Hamlet: Act 4, Scene II
O HAI I BET YOU THOUGHT YOU'D SEEN THE LAST OF THESE. But no, I want to finish Hamlet at least. I tend to come back to Shakespeare every spring, so possibly that is when I will pick up with a new play. But for the moment, we're a little more than half through this one, so onwards!
Previous posts:
First Act:
Scene I: The Crazy Occult Forays of Marcellus and Horatio.
Scene II: Claudius is the villain, but he's still hotter than you.
Scene III: Ophelia's virginity is a national treasure. Just ask her dad and brother.
Scene IV: That a ghoooooooooost?
Scene V: "'Who's your daddy?' Now that's just inappropriate."
Second Act:
Scene I: Happy families are all alike---they're totally fucked up.
Scene II--Part One: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are creepy. and Part Two: Hamlet was a high school drama geek.
Third Act:
Scene I: Hamlet and Ophelia get couple's counseling, Elsinore style.
Scene II: But what he really wants to do is direct.
Scene III: Claudius isn't just hot---he's got depth!
Scene IV: In which Hamlet completely loses his shit.
Fourth Act:
Scene I: Gertrude and Claudius make flaily gestures.
HAMLET
Safely stowed.
I can just see him making a little hand-dusting gesture. Does he actually think he can conceal Polonius's death indefinitely, with his mother having witnessed it? An interesting question---I guess it would depend on how mad you think he is.
ROSENCRANTZ: GUILDENSTERN:
[Within] Hamlet! Lord Hamlet!
HAMLET
What noise? who calls on Hamlet?
O, here they come.
I always read "o, here they come" as a kind of groaning aside that's part irritation, part relief.
Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
ROSENCRANTZ
What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?
HAMLET
Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin.
In the Branagh Hamlet, Timothy Spall is all huffed and puffed in this scene, and it's the first time you begin to see how thoroughly Claudius' creature he's become---he's lost most of his earlier comradeship with Hamlet and has begun to bristle over Hamlet's antics with an almost parental indignation. Which Hamlet sees right through, naturally, and so begins this long riddling session that isn't too disturbing until you make yourself remember, Polonius has been dead about two minutes.
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.
I go back and forth on this line, but I think Hamlet briefly loses patience with his ruse, like in the "easier to be played upon than a pipe" scene earlier.
Besides, to be demanded of a sponge! what
replication should be made by the son of a king?
Quite possibly it is, yes, his actual ego, rather than his grief or his anger that CAN NO LONGER BE CONTAINED!!! Princes are not nursemaided by royal stoolies. He breaks the cover of madness long enough to let his feelings on this point be understood. Because Hamlet ALWAYS has his priorities in order.
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.
'Scuz you're stupid. I love that speech of Hamlet's. The tongue-wagging in this scene is like a tennis match, and then suddenly you run smack into the wall of that amazing image with the king as an ape.
HAMLET
I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a
foolish ear.
Hamlet is Dumbledore, basically. He can have as much fun with people around him as he likes, because he knows no one will understand him, or if they do will put it down to him not being normal. Brilliant people have this trait in common.
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.
That last line about the fox, I confess, defeats me. Anybody with annotations want to step up?
Exeunt
Tomorrow, Act 4 Scene III. Hamlet---the people's prince.
Previous posts:
First Act:
Scene I: The Crazy Occult Forays of Marcellus and Horatio.
Scene II: Claudius is the villain, but he's still hotter than you.
Scene III: Ophelia's virginity is a national treasure. Just ask her dad and brother.
Scene IV: That a ghoooooooooost?
Scene V: "'Who's your daddy?' Now that's just inappropriate."
Second Act:
Scene I: Happy families are all alike---they're totally fucked up.
Scene II--Part One: Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are creepy. and Part Two: Hamlet was a high school drama geek.
Third Act:
Scene I: Hamlet and Ophelia get couple's counseling, Elsinore style.
Scene II: But what he really wants to do is direct.
Scene III: Claudius isn't just hot---he's got depth!
Scene IV: In which Hamlet completely loses his shit.
Fourth Act:
Scene I: Gertrude and Claudius make flaily gestures.
HAMLET
Safely stowed.
I can just see him making a little hand-dusting gesture. Does he actually think he can conceal Polonius's death indefinitely, with his mother having witnessed it? An interesting question---I guess it would depend on how mad you think he is.
ROSENCRANTZ: GUILDENSTERN:
[Within] Hamlet! Lord Hamlet!
HAMLET
What noise? who calls on Hamlet?
O, here they come.
I always read "o, here they come" as a kind of groaning aside that's part irritation, part relief.
Enter ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN
ROSENCRANTZ
What have you done, my lord, with the dead body?
HAMLET
Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin.
In the Branagh Hamlet, Timothy Spall is all huffed and puffed in this scene, and it's the first time you begin to see how thoroughly Claudius' creature he's become---he's lost most of his earlier comradeship with Hamlet and has begun to bristle over Hamlet's antics with an almost parental indignation. Which Hamlet sees right through, naturally, and so begins this long riddling session that isn't too disturbing until you make yourself remember, Polonius has been dead about two minutes.
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.
I go back and forth on this line, but I think Hamlet briefly loses patience with his ruse, like in the "easier to be played upon than a pipe" scene earlier.
Besides, to be demanded of a sponge! what
replication should be made by the son of a king?
Quite possibly it is, yes, his actual ego, rather than his grief or his anger that CAN NO LONGER BE CONTAINED!!! Princes are not nursemaided by royal stoolies. He breaks the cover of madness long enough to let his feelings on this point be understood. Because Hamlet ALWAYS has his priorities in order.
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.
'Scuz you're stupid. I love that speech of Hamlet's. The tongue-wagging in this scene is like a tennis match, and then suddenly you run smack into the wall of that amazing image with the king as an ape.
HAMLET
I am glad of it: a knavish speech sleeps in a
foolish ear.
Hamlet is Dumbledore, basically. He can have as much fun with people around him as he likes, because he knows no one will understand him, or if they do will put it down to him not being normal. Brilliant people have this trait in common.
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.
That last line about the fox, I confess, defeats me. Anybody with annotations want to step up?
Exeunt
Tomorrow, Act 4 Scene III. Hamlet---the people's prince.