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HamletPlease see the bottom of the page for full explanatory notes and helpful resources.
Next: Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 1 _______ Explanatory Notes for Act 4, Scene 7 From Hamlet, prince of Denmark. Ed. K. Deighton. London: Macmillan. ______ 1. Now must ... seal, after what you have heard, you can no longer fail to acquit me of all complicity in your father's death; for seal, see note on i. 2. 60. 2. And you ... friend, nor can you help heartily recognizing me as a friend. 3. Sith, see note on ii. 2. 6; knowing, intelligent. 5. It well appears, it appears plain. 6. proceeded not, took no action to punish: feats, deeds. 7. crimeful, full of crime, desperately criminal: capital, heinous. 8. 9. As by ... up, as by all considerations of your own safety, of what wisdom dictated, and everything else, you were so strongly prompted to do. 10. unsinew'd, to have no force in them. 12. by his looks, on his looks; on the sight of him. 13. be ... which, "perhaps a confusion between 'be it either' and 'be it whichever of the two.' Perhaps, however, 'either' may be taken in its original sense of 'one of the two,' so that 'either which' is 'which-one-soever of the two'" (Abb. § 273). 14. She's so ... soul, my life and soul (i.e. I in everything) are so wrapped up in her; she is so much a part of my existence; cp. Oth. i. 3. 374, "Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him." 16. I could ... her, I could not but move as she moves. 17. Why to ... go, why I could not have recourse to a public trial. 18. the general gender, the common race, the common people; cp. ii. 24. 14. 19-21. Who, ... graces, who seeing his offences with their own eyes (i.e. eyes prejudiced in his favour), would see in his fetters only further reason to love him (those fetters being regarded as an act of injustice calling for their pity). Johnson points out that the simile would have been more appropriate if the spring had changed base metals into gold; there does not appear to be an allusion to any particular spring, as Reed supposed. 21. my arrows, my scheme for punishing him. 22. Too slightly ... wind, too light to meet so strong a wind. 23. 4. Would have ... them, would have been blown back in my face instead of hitting the mark at which they were aimed. 25, 6. And so ... terms, and in this way my father has been lost to me, and my sister been driven into circumstances of desperation; for the construction, cp. i. 2. 215, iii. 3. 38. Also see Abb. § 425. 27. if praises ... again, if I may speak of her as she once was. 28, 9. Stood ... perfections, proudly challenged all modern times to produce one equal to her in her various perfections; on mount, where the challenge of her worth could be widely heard. 30. Break ... that, do not allow your sleep to be broken by the fear that you may not be able to wreak your revenge. For the plural sleeps, Dyce quotes Phaer's Virgil, AEneidos, ii., where the original Latin has the singular. 31. That we ... dull, that we are of so spiritless and inert a nature; flat, a metaphor from a liquid that has become insipid. 32. 3. That we ... pastime, that we can endure to have danger flaunt us in the face and treat the matter as though it were a mere joke; our beard, with an allusion to the insult conveyed in plucking a man by the beard; for with, = by, see Abb. § 193, 34. I ... we, in the former case speaking of himself as a man, in the latter of himself as a king. 35. that, sc. fact. 43. High and mighty, i.e. one; cp. above, iii. 1. 43, "Gracious, so please you." 45, 6. first ... thereunto, first asking your gracious permission to do so. 46, 7. my sudden ... return, my return, the suddenness of which is only exceeded by its strangeness. 49. should, can possibly; see Abb. § 325. 50. abuse, deception. 51. character, handwriting. 54. I'm lost in it, I am completely baffled by the event. 50. That, to think that: live and tell, live to tell, as we should now say. 58. As how ... otherwise? and yet I know not how it can be so, or how it can be otherwise; that he should have returned in face of the measures I took, is inexplicable; and yet that he should not have returned is, in face of the letter received, equally inexplicable; the one thing is as difficult to believe as the other. 59. ruled by me, guided by my advice. 60. So ... peace, provided that your advice does not compel me to keep peace with him. 62. As checking at, in consequence of his rebelling against, starting back in alarm at; the metaphor is from falconry; cp T. N. iii. 1. 