Hamlet: Shakespeare Retold

By William Shakespeare and James Anthony

HAMLET: SHAKESPEARE RETOLD

Shakespeare's 400-year-old language can be tough to understand...but, with Shakespeare Retold, it's easy!

Written line-by-line in the same iambic pentameter versification of the originals, it offers a contemporary interpretation of the Bard's lines in the same form an

• Language: English
• Publisher: Redbrick Books
• Release date: Nov 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781914927119

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616) is arguably the most famous playwright to ever live. Born in England, he attended grammar school but did not study at a university. In the 1590s, Shakespeare worked as partner and performer at the London-based acting company, the King’s Men. His earliest plays were Henry VI and Richard III, both based on the historical figures. During his career, Shakespeare produced nearly 40 plays that reached multiple countries and cultures. Some of his most notable titles include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. His acclaimed catalog earned him the title of the world’s greatest dramatist.

Book preview

Reading Shakespeare Retold

Shakespeare Retold intersperses modern English, line-by-line and beat-for-beat, after each of Shakespeare’s great originals.

ORIGINAL:  Fate, show thy force. Ourselves we do not owe.

RETOLD:  Fate, show your strength! You choose my destiny,

ORIGINAL:  What is decreed must be, and be this so.

RETOLD:  And what you choose for me to be will be.

There is no ‘right or wrong’ way to read Shakespeare Retold. However, a good way to start is to read the original lines, then cross-reference to the retelling when the going gets tough, or just to reaffirm your understanding of the line. Play around with it and do what is best for you.

This ebook contains two versions of the text:

  – Shakespeare’s lines interspersed with the Retold lines

  – The Retold only lines.

Note, Shakespeare’s directions in the play are left ‘as is’ in this text, as most are easily understood without the need for clarification.

UNDERSTANDING IAMBIC PENTAMETER

Shakespeare wrote most of his work in the 10-beat format known as iambic pentameter. The retellings also use this format. So, what is iambic pentameter?

An iamb is a word or phrase with two beats:

one soft/short, one hard/long.

e.g., di-dum; because; in fact; despite; resolve.

Penta is the Greek word for five.

Meter is the Greek word meaning measure, e.g., metronome.

Hence, iambic pentameter is simply five iambs combined to flow in one line, e.g.,

di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

If music be the food of love, play on.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

EXCEPTIONS

Two exceptions to the regular iambic pentameter format are widely used by Shakespeare:

1) Weak Endings

Regular iambic pentameter has 10 syllables, but an additional syllable can be added to create what is known as a ‘weak ending’. Shakespeare’s most famous line has a weak ending:

To be, or not to be? That is the question.

The better part of valour is discretion.

di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum di

2) Trochaic substitution

Though an iamb is ‘di-dum’, a trochee is ‘dum-di’,

e.g. biscuit, reason; bathroom.

Replacing the first iamb with a trochee is known as ‘trochaic substitution’, e.g.,

Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself.

Now is the winter of our discontent.

dum-di di-dum di-dum di-dum di-dum.

VERSE VS PROSE

Not every line of Shakespeare’s work is written in iambic pentameter. Often he simply wrote in prose, albeit embellished with poetic qualities. It’s easy to tell the difference:

Verse: The first word of an iambic pentameter line is ALWAYS capitalised, even if it’s a continuation of a sentence from the previous line.

Prose: Prose lines are not capitalised, unless the norms of sentence structure require it.

RHYME

Shakespeare often uses rhyme to emphasise the poetics of the line, especially to signify the closing lines of a particular scene. Throughout these retellings, the rhyme structure is followed (although not always using the same word Shakespeare used to rhyme with.)

Characters

HAMLET

Hamlet is the son of slain King Hamlet, morose as he mourns the death of his father. He learns that his father was killed by his uncle Claudius, who has quickly married his mother. As he ponders how to avenge his father’s death, he edges towards madness, throwing his life into turmoil and harming those around him.

CLAUDIUS

Hamlet’s vile and scheming uncle, he quickly marries Hamlet’s mother after killing King Hamlet, his brother. Increasingly desperate at young Hamlet’s actions, he tries to retain power by quelling Hamlet’s increasingly erratic behaviour.

