The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Part 72

[Footnote 1: I would suggest that the one paper, which he has just shown, is a commission the king gave to himself; the other, which he is about to show, that given to Rosincrance and Guildensterne. He is setting forth his proof of the king's treachery.]

[Footnote 2: --of the king's words and behaviour, possibly, in giving him his papers, Horatio having been present; or it might mean, 'Have you got the things I have just told you clear in your mind?']

[Footnote 3: '--as if I could forget a single particular of it!']

[Footnote 4: The _Shaping Divinity_ was moving him.]

[Footnote 5: The fetters called _bilboes_ fasten a couple of mutinous sailors together by the legs.]

[Footnote 6: Does he not here check himself and begin afresh--remembering that the praise belongs to the Divinity?]

[Footnote 7: _pall_--from the root of _pale_--'come to nothing.' He had had his plots from which he hoped much; the king's commission had rendered them futile. But he seems to have grown doubtful of his plans before, probably through the doubt of his companions which led him to seek acquaintance with their commission, and he may mean that his 'dear plots' had begun to pall _upon him_. Anyhow the sudden 'indiscretion' of searching for and unsealing the amba.s.sadors' commission served him as nothing else could have served him.]

[Footnote 8: --even by our indiscretion. Emphasis on _shapes_.]

[Footnote 9: Here is another sign of Hamlet's religion. 24, 125, 260.

We start to work out an idea, but the result does not correspond with the idea: another has been at work along with us. We rough-hew--block out our marble, say for a Mercury; the result is an Apollo. Hamlet had rough-hewn his ends--he had begun plans to certain ends, but had he been allowed to go on shaping them alone, the result, even had he carried out his plans and shaped his ends to his mind, would have been failure.

Another mallet and chisel were busy shaping them otherwise from the first, and carrying them out to a true success. For _success_ is not the success of plans, but the success of ends.]

[Footnote 10: Emphasize _I_ and _them_, as the rhythm requires, and the phrase becomes picturesque.]

[Footnote 11: 'got my fingers on their papers.']

[Footnote 12: Emphasize _royal_.]

[Footnote 13: A _bug_ is any object causing terror.]

[Footnote 14: immediately on the reading.]

[Footnote 15: --no interval abated, taken off the immediacy of the order respite granted.]

[Page 248]

But wilt thou heare me how I did proceed? [Sidenote: heare now how]

_Hor_. I beseech you.

_Ham_. Being thus benetted round with Villaines,[1]

Ere I could make a Prologue to my braines, [Sidenote: Or I could]

They had begun the Play.[2] I sate me downe, Deuis'd a new Commission,[3] wrote it faire, I once did hold it as our Statists[4] doe, A basenesse to write faire; and laboured much How to forget that learning: but Sir now, It did me Yeomans[5] seruice: wilt thou know [Sidenote: yemans]

The effects[6] of what I wrote? [Sidenote: Th'effect[6]]

_Hor_. I, good my Lord.

_Ham_. An earnest Coniuration from the King, As England was his faithfull Tributary, As loue betweene them, as the Palme should flourish, [Sidenote: them like the might florish,]

As Peace should still her wheaten Garland weare, And stand a Comma 'tweene their amities,[7]

And many such like a.s.sis[8] of great charge, [Sidenote: like, as sir of]

That on the view and know of these Contents, [Sidenote: knowing]

Without debatement further, more or lesse, He should the bearers put to sodaine death, [Sidenote: those bearers]

Not shriuing time allowed.

_Hor_. How was this seal'd?

_Ham_. Why, euen in that was Heauen ordinate; [Sidenote: ordinant,]

I had my fathers Signet in my Purse, Which was the Modell of that Danish Seale: Folded the Writ vp in forme of the other, [Sidenote: in the forme of th']

Subscrib'd it, gau't th'impression, plac't it safely, [Sidenote: Subscribe it,]

The changeling neuer knowne: Now, the next day Was our Sea Fight, and what to this was s.e.m.e.nt, [Sidenote: was sequent]

Thou know'st already.[9]

_Hor_. So _Guildensterne_ and _Rosincrance_, go too't.

