The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

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I am dead, Horatio :-Wretched queen, adien !,
You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time, (as this fell sergeant, death,
Is strict in his arrest,) oh! I could tell you,
But let it be-Horatio, I am dead;
Thou liv'st; report me and my cause aright

[They play. To the unsatisfied.

Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess. King. Our son shall win.

Queen. He's fat, and scant o'breath.Here, Hamlet, take my napkin,

rub thy brows:

The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.
Ham. Good madam,--

King. Gertrude, do not drink.

Queen. I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon

me.

The drink, the drink I am poison'd! [Dies. Ham. O villany -Ho! let the door be lock'd:

Treachery! seek it out.

[LAERTES falls. Laer. It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain;

No medicine in the world can do thee good,
In thee there is not half an hour's life;
The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
Unbated and envenom'd: the foul practice
Hath turn'd itself on me; lo, here I lie,
Never to rise again: Thy mother's poison'd;
I can no more; the king, the king's to blame.
Ham. The point
Envenom'd too!-Then, venom, to thy work.
[Stabs the KING.
Osr.& Lords. Treason! treason!
King. O yet defend me, friends, I am but
hurt.

Ham. Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned Dane,

Drink off this potion :-Is the union here? Follow my mother. [KING dies.

Laer. He is justly serv'd;

It is a poison temper'd || by himself.— Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet:

Hor. Never believe it;

I am more an antique Roman than a Dane,
Here's yet some liquor left.

Ham. As thou'rt a man,

Give me the cup; let go; by heaven I'll have it.-
O God!-Horatio, what a wounded name,
Things standing thus unknown, shall live be-
If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,
hind me ?

Absent thee from felicity awhile,

And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, To tell my story.

[March afar off, and Shot within. What warlike noise is this?

Ors. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland,

To the ambassadors of England gives
This warlike volley.

Ham. O I die, Horatio;

The potent poison quite o'er-crows + my spirit;
I cannot live to hear the news from England:
But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras; be has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrents more or less,
Which have solicited, §-The rest is silence.
[Dies.

Hor. Now cracks a noble heart ;-Good night,
sweet prince;
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!—
Why does the drum come hither?

[March within. Enter FORTINBRAS, the ENGLISH AMBASSADORS, and others.

Fort. Where is this sight?

If aught of woe, or wonder, cease your search. Fort. This quarry || cries on havoc ! ¶-O proud

Mor. What is it, you would see?

death!

What feast is toward in thine eternal cell,
That thou so many princes, at a shot,
So bloodily hast struck?

1 Amb. The sight is dismal : And our affairs from England come too late; The ears are senseless, that should give us hearing,

To tell him, his commandment is fulfill'ð,
That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead:
Where should we have our thanks ?
Hor. Not from his mouth, **

Had it the ability of life to thank you;
He never gave commandment for their death.
But since, so jump ++ upon this bloody question,
You from the Polack wars, and you from

England,

And call the noblest to the audience.
For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune;
I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,
Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.
Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak,
And from his mouth whose voice will draw on

Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage;
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have prov'd most royally: and, for his pas
sage,

The soldier's music, and the rites of war,
Speak loudly for him.—

Take up the bodies :-Such a sight as this But let this same be presently perform'd Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. Even while men's minds are wild; lest more Go, bid the soldiers shoot. [A dead march. mischance

On plots and errors, happen.
Fort. Let four captains

[Exeunt, bearing off the dead Bodies; after which, a Peal of Ordnance is shot off.

