Scene 13
Synopsis
In a hallway, Hamlet has just finished hiding Polonius's body underneath the stairs that go up to the Lobby. He is standing only a few feet from the stairs as R & G enter. Hamlet refuses to tell them where Polonius's body is, and all leave to return to Claudius, (leaving Polonius's body unfound, only a few feet from where R & G were speaking to Hamlet. R & G, and the others with them, did not even search for Polonius's body, and when Hamlet refused to tell them where it was, they were baffled. In modern terms, R & G's ability as "detectives" could be expressed by the sarcastic question, "are you guys really from Scotland Yard?")
Characters
The Scene 13 Characters are: Hamlet, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern.
Passage Links
Jump down to the Notes.
Dialogue
Scene 13 [ ~ Where's the Body? ~ ] (Act 4 Scene 2)
#13-Setting: Inside the Castle; A mostly-empty hallway; Soon after the previous Scene.
#13-000-SD (Hamlet enters; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter, with a sleepy guard and a sleepy servant.)
#13-001 Hamlet: Safely stowed. Safely hidden. #13-002 (Both R. and G., in the distance): Hamlet, Lord Hamlet. Hamlet . . . Lord Hamlet! #13-003 Hamlet: But soft, what noise, who calls on Hamlet? But hush, what's that noise, who calls for me? #13-004 Oh, here they come. Oh, here they come. #13-005 Rosencrantz: What have you done, my Lord, with the dead body? What have you done, my Lord, with the body? #13-006 Hamlet: Compounded it with dust whereto 'tis kin. Mingled it with the dust that it's akin to. #13-007 Rosencrantz: Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence, Tell us where it is, so that we can take it from there, #13-008 And bear it to the chapel. And carry it to the chapel. #13-009 Hamlet: Do not believe it. Don't believe it. #13-010 Rosencrantz: Believe what? Don't believe what? #13-011 Hamlet: That I can keep your counsel, & not mine own; besides, That I can keep your secret but not my own. Besides that, for me #13-012 to be demanded of a sponge, what replication should be made by to be ordered around by a sponge, what retaliation should be made by #13-013 the son of a king? the son of a King? #13-014 Rosencrantz: Take you me for a sponge, my Lord? Do you think I'm a sponge, my Lord? #13-015 Hamlet: Aye, sir, that soaks up the King's countenance, his rewards, his Yes, sir, one whose ego swells up, from the King's patronage, his rewards, and his #13-016 authorities; but such officers do the King best service in the end; he powers; but officers like you do the King their best service in the end. He #13-017 keeps them like an ape an apple in the corner of his jaw, first mouthed to be holds them like an ape holds an apple, in the corner of his mouth - first mouthed, #13-018 last swallowed; when he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing last swallowed - then, when he wants back whatever you have acquired, he need only squeeze #13-019 you, and sponge, you shall be dry again. you, and sponge, you will be dry again. #13-020 Rosencrantz: I understand you not, my Lord. I don't understand you, my Lord. #13-021 Hamlet: I am glad of it; a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear. I'm glad of that. A wicked speech can't be heard by a foolish ear. #13-022 Rosencrantz: My Lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us My Lord, you must tell us where the body is, and then go with us #13-023 to the King. to the King. #13-024 Hamlet: The body is with the King, but the King is not with the The body is with the King, but the King is not with the #13-025 body. The King is a thing . . . body. The King is a thing . . . #13-026 Guildenstern: A thing, my Lord? A thing, my Lord? #13-027 Hamlet: Of nothing; bring me to him. Of nothing. Take me to him. #13-027-1 Hide, fox, and all after! #13-027-SD (all exit)
End of Scene 13
Scene Links
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Scene 11 - Scene 12 - Scene 13 - Scene 14 - Scene 15 - Scene 16 - Scene 17 - Scene 18 - Scene 19 - Scene 20
Notes
Jump up to the start of the Dialogue.
13-Setting
- Place - A bare hallway, whose only feature is the lower end of a staircase, with a dark space under the stairs.
- Time of Day - Only a few minutes after the previous Scene.
- Calendar Time -
Return: #Setting
13-000-SD
(Hamlet enters; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter, with a sleepy guard and a sleepy servant.)
Hamlet enters by crawling out from under the stairs. He is very dusty.
Return: #000-SD
13-001
Hamlet: Safely stowed.
Return: #001
13-002
(Both R. and G., in the distance): Hamlet, Lord Hamlet.
From just offstage, or at least, it must be clear to the audience that they are not within the hallway. They must not see Hamlet crawl out from under the stairs.
Return: #002
13-003
Hamlet: But soft, what noise, who calls on Hamlet?
Hamlet is surprised. He didn't think anyone saw him since he left Gertrude's room, and Hamlet thinks he talked Gertrude into staying in her room. Why is someone calling him?
Return: #003
13-004
Oh, here they come.
Lo and behold, it's R & G.
Return: #004
13-005
Rosencrantz: What have you done, my Lord, with the dead body?
Well, someone did see him, Hamlet supposes. However, he's standing there all dusty, and the only place anywhere near, where a body could be, is under the stairs. And R has to ask?
Return: #005
13-006
Hamlet: Compounded it with dust whereto 'tis kin.
It is correct in action for Hamlet to brush dust from his clothing when he says this line. Hamlet's line is a play on the "dust to dust" idea about burying a body.
Return: #006
13-007
Rosencrantz: Tell us where 'tis, that we may take it thence,
There's only one place it could be.
Return: #007
13-008
And bear it to the chapel.
Return: #008
13-009
Hamlet: Do not believe it.
Hamlet means, "I don't believe this, so you shouldn't either." In other words, "you're putting me on."
Back under the stairs is the only place Polonius's body could be. There isn't anyplace else where it could be hidden. It has to be there.
Return: #009
13-010
Rosencrantz: Believe what?
Return: #010
13-011
Hamlet: That I can keep your counsel, & not mine own; besides,
Return: #011
13-012
to be demanded of a sponge, what replication should be made by
Return: #012
13-013
the son of a king?
Return: #013
13-014
Rosencrantz: Take you me for a sponge, my Lord?
Return: #014
13-015
Hamlet: Aye, sir, that soaks up the King's countenance, his rewards, his
Return: #015
13-016
authorities; but such officers do the King best service in the end; he
Return: #016
13-017
keeps them like an ape an apple in the corner of his jaw, first mouthed to be
Return: #017
13-018
last swallowed; when he needs what you have gleaned, it is but squeezing
Return: #018
13-019
you, and sponge, you shall be dry again.
Return: #019
13-020
Rosencrantz: I understand you not, my Lord.
Return: #020
13-021
Hamlet: I am glad of it; a knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear.
Return: #021
13-022
Rosencrantz: My Lord, you must tell us where the body is, and go with us
Return: #022
13-023
to the King.
Return: #023
13-024
Hamlet: The body is with the King, but the King is not with the
Return: #024
13-025
body. The King is a thing . . .
Return: #025
13-026
Guildenstern: A thing, my Lord?
Return: #026
13-027
Hamlet: Of nothing; bring me to him.
Return: #027
13-027-1
Hide, fox, and all after!
Return: #027-1
13-027-SD
(all exit)
Return: #027-SD
Scene Links
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