71, "And, like a haggard, check at every feather." 63. work him, persuade him; work upon him so that he will undertake. 65. Under ... fall, beneath the weight of which he shall have no choice but to succumb. 66. And for ... breathe, and not the smallest breath of blame for his death shall ever light on us. 67. uncharge the practice, acquit our stratagem of any evil intention against him; practice, = plot, stratagem, is very frequent in Shakespeare. 69. The rather, all the more readily; see Abb. § 94. 70. organ, instrument; It falls right, everything conspires to that end; all things tend to a successful carrying out of our plan. 72. And that ... hearing, and that too when Hamlet was present; quality, accomplishment. 73. your sum of parts, all your gifts together; parts, in the sense of gifts, accomplishments, derives itself from the idea of a man being put together of several parts. 75. regard, opinion. 76. Of siege, which was lowest in rank, least worthy of respect; siege, meaning originally seat, came to be used of rank owing to the care that was taken to place people at the table exactly accordling to their rank; op. Oth. i. 2. 22, "I fetch my life and being From men of royal siege." 77. A very ... youth, a mere trifling ornament to youth. 78. becomes, is in accordance with. 79. light ... livery, the airy, jaunty, dress. 80. 1. Than settled ... graveness, than sedate old age accords with the warm clothing which concerns, is of importance to (and so is chosen with regard to) health and gravity of demeanour; for Importing, cp. Oth. i. 3. 284. "with such things else of quality and respect As doth import you": for settled, cp. M. M. iii. 1. 90, "settled visage and deliberate word"; his sables and his weeds, a hendiadys for his clothes formed of sables; for weeds, cp. M. N. D. ii. 1. 256), "Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in." 82. Here was, there was at this court. 84. can well ... horseback, are adepts in horsemanship; for can, = are skilled in, cp. Phoenix and Turtle, 14, "And the priest in surplice white That defunctive music can." 85. in t, sc. horsemanship: grew ... seat, sat as though riveted to his saddle. 86. doing, feats. 87. 8. As bad ... beast, as he would have done if he and his animal were one in form and nature; "as like an appears to be (though it is not) used by Shakespeare for as if ... the 'if' is implied in the subjunctive" (Abb. § 107). 88. topp'd my thought, surpassed anything I had ever conceived; for topp'd, cp. Lear. v. 3. 207, "To amplify too much, would make much more. And top extremity." 89. in forgery ... tricks, in conjuring up in my fancy feats of dexterity; for forgery, cp. M. N. D. ii. 1. 81; for shapes, = embodiments of fancy, R. II. ii. 2. 22, "Find shapes of grief, more than himself, to wail." 93. brooch, an ornament in former days often worn in the hat, now worn by women only at the throat; the Cl. Pr. Edd. point out that when worn in the hat, it was of course very conspicuous. 95. made confession of you, admitted your excellence in various exercises; confession, "here used because Lamond would not willingly acknowledge the superiority of Laertes over the French in the art of fighting" (Delius). 96-8. And gave ... especially, and gave such report of your masterly skill in the science and practice of defence, more especially when using your rapier; Laertes was reported by him as being good at all weapons -- the broadsword, lance, etc., but as being something quite out of the common way when handling the rapier. 100. If one ... you, if one could be found your equal at fencing; cp. Cymb. ii. 1. 24, "I must go up and down like a cock that nobody can match"; scrimers, fencers; F. escrimeur, a fencer; probably a coinage of Shakespeare's; their, "we should have expected 'his,' not 'their,' but in the oratio recta Lamond might have said 'our nation' with propriety" (Cl. Pr. Edd.). 101, 2. had neither ... them, seemed when fencing with you to have none of the power of attack, so necessary in fencing, none of the skill by which alone blows can be warded off -- none of that keen sight necessary equally in offence and defence; cp. Lear. ii. 1. 52. 103. Did ... envy, so poisoned the mind of Hamlet with the envy which his report excited. 105. to play with him, that you might play a match with him; to play, expresses the result not the object of his coming. 108, 9. Or are you ... heart? or are you like the picture of some one in deep grief, a mere face without the heart beating beneath in unison with the look upon it? i.e. is your grief deeply seated and prepared to show its reality by action? 