**Disclaimer: I did not write the original work. I simplified the lines into 'modern' English, so that students can understand the plays better. I did no editorializing. This has MAJOR spoilers herein, considering it is just the play re-written. If you don't want the play to be spoiled, do NOT read this. I repeat. DO NOT READ THIS. In other words, I don't want to be sued. If I did anything that might make you think that I should be sued, I can assure you that I did NOT. This is not meant to be in stead of reading the works of my buddy Big Will, but in suppliment to, in case you get stuck. In any case, Shakespeare writes on many levels, and some things may be lost in the translation. Some mild adult language may be used. Lines that were not altered in italics.
**�������Difficult vocabulary from the original is in place after every scene. Definitions come from Webster's New World Dictionary 3rd college edition, ed Victoria Neufeldt, c 1994, 1991, 1988.
�������Character Analysis at the end of the play.
�������Analysis of major soliloquies at the end of the play, as well as the 'famous quote bank'.
Scene -- Elsinore, Hamlet's castle
Act 1
Scene -- Elsinore, Hamlet's castleAct 1
Scene 1 -- Elsinore. A platform in front of the Castle.
**Francisco stands at his post. Bernardo enters.
Ber: Who's there?
Ber: Who's there?
Fran: Nuh uh. You tell me who's there. Show yourself.
Ber: Long live the King!
Fran: Bernardo?
Ber: Yup.
Fran: You're a tad bit early for your duty at this post.
Ber: Well, it's already midnight; Go to bed, Francisco.
Fran: Thanks for taking my spot. It's really cold and I've been feeling sick at heart.
Ber: Not much going on?
Fran: Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
Ber: Good. Good-night. If you see Horatio and Marcellus, who want to help me with my watch, tell them to hurry up and GET here...
Fran: [walks away a little] I think I hear them right now, actually... Yo! Stop! Who's there?
**Enter Horatio & Marcellus**
Hor: We're friends to the people of the castle.
Mar: And loyal to the Dane.
Fran: Oh, okay, then. Good night.
Mar: Thanks! Who was it that took your post again?
Fran: Bernardo. Good night. [Francisco exits]
Mar: Yo! Bernardo!
Ber: Huh... What the-- Is it Horatio?
Hor: Yuh huh.
Ber: Hey, Horatio--- Hey, Marcellus!
Mar: Has that thing we saw the other night come back tonight?
Ber: Not as far as I know.
Mar: Horatio says we're nuts, and won't believe me that we saw it twice; So I dragged him along with me to see it again, tonight; Maybe if he sees it for himself, he'll believe and try to get it to talk to us all.
Hor: I still say you're nuts. It SO will not show up.
Ber: Oh, be quiet. We're going to tell you this story again, about that thing we saw for the past two days, despite the fact that you will just not hear it.
Hor: Fine. Fine. Tell me again, Bernardo, as IF I'll believe you...
Ber: Last night, we were sitting right here when that star right there got to BE right about there, when Marcellus and myself, when it turned to be 1 AM...
Mar: Dude, shut up! It's here!
[Enter Ghost w. Kung Fu Grip]
Ber: It looks just like the king, I notice, except the king just died.
Mar: You're a scholar, Horatio... You talk to it.
Ber: It really DOES look just like the King. Doesn't it, Horatio?
Hor: Just like him... It freaks me out.
Ber: TALK to it.
Mar: Question it, Horatio.
Hor: What are you, that you're out & wandering this late and looking exactly like the king who just died? Tell me, dammit!
Mar: DUDE! What's wrong with you? Now you made it mad!
Ber: It's leaving!
Hor: Aw come ON! Stay here! Please? Please? PLEEEEEEEASE? [Ghost Exits anyway]
Mar: It left and didn't say ANYthing.
Ber: Bwahaha! Look at Horatio! He's scared! Are we still crazy? What do you think about it?
Hor: My Lord, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it myself.
Mar: Isn't it like the king?
Hor: Exactly like. The king wore the same armour as the ghost wore when he (the king) fought against Norway; He had the same expression fighting the Polacks. It's really bizarre.
Mar: It happened the same way two times before and at the same exact time that he went by here, walking like a soldier.