In reply to an objection which was raised by an eminent critic, and has been repeated with considerable justice by all who have since written on the incidents of this play, viz. that "there appears no adequate cause for the feigned madness of Hamlet; as he does nothing which he might not have done with the reputation of sanity; playing the madman most when he treats Ophelia with so much rudeness, which seems to be useless and wanton cruelty,”---the following novel and satisfactory opinion, condensed from the remarks of a most intelligent and praise-worthy commentator, may be advantageously quoted :---Hamlet resolved to counterfeit madness that he might kill his uncle without being considered as a traitor and a murderer: this he must have been, having no proof against his father's assassin, except what was said by the ghost to himself alone; and of course it would have no weight with any other person. Wishing for additional evidence, he had recourse to the play, which confirming the story of the ghost, he would instantly have gratified his vengeance by killing his uncle, but for the extraordinary circumstance of finding him on his knees at prayer; and shortly afterwards he actually supposed he bad done it, when he stabbed Polonius behind the arras, and, finding his mistake, solemnly conjured his mother to retain the secret of his madness being feigned. His treatment of "the young, the beautiful, the harmless, and the pious Ophelia" may be explained in the same way; for if he behaved in such a frantic manner to her, who was the object of his tenderest regard, it is a certain consequence that not a doubt could be entertained by others of the reality of his distraction; and thus the delusion was complete.---Bowdler versus Johnson.

OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

THE story upon which this beautiful and instructive tragedy is founded, was taken, according to Mr. Pope, from Cynthia's novels. It was probably written in the year 1611. Mustapha, Selymus's general, invaded Cyprus in May 1570, and conquered it in the following year. His fleet first sailed towards that island; but immediately changing its course for Rhodes, formed a junction with another squadron, and then returned to the attack of Cyprus thus the actual historical periods of the performance are satisfactorily determined. In addition to the admirable lesson set forth in this impressive tragedy, so well calculated to produce an excellent effect upon the human mind, by pourtraying that baneful passion, which, when once indulged, is the inevitable destroyer of conjugal happiness; it may justly be considered as one of the noblest efforts of dramatic genius, that has appeared in any age, or in any language. "The fiery openness of Othello, (says Dr. Johnson) mag. nanimous, artless, and credulous; boundless in his confidence, ardent in his affection, inflexible in his resolution, and obdurate in his revenge---the soft simplicity of Desdemona, confident of merit, and conscious of innocence; her artless perseverance in her suit, and her slowness to suspect that she can be suspected---the cool malignity of lago, silent in his resentment, subtle in his designs, and studious at once of his interest and his vengeance--are such proofs of Shakspeare's skill in human nature, as I suppose it is in vain to seek in any modern writer; whilst even the inferior characters would be very conspicuous in any other piece, not only for their justness, but their strength." In proportion to the enormity of such a crime as adultery, should be the caution with which a suspicion of it is permitted to be entertained; and our great dramatic moralist was no doubt desirous of enforcing this maxim, when he made it, as he has done, the subject of no less than four of his most finished productions.

RODERIGO, a Venetian Gentleman.

CLOWN, Servant to Othello.
HERALD.

DESDEMONA, Daughter to Brabantio, and

Wife to Othello.

EMILIA, Wife to lago.

BIANCA, a Courtezan, Mistress to Cassio.

MONTANO, Othello's predecessor in the Go- Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicans, vernment of Cyprus.

Sailors, Attendants, &c.

SCENE, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, at a Sea-port in Cyprus.

ACT I.

SCENE 1.-Venice.-A Street.

My mediators; for, certes, •
I have already chose my officer.
And what was he?

says he,

Enter RODERIGO and IAGO.

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,

e;t

Rod. Tush, never tell me, I take it much un- A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;
kindly,

That thou, lago,-who hast had my purse,
As if the strings were thine,-shouldst know of
this.

Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me :-
If ever I did dream of such a matter,

Abhor me.

Rod. Thou told'st me, thou didst hold him in thy hate.

Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great
ones of the city,

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Oft capp'd to him;-and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance; +
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;
And, in conclusion, nonsuits

That never set a squadron in the field,
More than a spiuster; unless the bookish the-
Nor the division of a battle knows
oric, t

Wherein the toged consuls can propose

As masterly as he mere prattle, without_prae-
Is all his soldiership. But he, Sir, had the elec
tice,
[tion:
At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds
And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof,
Christian and heathen,-must be be-lee'd and
calin'd

By debitor and creditor; this counter-caster, ||
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

And I, (God bless the mark!) his Moorship's ancient.

Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his bangiau.

Iago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service;

Preferment goes by letter and affection,
Not by the old gradation, where each second
Stood heir to the first. Now, Sir, be judge
yourself,

Whether I in any just term am affin'd *
To love the Moor.

