Haml Con Sel Five
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[edit] Ham Con Sel Five
[edit] The Concordance to the Fifth Selection of the Text of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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[edit] John DeGrazia, Web Author and Programmer
Table of Selections, Concordances and Tests for Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
[edit] Key
First Asterisk Second Asterisk Selection + Number Third, and Last Asterisk Off-site Wiki editable Text Selection Tests, Quizzes Concordance Concordance (Off-site) (Off-site) Page Page
[edit] Links to Text Selections and Concordances
Below is a simple table of the links to the text selections and the corresponding concordances.
[edit] Annotations to the Fifth Selection of the Text of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
[edit] 10001
'twas Aeneas' tale to Dido - Aeneas was the Trojan hero who carried his father to safety, while leading his people from the flaming ruins of his city, Troy. (This, of course, had been destroyed by the Greeks after a war of eleven years). The story of the Roman poet and philosopher, Virgil, was that Rome was founded by the Trojans who survived the destruction of Troy. However, along the way, the band stopped at the city of Carthage, then ruled by Queen Dido. She propositioned him, asking him to join their two peoples in a great alliance of will and blood. He rejected the Matriarchal and Semitic queen and city, and left to found what would become the most serious and dedicated of all the patriarchal cultures that ever arose on the European continent. This is Virgil's tale, told in the Aeniad. We will soon be linked to an Lynx Line-Indexer etext version of this important work.
Troy has recently come to be identified as a Greek, or Hellenic culture by some archeologists, but what linguistic connections there are and that may exist through the culture of Rome, are obscured and overwhelmed by the almost continuous contacts between the various Hellenic peoples over the year millenia.
The actual geographic area of the city of Troy had been home in earliest times to Hittite civilization, as well as subsequent town- and city-builders, before the city's destruction by the forces of the Achean league.
[edit] 10002
[edit] 10003
I actuality, Priam, King of the Trojans, was said to have been carried forth from the burning ruins of Troy on the back of his son, Aeneas. Is this simply another reading of the myth, or does Shakespeare intend to create a point of similarity between Priam and King Hamlet?
[edit] 10004
[edit] 10005
Pyrrhus - A Greek hero of the Trojan War.
Hyrcanian - Gorgon, the name usually given exclusively to Medusa, reputed to be so ugly that none could look at her without being changed to stone, and who was slain by Perseus who looked only at her reflection in his shield to slay her, was a Gorgon or Hyrcanian. Reference not entirely clear.
[edit] 10006
[edit] 10007
sable - black, dark
[edit] 10008
[edit] 10009
couched - To lie down for concealment; to hide; to be concealed; to be included or involved darkly.
omininous - foreboding or foreshowing evil; inauspicious; as, an ominous dread
[edit] 10010
[edit] 10011
heraldry more dismal -
heraldry - 1; blazons, a badge of authority or honor 2: a distinguishing mark or sign
dismal - Fatal; ill-omened; unlucky, Gloomy to the eye or ear; sorrowful and depressing to the feelings; foreboding; cheerless; dull; dreary; as, a dismal outlook; dismal stories; a dismal place.
[edit] 10012
gules - The tincture red, indicated in seals and engraved figures of escutcheons by parallel vertical lines. Hence, used poetically for a red color or that which is red, bloody.
trick'd - tricked out or up; To dress or decorate in a fancy way.
[edit] 10013
[edit] 10014
Baked and impasted with the parching streets
impasted - paint applied thickly
parching - hot and dry
[edit] 10015
tyrannous and damned - oppressive and cursed
[edit] 10016
[edit] 10017
o'er-sized with coagulate gore - </I>covered with dried blood
o'er-sized - where o'er means "over," and sized means "coated."
coagulate - coagulated
gore - blood and guts
[edit] 10018
Carbuncles - glowing coals
[edit] 10019
[edit] 10020
[edit] 10021
[edit] 10022
'Fore God - God knows, in God's sight,
[edit] 10023
discretion - insight
[edit] 10024
[edit] 10025
'Anon - Some time soon.
[edit] 10026
his antique sword, rebellious to his arm, - His ancient sword, falling from his hand,...
[edit] 10027
[edit] 10028
[edit] 10029
[edit] 10030
whiff and wind -
whiff - To smell, especially to smell unpleasant
wind - confidence, as in, to take the wind out of someone's sails
To thwart their confident progress; to deflate or humble them.
