Speeches (Lines) for Hamlet
in "Hamlet"

Total: 358

[aside] A little more than kin, and less than kind!

2

Not so, my lord. I am too much i' th' sun.

3

Ay, madam, it is common.

4

Seems, madam, Nay, it is. I know not 'seems.'
'Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,.

5

I shall in all my best obey you, madam.

6

O that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!.

7

I am glad to see you well.
Horatio!- or I do forget myself.

8

Sir, my good friend- I'll change that name with you.
And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?.

9

I am very glad to see you.- [To Bernardo] Good even, sir.-
But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?

10

I would not hear your enemy say so,
Nor shall you do my ear that violence.

11

I prithee do not mock me, fellow student.
I think it was to see my mother's wedding.

12

Thrift, thrift, Horatio! The funeral bak'd meats
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables..

13

In my mind's eye, Horatio.

14

He was a man, take him for all in all.
I shall not look upon his like again.

15

16

The King my father?

17

For God's love let me hear!

18

But where was this?

19

Did you not speak to it?

20

'Tis very strange.

21

Indeed, indeed, sirs. But this troubles me.
Hold you the watch to-night?

22

23

From top to toe?

24

Then saw you not his face?

25

What, look'd he frowningly.

26

27

And fix'd his eyes upon you?

28

I would I had been there.

29

Very like, very like. Stay'd it long?

30

His beard was grizzled- no?

31

I will watch to-night.
Perchance 'twill walk again.

32

If it assume my noble father's person,
I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape.

33

Your loves, as mine to you. Farewell.
[Exeunt [all but Hamlet].].

34

The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold.

35

36

The King doth wake to-night and takes his rouse,
Keeps wassail, and the swagg'ring upspring reels,.

37

Ay, marry, is't;
But to my mind, though I am native here.

38

Angels and ministers of grace defend us!
Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd,.

39

It will not speak. Then will I follow it.

40

Why, what should be the fear?
I do not set my life at a pin's fee;.

41

It waves me still.
Go on. I'll follow thee.

42

Hold off your hands!

43

My fate cries out
And makes each petty artire in this body.

44

Whither wilt thou lead me? Speak! I'll go no further.

45

46

Alas, poor ghost!

47

Speak. I am bound to hear.

48

49

50

51

Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift
As meditation or the thoughts of love,.

52

O my prophetic soul!
My uncle?

53

O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!

54

O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else?
And shall I couple hell? Hold, hold, my heart!.

55

56

Hillo, ho, ho, boy! Come, bird, come.

57

No, you will reveal it.

58

How say you then? Would heart of man once think it?
But you'll be secret?

59

There's neer a villain dwelling in all Denmark
But he's an arrant knave.

60

Why, right! You are in the right!
And so, without more circumstance at all,.

61

I am sorry they offend you, heartily;
Yes, faith, heartily.

62

Yes, by Saint Patrick, but there is, Horatio,
And much offence too. Touching this vision here,.

63

Never make known what you have seen to-night.

64

65

66

Indeed, upon my sword, indeed.

67

Aha boy, say'st thou so? Art thou there, truepenny?
Come on! You hear this fellow in the cellarage..

68

Never to speak of this that you have seen.
Swear by my sword.

69

Hic et ubique? Then we'll shift our ground.
Come hither, gentlemen,.

70

Well said, old mole! Canst work i' th' earth so fast?
A worthy pioner! Once more remove, good friends."

71

And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,.

72

Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen,
With all my love I do commend me to you;.

73

74

Excellent well. You are a fishmonger.

75

Then I would you were so honest a man.

76

Ay, sir. To be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man
pick'd out of ten thousand.

77

For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god
kissing carrion- Have you a daughter?

78

Let her not walk i' th' sun. Conception is a blessing, but not
as your daughter may conceive. Friend, look to't.

79

Words, words, words.

80

81

Slanders, sir; for the satirical rogue says here that old men
have grey beards; that their faces are wrinkled; their eyes.

82

83

You cannot, sir, take from me anything that I will more
willingly part withal- except my life, except my life, except my.

84

These tedious old fools!

85

My excellent good friends! How dost thou, Guildenstern? Ah,
Rosencrantz! Good lads, how do ye both?

86

Nor the soles of her shoe?

87

Then you live about her waist, or in the middle of her
favours?

88

In the secret parts of Fortune? O! most true! she is a
strumpet. What news ?

89

Then is doomsday near! But your news is not true. Let me
question more in particular. What have you, my good friends,.

90

Denmark's a prison.

91

A goodly one; in which there are many confines, wards, and
dungeons, Denmark being one o' th' worst.

92

Why, then 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good
or bad but thinking makes it so. To me it is a prison.

93

O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a
king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams.

94

A dream itself is but a shadow.

