Hamlet (45 page)

23
come tardy off
performed inadequately

23
unskilful
ignorant, unsophisticated

24
censure
judgment/criticism

25
the which one
one of whom

25
allowance
admission, acknowledgment

31
journeymen
laborers

32
abominably
plays on the popular misconception that the word was derived from Latin
ab homine
, i.e. “away from man, unnatural” (previously spelled “abhominably”)

33
indifferently
moderately well

37
of
some among

38
barren
apathetic/dull-witted

39
necessary question
important aspect

41
uses
does, practices

43
presently
imminently

50
As … withal
as ever my dealings with people brought me into contact with

56
candied
sugared (i.e. flattering)

57
crook
bend

57
pregnant
ready

58
thrift
profit

60
election
choice

61
sealed
designated (literally, placed a legally binding seal upon)

62
As … nothing
like one who endures everything with fortitude and is not wounded by any of it

62
suffering
undergoing/enduring (the sense then shifts to “is hurt by”)

63
buffets
blows

65
blood
passion

67
stop
note produced by placing the finger over a hole in a wind instrument

69
core
puns on the Latin
cor
meaning “heart”

75
the … soul
your most insightful, penetrating consideration

76
occulted
hidden

77
unkennel
reveal (as a fox is driven out of its hole)

78
damnèd
i.e. evil, devilish

79
foul
black, grimy

80
Vulcan’s stithy
the forge of Vulcan, Roman god of fire and blacksmiths

80
heedful note
careful attention

83
censure … seeming
forming an opinion of his appearance

85
steal aught
gets away with anything

86.1
march
i.e. march played on drums

87
idle
unoccupied/mad

89
fares
is (but Hamlet responds to the sense of “feeds”)

90
chameleon’s dish
supposedly these reptiles fed on
air

91
capons
castrated cockerels fattened to make their meat more flavorsome

92
have nothing with
gain nothing from

93
not mine
nothing to do with my question (Hamlet responds to the sense of “do not belong to me”)

98
i’th’Capitol
at Capitoline Hill, site of the temple of supreme Roman god Jupiter

100
brute
brutal/stupid/animal (with obvious pun on
Brutus
)

100
part
deed/role

100
calf
fool

102
stay … patience
await your permission (to start)

104
metal more attractive
more magnetic metal (
metal
puns on “mettle” for an additional sense of “one of a more pleasing disposition”)

106
lie … lap
recline upon your lap/have sex with you

110
country matters
sex (
country
puns on “cunt”)

114
Nothing
i.e. “no thing” (vagina)

118
your only jig-maker
I’m your unrivaled composer of jigs (bawdy playlets)

123
suit of sables
luxurious suit trimmed with dark-colored sable fur

126
suffer … on
be forgotten

127
hobby-horse
artificial horse fastened around the waist of one of the participants in a morris dance;
the hobby-horse is forgot
was a popular phrase

128.1
Hautboys
oboe-like instruments

128.1
protestation
solemn declaration (of love)

128.1
passionate action
gestures of extreme grief

128.1
Mutes
i.e. other actors

130
miching malicho
lurking iniquity, skulking mischief

131
Belike
presumably

131
argument
plot

133
counsel
a secret

135
show
sexual display

135
be not you
if you are not

137
naught
indecent/offensive

141
posy of a ring
short (usually clichéd) verse motto engraved on a ring

144
Phoebus’ cart
the sun god’s chariot

145
Neptune’s salt wash
i.e. the sea (of which Neptune was god)

145
Tellus’ orbèd ground
i.e. the earth (of which Tellus was goddess)

146
borrowed sheen
reflected radiance

148
Hymen
god of marriage

149
bands
bonds

154
distrust
fear for

155
Discomfort
dismay, discourage

156
holds quantity
are to be found in the same proportions

157
In … extremity
they are either nonexistent or excessive

158
proof
tried and tested experience

159
as … so
my fear is just as great as my love

161
operant
vital/active

161
leave to do
cease to perform

165
confound
destroy (i.e. do not say)

