Shakespeare's Hamlet: Royal Court Dialogue Analysis

Shakespeare's Hamlet: Royal Court Dialogue

King's Address to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern

KING:

1. Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
2. Moreover, we much longed to see you.
3. That we have to use you did provoke our hasty sending.
4. Something have you heard of Hamlet’s transformation.
5. What it should be more than his father’s death, that thus hath put him so much from the understanding of himself, I cannot dream of.
6. I both entreat you to draw him on to pleasures, and gather so much as from occasion you may glean whether aught to us unknown afflicts him thus that open lies within our remedy.

Queen's Request

QUEEN:

1. Good gentlemen, he hath much talked of you, and sure I am two men there are not living to whom he more adheres.
2. If it will please you to show so much gentry and goodwill as to expend your time with us awhile for the supply and profit of our hope, your visitation shall receive such thanks as fits a king’s remembrance.

Exit POLONIUS

King and Queen Discuss Hamlet

KING:

1. Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.
2. He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found the head and source of all your son’s distemper.

QUEEN:

1. I doubt it is no other but the main: his father’s death and our overhasty marriage.

KING:

4. Well, we shall sift him.

Enter POLONIUS, VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS

Voltimand's Report from Norway

KING:

1. Welcome, my good friends.
2. Say Voltimand, what from our brother in Norway?

VOLTIMAND:

1. Most fair return of greeting and desires.
2. Upon our first, he sent to suppress his nephew’s levies, which to him appeared to be a preparation 'gainst the Polack, but better looked into, he truly found it was against your Highness; whereat grieved, that so his sickness, age and impotence was freely borne in hand, sends our arrests on Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys, receives rebuke from Norway, and in fine makes vow before his uncle never more to give the assay of arms against your Majesty.
3. Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy, gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee and his commission to employ those soldiers.
4. With an entreaty, herein further shown:

Gives KING a paper

17. That it might please you to give quiet pass though your dominions for this enterprise, on such regards of safety and allowance as therein are set down.

KING:

3. It likes us well, and at our more considered time we’ll read.
4. Go to rest; at night we’ll feast together. Most welcome home.

Exit VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS