Hamlet - Act 4 - Scene 2

A+ A-
Print Email
https://shakespeareswork.blogspot.com/2014/03/hamlet-act-4-scene-2.html
SCENE II. Another room in the castle.

    Enter HAMLET

HAMLET

    Safely stowed.

ROSENCRANTZ: GUILDENSTERN:

    [Within] Hamlet! Lord Hamlet!

HAMLET

    What noise? who calls on Hamlet?
    O, here they come.

    Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN

ROSENCRANTZ

    What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?

HAMLET

    Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin.

ROSENCRANTZ

    Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence
    And bear it to the chapel.

HAMLET

    Do not believe it.

ROSENCRANTZ

    Believe what?

HAMLET

    That I can keep your counsel and not mine own.
    Besides, to be demanded of a sponge! what
    replication should be made by the son of a king?

ROSENCRANTZ

    Take you me for a sponge, my lord?

HAMLET

    Ay, sir, that soaks up the king's countenance, his
    rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the
    king best service in the end: he keeps them, like
    an ape, in the corner of his jaw; first mouthed, to
    be last swallowed: when he needs what you have
    gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge, you
    shall be dry again.

ROSENCRANTZ

    I understand you not, my lord.

HAMLET

    I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a
    foolish ear.

ROSENCRANTZ

    My lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go
    with us to the king.

HAMLET

    The body is with the king, but the king is not with
    the body. The king is a thing--

GUILDENSTERN

    A thing, my lord!

HAMLET

    Of nothing: bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after.

    Exeunt

Related

Hamlet 8800052210931305846
Newer Post Older Post Home item

Tabs

Weakly Top

  • Coriolanus - Act 4 - Scene 3
    SCENE III. A highway between Rome and Antium.     Enter a Roman and a Volsce, meeting Roman     I know you well, sir, and you know     me: ...
  • Coriolanus - Act 1 - Scene 8
    SCENE VIII. A field of battle.     Alarum as in battle. Enter, from opposite sides, MARCIUS and AUFIDIUS MARCIUS     I'll fight with no...
  • Romeo and Juliet - Act 4 - Scene 4
    SCENE IV. Hall in Capulet's house.     Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse LADY CAPULET     Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurs...
  • King Lear - Act 4 - Scene 4
    SCENE IV. The same. A tent.     Enter, with drum and colours, CORDELIA, Doctor, and Soldiers CORDELIA     Alack, 'tis he: why, he was m...
  • Timon of Athens - Act 4 - Scene 2
    SCENE II. Athens. A room in Timon's house.     Enter FLAVIUS, with two or three Servants First Servant     Hear you, master steward, wh...
  • Antony and Cleopatra - Act 3 - Scene 3
    SCENE III. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace.     Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS CLEOPATRA     Where is the fellow? ALEXAS   ...
  • Julies Caesar - Act 4 - Scene 2
    SCENE II. Camp near Sardis. Before BRUTUS's tent.     Drum. Enter BRUTUS, LUCILIUS, LUCIUS, and Soldiers; TITINIUS and PINDARUS meeting...
  • Macbeth - Act 4 - Scene 2
    SCENE II. Fife. Macduff's castle.     Enter LADY MACDUFF, her Son, and ROSS LADY MACDUFF     What had he done, to make him fly the land...
  • Timon of Athens - Act 3 - Scene 3
    SCENE III. A room in Sempronius' house.     Enter SEMPRONIUS, and a Servant of TIMON's SEMPRONIUS     Must he needs trouble me in ...
  • Richard III - Act 3 - Scene 3
    SCENE III. Pomfret Castle.     Enter RATCLIFF, with halberds, carrying RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN to death RATCLIFF     Come, bring forth th...

Monthly Top

  • King Lear - Act 4 - Scene 4
    SCENE IV. The same. A tent.     Enter, with drum and colours, CORDELIA, Doctor, and Soldiers CORDELIA     Alack, 'tis he: why, he was m...
  • Troilus and Cressida - William Shakespeare
    "Troilus and Cressida" is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was also described by Fred...
  • Timon of Athens - Act 3 - Scene 3
    SCENE III. A room in Sempronius' house.     Enter SEMPRONIUS, and a Servant of TIMON's SEMPRONIUS     Must he needs trouble me in ...
  • Richard III - Act 3 - Scene 3
    SCENE III. Pomfret Castle.     Enter RATCLIFF, with halberds, carrying RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN to death RATCLIFF     Come, bring forth th...
  • Julies Caesar - Act 5 - Scene 4
    SCENE IV. Another part of the field.     Alarum. Enter fighting, Soldiers of both armies; then BRUTUS, CATO, LUCILIUS, and others BRUTUS   ...
  • Julies Caesar - Act 4 - Scene 1
    SCENE I. A house in Rome.     ANTONY, OCTAVIUS, and LEPIDUS, seated at a table ANTONY     These many, then, shall die; their names ar...
  • Macbeth - Act 2 - Scene 4
    SCENE IV. Outside Macbeth's castle.     Enter ROSS and an old Man Old Man     Threescore and ten I can remember well:     Within the vo...
  • Julies Caesar - Act 2 - Scene 4
    SCENE IV. Another part of the same street, before the house of BRUTUS.     Enter PORTIA and LUCIUS PORTIA     I prithee, boy, run to the se...
  • Timon of Athens - Act 2 - Scene 1
    SCENE I. A Senator's house.     Enter Senator, with papers in his hand Senator     And late, five thousand: to Varro and to Isidore    ...
  • Romeo and Juliet - Act 4 - Scene 4
    SCENE IV. Hall in Capulet's house.     Enter LADY CAPULET and Nurse LADY CAPULET     Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurs...
item