168
None
no woman

169
Wormwood
i.e. that’s bitter (the sharp-tasting plant was also used to purge the digestive tract of worms, so there may also be a suggestion of bringing forth gnawing guilt)

170
instances
motives

170
move
prompt

171
respects of thrift
considerations of personal profit

176
Purpose … validity
our intentions are subject to the weakness of memory, being passionate at the outset, but lacking in endurance

178
Which
i.e.
purpose

180
Most … debt
it is inevitable that we should forget to fulfill our obligations to ourselves

185
enactures
fulfillments, performances

187
Grief … accident
i.e. one extreme of emotion turns to its opposite at the slightest event

188
aye
ever

192
down
fallen in fortune

193
poor advanced
poor man who improves his station in life

194
hitherto
up to this point (in the argument)

194
tend
attend/serve

195
who not needs
he who does not lack fortune

196
who in want
he who, being in need

196
try
test

197
seasons him
ripens him into

200
devices
plans

200
still
continually

201
ends
outcomes

204
Nor
let neither

205
Sport … night
let me be barred from recreation during the day and rest at night

206
opposite
opposing force

206
blanks
makes pale

207
Meet … destroy
(may it) encounter and destroy everything that I would like to see prosper

208
here and hence
in this and in the next world

212
fain
willingly

212
beguile
while away

217
protests
makes declarations, vows

219
offence
offensive matter (Hamlet shifts the sense to “actual injury/real crime”)

221
jest
pretend, act

224
Tropically
figuratively

225
duke’s
i.e. king’s

228
galled jade
saddle-sore old horse

228
wince
kick out from pain

229
withers
part of the horse’s back between the shoulder blades

229
unwrung
not pinched or chafed

231
chorus
actor who narrated or interpreted parts of a play

232
interpret
provide dialogue as an actor does in a puppet show/act as a go-between

233
puppets
possibly plays on a sense of “breasts/genitals”

233
dallying
spending idle time together/flirting/having sex

234
keen
quick/cutting

235
groaning
the moans of a woman losing her virginity (or possibly subsequently, in labor)

235
take … edge
deter my sharp wit/blunt my sexual appetite/cause me to lose my erection

236
better, and worse
i.e. wittier, yet more insulting

237
So
in just such a manner

237
mis-take your husbands
swear insincerely to love and be faithful to your husbands (according to the marriage vow “for better or for worse”); plays on the idea of “mistaking” another man for one’s true husband, as Hamlet deems Gertrude to have done

238
pox
i.e. a plague on it

239
the … revenge
refers to lines from the anonymous
True Tragedy of Richard III

239
raven
considered a bird of ill omen whose cry heralded death

242
Confederate … seeing
the occasion itself an ally, there being no one else to see me

243
rank
virulent/pungent/foul

244
Hecate’s ban
the curse of Hecate, goddess of witchcraft

245
dire property
dreadful nature

246
wholesome
healthy

247
for’s
for his

247
His
i.e. the king’s

252
false fire
the discharge of blank cartridges from a firearm

257
strucken
wounded

258
hart ungallèd
uninjured male deer

259
watch
remain awake

261
this
the play/the verse just uttered

261
feathers
i.e. elaborate plumes on a hat

262
turn Turk with
abandon (like one renouncing Christianity to become a Muslim)

262
Provincial roses
French roses from Provence (here rosettes, worn to hide the shoe fastenings and, like the
feathers
, a feature of the actor’s garb)

263
razed shoes
shoes with ornamental cuts in the leather

263
fellowship … cry
partnership in a pack

265
share
the major players in the Chamberlain’s Men had shares in the company’s assets

267
Damon
either an allusion to the Greek tale of Damon and Pythias, famous for their great friendship, or used as a traditional pastoral name

268
dismantled
stripped/deprived

269
Jove
supreme Roman god

270
pajock
either “patchock” (i.e. base, ragged fellow) or “peacock”

271
rhymed
the word that might be expected to rhyme with
was
is “ass”

279
perdy
corruption of the French
par dieu
(“by God”)

281
vouchsafe
permit

285
retirement
withdrawal to his rooms