95

Then are our beggars bodies, and our monarchs and outstretch'd
heroes the beggars' shadows. Shall we to th' court? for, by my.

96

No such matter! I will not sort you with the rest of my
servants; for, to speak to you like an honest man, I am most.

97

Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you;
and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were.

98

Why, anything- but to th' purpose. You were sent for; and
there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties.

99

That you must teach me. But let me conjure you by the rights
of our fellowship, by the consonancy of our youth, by the.

100

[aside] Nay then, I have an eye of you.- If you love me, hold
not off.

101

I will tell you why. So shall my anticipation prevent your
discovery, and your secrecy to the King and Queen moult no.

102

Why did you laugh then, when I said 'Man delights not me'?

103

He that plays the king shall be welcome- his Majesty shall
have tribute of me; the adventurous knight shall use his foil and.

104

How chances it they travel? Their residence, both in
reputation and profit, was better both ways.

105

Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the
city? Are they so follow'd?

106

How comes it? Do they grow rusty?

107

What, are they children? Who maintains 'em? How are they
escoted? Will they pursue the quality no longer than they can.

108

109

Do the boys carry it away?

110

It is not very strange; for my uncle is King of Denmark, and
those that would make mows at him while my father lived give.

111

Gentlemen, you are welcome to Elsinore. Your hands, come! Th'
appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony. Let me comply.

112

I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly I
know a hawk from a handsaw.

113

Hark you, Guildenstern- and you too- at each ear a hearer!
That great baby you see there is not yet out of his swaddling.

114

I will prophesy he comes to tell me of the players. Mark it.-
You say right, sir; a Monday morning; twas so indeed.

115

My lord, I have news to tell you. When Roscius was an actor in Rome-

116

117

Then came each actor on his ass-

118

O Jephthah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou!

119

Why,
'One fair daughter, and no more,.

120

Am I not i' th' right, old Jephthah?

121

Nay, that follows not.

122

Why,
'As by lot, God wot,'.

123

I heard thee speak me a speech once, but it was never acted;
or if it was, not above once; for the play, I remember, pleas'd.

124

It shall to the barber's, with your beard.- Prithee say on.
He's for a jig or a tale of bawdry, or he sleeps. Say on; come to.

125

'The mobled queen'?

126

'Tis well. I'll have thee speak out the rest of this soon.-
Good my lord, will you see the players well bestow'd? Do you.

127

God's bodykins, man, much better! Use every man after his
desert, and who should scape whipping? Use them after your own.

128

Follow him, friends. We'll hear a play to-morrow.
[Exeunt Polonius and Players [except the First].].

129

We'll ha't to-morrow night. You could, for a need, study a
speech of some dozen or sixteen lines which I would set down and.

130

Very well. Follow that lord- and look you mock him not.
[Exit First Player.].

131

Ay, so, God b' wi' ye!
[Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern].

132

To be, or not to be- that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer.

133

I humbly thank you; well, well, well.

134

No, not I!
I never gave you aught.

135

Ha, ha! Are you honest?

136

137

That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no
discourse to your beauty.

138

Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform
honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can.

139

You should not have believ'd me; for virtue cannot so
inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you.

140

Get thee to a nunnery! Why wouldst thou be a breeder of
sinners? I am myself indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse.

141

Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool
nowhere but in's own house. Farewell.

142

If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague for thy dowry:
be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape.

143

I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. God hath
given you one face, and you make yourselves another. You jig, you.

144

Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounc'd it to you,
trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many of our.

145

Be not too tame neither; but let your own discretion be your
tutor. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action; with.

146

O, reform it altogether! And let those that play your clowns
speak no more than is set down for them. For there be of them.

147

Bid the players make haste, [Exit Polonius.] Will you two
help to hasten them?

148

What, ho, Horatio!

149

Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man
As e'er my conversation cop'd withal.

150

Nay, do not think I flatter;
For what advancement may I hope from thee,.

151

They are coming to the play. I must be idle.
Get you a place.

152

Excellent, i' faith; of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air,
promise-cramm'd. You cannot feed capons so.

153

No, nor mine now. [To Polonius] My lord, you play'd once
i' th' university, you say?

154

What did you enact?

155

It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf there. Be
the players ready.

156

No, good mother. Here's metal more attractive.

157

Lady, shall I lie in your lap?

158

I mean, my head upon your lap?

159

Do you think I meant country matters?

160

That's a fair thought to lie between maids' legs.

161

162

163

O God, your only jig-maker! What should a man do but be merry?
For look you how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died.

164

So long? Nay then, let the devil wear black, for I'll have a
suit of sables. O heavens! die two months ago, and not forgotten.

165

Marry, this is miching malhecho; it means mischief.

166

We shall know by this fellow. The players cannot keep counsel;
they'll tell all.