[Footnote 1: --the nearest, Rosincrance and Guildensterne: Hamlet was quite satisfied of their villainy.]

[Footnote 2: 'I had no need to think: the thing came to me at once.']

[Footnote 3: Note Hamlet's rapid practicality--not merely in devising, but in carrying out.]

[Footnote 4: statesmen.]

[Footnote 5: '_Yeomen of the guard of the king's body_ were anciently two hundred and fifty men, of the best rank under gentry, and of larger stature than ordinary; every one being required to be six feet high.'--_E. Chambers' Cyclopaedia_. Hence '_yeoman's_ service' must mean the very best of service.]

[Footnote 6: Note our common phrase: 'I wrote to this effect.']

[Footnote 7: 'as he would have Peace stand between their friendships like a comma between two words.' Every point has in it a conjunctive, as well as a disjunctive element: the former seems the one regarded here--only that some amities require more than a comma to separate them.

The _comma_ does not make much of a figure--is good enough for its position, however; if indeed the fact be not, that, instead of standing for _Peace_, it does not even stand for itself, but for some other word.

I do not for my part think so.]

[Footnote 8: Dr. Johnson says there is a quibble here with _a.s.ses_ as beasts of _charge_ or burden. It is probable enough, seeing, as Malone tells us, that in Warwickshire, as did Dr. Johnson himself, they p.r.o.nounce _as_ hard. In Aberdeenshire the sound of the _s_ varies with the intent of the word: '_az_ he said'; '_a.s.s_ strong _az_ a horse.']

[Footnote 9: To what purpose is this half-voyage to England made part of the play? The action--except, as not a few would have it, the very action be delay--is nowise furthered by it; Hamlet merely goes and returns.

To answer this question, let us find the real ground for Hamlet's reflection, 'There's a Divinity that shapes our ends.' Observe, he is set at liberty without being in the least indebted to the finding of the commission--by the attack, namely, of the pirate; and this was not the shaping of his ends of which he was thinking when he made the reflection, for it had reference to the finding of the commission. What then was the ground of the reflection? And what justifies the whole pa.s.sage in relation to the Poet's object, the character of Hamlet?

This, it seems to me:--

Although Hamlet could not have had much doubt left with regard to his uncle's guilt, yet a man with a fine, delicate--what most men would think, because so much more exacting than theirs--fastidious conscience, might well desire some proof more positive yet, before he did a deed so repugnant to his nature, and carrying in it such a loud condemnation of his mother. And more: he might well wish to have something to _show_: a man's conviction is no proof, though it may work in others inclination to receive proof. Hamlet is sent to sea just to get such proof as will not only thoroughly satisfy himself, but be capable of being shown to others. He holds now in his hand--to lay before the people--the two contradictory commissions. By his voyage then he has gained both a.s.surance of his duty, and provision against the consequence he mainly dreaded, that of leaving a wounded name behind him. 272. This is the shaping of his ends--so exactly to his needs, so different from his rough-hewn plans--which is the work of the Divinity. The man who desires to know his duty that he may _do_ it, who will not shirk it when he does know it, will have time allowed him and the thing made plain to him; his perplexity will even strengthen and purify his will. The weak man is he who, certain of what is required of him, fails to meet it: so never once fails Hamlet. Note, in all that follows, that a load seems taken off him: after a gracious tardiness to believe up to the point of action, he is at length satisfied. Hesitation belongs to the n.o.ble nature, to Hamlet; precipitation to the poor nature, to Laertes, the son of Polonius. Compare Brutus in _Julius Caesar_--a Hamlet in favourable circ.u.mstances, with Hamlet--a Brutus in the most unfavourable circ.u.mstances conceivable.]

[Page 250]

_Ham_. Why man, they did make loue to this imployment[1]

They are not neere my Conscience; their debate [Sidenote: their defeat[2]]

Doth by their owne insinuation[3] grow:[4] [Sidenote: Dooes]

'Tis dangerous, when the baser nature comes Betweene the pa.s.se, and fell incensed points Of mighty opposites.[5]

_Hor_. Why, what a King is this?[6]

_Ham_. Does it not, thinkst thee,[7] stand me now vpon[8]

[Sidenote: not thinke thee[7] stand]