Hamlet: Act II, Scene ii – The Shakespeare Forum
Hamlet Act II, Scene ii – Hamlet
This text is featured in our interview with Tyler Moss.
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Rosin. What say you?
Ham. Nay then I haue an eye of you: if you loue me
hold not off.
Guil. My Lord, we were sent for.
Ham. I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation
preuent your discouery of your secricie to the King and
Queene: moult no feather, I haue of late, but wherefore
I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all custome of ex-
ercise; and indeed, it goes so heauenly with my dispositi-
on; that this goodly frame the Earth, seemes to me a ster-
rill Promontory; this most excellent Canopy the Ayre,
look you, this braue ore-hanging (firmament), this Maiesticall Roofe,
fretted with golden fire: why, it appeares no other thing (nothing)
to mee, then a foule and pestilent congregation of va-
pours. What a piece of worke is a man! how Noble in
Reason (!), how infinite in faculty(!), in forme and mouing
how expresse and admirable(!), in Action, how like an An-
gel(!), in apprehension, how like a God(!), the beauty of the
world, the Parragon of Animals; and yet to me, what is
this Quintessence of Dust? Man delights not me; no,
nor Woman neither; though by your smiling you seeme
to say so.
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