Hamlet (40 page)

11
one … eye
one eye looking cheerfully to the future and the other downcast and tearful

13
dole
sorrow

14
barred
ignored/excluded

17
that you know
what you should know, that/what you already know

18
supposal
estimate

21
Colleaguèd
joined, allied

21
dream … advantage
illusion of his superior position/dream of what he might gain

23
Importing
concerning

29
impotent
powerless, frail

29
bedrid
bedridden

31
His
i.e. Fortinbras’

31
gait
proceeding

31
in … subject
since the full number of troops mustered is drawn from his (the king’s) subjects

37
To
for

38
dilated articles
detailed, fully expressed terms

39
haste … duty
speedy departure, rather than words, convey your dutifulness

41
nothing
not at all

43
suit
formal request

44
Dane
Danish king

45
lose your voice
waste your words

46
That … asking
that I shall not give you rather than have you ask for it

47
native
closely related

48
instrumental
serviceable

51
Dread my lord
my revered lord

52
leave and favour
kind permission

57
bow them
submit themselves

57
leave and pardon
indulgent permission

62
graces
qualities/virtues

63
cousin
a general term for a relative

64
A … kind
i.e. after his marriage to Gertrude, Claudius has become more closely (too closely) related to Hamlet, but the relationship is lacking in natural feeling

64
kind
natural/familial/affectionate

67
nightly colour
dark mourning clothes/gloomy demeanor

69
veilèd lids
lowered eyes

71
common
universal; in his reply, Hamlet engineers a dig at Gertrude by playing on the senses of “vulgar/whorish”

75
particular
specific, personal

78
customary
habitual to me/socially conventional

79
suspiration
sighing

81
’haviour … visage
facial expression

82
moods
outward expressions of mood

83
denote
depict

85
passeth
surpasses, exceeds

92
obsequious
relating to obsequies (commemorative rites for the dead)

92
persever
persevere

93
condolement
grieving

95
incorrect
disobedient

96
impatient
unwilling to endure (suffering)

99
any … sense
the most ordinary thing we may experience

100
peevish
stubborn, willful

101
Fie
expression of disgust or indignation

104
still
always

107
unprevailing
unavailing, pointless

109
most immediate
i.e. heir

112
For
as for

113
Wittenberg
city in Germany, home to a well-known Protestant university

114
retrograde
contrary

115
bend you
incline yourself

123
gentle
kind/noble

123
accord
consent

124
grace whereof
thanksgiving for which

125
jocund health
merry toast

125
Denmark
i.e. himself, king of Denmark

126
tell
report/count out (i.e. a celebratory cannon shot will be fired for each toast)

127
rouse
(drinking of a) full draught of liquor

127
bruit
proclaim/celebrate

128
Rea-speaking
echoing, repeating

130
resolve
dissolve

131
Everlasting
i.e. God

132
canon
law, decree

134
uses
habits, customary practices

136
rank and gross
coarsely profuse in growth

137
merely
completely

139
to
compared to

140
Hyperion
Greek god of the sun, and one of the Titans

140
satyr
mythological creature, part man and part goat (often associated with lechery)

141
beteem
permit

147
or ere
before

149
Niobe
for boasting that she had more children than the goddess Leto, Niobe’s offspring were killed; she grieved until she was turned into a stone, from which tears continued to stream

150
wants … reason
lacks the faculty of reason

153
Hercules
famously strong Greek hero who completed twelve arduous labors

154
unrighteous
wicked/insincere

155
flushing
redness

155
gallèd
sore, irritated

156
post
rush (literally, ride swiftly)

164
change … you
exchange the name of
servant
for that of
friend
/exchange the name of servant with you (and become yours)/mutually exchange the name of friend with you

165
make you from
are you doing away from

167
even
evening (also used in the afternoon)

169
truant
lazy, negligent

175
ere
before

179
hard
close

180
Thrift
economy

180
baked meats
meat pies, pastries

182
dearest
closest, greatest

190
yesternight
last night

194
Season your admiration
control your astonishment

195
attent
attentive

195
deliver
report

201
waste
desolate expanse (puns on “waist”)

203
at all points
in every respect

203
cap-à-pie
from head to foot

205
Goes
walks/passes along

206
oppressed and fear-surprisèd
overcome and taken prisoner by fear

207
truncheon
staff carried as a symbol of military authority

207
distilled
dissolved

208
act
action/influence

210
dreadful
full of dread and fear

215
These … like
my two hands are not more alike than the ghost was like your father

217
platform
terrace on which guns were mounted

221
address … speak
prepare itself for action as if it were about to speak

238
beaver
visor of a helmet

240
countenance
facial expression

248
tell
count

251
grizzly
gray

253
sable silvered
black mixed with silver hairs

255
warrant
assure

260
tenable
capable of being held

260
still
plays on the sense of “silent”

263
requite
reward

269
doubt
suspect/fear

Act 1 Scene 3

1.3
Location: within the castle

2
as
whenever

3
convoy is assistant
transport (for letters) is available

7
toy in blood
amorous whim

8
primy
in its prime/early/wonderful/sexually excited

9
Froward
perverse/obstinate/willful/ungovernable

10
suppliance
fulfillment/pastime

11
but so
than that

13
crescent
growing

14
thews
bodily proportions, muscles

14
temple
i.e. body (the temple of the soul)

16
withal
with it

17
soil nor cautel
stain nor deceit

18
will
intent/(sexual) desire

19
weighed
being considered

21
unvalued
i.e. without rank

22
Carve
choose (from the image of serving oneself meat; with sexual connotations)

23
sanctity
inviolability/worthiness of religious respect

25
yielding
consent

28
peculiar … force
particular circumstances of rank and power

30
main voice
general agreement

30
withal
along with

32
credent
credulous, trusting

32
list
listen to

33
chaste treasure
i.e. virginity (
treasure
was slang for “vagina”)

34
unmastered importunity
unrestrained persistence

36
keep … affection
i.e. do not advance headlong into the dangerous territory your affection might lead you into

36
rear
back portion of an army, which moves last

37
shot
maintains the military image, with suggestions of phallic attack

38
chariest
most modest/cautious/frugal

39
If she
i.e. if she does no more than

39
moon
symbol of chastity

40
scapes
escapes

40
calumnious strokes
slanderous blows

41
canker
canker-worm, a grub that destroys plants

41
galls
wounds, destroys

41
infants … spring
i.e. young plants

42
buttons be disclosed
buds be open

44
blastments
blights/withering

46
to
against

49
ungracious
ungodly

51
puffed
swollen with pride and vanity

53
recks
heeds

53
rede
advice

54
fear me not
do not worry about me

55
stay
delay

56
double blessing
i.e. a second chance to say goodbye to and receive the blessing of Polonius

57
Occasion
opportunity

57
leave
leave-taking, farewell

60
stayed
waited

62
See thou character
make sure that you inscribe

63
unproportioned
immoderate/unruly

63
his
its

64
familiar
friendly, sociable

65
adoption tried
worthiness to be adopted as friends having been tested

66
Grapple
fasten firmly

67
dull thy palm
i.e. by shaking hands too often

68
unfledged
still unfeathered (i.e. new, untried)

70
Bear’t that th’opposèd
manage it so that your opponent

72
censure
judgment/opinion

73
habit
clothing

74
fancy
elaborate, fanciful style