[edit] 10031
senseless Ilium - The city of Troy
[edit] 10032
with flaming top stoops to his base, and with a hideous crash takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear: The burning city falls around the two, and the momentous sound distracts Pyrrhus.
[edit] 10033
[edit] 10034
[edit] 10035
[edit] 10036
[edit] 10037
[edit] 10038
And like a neutral to his will and matter - his body refusing to obey his mind's commands, paralyzed
[edit] 10039
[edit] 10040
[edit] 10041
against some storm, a silence in the heavens, the rack stand still, the bold winds speechless and the orb below, as hush as death, anon the dreadful thunder doth rend the region - in the midst of a storm, the destruction ceases, the winds die, and the earth is silent, when the overpowering sound of thunder pierces the air.
rack - Destruction
rend - Said of a noise: to disturb (the silence, the air, etc) with a loud, piercing sound
[edit] 10042
[edit] 10043
[edit] 10044
[edit] 10045
[edit] 10046
Cyclops - One-eyed giants said to live in the far West of the Greek world, the island of Sicily.
[edit] 10047
forged for proof eterne - manufactured to protect the god forever
proof eterne - eternal protection
proof - resistance, to make something resistant to
[edit] 10048
[edit] 10049
[edit] 10050
Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! - This sentence appears to be words spoken by Pyrrhus as he falls to his attack.
[edit] 10051
In general synod - a church court
[edit] 10052
Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel - break the wheel which is her symbol and the source of her power. The wheel of fortune.
[edit] 10053
And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven - throw fortune down
[edit] 10054
[edit] 10055
[edit] 10056
This is too long. - Lord Polonius expresses discomfort, identifying, perhaps, with the aged King Priam.
[edit] 10057
[edit] 10058
It shall to the barber's, with your beard - Again, the reference to incitement and attack: the actor's are bearding Polonius with their presentation. We might say, "to bring him down." instead of "beard him." The double entendre plays on the idea of cutting it short, the play and Polonius' beard.
[edit] 10059
he's for a jig or a tale of bawdry - Just as Hamlet accused the general of being a vulgarian, now he accuses Polonius of the same fault.
jig - A lively country dance or folk dance. A dance of the commoners.
bawdry - pornographic, whoring
[edit] 10060
Hecuba - (also Hekuba or Hekabe) was a Trojan queen in Greek mythology, daughter of Dymas.
[edit] 10061
[edit] 10062
mobled queen - marbled (bedecked with gems) queen
[edit] 10063
[edit] 10064
[edit] 10065
[edit] 10066
[edit] 10067
[edit] 10068
[edit] 10069
bisson rheum - spitting and coughing
clout - blow, hit, strike
[edit] 10070
diadem - tiara, intricately worked crown of jewels
[edit] 10071
lank - Long and thin
o'er-teemed - a word indicative of her fertility, her maternal virtues
[edit] 10072
in the alarm of fear caught up - clutching it fearfully
[edit] 10073
Who this had seen, with tongue in venom steep'd, 'gainst Fortune's state would treason have pronounced: - To see this would drive the viewer to say that Fortune had betrayed the queen.
[edit] 10074
[edit] 10075
[edit] 10076
[edit] 10077
[edit] 10078
mincing with his sword her husband's limbs - cutting King Priam, limb from limb.
[edit] 10079
[edit] 10080
[edit] 10081
Would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven, and passion in the god - Would have moved the gods, themselves, to tears.
milch - Said of cattle producing milk. In this case meant to mean
the secretion of tears.
[edit] 10082
[edit] 10083
[edit] 10084
Look, whether he has not turned his colour and has tears in's eyes. Pray you, no more - Lord Polonius intercedes on Hamlet's behalf, and begs the actor to desist, stating, "look, Hamlet has turned white as a sheet, and weeps."
[edit] 10085
[edit] 10086
[edit] 10087
[edit] 10088
Good my lord, will you see the players well bestowed?... - My Good Lord, will you see the players well-paid? Let them be well-treated; for they are the journals of the day, and it will soon be widely known whether you have treated them well or poorly.
[edit] 10089
[edit] 10090
[edit] 10091
[edit] 10092
[edit] 10093
[edit] 10094
My lord, I will use them according to their desert. - I will treat them as they deserve to be treated.
[edit] 10095
[edit] 10096
God's bodykins - An expression meaning God's needles.
