Hamlet

By William Shakespeare QUOTATION: Hamlet. Methinks I see my father.
Horatio. Where, my lord?
Hamlet. In my mind’s eye, Horatio.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Hamlet and Horatio, in Hamlet, act 1, sc. 2, l. 184-5.

QUOTATION: Hamlet. Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?
Ophelia. ‘Tis brief, my lord.
Hamlet. As woman’s love.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Hamlet and Ophelia, in Hamlet, act 3, sc. 2, l. 152-4.

After the three-line prologue to the play within the play; “posy of a ring” means short motto engraved in a ring.

QUOTATION: See what a grace was seated on this brow:
Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself,
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Hamlet, in Hamlet, act 3, sc. 4, l. 55-7.

To Gertrude, seeing his father in a picture as like Hyperion, the ancient Greek sun-god, for beauty; having a forehead (front) like Jupiter; and an eye like the god of war.

QUOTATION: Haste me to know it, that I with wings as swift
As meditation, or the thoughts of love,
May sweep to my revenge.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Hamlet, in Hamlet, act 1, sc. 5, l. 29-31.

Impulsively eager to rush to the revenge his father’s ghost has demanded; “swift as thought” is proverbial.

QUOTATION: The play, I remember, pleased not the million, ‘twas caviare
to the general.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Hamlet, in Hamlet, act 2, sc. 2, l. 435-7.

“Caviare to the general” means too rare a delicacy for the multitude.

QUOTATION: Had I but time—as this fell sergeant, Death,
Is strict in his arrest—O, I could tell you—
But let it be.
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Hamlet, in Hamlet, act 5, sc. 2, l. 336-7.

As he lies dying, to Horatio; “fell” means fierce; “sergeant” means officer of the law-courts.

QUOTATION: Unhand me, gentlemen.
By heaven, I’ll make a ghost of him that lets me!
ATTRIBUTION: William Shakespeare (1564–1616), British dramatist, poet. Hamlet, in Hamlet, act 1, sc. 4, l. 84-5.

To his companions who try to stop Hamlet following his father’s ghost; “lets” means hinders.

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