GERTRUDE

Hamlet’s mother, she quickly marries her former husband King Hamlet’s brother Claudius after her husband dies. Weak in her dealings, she tries to pacify Hamlet whilst remaining faithful to Claudius.

POLONIUS

King Claudius’s right hand man, father of Laertes and Ophelia, he strives to uncover the root cause of Hamlet’s wild behaviour, believing he is in love with Ophelia.

OPHELIA

Initially having a seemingly normal relationship with Hamlet, she is driven to distraction as Hamlet’s behaviour becomes less receptive and dismissive to her advances.

LAERTES

The son of Polonius, brother of Ophelia, Laertes leaves for Paris, only to return upon hearing of his father’s death. He vows revenge on Hamlet, amplified when his sister Ophelia drowns in madness.

HORATIO

Hamlet’s trusted friend, Horatio helps Hamlet make sense of the increasing madness of the world that seems to be consuming him.

ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN

Two foppish friends of Hamlet, they are summoned to Elsinore by the King and Queen to try to uncover the cause of Hamlet’s erratic behaviour. Hamlet quickly sees through them, losing faith in them as friends.

GHOST OF KING HAMLET

The apparition of Hamlet's deceased father, whose revelation of murder propels Hamlet into action.

FORTINBRAS

Prince of Norway, whose military ambitions parallel and contrast with Hamlet's internal struggles.

THE PLAYERS

A traveling troupe of actors who stage the play within the play, helping reveal Claudius’ guilt.

HAMLET

ACT 1

ACT 1, SCENE 1

ELSINORE. A PLATFORM BEFORE THE CASTLE.

[FRANCISCO AT HIS POST. ENTER TO HIM BERNARDO]

BERNARDO

Who's there?

Who’s there?

FRANCISCO

Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself.

No, answer me! Stop there! Take off your hood!

BERNARDO

Long live the king!

God Save the King!

FRANCISCO

Bernardo?

Bernardo?

BERNARDO

He.

Yep.

FRANCISCO

You come most carefully upon your hour.

Good on you: you’ve arrived slap-bang on time.

BERNARDO

'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.

It’s gone midnight; bedtime for you, Francisco.

FRANCISCO

For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold,

My thanks for swapping; it is freezing here,

And I am sick at heart.

And I have lost the will to live.

BERNARDO

Have you had quiet guard?

Has it been still tonight?

FRANCISCO

Not a mouse stirring.

Quiet as a mouse.

BERNARDO

Well, good night.

Well, night then.

If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,

Hey, if you see Horatio and Marcellus,

The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.

My fellow guards, tell them to hurry up.

FRANCISCO

I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who's there?

Wait up, this might be them. Stop! Who goes there?

[ENTER HORATIO AND MARCELLUS]

HORATIO

Friends to this ground.

Two good comrades.

MARCELLUS

And liegemen to the Dane.

Defending Denmark’s king.

FRANCISCO

Give you good night.

I’m off to bed.

MARCELLUS

O, farewell, honest soldier:

Sleep tight, determined soldier.

Who hath relieved you?  

Who’s replaced you?

FRANCISCO

Bernardo has my place.

Bernardo’s standing guard.

Give you good night.

Goodnight, God bless.

[EXIT]

MARCELLUS

Holla! Bernardo!

Evenin’, Bernardo!

BERNARDO

Say,

Say,

What, is Horatio there?

Horatio—you’ve shown up!

HORATIO

A piece of him.

What’s left of me.

BERNARDO

Welcome, Horatio: welcome, good Marcellus.

Well, welcome both, Horatio and Marcellus.

MARCELLUS

What, has this thing appeared again to-night?

Now, has that apparition reappeared?

BERNARDO

I have seen nothing.

Not that I’ve seen.

MARCELLUS

Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy,

Horatio thinks we’ve both gone ’round the bend

And will not let belief take hold of him

And won’t believe a single word we say

Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us:

About that ghastly sight we’ve witnessed twice.

Therefore I have entreated him along

I thought it best, therefore, to bring him here

With us to watch the minutes of this night;

And sit with us throughout this drawn-out night,

That if again this apparition come,

So, if it comes again, just as before,

He may approve our eyes and speak to it.

