Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 3

Hamlet
Act IV, Scene 3

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Another room in the castle.
Enter KING CLAUDIUS, attended

KING CLAUDIUS

This scene is in a room. In the castle. Any surprises?
King Claudius is attended. The script does not say who it is that is "attending."

I have sent to seek him, and to find the body.
How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!
Yet must not we put the strong law on him:
He's loved of the distracted multitude,
Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
And where tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd,
But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even,
This sudden sending him away must seem
Deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown
By desperate appliance are relieved,
Or not at all.

King Claudius tells them it is dangerous to have a Hamlet running around loose in the palace.

Enter ROSENCRANTZ

Before King Claudius can begin to bore the audience, Rosencrantz wisely interrupts.

How now! What hath befall'n?

ROSENCRANTZ

Claudius asks Rosencrantz what news he has, and the student explains that they have found Prince Hamlet.

Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord,
We cannot get from him.

KING CLAUDIUS
But where is he?

ROSENCRANTZ
Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure.

KING CLAUDIUS
Bring him before us.

ROSENCRANTZ
Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord.

Rosencrantz announces that he has brought Hamlet with him, but Hamlet refused to tell him where the body was "bestowed."

Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN

KING CLAUDIUS

Guildenstern ushers the young Prince into the room.

Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?

HAMLET

King Claudius asks Hamlet where Polonius is, and again Hamlet refuses to give a straight answer.

At supper.

KING CLAUDIUS
At supper! where?

HAMLET

Hamlet insists that Polonius' dead body is "at supper."

Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain
convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your
worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all
creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for
maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar is but
variable service, two dishes, but to one table:
that's the end.

KING CLAUDIUS

Polonius is at supper, but it he is the main course. A party of worms are eating away at him, according to Hamlet. Hamlet notices that we feed animals to make them fat, so that we may eat them. Then, we get fat, so that we can die, and maggots can eat us.

Alas, alas!

HAMLET

King Claudius is a bit on the squeamish side, and he does not like this "maggots" stuff.

A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a
king, and cat of the fish that hath fed of that worm .

KING CLAUDIUS
What dost you mean by this?

HAMLET

Next, Hamlet explains that worms may eat a King after his death. Then, a man might use that worm as bait, to fish with.

Nothing but to show you how a king may go a
progress through the guts of a beggar.

KING CLAUDIUS
Where is Polonius?

HAMLET

Then, of course, if the fish takes the bait, he eats the worm. If a poor beggar eats the fish, he also eats the worm inside the fish. Now, the poor beggar has the King in his (ahem) guts. Pleasant thought, huh?

In heaven; send hither to see: if your messenger
find him not there, Hamlet tells the king that Polonius is “in heaven,” and that the King can send a messenger there to find him.

seek him i' the other place
yourself. But indeed, if you find him not within
this month, you shall nose him as you go up the
stairs into the lobby.

KING CLAUDIUS

If this does not work, Hamlet says that Claudius can “seek him (in) the other place” himself.

Go seek him there.
To some Attendants

HAMLET

King Claudius sends some men to go and find the corpse.

He will stay till ye come.

Exeunt Attendants

KING CLAUDIUS

Hamlet tells the attendants to take their time...

Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,--
Which we do tender , as we dearly grieve
For that which thou hast done,--must send thee hence
Claudius tells Hamlet that this "deed" or murder must have some consequences.

With fiery quickness: therefore prepare thyself;
The bark is ready, and the wind at help,
The associates tend, and every thing is bent
For England.

HAMLET
For England!

KING CLAUDIUS
Aye, Hamlet.

HAMLET

King Claudius tells Hamlet that he is ordering him to England, because of Polonius’ murder.

Good.

KING CLAUDIUS
So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes.

HAMLET
I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for
England! Farewell, dear mother.

KING CLAUDIUS
Thy loving father, Hamlet.

HAMLET
My mother: father and mother is man and wife; man
and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England!

Exit

KING CLAUDIUS
Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard;
Delay it not; I'll have him hence to-night:
Away! for every thing is seal 'd and done
That else leans on the affair: pray you, make haste.

Hamlet seems to accept this punishment willingly: “Good” (line 50).

Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN

Hamlet, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern all leave, to board the ship which will take them out of the country.

And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught--
As my great power thereof may give thee sense,
Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red
After the Danish sword, and thy free awe
Pays homage to us--thou mayst not coldly set
Our sovereign process; which imports at full ,
Left alone again, Claudius seizes the opportunity. He begins to recite a soliloquy.

By letters congruing to that effect,
He reveals that he has sent "letters" along with Hamlet and his two college friends.

The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England;
For like the hectic in my blood he rages,
These orders will result in “the present death of Hamlet” (line 70).

And thou must cure me: till I know 'tis done,
Howe'er my haps, my joys were ne'er begun.

Claudius also says that he will not be happy until this deed is done, and young Hamlet is dead.

Exit

With that, Claudius exits, and the scene ends.

