Act 2
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HAMLET
I will tell you why. So shall my anticipation prevent your
discovery, and your secrecy to the king and queen moult no
feather. I have of late—but wherefore I know
not—lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises, and indeed it
goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame,
the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most
excellent canopy, the air—look you, this brave
o'erhanging
firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden
fire—why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and
pestilent congregation of vapors. What a piece of work is a
man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form
and moving how express and admirable! In action how like
an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the
world. The paragon of animals. And yet, to me, what is this
quintessence of dust? Man delights not me. No, nor woman
neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so.
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HAMLET
I’ll tell you why—so you won’t
have to tell me and give away any
secrets you have with the king and queen. Recently, though I
don’t know why, I’ve lost all sense of fun,
stopped exercising—the whole world feels sterile and
empty. This beautiful canopy we call the sky—this
majestic roof decorated with golden sunlight—why,
it’s nothing more to me than disease-filled air. What a
perfect invention a human is, how noble in his capacity to reason,
how unlimited in thinking, how admirable in his shape and movement,
how angelic in action, how godlike in understanding!
There’s nothing more beautiful. We surpass all other
animals. And yet to me, what are we but dust? Men don’t
interest me. No—women neither, but you’re
smiling, so you must think they do.
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ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts.
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ROSENCRANTZ
My lord, I wasn’t thinking anything like that.
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HAMLET
Why did you laugh then, when I said “man delights not
me”?
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HAMLET
So why did you laugh when I said that men don’t
interest me?
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ROSENCRANTZ
To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what Lenten
entertainment the players shall receive from you. We coted
them on the way, and hither are they coming to offer you
service.
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ROSENCRANTZ
I was just thinking that if people don’t interest you,
you’ll be pretty bored by the actors on their way here.
We crossed paths with a drama company just a while ago, and
they’re coming to entertain you.
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HAMLET
300He that plays the king shall be welcome. His majesty shall
have tribute of me. The adventurous knight shall use his
foil and target, the lover shall not sigh gratis, the humorous
man shall end his part in peace, the clown shall make those
laugh whose lungs are tickle o' th' sear,
and the lady shall say her mind freely, or the blank verse shall halt for
’t. What
players are they?
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HAMLET
The one who plays the part of the king will be particularly
welcome. I’ll treat him like a real king. The adventurous
knight will wave around his sword and shield, the lover will be
rewarded for his sighs, the crazy character can rant all he wants,
the clown will make everybody laugh, and the lady character can say
whatever’s on her mind, or I’ll stop the play.
Which troupe is it?
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More Help
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Character List
CHARACTERS -
Hamlet: Character Analysis
CHARACTERS -
Plot Analysis
MAIN IDEAS -
Is Hamlet really mad?
MAIN IDEAS -
Quotes by Theme
QUOTES -
Themes
MAIN IDEAS -
Review Quiz
FURTHER STUDY
