Act 1
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Wherein we saw thee quietly interred,
Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws
To cast thee up again. What may this mean,
55That thou, dead corse, again in complete steel
Revisits thus the glimpses of the moon,
Making night hideous and we fools of nature,
So horridly to shake our disposition
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls?
60Say why is this? Wherefore? What should we do?
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where we quietly buried you, has opened up its heavy marble jaws
to spit you out again. What could it mean that you have put on your
armor again, you corpse, and have come back to look at the moon,
making the night terrifying and stirring us humans with supernatural
fears? Why? What do you want from us? What should we do?
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GHOST beckons
HAMLET
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The GHOST motions for
HAMLET to come with it.
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HORATIO It beckons you to go away with it,
As if it some impartment did desire
To you alone.
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HORATIO It wants you to go off with it, as if it wants to tell you
something alone.
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MARCELLUS Look, with what courteous action
It waves you to a more removèd ground.
65But do not go with it.
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MARCELLUS Look how politely it’s pointing you to a place
that’s farther away. But don’t go.
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HORATIO No, by no means.
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HORATIO Definitely not.
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HAMLET It will not speak. Then I will follow it.
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HAMLET It’s not going to speak, so I’ll follow
it.
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HORATIO Do not, my lord.
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HORATIO Don’t do it, sir.
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HAMLET Why, what should be the fear?
I do not set my life in a pin’s fee,
And for my soul—what can it do to that,
70Being a thing immortal as itself?
It waves me forth again. I’ll follow it.
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HAMLET Why, what’s the danger? I don’t value my
life one bit. And as for my soul, how can the ghost endanger that,
since it’s as immortal as the ghost is? Look,
it’s waving me over again. I’ll follow
it.
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HORATIO What if it tempt you toward the flood, my lord,
Or to the dreadful summit of the cliff
That beetles o'er his base into the sea,
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HORATIO What if it tempts you to jump into the sea, sir? Or to the
terrifying cliff that overhangs the water,
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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