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Shakespeare for Scholars:	Shakespeare for Everyone Else:
Another room in the castle. Enter KING CLAUDIUS, attended KING CLAUDIUS	This scene is in a room. In the castle. Any surprises? King Claudius is attended. The script does not say who it is that is "attending."
I have sent to seek him, and to find the body. How dangerous is it that this man goes loose! Yet must not we put the strong law on him: He's loved of the distracted multitude, Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes; And where tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd, But never the offence. To bear all smooth and even, This sudden sending him away must seem Deliberate pause: diseases desperate grown By desperate appliance are relieved, Or not at all.	King Claudius tells them it is dangerous to have a Hamlet running around loose in the palace.
Enter ROSENCRANTZ	Before King Claudius can begin to bore the audience, Rosencrantz wisely interrupts.
How now! What hath befall'n? ROSENCRANTZ	Claudius asks Rosencrantz what news he has, and the student explains that they have found Prince Hamlet.
Where the dead body is bestow'd, my lord, We cannot get from him. KING CLAUDIUS But where is he? ROSENCRANTZ Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure. KING CLAUDIUS Bring him before us. ROSENCRANTZ Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord.	Rosencrantz announces that he has brought Hamlet with him, but Hamlet refused to tell him where the body was "bestowed."
Enter HAMLET and GUILDENSTERN KING CLAUDIUS	Guildenstern ushers the young Prince into the room.
Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? HAMLET	King Claudius asks Hamlet where Polonius is, and again Hamlet refuses to give a straight answer.
At supper. KING CLAUDIUS At supper! where? HAMLET	Hamlet insists that Polonius' dead body is "at supper."
Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a certain convocation of politic worms are e'en at him. Your worm is your only emperor for diet: we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service, two dishes, but to one table: that's the end. KING CLAUDIUS	Polonius is at supper, but it he is the main course. A party of worms are eating away at him, according to Hamlet. Hamlet notices that we feed animals to make them fat, so that we may eat them. Then, we get fat, so that we can die, and maggots can eat us.
Alas, alas! HAMLET	King Claudius is a bit on the squeamish side, and he does not like this "maggots" stuff.
A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and cat of the fish that hath fed of that worm . KING CLAUDIUS What dost you mean by this? HAMLET	Next, Hamlet explains that worms may eat a King after his death. Then, a man might use that worm as bait, to fish with.
Nothing but to show you how a king may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. KING CLAUDIUS Where is Polonius? HAMLET	Then, of course, if the fish takes the bait, he eats the worm. If a poor beggar eats the fish, he also eats the worm inside the fish. Now, the poor beggar has the King in his (ahem) guts. Pleasant thought, huh?
In heaven; send hither to see: if your messenger find him not there,	Hamlet tells the king that Polonius is “in heaven,” and that the King can send a messenger there to find him.
seek him i' the other place yourself. But indeed, if you find him not within this month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into the lobby. KING CLAUDIUS	If this does not work, Hamlet says that Claudius can “seek him (in) the other place” himself.
Go seek him there. To some Attendants HAMLET	King Claudius sends some men to go and find the corpse.
He will stay till ye come. Exeunt Attendants KING CLAUDIUS	Hamlet tells the attendants to take their time...
Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,-- Which we do tender , as we dearly grieve For that which thou hast done,--must send thee hence	Claudius tells Hamlet that this "deed" or murder must have some consequences.
With fiery quickness: therefore prepare thyself; The bark is ready, and the wind at help, The associates tend, and every thing is bent For England. HAMLET For England! KING CLAUDIUS Aye, Hamlet. HAMLET	King Claudius tells Hamlet that he is ordering him to England, because of Polonius’ murder.
Good. KING CLAUDIUS So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes. HAMLET I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for England! Farewell, dear mother. KING CLAUDIUS Thy loving father, Hamlet. HAMLET My mother: father and mother is man and wife; man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for England! Exit KING CLAUDIUS Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard; Delay it not; I'll have him hence to-night: Away! for every thing is seal 'd and done That else leans on the affair: pray you, make haste.	Hamlet seems to accept this punishment willingly: “Good” (line 50).
Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN	Hamlet, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern all leave, to board the ship which will take them out of the country.
And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught-- As my great power thereof may give thee sense, Since yet thy cicatrice looks raw and red After the Danish sword, and thy free awe Pays homage to us--thou mayst not coldly set Our sovereign process; which imports at full ,	Left alone again, Claudius seizes the opportunity. He begins to recite a soliloquy.
By letters congruing to that effect,	He reveals that he has sent "letters" along with Hamlet and his two college friends.
The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England; For like the hectic in my blood he rages,	These orders will result in “the present death of Hamlet” (line 70).
And thou must cure me: till I know 'tis done, Howe'er my haps, my joys were ne'er begun.	Claudius also says that he will not be happy until this deed is done, and young Hamlet is dead.
Exit	With that, Claudius exits, and the scene ends.