Hor: I don't know why he would do that... but in my opinion it's rather ominous.
Mar: Okay, then. You seem to know exactly what this is all about, so sit down, and inform us as to why this thing goes by at the same time, with the same walk, etc. Tell us why every day we make cannons and send them to foreigners. Tell us why it's so important to impress these people who don't even get a day off on Sunday. Why would he do this, if he works and gets sweaty all day? Who is it that can tell me?
Hor: Uh, I can. At least, I think I can. Our last king, who just kinda showed up here, was, as you should know by now, challenged by Fortinbras of Norway, and, of course, because of his pride, he couldn't refuse, so he went to combat, in which Hamlet -- which he is called in the living world -- killed Fortinbras who signed a sealed pact in which he gave up his life, his kingdom, which had been seized by his conqueror; against which he seemed but half competent, said our king; which had returned to Fortinbras, had he won; by the same pact, Fortinbras' went to Hamlet. Then, young Fortinbras tried to take all these other lands.... and, well, basically, I think that's why that's why we have to stand watch here, AND why that guy who looks like the king keeps walking around.
Ber: I think it IS the king, but even so... It's kinda odd that this guy that looks like the king, which is so incredibly ominous, because the king was and is the one who questioned these wars.
Hor: It's so small a matter I don't think it's worth bothering anybody about. In Rome a little bit after Julius Caesar died, zombies rose from the dead and walked the streets, figuratively speaking of course. Even Neptune was disturbed in its orbit. There were eclipses and stuff, like Doomsday... This is almost worse than all those... But here it comes again!
[Re-enter ghost]
Stay where you are! If you can speak, do so. If there's something that we can do for you to make you stop walking around here, let us know so we can do it for ya. If you know what's going to happen to this country which we could avoid if we knew, tell us about it! If you know something we don't, which, they say, makes people be ghosts after they die, tell us [cock crows] -- don't LEAVE, dammit! -- Marcellus, make it stay!
Mar: What am I supposed to do, stab it?
Hor: If it tries to leave, yeah.
Ber: It's still here.
Hor: It's still here! [Ghost exits]
Mar: ...it left. We're in the wrong, threatening it when it's so majestic and all... I mean, it's pretty much like the air and can't be hurt... it was pretty much mockery when we were swinging at it.
Ber: It almost spoke, but then the rooster crowed.
Hor: And then it left, post-haste! I've heard that the rooster tells of the coming of morning, and that with its cries brings about the dawn... therefore, the ghost probably had to get home to where ever he came from.
Mar: It faded when the rooster crowed! Some say that on Christmas the roosters crow all day, so that the ghosts can't walk the earth on that day... no witches or faeries, either, so holy is Christmas.
Hor: I heard that, too. I almost believe it. But look, over in the distance the sky is turning red, and so it is the dawn. Let's tell Hamlet about what we saw. I think that if the spirit won't talk to us, it will to him. You agree?
Mar: Uh huh. Let's do it. And this morning, I know just where to find him. [They all exit]
�������Scene 1 summary:
�������Scene 1 summary:
�������Marcellus drags Horatio to the spot where Marcellus and Bernardo have seen a ghost for the past two days, because Horatio doesn't believe it. The ghost shows up twice, and twice Horatio tries to get the ghost to speak to them. In the end, it doesn't work, because morning comes. Horatio and Marcellus decide to tell Hamlet about it, since the ghost looks exactly like Hamlet's father, who is recently deceased.
Scene 1 vocab:
Scene 1 vocab:
liegemen: loyal follower[s]
entreat: to ask earnestly; beg; beseech; implore
illume: to illuminate. {illuminate: to brighten}
harrows: to torment, vex.
usurp: take or assume (a power, position, etc) and hold in possession by force or without right.
avouch: declare the truth of; assert; affirm
emulate: to try, often by imitating or copying, to equal or surpass.
moiety: 1. a half; either of two equal, or more or less equal, parts. 2. an indefinite share or part.
mettle: quality of character or temperment; esp. high character, spirit, courage, ardor, etc.
romage: root word: rome ie: move around
mote: a small particle, like a speck of dust.
gibber: nonsensical babbling
extort: to get from someone by threats of violence, threats, misuse of authority, etc.
russet: red