167

Ay, or any show that you'll show him. Be not you asham'd to
show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means.

168

Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?

169

170

[aside] Wormwood, wormwood!
Queen. The instances that second marriage move.

171

If she should break it now!

172

Madam, how like you this play?

173

O, but she'll keep her word.

174

No, no! They do but jest, poison in jest; no offence i' th'
world.

175

'The Mousetrap.' Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the
image of a murther done in Vienna. Gonzago is the duke's name;.

176

I could interpret between you and your love, if I could see
the puppets dallying.

177

It would cost you a groaning to take off my edge.

178

So you must take your husbands.- Begin, murtherer. Pox, leave
thy damnable faces, and begin! Come, the croaking raven doth.

179

He poisons him i' th' garden for's estate. His name's Gonzago.
The story is extant, and written in very choice Italian. You.

180

What, frighted with false fire?

181

Why, let the strucken deer go weep,
The hart ungalled play;.

182

A whole one I!
For thou dost know, O Damon dear,.

183

O good Horatio, I'll take the ghost's word for a thousand
pound! Didst perceive?

184

Upon the talk of the poisoning?

185

Aha! Come, some music! Come, the recorders!
For if the King like not the comedy,.

186

Sir, a whole history.

187

Ay, sir, what of him?

188

189

Your wisdom should show itself more richer to signify this to
the doctor; for me to put him to his purgation would perhaps.

190

I am tame, sir; pronounce.

191

You are welcome.

192

193

Make you a wholesome answer; my wit's diseas'd. But, sir, such
answer as I can make, you shall command; or rather, as you say,.

194

O wonderful son, that can so stonish a mother! But is there no
sequel at the heels of this mother's admiration? Impart.

195

We shall obey, were she ten times our mother. Have you any
further trade with us?

196

And do still, by these pickers and stealers!

197

Sir, I lack advancement.

198

Ay, sir, but 'while the grass grows'- the proverb is something
musty..

199

I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this pipe?

200

201

I do beseech you.

202

It is as easy as lying. Govern these ventages with your
fingers and thumbs, give it breath with your mouth, and it will.

203

Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me! You
would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would.

204

Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel?

205

Methinks it is like a weasel.

206

Or like a whale.

207

Then will I come to my mother by-and-by.- They fool me to the
top of my bent.- I will come by-and-by.

208

'By-and-by' is easily said.- Leave me, friends.
[Exeunt all but Hamlet.].

209

Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;
And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven,.

210

[within] Mother, mother, mother!

211

Now, mother, what's the matter?

212

Mother, you have my father much offended.

213

Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.

214

What's the matter now?

215

No, by the rood, not so!
You are the Queen, your husband's brother's wife,.

216

Come, come, and sit you down. You shall not budge;
You go not till I set you up a glass.

217

[draws] How now? a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead!

218

Nay, I know not. Is it the King?

219

A bloody deed- almost as bad, good mother,
As kill a king, and marry with his brother.

220

Ay, lady, it was my word.
[Lifts up the arras and sees Polonius.].

221

Such an act
That blurs the grace and blush of modesty;.

222

Look here upon th's picture, and on this,
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers..

223

Nay, but to live
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,.

224

A murtherer and a villain!
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe.

225

A king of shreds and patches!-
Save me and hover o'er me with your wings,.

226

Do you not come your tardy son to chide,
That, laps'd in time and passion, lets go by.

227

How is it with you, lady?

228

On him, on him! Look you how pale he glares!
His form and cause conjoin'd, preaching to stones,.

229

Do you see nothing there?

230

Nor did you nothing hear?

231

Why, look you there! Look how it steals away!
My father, in his habit as he liv'd!.

232

Ecstasy?
My pulse as yours doth temperately keep time.

233

O, throw away the worser part of it,
And live the purer with the other half,.

234

Not this, by no means, that I bid you do:
Let the bloat King tempt you again to bed;.

235

I must to England; you know that?

236

There's letters seal'd; and my two schoolfellows,
Whom I will trust as I will adders fang'd,.

237

238

But soft! What noise? Who calls on Hamlet? O, here they

239

Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis kin.

240

Do not believe it.

241

That I can keep your counsel, and not mine own. Besides, to be
demanded of a sponge, what replication should be made by the son.

242

Ay, sir; that soaks up the King's countenance, his rewards,
his authorities. But such officers do the King best service in.

243

I am glad of it. A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear.

244

The body is with the King, but the King is not with the body.
The King is a thing-

245

Of nothing. Bring me to him. Hide fox, and all after.

246

247

Not where he eats, but where he is eaten. A certain
convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your.

248

A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat
of the fish that hath fed of that worm.

249

Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through
the guts of a beggar.

250

In heaven. Send thither to see. If your messenger find him not
there, seek him i' th' other place yourself. But indeed, if you.

251

He will stay till you come.