Rod. I would not follow him then.
Iugo. O Sir, content you;

I follow him to serve my turn upon him:
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,
That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,
For nought but provender; and, when he's old,
cashier'd;

Whip me such honest knaves: Others there are,
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves;
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
Do well thrive by them; and, when they have
lin'd their coats,

Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;

And such a one do I profess myself.
For, Sir,

It is as sure as you are Roderigo,

Were 1 the Moor, I would not be lago:
In following him, I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But seeming so, for my peculiar end;

For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment exteru, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips
If he can carry't thus !

[owe +

Iago. Call up her father,
Rouse him; make after him, poison his delight,
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kius-
men,

And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,
Plague him with flies; though that his joy be joy,
Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,
As it may lose some colour.

Rod. Here is her father's house: I'll call

alund.

Iage. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell,

As when, by night and negligence, the fire
Is spied in populous cities.

Rod. My name is-Roderigo. Bra. The worse welcome:

[doors;

I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my
In honest plainness thou hast heard me say
My daughter is not for thee; and now, in mad-
ness,

Being full of supper and distempering draughts
Upon malicious bravery dost thou come
To start my quiet.

Rod. Sir, Sir, Sir, Sir,-

Bra. But thou must needs be sure,

My spirit and my place have in them power
To make this bitter to thee.

Rod. Patience, good Sir.

Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;

My house is not a grange.

Rod. Most grave Brabantio,

In simple and pure soul I come to you.

lago. 'Zounds, Sir, you are one of those that will not serve God, if the devil bid you. BeCause we come to do you service, you think we are ruffians: You'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your nephews + neigh to you you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germaus.

Bra. What profane wretch art thou?

Iago. I am one, Sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.

Bra. Thou art a villain.

Jago. You are-a senator.

Bra. This thou shalt answer: I know thee Roderigo.

Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech you,

If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent,
(As partly, I find, it is,) that your fair daughter,
At this odd-even and dull watch o'the night,
Transported-with no worse nor better guard,
But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,
To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,-
If this be known to you, and your allowance,
We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs:
But if you know not this, my manners tell me,
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe
That from the sense of all civility,
[ence:
If thus would play and trifle with your rever-
Your daughter, if you have not given her
leave,-

I say again, hath made a gross revolt;
Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes,
In an extravagant and wheeling stranger, [self;
Of here and every where: Straight satisfy your
If she be in her chamber, or your house,
Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.

Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho!

Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! signior Braban-Give me a taper ;-call up all my people :tio, ho!

Iago. Awake! what, bo! Brabantio! thieves

thieves! thieves!

[bags!

Look to your house, your daughter, and your Thieves thieves I

BRABANTIO, above, at a Window.

Bra. What is the reason of this terrible sumWhat is the matter there? [mons?

Rod. Siguior, is all your family within? lago. Are your doors lock'd? Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this? lage. 'Zounds, Sir, you are robb'd; for shame, put on your gown; [soul; Your heart is burst, you have lost half your Even now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise; Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,

Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you: Arise, I say.

Bra. What, have you lost your wits? Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my voice ?

Bra. Not 1; What are you?

This accident is not unlike my dream,
Belief of it oppresses me already :-
Light, I say! light!

[Exit from above. lago. Farewell; for I must leave you: It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, To be produc'd (as, if I stay, I shall,) Against the Moor: For, I do know, the state, However this may gall him with some check, Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd With such loud reason to the Cyprus' wars, (Which even now stand in act,) that, for their souls,

Another of his fathom they have not,
To lead their business; in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell pains,
Yet, for necessity of present life,

I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign. That you shail surely
find him,

Lead to the Sagittary the rais'd search;
And there will I be with him. So, farewell.

[Exit.

Enter below, BRABANTIO, and Servants with Torches.

Bra. It is too true an evil : gone she is: And what's to come of my despised time, Is nought but bitterness.-Now, Roderigo, Where didst thou see her?-O unhappy girl!With the Moor, say'st thou ?-Who would be a father?

