The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [680]
Upon some stubborn and uncourteous parts
We had conceiv'd against him. Maria writ
The letter, at Sir Toby's great importance,
In recompense whereof he hath married her.
How with a sportful malice it was follow'd
May rather pluck on laughter than revenge,
If that the injuries be justly weigh'd
That have on both sides pass'd.
OLIVIA.
Alas, poor fool, how have they baffl'd thee!
CLOWN.
Why, 'Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some
have greatness thrown upon them.' I was one, sir, in this
interlude- one Sir Topas, sir; but that's all one. 'By the Lord,
fool, I am not mad!' But do you remember- 'Madam, why laugh you
at such a barren rascal? An you smile not, he's gagg'd'? And thus
the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.
MALVOLIO.
I'll be reveng'd on the whole pack of you.
Exit
OLIVIA. He hath been most notoriously abus'd.
DUKE.
Pursue him, and entreat him to a peace;
He hath not told us of the captain yet.
When that is known, and golden time convents,
A solemn combination shall be made
Of our dear souls. Meantime, sweet sister,
We will not part from hence. Cesario, come;
For so you shall be while you are a man;
But when in other habits you are seen,
Orsino's mistress, and his fancy's queen.
Exeunt all but the CLOWN
CLOWN sings
When that I was and a little tiny boy,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
A foolish thing was but a toy,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came to man's estate,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came, alas! to wive,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
By swaggering could I never thrive,
For the rain it raineth every day.
But when I came unto my beds,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
With toss-pots still had drunken heads,
For the rain it raineth every day.
A great while ago the world begun,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But that's all one, our play is done,
And we'll strive to please you every day.
Exit
HAMLET
This famous tragedy was written between 1599 and 1601 and is set in the Kingdom of Denmark, recounting how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius for murdering his father, the previous King. The play vividly deals with many forms of madness and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest and moral corruption, to name but a few.
Shakespeare based Hamlet on the legend of Amleth, preserved by 13th-century chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum as subsequently retold by 16th-century scholar François de Belleforest. He may have also drawn on an earlier Elizabethan play known today as the Ur-Hamlet. The title role was likely created for Richard Burbage, the leading tragedian of Shakespeare's time. In the four hundred years since, it has been performed by highly acclaimed actors and actresses from each successive age. It is considered by many actors to be the most challenging role to perform, the achievement of which could be called the pinnacle of an actor’s career.
Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and regarded as one of the most powerful and influential tragedies in the English language. The immortal line “To be or not to be”, as Hamlet considers suicide, has leant to the play’s immense fame. The story has inspired countless film, TV and operatic versions, influencing writers of many nations over the centuries.
One of Shakespeare's main source texts for this play is available via this link.
Title page of the 1605 Quarto
CONTENTS
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ACT I. Scene I. Elsinore. A platform before the Castle.
Scene II. Elsinore. A room of state in the Castle.
Scene III. Elsinore. A room in the house of Polonius.
Scene IV. Elsinore. The platform before the Castle.
Scene V. Elsinore. The Castle. Another part of the fortifications.
Act II. Scene I. Elsinore. A room in the house of Polonius.
Scene II. Elsinore. A room in the Castle.
ACT III. Scene I. Elsinore. A room in the Castle.
Scene II. Elsinore. hall in the Castle.
Scene III. A