Hamlet

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Hamlet Page 27

by William Shakespeare


  405 follows not is not logical/is not the next line

  408 lot chance

  408 wot knows

  410 like likely

  411 row line

  411 chanson song

  412 my abridgements things that cut me short/entertainment (in either case, the arrival of the players) 415 valanced fringed (with a beard)

  415 beard defy, affront (plays on the usual sense)

  416 By'r lady by Our Lady (the Virgin Mary)

  417 your ladyship addressed to a teenage apprentice actor who plays women's parts 418 chopine high woman's shoe with a very thick platform sole

  419 uncurrent not legal tender

  419 cracked ... ring i.e. broken, and therefore unfit for women's roles, with play on the sense of "deflowered" (coins featured the monarch's head within a ring; if the coin was damaged within the ring it was no longer valid) 420 e'en to't go straight to it

  422 straight straightaway

  422 quality skill

  427 caviar ... general i.e. wasted on the unappreciative multitude 429 cried ... of was superior to

  430 digested arranged

  431 modesty restraint/propriety

  431 cunning skill, artistry

  432 sallets salads or their components (i.e. spicy parts, vulgar phrases) 432 savoury highly flavored

  433 indict accuse

  434 as ... fine this line is missing from the Folio text, probably due to printer's error (the same goes for the short line at the end of Hamlet's speech) 435 handsome than fine seemly and graceful rather than showy

  436 Aeneas' ... Dido after the Trojan war Aeneas landed at Carthage, where Dido was queen; he told of his experiences and she fell in love with him 437 Priam king of Troy, killed by Pyrrhus during the attack on his city 440 rugged harsh, severe

  440 Pyrrhus Achilles' son; after the death of his father in the Trojan war, he took part in the conflict and was noted for his vengeful savagery 440 th'Hyrcanian beast the tiger of Hyrcania (land bordering the Caspian Sea), known for its ferocity 442 sable black

  444 couched hidden

  444 ominous horse fateful wooden horse by which the Greeks gained access to Troy 446 heraldry more dismal i.e. blood, imaged as heraldic markings 446 dismal ominous, fatal

  447 total gules entirely red (gules is a heraldic term) 447 tricked adorned/delineated (heraldic term for the sketching of a coat of arms) 449 impasted dried into a crust

  449 parching scorching (because burning)

  450 tyrannous harsh

  452 o'er-sized covered, as if with size (a sticky substance used to treat paper)/rendered larger (through a thick covering of blood) 452 coagulate coagulated, congealed

  453 carbuncles red gems supposed to emit light in the dark

  454 grandsire grandfather (Priam had fifty sons and numerous grandchildren) 457 discretion judgment

  458 Anon shortly

  459 too short inadequately (presumably because of his old age)

  459 antique old

  461 Repugnant resistant

  463 whiff and wind i.e. mere slicing through the air

  463 fell fierce

  464 Th'unnerved the weakened

  464 senseless incapable of feeling

  464 Ilium Troy/the royal palace at Troy

  467 Takes ... ear i.e. the noise arrests him in mid-action 468 declining descending

  468 milky white with age

  470 painted motionless as if in a painting/blood-covered

  471 like ... matter suspended between his will and its effect

  473 against in anticipation of/before

  474 rack clouds

  475 orb i.e. earth

  477 region sky

  479 Cyclops one-eyed giants who worked for the blacksmith god Vulcan making armor for the gods 480 Mars his Mars' (Roman god of war)

  480 proof eterne eternal impenetrability

  481 remorse pity

  484 synod assembly

  485 fellies pieces of wood that form the rim of a wheel

  485 wheel the wheel of Fortune, according to the turns of which men rose or fell 486 nave central part of the wheel, the hub

  490 jig a light, often bawdy, entertainment that took place after the main play and involved singing and dancing 491 Hecuba wife of King Priam

  492 who whoever

  492 mobled muffled/veiled

  496 bisson rheum blinding tears

  496 clout cloth

  497 late recently

  497 diadem crown

  498 lank shrunken, empty

  498 o'er-teemed exhausted with childbearing

  500 Who ... seen whoever had seen this

  501 state rule, government

  501 pronounced spoken

  507 milch milk-producing, i.e. tearful

  508 passion (produced) grief

  509 whe'er whether

  512 bestowed lodged

  513 used treated

  513 abstracts summaries, epitomes

  516 desert merit, worth

  517 God's bodikins by God's little body

  517 after according to

  520 bounty generosity

  525 ha't have it

  525 for a need if necessary

  526 study memorize

  537 But merely

  538 conceit imagination

  539 her i.e. conceit's, imagination's

  539 wanned paled

  540 distraction distress, agitation

  540 aspect expression/glance

  541 his ... conceit all of his natural powers furnishing actions to match his imaginings 546 motive provocation (modern sense of "motivation" of a dramatic character did not yet exist, though cue is clearly an actor's term) 548 horrid terrifying, horrifying

  549 appal make pale/shock

  549 free innocent

  550 Confound stun/confuse

  550 the ignorant those who know nothing of the crime

  550 amaze bewilder/terrify/stun

  552 muddy-mettled dull-spirited

  552 peak mope, languish

  553 John-a-dreams general name for a dreamy person

  553 unpregnant of sluggish toward, not prompted by

  555 property regal identity/kingdom

  556 defeat destruction

  557 pate head

  558 Plucks off pulls a tuft from

  559 Gives ... lungs? Calls me an outrageous liar?

  560 me this this to me

  563 pigeon-livered pigeons were proverbially gentle birds, supposed to lack gall (bitterness/anger) 565 region kites sky's birds of prey

