es and mastering at last both itself and the world. He changes gradually under his creator's hands into a e great symbol; but in the second half of his life a superabundance of allegoric traits veils his individual humanity. It did not lie in Shakespeare's way to embody a being whose efforts, like Faust's, were directed towards experience, knowledge, perception of truth in general. Even when Shakespeare rises highest, he keeps nearer the earth. But none the less dear to us art thou, O Hamlet! and none the less valued and understood by the men of today. We love thee like a brother. Thy melancholy is ours, thy wrath is ours, thy contemptuous wit avenges us on those who fill the earth with their empty noise and are its masters. We know the depth of thy suffering when wrong and hypocrisy triumph, and oh! thy still deeper suffering on feeling that that nerve in thee is severed which should lead from thought to victorious action. To us, too, the voices of the mighty dead have spoken from the under-world. We, too, have seen our mother wrap the purple robe of power round the murderer of the majesty of buried Denmark.' We, too, have been betrayed by the friends of our youth; for us, too, have swords been dipped in poison. How well do we know that graveyard mood in which disgust and sorrow for all earthly things seize upon the soul! The breath from open graves has set us, too, dreaming with a skull in our hands! PRINCE OF DENMARK. PERSONS REPRESENTED. CLAUDIUS, king of Denmark. HAMLET, Son to the late, and nephew to the present king. POLONIUS, lord chamberlain. HORATIO, friend to Hamlet. LAERTES, Son to Polonius. FRANCISCO, a soldier. REYNALDO, servant to Polonius. Two CLOWNS, grave-diggers. FORTINBRAS, prince of Norway. A CAPTAIN. ENGLISH AMBASSADORS. GERTRUDE, queen of Denmark, and mother to Hamlet. OPHELIA, daughter to Polonius. Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants. Ghost of Hamlet's Father. Scene-Denmark. FRAN. Nay, answer me: stand, and unfold yourself. BER. Long live the king! FRAN. Bernardo ? BER. He. FRAN. You come most carefully upon your hour. BER. 'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco. FRAN. For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold, And I am sick at heart. BER. Have you had quiet guard? FRAN. BER. Well, good night. Not a mouse stirring. If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste. FRAN. I think I hear them. Stand, ho! Who's there? Enter HORATIO and MARCELLUS. HOR. Friends to this ground. FRAN. Give you good night. Who hath relieved you? FRAN. And liegemen to the Dane. O, farewell, honest soldier: Give you good night. Bernardo has my place. [Exit. BER. Welcome, Horatio: welcome, good Marcellus. MAR. What, has this thing appear'd again to-night? BER. I have seen nothing. MAR. Horatio says 'tis but our fantasy, And will not let belief take hold of him Touching this dreaded sight, twice seen of us : With us to watch the minutes of this night; He may approve our eyes and speak to it. Sit down awhile; BER. What we have two nights seen. HOR. Well, sit we down, And let us hear Bernardo speak of this. BER. Last night of all, When yond same star that's westward from the pole Had made his course to illume that part of heaven Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself, The bell then beating one, Enter Ghost. MAR. Peace, break thee off; look, where it comes again! BER. In the same figure, like the king that's dead. MAR. Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio. BER. Looks it not like the king? mark it, Horatio. HOR. Most like: it harrows me with fear and wonder. BER. It would be spoke to. MAR. Question it, Horatio. HOR. What art thou that usurp'st this time of night, Together with that fair and warlike form In which the majesty of buried Denmark Did sometimes march? by heaven I charge thee, MAR. It is offended. [speak! See, it stalks away! HOR. Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak! [Exit Ghost. MAR. 'Tis gone, and will not answer. BER. How now, Horatio! you tremble and look pale: |