[edit] 10097
[edit] 10098
Use them after your own honour and dignity - treat them well to aggrandize your own reputation. Somewhat like Al Capone and his famous soup kitchen. Being kind makes even a villain look like he is good at heart.
after - according to
honour - moral obligation
dignity - pleasure
The phrase has more than one meaning, however, the meaning given above coincides with the circumstances of the speech. It also shows Hamlet to be a cynic.
[edit] 10099
the less they deserve, the more merit is in your bounty -
merit - praiseworthy, praiseworthiness
bounty - largesse, generosity
[edit] 10100
[edit] 10101
[edit] 10102
[edit] 10103
[edit] 10104
we'll hear a play to-morrow. - We'll watch a play tomorrow; We'll attend a play tomorrow.
hear - attend, see, take in
[edit] 10105
[edit] 10106
[edit] 10107
Murder of Gonzago - The title of a play current at the time. It concerned a murder.
[edit] 10108
[edit] 10109
[edit] 10110
[edit] 10111
We'll ha't to-morrow night. - We'll have it tomorrow night.
[edit] 10112
[edit] 10113
[edit] 10114
[edit] 10115
[edit] 10116
[edit] 10117
and look you mock him not. - Take care that you don't make fun of him.
[edit] 10118
[edit] 10119
[edit] 10120
[edit] 10121
[edit] 10122
[edit] 10123
[edit] 10124
In the speech that follows, Hamlet heaps admiration on the power of the actor to move himself and others with the power of words. He then speculates how the player might speak should he be motivated as is Hamlet. Then, he laments his inability to defend his father, and questions his courage.
[edit] 10125
God be wi' ye - God be with you.
[edit] 10126
[edit] 10127
[edit] 10128
[edit] 10129
[edit] 10130
conceit - egotism
[edit] 10131
[edit] 10132
[edit] 10133
[edit] 10134
[edit] 10135
[edit] 10136
[edit] 10137
[edit] 10138
[edit] 10139
[edit] 10140
[edit] 10141
[edit] 10142
[edit] 10143
[edit] 10144
[edit] 10145
peak - end up like
[edit] 10146
Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause - Like an idle dreamer, unfruitful in results, insignificant, without meaning.
[edit] 10147
[edit] 10148
[edit] 10149
damned defeat - cursed failure, loss, trouncing, vanquishment, debacle.
[edit] 10150
pate - head
[edit] 10151
[edit] 10152
gives me the lie i' the throat, as deep as to the lungs - calls me a liar to my face: says that I lie through my teeth.
[edit] 10153
[edit] 10154
[edit] 10155
Swounds - It makes one swoon, swoons.
[edit] 10156
lack gall to make oppression bitter- Lack the nerve it would take to make his uncle regret his acts.
lack gall - lack an edge, toughness, nerve, sometimes said as "lack spleen." It was thought in the Middle Ages that the spleen was the center of certain humours, such as contributed to assertiveness and other aggressive traits of character. We might attribute the testes to these same traits, thought some women are known to have, in many cases, as much testosterone as men, thought they lack testes.
[edit] 10157
[edit] 10158
fatted all the region kites - fed his uncle to the buzzards. Kites are actually hawks, but only vultures, crows or buzzards will eat offal.
[edit] 10159
[edit] 10160
[edit] 10161
[edit] 10162
[edit] 10163
[edit] 10164
[edit] 10165
[edit] 10166
drab - whore, slut
[edit] 10167
Scullion - fisherwoman, fishmonger
[edit] 10168
Fie - Expressing disapproval or disgust, real or feigned.
"Fee, fie, fo fum... There occurs to me the disgusting odor of an Englishmun."
- The Giant
[edit] 10169
Here, Hamlet let's the audience in on his design, his scheme to catch his uncle.
[edit] 10170
[edit] 10171
[edit] 10172
[edit] 10173
[edit] 10174
[edit] 10175
[edit] 10176
[edit] 10177
tent him to the quick - stretch him to the center of his being.
tent - to strech: as in tenterhooks
quick - The site where someone's emotions or feelings, etc are supposed to be located
blench - blanch: grow suddenly pale, bloodless, lose color
[edit] 10178
[edit] 10179
[edit] 10180
[edit] 10181
[edit] 10182
[edit] 10183
I'll have grounds more relative than this - grounds upon which to justify staging his play. And these pertinent grounds will justify "flirting with the devil."
relative - relevant, applicable, germane, pertinent
[edit] 10184
[edit] 10185
[edit] 10186
[edit] 10187
[edit] 10188
[edit] 10189
[edit] 10190
[edit] 10191
[edit] 10192
no drift of circumstance - any purposeful meander of events: any implication, effort, movement, push.