He’ll see it for himself and speak to it.

HORATIO

Tush, tush, 'twill not appear.

Be quiet! It won’t appear.

BERNARDO

Sit down awhile;

Pull up a chair

And let us once again assail your ears,

And listen as we tell you, once again,

That are so fortified against our story

The truth, that you’re determined not to hear,

What we have two nights seen.

About this thing twice seen.

HORATIO

Well, sit we down,

OK, let’s sit

And let us hear Bernardo speak of this.

And listen to Bernardo’s ghoulish tale.

BERNARDO

Last night of all,

Well, just last night,

When yond same star that's westward from the pole

When that North Star shone brightly to the west,

Had made his course to illume that part of heaven

Traversing through the sky, lighting the way

Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,

To where it’s shining now, Marcellus and I,

The bell then beating one,--

Heard the clock strike one…

[ENTER GHOST]

MARCELLUS

Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again!

Shut up! Look over there! It comes again!

BERNARDO

In the same figure, like the king that's dead.

It looks just like the corpse of our dead king.

MARCELLUS

Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio.

You’re brainy—speak to it, Horatio!

BERNARDO

Looks it not like the king? Mark it, Horatio.

It’s like the king, right? See, Horatio!

HORATIO

Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder.

It’s just like him. I’m terrified but stunned!

BERNARDO

It would be spoke to.

It wants to banter.

MARCELLUS

Question it, Horatio.

Question it, Horatio!

HORATIO

What art thou that usurp'st this time of night,

What are you, in this dreadful hour of night,

Together with that fair and warlike form

In splendid military regalia

In which the majesty of buried Denmark

Worn by the now departed king of Denmark

Did sometimes march? By heaven I charge thee, speak!

In battle sometimes? Speak up, I say! Speak!

MARCELLUS

It is offended.

You hurt its feelings.

BERNARDO

See, it stalks away!

Look, it’s shuffling off!

HORATIO

Stay! Speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!

Wait! Talk to us, I tell you! Talk to us!

[EXIT GHOST]

MARCELLUS

'Tis gone, and will not answer.

He’s left, with nothing uttered.

BERNARDO

How now, Horatio! You tremble and look pale:

You see, Horatio! You’re shaking and all pasty.

Is not this something more than fantasy?

Don’t you believe that’s more than an illusion?

What think you on't?

What do you think?

HORATIO

Before my God, I might not this believe

I swear to God, I never would believe this

Without the sensible and true avouch

Without the concrete proof and confirmation

Of mine own eyes.

Of my own eyes.

MARCELLUS

Is it not like the king?

The image of the king?

HORATIO

As thou art to thyself:

Just as you look like you.

Such was the very armour he had on

He wore a carbon copy suit of armour

When he the ambitious Norway combated;

As when he fought the firebrand King of Norway;

So frowned he once, when, in an angry parle,

He even scowled, just like he did when fighting

He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.

Those Polish, drawn by huskies on the ice.

'Tis strange.

How weird.

MARCELLUS

Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour,

And twice before, precisely at this time,

With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch.

He saunters past our military post.

HORATIO

In what particular thought to work I know not;

I’ve no idea why this may be occurring;

But in the gross and scope of my opinion,

But, honestly, in my humble opinion,

This bodes some strange eruption to our state.

I fear our country’s on the edge of turmoil.

MARCELLUS

Good now, sit down, and tell me, he that knows,

Alright, sit down and tell me, if you can,

Why this same strict and most observant watch

Why is our diligent and tireless watch

So nightly toils the subject of the land,

Repeated all across our land each night?

And why such daily cast of brazen cannon,

And by each day, why forge cannons of brass

And foreign mart for implements of war;

And buy artillery from foreign shores?

Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore task

Why do we work our shipwrights to the bone

Does not divide the Sunday from the week;

To build our navy, seven days a week?

What might be toward, that this sweaty haste

What’s going on, that everyone must slog

Doth make the night joint-labourer with the day:

All day and night without the slightest rest?

Who is't that can inform me?

Can anyone explain this?

