First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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Enter King. | Enter the King and Queen, with Rosencrantz and | | Ham IV.i.1.1 | |
| Guildenstern | | Ham IV.i.1.2 | |
King. | KING | | | |
There's matters in these sighes. / These profound heaues | There's matter in these sighs. These profound heaves | matter (n.)significance, import, meaning | Ham IV.i.1 | |
| | heave (n.)deep sigh, heaving [of the chest] | | |
You must translate; Tis fit we vnderstand them. | You must translate. 'Tis fit we understand them. | translate (v.)explain, interpret | Ham IV.i.2 | |
Where is your Sonne? | Where is your son? | | Ham IV.i.3 | |
Qu. | QUEEN | | | |
| Bestow this place on us a little while. | bestow (v.)give, provide, grant | Ham IV.i.4 | |
| Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | | Ham IV.i.4 | |
Ah my good Lord, what haue I seene to night? | Ah, my good lord, what have I seen tonight! | | Ham IV.i.5 | |
King. | KING | | | |
What Gertrude? How do's Hamlet? | What, Gertrude? How does Hamlet? | | Ham IV.i.6 | |
Qu. | QUEEN | | | |
Mad as the Seas, and winde, when both contend | Mad as the sea and wind when both contend | | Ham IV.i.7 | |
Which is the Mightier, in his lawlesse fit | Which is the mightier. In his lawless fit, | | Ham IV.i.8 | |
Behinde the Arras, hearing something stirre, | Behind the arras hearing something stir, | arras (n.)tapestry hanging | Ham IV.i.9 | |
He whips his Rapier out, and cries a Rat, a Rat, | Whips out his rapier, cries, ‘ A rat, a rat!’ | rapier (n.)light sharp-pointed sword used for thrusting | Ham IV.i.10 | |
And in his brainish apprehension killes | And in this brainish apprehension kills | apprehension (n.)powers of comprehension, understanding | Ham IV.i.11 | |
| | brainish (adj.)deluded, distracted, deranged | | |
The vnseene good old man. | The unseen good old man. | | Ham IV.i.12.1 | |
King. | KING | | | |
On heauy deed: | O, heavy deed! | heavy (adj.)grave, serious, weighty | Ham IV.i.12.2 | |
It had bin so with vs had we beene there: | It had been so with us, had we been there. | | Ham IV.i.13 | |
His Liberty is full of threats to all, | His liberty is full of threats to all, | | Ham IV.i.14 | |
To you your selfe, to vs, to euery one. | To you yourself, to us, to everyone. | | Ham IV.i.15 | |
Alas, how shall this bloody deede be answered? | Alas, how shall this bloody deed be answered? | answer (v.)account for, justify, defend | Ham IV.i.16 | |
It will be laide to vs, whose prouidence | It will be laid to us, whose providence | providence (n.)foresight, forethought | Ham IV.i.17 | |
| | lay (v.)attribute, ascribe, impute | | |
Should haue kept short, restrain'd, and out of haunt, | Should have kept short, restrained, and out of haunt | short (adj.)controlled, confined, restrained | Ham IV.i.18 | |
| | haunt (n.)public places, society, company | | |
This mad yong man. But so much was our loue, | This mad young man. But so much was our love, | | Ham IV.i.19 | |
We would not vnderstand what was most fit, | We would not understand what was most fit, | | Ham IV.i.20 | |
But like the Owner of a foule disease, | But, like the owner of a foul disease, | | Ham IV.i.21 | |
To keepe it from divulging, let's it feede | To keep it from divulging let it feed | divulge (v.)become public, be revealed | Ham IV.i.22 | |
Euen on the pith of life. Where is he gone? | Even on the pith of life. Where is he gone? | | Ham IV.i.23 | |
Qu. | QUEEN | | | |
To draw apart the body he hath kild, | To draw apart the body he hath killed; | | Ham IV.i.24 | |
O're whom his very madnesse like some Oare | O'er whom his very madness, like some ore | ore (n.)precious metal | Ham IV.i.25 | |
Among a Minerall of Mettels base | Among a mineral of metals base, | mineral (n.)mine, mineral deposit | Ham IV.i.26 | |
| | base (adj.)non-precious, worthless, of low value | | |
Shewes it selfe pure. He weepes for what is done. | Shows itself pure. 'A weeps for what is done. | | Ham IV.i.27 | |
King. | KING | | | |
Oh Gertrude, come away: | O Gertrude, come away! | | Ham IV.i.28 | |
The Sun no sooner shall the Mountaines touch, | The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch | | Ham IV.i.29 | |
But we will ship him hence, and this vilde deed, | But we will ship him hence; and this vile deed | | Ham IV.i.30 | |
We must with all our Maiesty and Skill | We must with all our majesty and skill | | Ham IV.i.31 | |
Both countenance, and excuse. / Ho Guildenstern: | Both countenance and excuse. Ho, Guildenstern! | countenance (v.)face up to, confront | Ham IV.i.32 | |
Enter Ros. & Guild. | Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | | Ham IV.i.33 | |
Friends both go ioyne you with some further ayde: | Friends both, go join you with some further aid. | | Ham IV.i.33 | |
Hamlet in madnesse hath Polonius slaine, | Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain, | | Ham IV.i.34 | |
And from his Mother Clossets hath he drag'd him. | And from his mother's closet hath he dragged him. | | Ham IV.i.35 | |
Go seeke him out, speake faire, and bring the body | Go seek him out. Speak fair. And bring the body | fair (adv.)kindly, encouragingly, courteously | Ham IV.i.36 | |
Into the Chappell. I pray you hast in this. | Into the chapel. I pray you haste in this. | | Ham IV.i.37 | |
Exit Gent. | Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern | | Ham IV.i.37 | |
Come Gertrude, wee'l call vp our wisest friends, | Come, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends | | Ham IV.i.38 | |
To let them know both what we meane to do, | And let them know both what we mean to do | | Ham IV.i.39 | |
And what's vntimely done. | And what's untimely done. So haply slander, | haply (adv.)perhaps, maybe, by chance, with luck | Ham IV.i.40 | |
| Whose whisper o'er the world's diameter, | | Ham IV.i.41 | |
| As level as the cannon to his blank | level (adj.)straight, direct | Ham IV.i.42 | |
| | blank (n.)bull's-eye, target centre; or: line of sight | | |
| Transports his poisoned shot, may miss our name | | Ham IV.i.43 | |
Oh come away, | And hit the woundless air. O, come away! | woundless (adj.)invulnerable, that cannot be hurt | Ham IV.i.44 | |
My soule is full of discord and dismay. | My soul is full of discord and dismay. | | Ham IV.i.45 | |
Exeunt. | Exeunt | | Ham IV.i.45 | |