[edit] 10193
[edit] 10194
Grating - vexing and annoying: making unhappy and discordant
[edit] 10195
[edit] 10196
[edit] 10197
distracted - troubled, confused, confounded, perplexed, puzzled, flustered, anxious, distressed, distraught, overwrought, hassled, frazzled;
[edit] 10198
[edit] 10199
[edit] 10200
forward to be sounded - Offering to allow himself to be examined, such as by a doctor. However, in the days in which Hamlet was living, it would be more likely that a cleric would have undertaken to examine the young man.
The date at which the events of the play are to have occurred is not entirely clear. If the Danes were exacting tribute from the English, a fact mentioned in succeeding lines, that would place Hamlet and his court at an earlier date, before William the Conqueror brought a "Norman peace" to the British Isles in 1066.
[edit] 10201
[edit] 10202
[edit] 10203
[edit] 10204
[edit] 10205
[edit] 10206
[edit] 10207
[edit] 10208
[edit] 10209
forcing of his disposition -talkiing unfreely, divulging only with great difficulty.
[edit] 10210
[edit] 10211
Niggard of question; but, of our demands, most free in his reply. - he failed to question us, but responded freely to our inquiries.
[edit] 10212
[edit] 10213
[edit] 10214
Did you assay him? To any pastime? - Did you try to get him to join you in a sport, a game of tennis, or the like?
Assay - to try, usually used in the sense of trying a metal for its purity. To assay gold.
[edit] 10215
[edit] 10216
[edit] 10217
[edit] 10218
we o'er-raught - we caught up with, overtook
[edit] 10219
[edit] 10220
[edit] 10221
[edit] 10222
[edit] 10223
[edit] 10224
[edit] 10225
[edit] 10226
To hear and see the matter- to see the play
[edit] 10227
[edit] 10228
[edit] 10229
[edit] 10230
give him a further edge, and drive his purpose on to these delights.- egg him on, and encourage him in his pursuit
[edit] 10231
[edit] 10232
[edit] 10233
[edit] 10234
[edit] 10235
[edit] 10236
[edit] 10237
closely - secretly
hither - here
[edit] 10238
as 'twere - as if it were
[edit] 10239
Affront - encounter, meet with
[edit] 10240
[edit] 10241
Will so bestow ourselves that, seeing, unseen, - Will so place ourselves, so that we may watch without being seen.
bestow - to place.
[edit] 10242
[edit] 10243
And gather by him, as he is behaved, if 't be the affliction of his love or no that thus he suffers for. - and gather by watching him, how he behaves, if it is lovesickness that he suffers from.
[edit] 10244
[edit] 10245
[edit] 10246
[edit] 10247
[edit] 10248
[edit] 10249
[edit] 10250
wildness - disorder
[edit] 10251
Will bring him to his wonted way again - Bring him back to his customary ways again.
[edit] 10252
[edit] 10253
[edit] 10254
[edit] 10255
[edit] 10256
[edit] 10257
[edit] 10258
[edit] 10259
[edit] 10260
Read on this book; that show of such an exercise may colour your loneliness. We are oft to blame in this,--Tis too much proved--that with devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar o'er the devil himself. - Paraphrase: Read this book, that in doing so you may dissemble and hide your true feelings (loneliness). We are often blamed, and it's been proved, that with the semblance or appearance of piety and devotion, we make the devil, himself, seem saintly.
[edit] 10261
[edit] 10262
[edit] 10263
[edit] 10264
[edit] 10265
[edit] 10266
[edit] 10267
[edit] 10268
[edit] 10269
The harlot's cheek, beautied with plastering art, is not more ugly to the thing that helps it than is my deed to my most painted word: O heavy burthen! Paraphrase - The face of a prostitute, painted thickly with makeup, is as repellent to the cause beauty as my deed to my word, or, my good words are said in the service of evil deeds.
[edit] 10270
[edit] 10271
[edit] 10272
[edit] 10273
[edit] 10274
[edit] 10275
[edit] 10276
[edit] 10277
[edit] 10278
[edit] 10279
[edit] 10280
[edit] 10281
[edit] 10282
[edit] 10283
[edit] 10284
[edit] 10285
'tis a consummation - it is an ending, or perfect ending
[edit] 10286
[edit] 10287
[edit] 10288
[edit] 10289
shuffled off mortal coil - lifelong trouble and tumult
shuffled off -To throw or thrust it aside; to wriggle out of it.
coil - trouble and tumult
[edit] 10290
give us pause - cause us to hesitate respect - feature or characteristic, detail
[edit] 10291
there's the respect that makes calamity of so long life; - That's the detail that makes such a disaster of long life.