111-3. But that ... it, but that I see, by observation of occurrences which demonstrate the fact beyond all doubt, that the spark and fire of love gradually burns low, as I know by mu omn experience that its growth also is a gradual one. 114, 5. There lives ... it, while love is burning most brightly, even then there is in it something which will sooner or later abate its fervour, just as the wick of a candle when it burns to a snuff dims its brilliance; i.e. even in its fullest vigour, love contains within it the principle of its own decay; the snuff of a candle is that portion of the wick which ceases to give forth light owing to the wax or tallow being burnt too low to reach and nourish it, and this snuff only dims the brightness of the flame. 116. And nothing ... still, and nothing continues for a long period at the same pitch of excellence; still, continually. 117, 8. For goodness ... much, for goodness itself, growing to a fulness, dies of its own excess. Shakespeare, like many of his contemporaries, has here derived plurisy from the Lat. plus, pluris, more, whereas it really comes from the Gk. for a rib, pleurisy, as it is properly spelled, being a disease of the membrane which covers the lungs. 118, 9. that we ... would, that which we desire to do, we ought to do while the desire is strong upon us: this 'would,' this desire, inclination. 122. 3. And then ... easing, and then this feeling of duty, without being put into action, is as hurtful to the moral nature as a sigh, drawn out of mere wantonness without there being any sufficient cause for it, is to the physical nature, though for the moment it may give relief; an allusion to the old belief that sighing draws drops of blood from the heart; cp. M. N. D. iii. 2. 97, "With sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear"; ii. H. VI. iii. 2. 63, "Look pale as primrose with blood-drinking sighs"; R. J. iii. 5. 58, "Dry sorrow drinks our blood." 123. But ... ulcer, but, to probe the ulcer to the quick, its most sensitive point; i.e. to go to the bottom of the matter. 124. Hamlet comes back, Hamlet, as we have just heard, is on his way back, and will soon be here, i.e. let us be prepared for his return, accept it as certain that he is returning. 127. sanctuarize, give refuge to, shield; criminals from early days, if they could take refuge in a sacred building, were beyond the reach of law, and when doing so were said to "take sanctuary"; cp. R. III, iii. 1. 28; C. E. v. 1. 94; the word here appears to be another of Shakespeare's coinages. 129. Will you ... chamber?; will you do this, viz., shut yourself up in your rooms? Most modern editors follow the earlier quartos and the first folio in putting a full stop after chamber, in which case the meaning is 'if you are willing to do this, then,' etc. This, however, seems to me rather more peremptory language than the king would use to Laertes. 131. put on, instigate: those shall, those who shall. 132. set ... on, give a fresh coating of exaggerated praise to, etc. 134. wager ... heads, lay wagers as to which of you will win: remiss, careless; "a word seldom if ever used now except with reference to some particular act of negligence" (Cl. Pr. Edd. ). 135. free from all contriving, innocent of all plotting himself, and therefore unsuspicious of others. 136. peruse, carefully examine; cp. ii. 1. 90. 137. with a little shuffling, with a little trickery in the matter of choosing your foil, i.e. by mixing, during a pause in the combat, the foil you first use with others among which you have already placed one that has no button to its point, and then, on resuming the combat, taking that foil up. 138. unbated, not blunted by having a button, a round piece of leather, at its point: a pass of practice, "a treacherous thrust" (Cl. Pr. Edd.). 139. Requite ... father, pay him back for the murder of your father. 141. mountebank, quack doctor; literally one who mounts on a bench to proclaim his nostrums. 142. mortal, deadly: but dip, if one only dips. 143. cataplasm, plaster, poultice: so rare, however rare in its effects. 144. all simples ... virtue, all efficacious herbs. 147. contagion, infectious poison: gall, rub the skin off any part of him. 148. It may be death, the result will be death. 149, 50. Weigh ... shape, let us consider how we may take such advantage of time and means as will best accommodate us to the form of proceeding we must adopt; the metaphor is that of getting a garment to fit the body; cp. Cymb. iii. 4. 