HORATIO

That can I;

Yes, I can.

At least, the whisper goes so. Our last king,

At least, I’ll share the rumours. Our late king,

Whose image even but now appeared to us,

Whose image we just saw with our own eyes,

Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway,

Was, by the King of Norway, Fortinbras,

Thereto pricked on by a most emulate pride,

Both driven by the selfish pride of rivals,

Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet--

Challenged to fight; then our courageous Hamlet—

For so this side of our known world esteemed him--

As everyone of us thus viewed our king—

Did slay this Fortinbras; who by a sealed compact,

Did slaughter Fortinbras; he’d made a deal,

Well ratified by law and heraldry,

Joint rubber-stamped in noble legalese,

Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands

To give up, on his death, all of his lands

Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror:

That he possessed to his triumphant foe.

Against the which, a moiety competent

Conversely, a commensurate piece of land

Was gaged by our king; which had returned

Was wagered by our king, which he would cede

To the inheritance of Fortinbras,

To Fortinbras of Norway’s own estate

Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same covenant,

Had he been killed. And, therefore, by this deal,

And carriage of the article designed,

In strict accordance with the contract terms,

His fell to Hamlet. Now, sir, young Fortinbras,

Our Hamlet won. But then, young Fortinbras,

Of unimproved mettle hot and full,

Hot-headed, inexperienced but bold,

Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there

Scoured the distant hinterlands of Norway,

Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes,

Gathering a rough-cut bag of thugs

For food and diet, to some enterprise

As cannon fodder for the pending war

That hath a stomach in't; which is no other--

Which needed soldiers, for a battle which—

As it doth well appear unto our state--

It’s clear to everyone within our state—

But to recover of us, by strong hand

He’d try to win back, by the use of force

And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands

And breaching contract terms, those former lands

So by his father lost: and this, I take it,

His father abdicated. I believe

Is the main motive of our preparations,

This is the reason we prepare for war;

The source of this our watch and the chief head

The motive for our watch; and explanation

Of this post-haste and romage in the land.

Of all the pressured work within our land.

BERNARDO

I think it be no other but e'en so:

I think it can’t be any other cause.

Well may it sort that this portentous figure

It seems so fitting this prophetic figure

Comes armed through our watch; so like the king

Appears in armour here, just like our king.

That was and is the question of these wars.

And that’s these pending wars’ justification.

HORATIO

A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye.

There’s something nagging in my troubled mind.

In the most high and palmy state of Rome,

Back in the booming, balmy days of Rome,

A little ere the mightiest Julius fell,

Not long before the Emperor Caesar’s death,

The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead

The dead rose—zombie-like—from buried graves

Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets:

And squealed and groaned throughout the Roman streets,

As stars with trains of fire and dews of blood,

Whilst comets filled the blood-red evening skies,

Disasters in the sun; and the moist star

As sun erupted; and the waxing moon,

Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands

That normally controls the ocean tides,

Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse:

Appeared apocalyptically eclipsed.

And even the like precurse of fierce events,

Now, just like then, we’re warned of dreadful times,

As harbingers preceding still the fates

With premonitions threatening our fate

And prologue to the omen coming on,

And words predicting imminent turmoil,

Have heaven and earth together demonstrated

As though heaven and earth are demonstrating

Unto our climatures and countrymen.--

This message to our fellow countrymen.

But soft, behold! Lo, where it comes again!

But, quiet! Look out! It’s coming back again!

[RE-ENTER GHOST]

I'll cross it, though it blast me. Stay, illusion!

I’ll make a cross for safety! Wait there, ghost!

If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,

If you can make a sound, or better, talk,

Speak to me:

Speak to me!

If there be any good thing to be done,

If there’s a generous deed that must be done

That may to thee do ease and grace to me,

To bring you peace, and thereby honour me,

Speak to me:

Speak to me!

[COCK CROWS]

If thou art privy to thy country's fate,

If you are privy to your country’s fate,

Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, O, speak!

Which, if I knew, could be averted, speak!

Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life

Or if, when living, you have left behind

Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,

A buried treasure in a hidden place,

For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,

Which myth says keeps the spirit-world alive,

Speak of it: stay, and speak! Stop it, Marcellus.