[edit] 10292
[edit] 10293
contumely - Scornful or insulting treatment or words: outrage, insult.
[edit] 10294
[edit] 10295
the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes - The spurnful treatment afforded patient merit by the unworthy
[edit] 10296
[edit] 10297
might his quietus make with a bare bodkin? - might welcome death with an unsheathed blade: commit suicide with a dagger.
[edit] 10298
fardels - burdens
[edit] 10299
[edit] 10300
[edit] 10301
bourn - A limit or bound: boundary
[edit] 10302
[edit] 10303
[edit] 10304
[edit] 10305
[edit] 10306
And thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought - Native vigor and energetic application is weakened by too much thinking, the entertaining of doubts, etc.</P
[edit] 10307
[edit] 10308
pith - Substance, forcefulness or vigour. Used with regard to writing.
moment - of the moment: currently very popular, important, fashionable, au courrant
[edit] 10309
With this regard their currents turn awry - Thus such movements fail
currents - trends or tendencies.
awry - amiss, turn out wrong
[edit] 10310
Soft you now! - Be silent! (Here Hamlet addresses himself)
[edit] 10311
Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remember'd.- Hamlet begs Ophelia to pray for him in greeting her.
Nymph - A beautiful young woman
orisons - prayers
[edit] 10312
[edit] 10313
[edit] 10314
[edit] 10315
this many a day - this day out of many
[edit] 10316
[edit] 10317
[edit] 10318
[edit] 10319
remembrances - A token intended to bring someone from the past to mind
[edit] 10320
[edit] 10321
[edit] 10322
[edit] 10323
[edit] 10324
I never gave you aught - I gave you nothing. aught - anything
[edit] 10325
[edit] 10326
[edit] 10327
[edit] 10328
[edit] 10329
[edit] 10330
prove - turn out to be
[edit] 10331
[edit] 10332
[edit] 10333
[edit] 10334
[edit] 10335
[edit] 10336
[edit] 10337
[edit] 10338
[edit] 10339
[edit] 10340
[edit] 10341
[edit] 10342
admit no discourse to - not enter into debate or conversation with
[edit] 10343
[edit] 10344
Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with honesty? - Rather, is their any more fitting marriage, than between honesty and beauty?
[edit] 10345
[edit] 10346
[edit] 10347
Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness - Yes, there could be a better match, for beauty will sooner make honesty a whore, than honesty make beauty into its image.
[edit] 10348
[edit] 10349
[edit] 10350
sometime a paradox - once a contradicton in terms
paradox - A statement that seems to contradict itself.
[edit] 10351
[edit] 10352
[edit] 10353
[edit] 10354
[edit] 10355
for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it -
Paraphrase: For our old line - our family - cannot be joined with virture, or by implication, the virtuous. Virtue is lost on us. Rather, we shall taste (relish) of the old (sinful) ways.
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=00417U
[edit] 10356
relish of it - taste of it
[edit] 10357
[edit] 10358
[edit] 10359
[edit] 10360
[edit] 10361
[edit] 10362
indifferent honest - either average or uninterested in honesty: the first meaning corresponds more closely to the meaning of the lines that follow.
[edit] 10363
[edit] 10364
[edit] 10365
[edit] 10366
my beck - ready to carry out or at hand.
[edit] 10367
[edit] 10368
[edit] 10369
arrant knaves - notorious and infamous scoundrels
[edit] 10370
nunnery - a place kept by religious order for the training and housing of nuns.
nuns - ladies of the cloth, women who have taken religious vows.
[edit] 10371
[edit] 10372
[edit] 10373
[edit] 10374
[edit] 10375
[edit] 10376
[edit] 10377
[edit] 10378
[edit] 10379
[edit] 10380
[edit] 10381
[edit] 10382
calumny - An untrue and malicious spoken statement about a person. Also: a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something
[edit] 10383
[edit] 10384
[edit] 10385
[edit] 10386
[edit] 10387
[edit] 10388
[edit] 10389
[edit] 10390
[edit] 10391
[edit] 10392
[edit] 10393
wantoness - Playful fancy; whimsy, at the extreme, sexual lawlessness. ignorance - stupidity
Ignorance is the curse of God, Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven. --Shak.