195, "To some shade And fit you to your manhood," i.e. put on a dress which will suit you in playing your assumed part of a man, said to Imogen who is to disguise herself as a page. 151. And that ... performance, and if we should play our parts so badly that our object reveal itself; for the conjunctional affix that, see Abb. § 287. 153. a back, something in reserve to strengthen it, an inner lining as it were: second, something to assist (as in a duel); cp. Cor. i. 4. 43, "So, now the gates are ope: now prove good seconds"; hold, sc. firm, not give way. 154. If this ... proof, if this should fly to pieces when put to the proof. Before being issued for use, weapons, such as cannon, etc., are 'proved' by putting a great strain upon them, loading them with a heavier charge than will be ordinarily used; and if not well made they 'blast,' blow to pieces in the trial. 156. I ha't, I have it, i.e. I have hit upon a capital device. 157. motion, the lunging and retiring in making and receiving thrusts: dry, thirsty. 158. As make ... end, with which object (sc. that you may both become hot and thirsty) take care to let your bouts be as violent as possible; bout, properly a turn; then the turnings and twistings in a personal encounter, especially in fencing; Dan. bugt, a turn. 159. And that, and when; see Albb. § 284. 160. chalice, cup; Lat. calix, cup: for the nonce, for the occasion; originally for then anes, for the once, the n properly belonging to the dative case, then, of the article, and anes being a genitive case used adverbially; cp. needs, twice, i.e. twies. 161. stuck, thrust; Ital. stoccado, or stoccata, a thrust. 162. Our ... there, our project may by this means hold good, be carried through; cp. 1. 153. 166. grows, which grows: aslant, leaning over, literally on slant. 167. hoar, the under side of the leaves of the willow being silvery grey. 168. with, bearing: fantastic, fancifully made up of various flowers. 169. crow-flowers ... purples, "the crowflower, according to Parkinson, was called The Fayre Mayde of France; the 'long purples' are dead men's fingers, the 'daisy' imports pure virginity or spring of life" ... (Farren). 170. pendent, hanging over the water: her coronet weeds, the flowers she had woven into a chaplet. 171. Clambering ... broke, as she was making her way along the sloping trunk in order to hang her flowers on its boughs, a branch on which her foot rested, as though resenting her action, suddenly gave way; sliver, a small branch, properly a slice; cp. Macb. iv. 1. 28, "slips of yew Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse"; Lear, iv. 2. 34. 174. And, ... up, and for a time they kept her afloat, like a mermaid in her natural element. 175. Which time, during which time, i.e. as long as she was borne up by her clothes; for the omission of the preposition, see Abb. § 202: snatches, odds and ends; such as she sang in Scene 5. 176. As one ... distress, as though she were insensible of the plight in which she was; for incapable, cp. Cor. iv. 6. 120, "incapable of help," i.e. not to be helped. 177, 8. Or like... element, or as though she were a creature native to that element and endowed with properties suitable to existence in it; indued, a corruption of endued, in the sense of 'endow.' 170. heavy, literally, but with a play on the word in the sense of being overcome, made stupid, by intoxicating liquors. 180, 1. Pull'd ... death, put an end to her melody by dragging her down to death at the bottom of the stream. 185. It is our trick, it is a habit we cannot shake off; cp. T. G. V. 4. 1, "How use doth breed a habit in a man!" 186, 7. when these ... out, when these tears have passed away, my thoughts will then be of revenge only; for The woman, cp. Macb. iv. 3. 230, "O, I could play the woman with mine eyes" ; H. V. iv. 6. 31, "And all my mother came into mine eyes And gave me up to tears." 188. that ... blaze, that is eager to blaze out. 189. But ... it, if it were not extinguished by these foolish tears; dout, see note on i. 4. 37. 190. How ... calm, how much trouble I had in calmimg. 191. will ... again, will set it in motion again. ________ How to cite the explanatory notes: How to cite the scene review questions: |
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1. Claudius, out of view of the audience, has told Laertes a version of events that seems to satisfy him completely. Note that "conscience" here means "knowledge of the facts." Laertes wonders why Claudius would not have punished Hamlet for feats "So crimeful and so capital in nature" (line 6). What two reasons does Claudius give Laertes for sparing Hamlet?
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