Then tell me! Stay and speak! Stop it, Marcellus!

MARCELLUS

Shall I strike at it with my partisan?

Well, shall I stab it with my rapier?

HORATIO

Do, if it will not stand.

Yes, if it tries to leave.

BERNARDO

'Tis here!

It’s here!

HORATIO

'Tis here!

It’s there!

MARCELLUS

'Tis gone!

It’s gone!

[EXIT GHOST]

We do it wrong, being so majestical,

That was an error, for it looked so regal,

To offer it the show of violence;

And thus we shouldn’t show it violence;

For it is, as the air, invulnerable,

Besides, it can’t be touched, for it’s thin air!

And our vain blows malicious mockery.

Our futile stabs were vacuous and mean.

BERNARDO

It was about to speak, when the cock crew.

It almost spoke, but then the rooster crowed.

HORATIO

And then it started like a guilty thing

And when it did, it quickly slunk away

Upon a fearful summons. I have heard,

Appearing panic-stricken. Rumour has it,

The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn,

The rooster, he that crows to mark the dawn,

Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat

Does, with his raucous cock-a-doodle-do,

Awake the god of day; and, at his warning,

Wake up the god of day; and when he does,

Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,

Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air,

The extravagant and erring spirit hies

The earthly wandering spirit scurries off

To his confine: and of the truth herein

To hide himself; and just to prove this point,

This present object made probation.

This thing we’ve seen just did precisely that.

MARCELLUS

It faded on the crowing of the cock.

It faded at the rooster’s morning call.

Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes

Some say that when the yuletide is approaching,

Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,

Whereby we celebrate Lord Jesus’ birth,

The bird of dawning singeth all night long:

The morning rooster crows from dusk till dawn,

And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad;

Preventing, so they say, spirits from rising;

The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike,

Those nights are pure; astrology is neutered;

No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,

And fairies have no power, nor witches too.

So hallowed and so gracious is the time.

That is a heavenly and sacred time.

HORATIO

So have I heard and do in part believe it.

I’ve heard that too, and partly I believe it.

But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad,

Look over there, the glowing copper sun

Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastward hill:

Is rising over that damp hill out east.

Break we our watch up; and by my advice,

Let’s pack up now; but I must recommend

Let us impart what we have seen to-night

That we report what we have seen tonight

Unto young Hamlet; for, upon my life,

To the young Hamlet; for I bet my life

This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.

This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him.

Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it,

Do you agree that we should let him know,

As needful in our loves, fitting our duty?

As friends of his? It is our obligation!

MARCELLUS

Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning know

Yes, let’s. And as it’s morning, I am sure

Where we shall find him most conveniently.

Where we will find him, so let’s head there now.

[EXEUNT]

ACT 1, SCENE 2

A ROOM OF STATE IN THE CASTLE.

[ENTER KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, LORDS, AND ATTENDANTS]

KING CLAUDIUS

Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death

Despite that our dear brother Hamlet’s death

The memory be green, and that it us befitted

Lives fresh within our minds, and it seems right

To bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom

To grieve in public as the public grieve

To be contracted in one brow of woe,

Together in an outpouring of pain,

Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature

We must think rationally, despite emotions

That we with wisest sorrow think on him,

That make us sad as we remember him,

Together with remembrance of ourselves.

But think not just of him, but of ourselves.

Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen,

So, my sister-in-law, and now our queen,

The imperial jointress to this warlike state,

Who jointly rules our military nation,

Have we, as 'twere with a defeated joy,--

Has—with a blend of sadness and delight,

With an auspicious and a dropping eye,

With eyes of mixed emotion, bright but wistful,

With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage,

That shine at funerals, but, at weddings, mourn,

In equal scale weighing delight and dole,--

In equal measure, glad and melancholy—

Taken to wife: nor have we herein barred

Is now my wife. And we have not ignored

Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone

Your wise advice, which openly supported

With this affair along. For all, our thanks.

Our love affair throughout. For that, our thanks.