He didst thou know 'twas she? O thou deceiv'st me

Past thought!-What said she to you ?-Get more tapers; [you? Raise all my kindred.-Are they married think Rod. Truly, I think, they are.

Bra. O heaven!-How got she out!-O trea

son of the blood

Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters'

minds

By what you see them act.-Are there not charms By which the property of youth and maidhood May be abus'd? Have you not read, Roderigo, Of some such thing?

Rod. Yes, Sir; I have indeed.

Bra. Call up my brother.-O that you had

had her?

Some one way, some another.-Do you know Where we may apprehend her and the Moor? Rod. I think, I can discover him, if you please To get good guard, and go along with me.

Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call;

I may command at most :-Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night.-
On, good Roderigo ;-I'll deserve your pains.
"[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same.-Another Street.
Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendants.
Jago. Though in the trade of war I have slain
men,

Yet do I hold it very stuff o'the conscience,
To do no contriv'd murder; 1 lack iniquity
Sometimes, to me do service: Nine or ten times
I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the

ribs.

Oth. "Tis better as it is.

lago. Nay, but he prated,

And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms
Against your honour,

That, with the little godliness I have,

I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray, Sir,
Are you fast married? for be sure of this,-
That the magnificent is much beloved;
And hath, in his effect, a voice potential
As double as the duke's; he will divorce you ;
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law (with all his might, to enforce it on,)
Will give him cable.

Oth. Let him do his spite :

My services, which I have done the signiory, Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know,

four, (Which, when I know that boasting is an houI shall promulgate,) I fetch my life and being From men of royal siege, + and my demerits t May speak, unbonnetted, to as proud a fortune As this that I have reach'd: For know, Iago, But that I love the gentle Desdemona,

I would not my unhoused free condition

Put into circumspection and confine

Iago. By Janus, I think no.

Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant.

The goodness of the night upon you, friends!
What is the news?

Cas. The duke does greet you, general;
And he requires your haste-post-haste appearance,
Even on the instant.

Oth. What is the matter, think you?

Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine ; It is a business of some heat: The gallies Have sent a dozen sequent⚫ messengers This very night at one another's heels; And many of the consuls, rais'd, and met, Are at the duke's already: You have been hotly call'd for;

When, being not at your lodging to be found, The senate hath sent about three several quests, To search you out.

Oth. 'Tis well I am found by you.

I will but spend a word here in the house.
And go with you.

[Erit.

Cas. Ancient, what makes me here ? lago. 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land

carack, t

If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever. Cas. I do not understand. lago. He's married.

Cas. To who?

Re-enter OTHELLO.

Iago. Marry, to-Come, captain, will you go? Oth. Have with you.

Cas. Here comes another troop to seek for you.
Enter BRABANTIO, RODERICO, and Officers of
Night with Torches and Weapons.
Iago. It is Brabantio :-general, be advised;
He comes to bad intent.

Oth. Holla! stand there !
Rod. Siguior, it is the Moor.
Bra. Down with him, thief!

[They draw on both sides. Iago. You, Roderigo! come, Sir, I am for you, Oth. Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.[years,

Good signior, you shall more command with Than with your weapons.

Bra. O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd my daughter?

Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her :
For I'll refer me to all things of sense,
If she in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid so tender, fair and happy,
So opposite to marriage, that she shumn'd
The wealthy curled darlings of our nation,
Would every have, to incur a general mock,'
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou: to fear not to delight.
Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense,
That thou hast practis'd on her with foul charms;
Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs, or min-
erals,

That waken motion: I'll have it disputed on;
'Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.
I therefore apprehend and do attach thee,
For an abuser of the world, a practiser.
Of arts inbibited and out of warrant :-
Lay hold upon him; if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

Oth. Hold your hands,

Both you of my inclining, and the rest :

For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it

Without a prompter.-Where will you that I go To answer this your charge?

Bra. To prison: till fit time

Of law, and course of direct session,
Call thee to answer.

Oth. What if I do obey?

How may the duke be therewith satisfied;
Whose messengers are here about my side,"
Upon some present business of the state,
To bring me to him?

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