It might have been intended as meaning, "You make of your wantoness, your ignorance."
[edit] 10394
Go to, I'll no more on't - Leave me. I'll speak no more about it.
[edit] 10395
[edit] 10396
[edit] 10397
[edit] 10398
[edit] 10399
[edit] 10400
[edit] 10401
[edit] 10402
[edit] 10403
[edit] 10404
[edit] 10405
[edit] 10406
[edit] 10407
[edit] 10408
[edit] 10409
[edit] 10410
[edit] 10411
blasted with ecstasy - ruined by a delirium, out of his mind
blasted - ruined or destroyed, damaged beyond repair
ecstasy - delirium
[edit] 10412
[edit] 10413
[edit] 10414
[edit] 10415
his affections do not that way tend - His malady is not caused by love
affections - A disease
[edit] 10416
Nor what he spake, though it lack'd form a little, was not like madness - He sounded rational or reasonable.
[edit] 10417
[edit] 10418
O'er which his melancholy sits on brood - which he conceals beneath a melancholy exterior.
sits on brood - from the habit of fowl, especially chickens, to guard their eggs when incubating them. These creatures become frantic when their nests become the object of attention of any other creature.
[edit] 10419
And I do doubt the hatch and the disclose will be some danger - I suspect the outcome and disclosure of Hamlet's reason for his behaving as he does will cause the kingdom trouble.
[edit] 10420
[edit] 10421
[edit] 10422
[edit] 10423
demand of our neglected tribute - The Danes were in the habit of accepting payments in kind from those they traditionally and habitually preyed upon and raided. This practice stemmed from days of the Romans in Britain, when these colonists protected themselves by tendering gold and silver plate to the raiders before the fact.
[edit] 10424
Haply the seas and countries different with variable objects shall expel this something-settled matter in his heart- perhaps exposure to different climes with other things on his mind will cure him of his obsession.
something-settled - something, Hamlet only knows, upon which he has decided, his determination.
[edit] 10425
[edit] 10426
[edit] 10427
[edit] 10428
fashion of himself - making something of himself
[edit] 10429
[edit] 10430
[edit] 10431
[edit] 10432
[edit] 10433
[edit] 10434
[edit] 10435
[edit] 10436
[edit] 10437
[edit] 10438
so please you - if it so please you
[edit] 10439
[edit] 10440
[edit] 10441
[edit] 10442
[edit] 10443
[edit] 10444
[edit] 10445
[edit] 10446
[edit] 10447
[edit] 10448
[edit] 10449
[edit] 10450
[edit] 10451
[edit] 10452
[edit] 10453
[edit] 10454
[edit] 10455
[edit] 10456
[edit] 10457
robustious, periwig-pated fellow - fat, bewigged fellow
[edit] 10458
[edit] 10459
[edit] 10460
[edit] 10461
[edit] 10462
Termagant - A scolding, brawling and overbearing woman.
[edit] 10463
Out-herod Herod - A child-killer; from Herod the Great, who ordered the massacre of the babies in Bethlehem. (Matt. ii. 16.) To out-herod Herod. To out-do in wickedness, violence, or rant, the worst of tyrants. Herod, who destroyed the babes of Bethlehem, was made (in the ancient mysteries) a ranting, roaring tyrant; the extravagance of his rant being the measure of his bloody-mindedness.
[edit] 10464
[edit] 10465
I warrant your honour - I'll guarantee you, your honor
warrant - guarantee
[edit] 10466
[edit] 10467
[edit] 10468
with this special o'erstep not the modesty of nature: for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure. - With this special caveat, don't overstep the modesty of nature; for anything overdone is from the point of view of acting, whose end, both from the first and now, was and is, to hold a mirror up to the face of Nature, to show her virte, her image, and the true age and substance of time, its form and pressure.
[edit] 10469
[edit] 10470
[edit] 10471
[edit] 10472
[edit] 10473
[edit] 10474
[edit] 10475
Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the censure of the which one must in your allowance o'erweigh a whole theatre of others. - Now, should this be overdone, or be late in execution, though it make the inexpert laugh, cannot help but make those sensitive to matters of theatrical justice grieve; the dissapproval of whom must, in your estimation, overweigh a whole theatre of others.
There follows more severe warnings from Hamlet to the player, as well as terrible descriptions of actors the prince has seen before, and who he describes as less than human.