Now follows, that you know, young Fortinbras,

But now, as you’re aware, young Fortinbras,

Holding a weak supposal of our worth,

Who seemingly believes we’re rather weak,

Or thinking by our late dear brother's death

Or, thinking that because our brother’s died,

Our state to be disjoint and out of frame,

We’re in a state of disarray and chaos,

Colleagued with the dream of his advantage,

And coupled with belief his army’s stronger,

He hath not failed to pester us with message,

Continues pestering us with messages

Importing the surrender of those lands

About surrendering the territory

Lost by his father, with all bonds of law,

His father lost, all fair and square in law,

To our most valiant brother. So much for him.

To our courageous brother. What a fool!

Now for ourself and for this time of meeting:

Reverting to ourselves and why we’re here,

Thus much the business is: we have here writ

This is today’s agenda: we have written

To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras,--

To Fortinbras’s old Norwegian uncle—

Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears

Who’s impotent, bedridden, barely hearing

Of this his nephew's purpose,--to suppress

Of what his nephew plans—to ask he quells

His further gait herein; in that the levies,

His further plans and progress, for the cost,

The lists and full proportions, are all made

The work, and vast equipment all are made

Out of his subject: and we here dispatch

From his own people; and so now we send

You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltimand,

Cornelius and Voltimand, good men,

For bearers of this greeting to old Norway;

To share this message with the old Norwegian;

Giving to you no further personal power

You have no more authority yourselves

To business with the king, more than the scope

In doing business with the king, except

Of these delated articles allow.

As predefined in these formal agreements.

Farewell, and let your haste commend your duty.

Goodbye, and hurry on, as is your duty.

CORNELIUS & VOLTIMAND

In that and all things will we show our duty.

We will, as always, carry out our duty.

KING CLAUDIUS

We doubt it nothing: heartily farewell.

We do not doubt it! Now, a fond farewell.

[EXEUNT VOLTIMAND AND CORNELIUS]

And now, Laertes, what's the news with you?

And now, Laertes, what’s the news with you?

You told us of some suit; what is't, Laertes?

You’ve something to discuss: what’s up, Laertes?

You cannot speak of reason to the Dane,

The words you speak to me, the King of Denmark,

And loose your voice: what wouldst thou beg, Laertes,

Are never wasted. What is it, Laertes,

That shall not be my offer, not thy asking?

That I’ve not offered you before you’ve asked?

The head is not more native to the heart,

The head and heart are not more integrated,

The hand more instrumental to the mouth,

The hand and mouth are not more tightly knit,

Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.

Than is the King of Denmark to your father.

What wouldst thou have, Laertes?

What do you want, Laertes?

LAERTES

My dread lord,

My dear lord,

Your leave and favour to return to France;

Your kind permission to return to France;

From whence though willingly I came to Denmark,

I came from there with pleasure back to Denmark

To show my duty in your coronation,

To dutifully attend your coronation,

Yet now, I must confess, that duty done,

But now, I must confess, with duty served,

My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France

My thoughts and wishes draw me back to France,

And bow them to your gracious leave and pardon.

And so I kindly ask you let me go.

KING CLAUDIUS

Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius?

Have you permission from your dad? Polonius?

LORD POLONIUS

He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave

He does, my lord, but with a slow reluctance

By laboursome petition, and at last

He ground me down, and so eventually,

Upon his will I sealed my hard consent:

As was his wish, I gave him my consent:

I do beseech you, give him leave to go.

And so I ask you grant his wish to leave.

KING CLAUDIUS

Take thy fair hour, Laertes; time be thine,

Go when you like, Laertes; it’s your time,

And thy best graces spend it at thy will!

So do the best you can with time you have!

But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son,--

But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son…

HAMLET

[Aside]

A little more than kin, and less than kind.

Freshly related, not related well.

KING CLAUDIUS

How is it that the clouds still hang on you?

Why is it you remain constantly gloomy?

HAMLET

Not so, my lord; I am too much i' the sun.

Not true, my lord; I’m always in the sun.

QUEEN GERTRUDE

Good Hamlet, cast thy nighted colour off,

Remove, dear Hamlet, your black mourning clothes

And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark.

And look like you’re a friend of Denmark’s king.

Do not for ever with thy vailed lids

Don’t permanently stare