuestra gente… Pero. Silencio… ¿Veis?…, allí… Otra vez vuelve… Aunque el terror me hiela, yo le quiero salir al encuentro. Detente, fantasma. Si puedes articular sonidos, si tienes voz háblame. Si allá donde estás puedes recibir algún beneficio para tu descanso y mi perdón, háblame. Si sabes los hados que amenazan a tu país, los cuales felizmente previstos puedan evitarse, ¡ay!, habla… O si acaso, durante tu vida, acumulaste en las entrañas de la tierra mal habidos tesoros, por lo que se dice que vosotros, infelices espíritus, después de la muerte vagáis inquietos; decláralo… Detente y habla… Marcelo, detenle.
Marcelo
¿Le daré con mi lanza?
Horacio
Sí, hiérele, si no quiere detenerse.
Bernardo
Aquí está.
Horacio
Aquí.
Marcelo
Se ha ido. Nosotros le ofendemos, siendo él un Soberano, en hacer demostraciones de violencia. Bien que, según parece, es invulnerable como el aire, y nuestros esfuerzos vanos y cosa de burla.
Bernardo
Él iba ya a hablar cuando el gallo cantó.
Horacio
Es verdad, y al punto se estremeció como el delincuente apremiado con terrible precepto. Yo he oído decir que el gallo, trompeta de la mañana, hace despertar al Dios del día con la alta y aguda voz de su garganta sonora, y que a este anuncio, todo extraño espíritu errante por la tierra o el mar, el fuego o el aire, huye a su centro; y la fantasma que hemos visto acaba de confirmar la certeza de esta opinión.
Marcelo
En efecto, desapareció al cantar el gallo. Algunos dicen que cuando se acerca el tiempo en que se celebra el nacimiento de nuestro Redentor, este pájaro matutino canta toda la noche y que entonces ningún espíritu se atreve a salir de su morada, las noches son saludables, ningún planeta influye siniestramente, ningún maleficio produce efecto, ni las hechiceras tienen poder para sus encantos. ¡Tan sagrados son y tan felices aquellos días!
Horacio
Yo también lo tengo entendido así y en parte lo creo. Pero ved como ya la mañana, cubierta con la rosada túnica, viene pisando el rocío de aquel alto monte oriental. Demos fin a la guardia, y soy de opinión que digamos al joven Hamlet lo que hemos visto esta noche, porque yo os prometo que este espíritu hablará con él, aunque