[edit] 10476
[edit] 10477
[edit] 10478
[edit] 10479
[edit] 10480
[edit] 10481
[edit] 10482
[edit] 10483
[edit] 10484
[edit] 10485
[edit] 10486
[edit] 10487
[edit] 10488
reformed that indifferently - changed all that, on the whole
[edit] 10489
[edit] 10490
[edit] 10491
reform it altogether - change it altogether
[edit] 10492
[edit] 10493
[edit] 10494
barren - Dull; unresponsive
[edit] 10495
[edit] 10496
In the above lines and those that follow, Hamlet enjoins the players from using a comical element to encourage the spectators to laugh. He is dead set on maintaining perfect gravity in the performance of the play.
[edit] 10497
[edit] 10498
[edit] 10499
(As from above) That's villainous and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it.
(Then Hamlet, continuing, says:) And then you have some again that keeps one suit of jests, as a man is known by one suit of apparel; and gentlemen quote his jests down in their tables before they come to the play; as thus, "Cannot you stay till I eat my porridge?," and "You owe me a quarter's wages," and "My coat wants a cullision," and "Your beer is sour," and blabbering with his lips, and thus keeping in his cinquepace of jests, when, God knows, the warm clown cannot make a jest unless by chance, as the blind man catcheth a hare. Masters, tell him of it.
First Player
We will, my lord.
Hamlet
Well, go make you ready.
[edit] 10500
[edit] Credits
Definitons courtesy of AOL Dictionary Mirriam-Webster, Dictionary.com Allwords.com, and Morewords.comYou may go either to the Hamlet Concordance Pageor the Hamlet(play) pages by clicking here on these hyperlinks.
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[edit] Investigating unknown terms, et cetera:
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[edit] John DeGrazia, Web Author and Programmer
Table of Selections, Concordances and Tests for Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
[edit] Key
First Asterisk Second Asterisk Selection + Number Third, and Last Asterisk Off-site Wiki editable Text Selection Tests, Quizzes Concordance Concordance (Off-site) (Off-site) Page Page
[edit] Links to Text Selections and Concordances
Below is a simple table of the links to the text selections and the corresponding concordances.
[edit] Annotations to the Fifth Selection of the Text of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
[edit] 10001
'twas Aeneas' tale to Dido - Aeneas was the Trojan hero who carried his father to safety, while leading his people from the flaming ruins of his city, Troy. (This, of course, had been destroyed by the Greeks after a war of eleven years). The story of the Roman poet and philosopher, Virgil, was that Rome was founded by the Trojans who survived the destruction of Troy. However, along the way, the band stopped at the city of Carthage, then ruled by Queen Dido. She propositioned him, asking him to join their two peoples in a great alliance of will and blood. He rejected the Matriarchal and Semitic queen and city, and left to found what would become the most serious and dedicated of all the patriarchal cultures that ever arose on the European continent. This is Virgil's tale, told in the Aeniad. We will soon be linked to an Ellsie Crain etext version of this important work. Troy has recently come to be identified as a Greek, or Hellenic culture by Archeologists, but no linguistic evidence remains, and the area had been home in earliest times to Hittite civilization, as well as various Greek cities.
[edit] 10002
[edit] 10003
[edit] 10004
[edit] 10005
Pyrrhus - A Greek hero of the Trojan War.
Hyrcanian - Gorgon, the name usually given exclusively to Medusa, reputed to be so ugly that none could look at her without being changed to stone, and who was slain by Perseus who looked only at her reflection in his shield to slay her, was a Gorgon or Hyrcanian. Reference not entirely clear.
[edit] 10006
[edit] 10007
sable - black, dark
[edit] 10008
[edit] 10009
couched - To lie down for concealment; to hide; to be concealed; to be included or involved darkly.
omininous - foreboding or foreshowing evil; inauspicious; as, an ominous dread
[edit] 10010
[edit] 10011
heraldry more dismal -
heraldry - 1; blazons, a badge of authority or honor 2: a distinguishing mark or sign
dismal - Fatal; ill-omened; unlucky, Gloomy to the eye or ear; sorrowful and depressing to the feelings; foreboding; cheerless; dull; dreary; as, a dismal outlook; dismal stories; a dismal place.
[edit] 10012
gules - The tincture red, indicated in seals and engraved figures of escutcheons by parallel vertical lines. Hence, used poetically for a red color or that which is red, bloody.
trick'd - tricked out or up; To dress or decorate in a fancy way.