  566 offal intestines/remains

  567 Remorseless pitiless

  567 kindless unnatural

  569 brave fine/bold

  573 drab prostitute/slut

  573 scullion lowest domestic servant

  574 About about it, to work

  576 cunning skill

  577 presently immediately

  578 malefactions wrongdoings, crimes

  583 tent probe (as one would a wound)

  583 blench flinch/turn pale

  588 spirits i.e. melancholy

  590 relative relevant/cogent/substantial

  Act 3 Scene 1

  1 drift of circumstance course of roundabout talk

  3 Grating fretting/harping, dwelling querulously upon/wearing away

  7 forward ready, inclined

  7 sounded questioned, probed

  13 disposition inclination

  14 Niggard of question sparing in his questions/reluctant to initiate conversation 14 demands questions

  16 assay try to tempt

  18 o'erraught overtook

  28 edge sharpness of inclination/incitement

  32 closely secretly/privately

  34 Affront come face-to-face with

  35 espials spies

  48 Gracious your grace (addressed to the king)

  50 exercise devout practice (the book is presumably of a religious nature) 50 colour Your loneliness account for the fact that you are alone 52 visage face
, appearance

  57 plast'ring art i.e. cosmetics

  58 to ... it compared to the cosmetics that improve it

  64 slings catapults, ballista, cannons or the missiles hurled by them 64 outrageous excessively wicked/violent, cruel

  68 shocks violent blows/clashes with the enemy

  69 consummation ending

  71 rub obstacle (a bowling term)

  73 shuffled off cast off/evaded/got rid of in a perfunctory or unsatisfactory manner 73 mortal coil bustle or turmoil of this mortal life

  74 respect consideration

  75 of ... life continue for so long

  76 scorns insults, mockeries

  77 contumely insolence, contempt, insulting language or behavior

  78 disprized undervalued/dishonored

  79 office office-holders

  79 spurns kicks

  80 of ... takes receives from those who are unworthy

  81 quietus discharge of debts (i.e. death)

  82 bare mere/unsheathed

  82 bodkin dagger/awl/pointed instrument

  82 fardels burdens

  85 bourn boundary

  86 puzzles bewilders, confounds

  89 conscience consciousness/introspection/awareness of right and wrong 90 native hue natural color

  91 cast tinge, shade

  92 pith and moment substance and importance

  94 Soft you wait a moment

  95 orisons prayers

  100 remembrances keepsakes, love tokens

  110 honest chaste

  112 fair beautiful

  114 your ... beauty your chastity should hold no dealings with your beauty/your chastity should not permit anyone to converse with your beauty 116 commerce interaction (Hamlet picks up on the sense of "sexual dealings") 120 his its (i.e. honesty's)

  121 sometime once

  121 paradox seemingly absurd statement/observation that contradicts commonly held beliefs 124 virtue ... it virtue cannot be so successfully grafted onto an old sinful tree without some flavor of sin being retained 127 nunnery convent, playing on slang sense of "brothel"

  128 indifferent honest moderately virtuous

  131 beck command

  142 calumny slander

  144 monsters men with unfaithful wives were traditionally supposed to grow horns 147 paintings use of cosmetics

  149 amble walk with an easy (or an exaggerated) motion

  149 lisp speak in an affected manner

  150 make ... ignorance use innocence as an excuse for behavior that is willful/affected/promiscuous 151 on't of it

  157 expectancy hope

  158 glass of fashion mirror on whose image men model themselves 158 form etiquette/ideal pattern

  164 blown blooming

  165 Blasted with ecstasy destroyed by madness

  167 affections emotions

  170 on brood brooding, like a bird sitting on eggs

  171 doubt fear

  171 disclose disclosure/hatching

  174 set it down decided

  175 tribute regular amount paid by one state to another, usually in return for peace 176 Haply perhaps/with luck

  177 objects sights

  178 something-settled matter somewhat fixed preoccupation (perhaps with medical sense "festering pus" or, sinisterly, "stagnant blood") 180 fashion of himself his usual behavior, his old self

  188 round blunt/severe

  190 find him not fails to find the cause of his unhappiness

  Act 3 Scene 2

  2 trippingly nimbly

  2 mouth declaim, speak pompously

  3 as lief as soon, rather

  8 robustious boisterous/unruly

  8 periwig-pated wig-wearing

  10 groundlings members of the audience standing in the yard in front of the stage, the cheapest place from which to watch 10 are capable of can understand

  11 dumb shows mimes/unsophisticated spectacles

  12 Termagant imaginary deity believed to have been worshipped by Muslims and represented in the old mystery plays as a violent, overbearing person 13 Herod biblical king who featured in the mystery plays as a raging tyrant 14 warrant assure

  15 discretion judgment

  18 modesty restraints

  18 from i.e. far from

  22 pressure stamp, impression

  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 damned 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 cliched) verse motto engraved on a ring 144 Phoebus' cart the sun god's chariot
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br />   145 Neptune's salt wash i.e. the sea (of which Neptune was god) 145 Tellus' orbed 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

 

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