A case study in madness, to connect memory and thought.
OPHELIA
There's fennel for you, and
columbines.—There's rue for
you, and here's some for me. We may call it
“herb of grace”
o' Sundays.—Oh, you must wear your rue with
a
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difference.—There's a daisy. I would give
you some violets,
but they withered all when my father died. They say he
made a good end
(sings) For bonny sweet Robin is all my
joy—
OPHELIA
(to GERTRUDE
) Here are fennel and columbines for
you—they symbolize adultery.
(to
CLAUDIUS) And here's rue
for you—it symbolizes repentance. We can call it the
merciful Sunday flower. You should wear it for a different reason.
And here's a daisy, for unhappy love. I'd give
you some violets, flowers of faithfulness, but they all dried up
when my father died. They say he looked good when he died.
(sings) For good sweet Robin is all
my joy.
LAERTES
Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself,
She turns to favor and to prettiness.
LAERTES
Sadness and torment, suffering, hell itself—she makes
them almost pretty.
OPHELIA
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(sings)
And will he not come
again?
And will he not come
again?
No, no, he is
dead,
Go to thy
deathbed.
He never will come
again.
His beard was as white as
snow,
All flaxen was his
poll.
He is gone, he is
gone,
And we cast away
moan,
God ha' mercy on his
soul.—
And of all Christian souls, I pray God. God be wi'
ye.
OPHELIA
(sings)
And won't he come
again?
And won't he come
again?
No, no,
he's dead.
Go to your
deathbed.
He'll never come
again.
His beard was white as
snow,
His hair was all white
too.
He's
gone, he's gone,
And we moan as
we're cast away.
God have mercy on his
soul.
And on the souls of all good Christians, I hope. Goodbye, God be
with you.
Exit OPHELIA
OPHELIA exits.
LAERTES
Do you see this, O God?
LAERTES
Do you see this, oh, God?
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, I must commune with your grief,
Or you deny me right. Go but apart,
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Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will.
And they shall hear and judge 'twixt you and me.
If by direct or by collateral hand
They find us touched, we will our kingdom give,
Our crown, our life, and all that we can ours,
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To you in satisfaction. But if not,
Be you content to lend your patience to us,
And we shall jointly labor with your soul
To give it due content.
CLAUDIUS
Laertes, I have a right to share your grief. Go choose your wisest
friends, and have them listen to both of us and decide which of us
is right. If directly or indirectly they find me implicated in your
father's murder, I'll give up my kingdom, my
crown, my life, and everything I call my own to you as restitution.
But if they find me innocent, then be patient and I'll
work to satisfy to the fullest extent your deepest need for
revenge.