[edit] 10013
[edit] 10014
Baked and impasted with the parching streets
impasted - paint applied thickly
parching - hot and dry
[edit] 10015
tyrannous and damned - oppressive and cursed
[edit] 10016
[edit] 10017
o'er-sized with coagulate gore - </I>covered with dried blood
o'er-sized - where o'er means "over," and sized means "coated."
coagulate - coagulated
gore - blood and guts
[edit] 10018
Carbuncles - glowing coals
[edit] 10019
[edit] 10020
[edit] 10021
[edit] 10022
'Fore God - God knows, in God's sight,
[edit] 10023
discretion - insight
[edit] 10024
[edit] 10025
'Anon - Some time soon.
[edit] 10026
his antique sword, rebellious to his arm, - His ancient sword, falling from his hand,...
[edit] 10027
[edit] 10028
[edit] 10029
[edit] 10030
whiff and wind -
whiff - To smell, especially to smell unpleasant
wind - confidence, as in, to take the wind out of someone's sails
To thwart their confident progress; to deflate or humble them.
[edit] 10031
senseless Ilium - The city of Troy
[edit] 10032
with flaming top stoops to his base, and with a hideous crash takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear: The burning city falls around the two, and the momentous sound distracts Pyrrhus.
[edit] 10033
[edit] 10034
[edit] 10035
[edit] 10036
[edit] 10037
[edit] 10038
And like a neutral to his will and matter - his body refusing to obey his mind's commands, paralyzed
[edit] 10039
[edit] 10040
[edit] 10041
against some storm, a silence in the heavens, the rack stand still, the bold winds speechless and the orb below, as hush as death, anon the dreadful thunder doth rend the region - in the midst of a storm, the destruction ceases, the winds die, and the earth is silent, when the overpowering sound of thunder pierces the air.
rack - Destruction
rend - Said of a noise: to disturb (the silence, the air, etc) with a loud, piercing sound
[edit] 10042
[edit] 10043
[edit] 10044
[edit] 10045
[edit] 10046
Cyclops - One-eyed giants said to live in the far West of the Greek world, the island of Sicily.
[edit] 10047
forged for proof eterne - manufactured to protect the god forever
proof eterne - eternal protection
proof - resistance, to make something resistant to
[edit] 10048
[edit] 10049
[edit] 10050
Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! - This sentence appears to be words spoken by Pyrrhus as he falls to his attack.
[edit] 10051
In general synod - a church court
[edit] 10052
Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel - break the wheel which is her symbol and the source of her power. The wheel of fortune.
[edit] 10053
And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven - throw fortune down
[edit] 10054
[edit] 10055
[edit] 10056
This is too long. - Lord Polonius expresses discomfort, identifying, perhaps, with the aged King Priam.
[edit] 10057
[edit] 10058
It shall to the barber's, with your beard - Again, the reference to incitement and attack: the actor's are bearding Polonius with their presentation. We might say, "to bring him down." instead of "beard him."
[edit] 10059
he's for a jig or a tale of bawdry - Just as Hamlet accused the general of being a vulgarian, now he accuses Polonius of the same fault.
jig - A lively country dance or folk dance. A dance of the commoners.
bawdry - pornographic, whoring
[edit] 10060
Hecuba - (also Hekuba or Hekabe) was a Trojan queen in Greek mythology, daughter of Dymas.
[edit] 10061
[edit] 10062
mobled queen - marbled (bedecked with gems) queen
[edit] 10063
[edit] 10064
[edit] 10065
[edit] 10066
[edit] 10067
[edit] 10068
[edit] 10069
bisson rheum - spitting and coughing
clout - blow, hit, strike
[edit] 10070
diadem - tiara, intricately worked crown of jewels
[edit] 10071
lank - Long and thin
o'er-teemed - a word indicative of her fertility, her maternal virtues
[edit] 10072
in the alarm of fear caught up - clutching it fearfully
[edit] 10073
Who this had seen, with tongue in venom steep'd, 'gainst Fortune's state would treason have pronounced: - To see this would drive the viewer to say that Fortune had betrayed the queen.
[edit] 10074
[edit] 10075
[edit] 10076
[edit] 10077
[edit] 10078
mincing with his sword her husband's limbs - cutting King Priam, limb from limb.
[edit] 10079
[edit] 10080
[edit] 10081
Would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven, and passion in the god - Would have moved the gods, themselves, to tears.
milch - Said of cattle producing milk. In this case meant to mean
the secretion of tears.