Section Two Learning How to Be a Man
为了生存，我们不得不学习赖以维生的知识或技能。如果我们想有更好的生活，我们必须学习新的东西。只有不断地学习，我们的理想才能实现。而更重要的是学会做人。我们可以通过学习提高智力和健康。“凡有所学，皆成性格。”我们可以通过不断学习来完善我们的性格和人格，从而，我们就会有完美的人生。
In order to survive we have to learn some knowledge or skills， by which we can live. If we want tohave a better life， we must learn something new. Only by constant learning can our ideals be brought torealization. What is most important is to learn how to be a man. We can improve our mind and health bylearning.“Studies pass into the character.”We can perfect our characters and personalities by learningconstantly. Consequently we’ll have a perfect life.
咱们读一读威廉·莎士比亚的《哈姆雷特》吧！我们就会明白作者及其主要人物是如何学习做人的。
Let’s read William Shakespeare’s Hamlet！ We can understand the writer and his main characters howto learn to be a man.
2.1 内容介绍
2.1 Introduction
《哈姆莱特》是莎士比亚所写的最好的剧本——所有戏剧中最好的一部。尽管这个剧本通常以《哈姆莱特》闻名于世，但其全称却是《丹麦王子哈姆莱特的悲惨历史》。这个全称直接告诉英国伊丽莎白时代的观众和读者，该剧是关于一个高贵英雄的惨史。复仇悲剧，其中的英雄在死前为正义和复仇而斗争，在当时是很常见的。剧中惯常充满了伊丽莎白时代的英国人喜爱的暴行和残忍好杀的细节。
Hamlet is Shakespeare’s best play—the best of them all. Although this play is usually known asHamlet， its full title is The Tragical History of Hamlet， Prince of Denmark. This told the Elizabethanaudience straight away that the play was about the death of a noble hero. Revenge tragedies， in which the herofights for justice and revenge before dying， were very common at this time. Usually they were full of violentaction with lots of bloodthirsty details， which the Elizabethans loved.
莎士比亚于1600年写成《哈姆莱特》。当代文人加布里埃尔·哈维于1601年以前在他的一本《乔叟集》里记道：“年轻人很喜欢莎士比亚的《维纳斯和阿多尼斯》；但他的《鲁克丽丝》和《丹麦王子哈姆莱特的悲惨历史》却包含有使见识更多的人喜欢的内容。”可见《哈姆莱特》在1600年底已写成并上演。但该剧的第一四开本，系残缺的劣质本，在1603年才出版，因为该剧正如其他剧本一样都要先演出一段时候后才能出版，以便保护剧团的经济权益。
Shakespeare completed Hamlet in 1600. The contemporary scholar Gabriel Harvey noted， before 1601，in his copy of Speght’s Chaucer：“The younger sort takes much delight in Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis；but his Lucrece， and The Tragical History of Hamlet， Prince of Denmark， have it in them， to please the wisersort.”Thus Hamlet must have been staged round the end of 1600. But the first quarto of Hamlet， a badquarto， was published in 1603， because the play， just like any other plays， could not be published until sometime after they had been performed so as to protect the economic rights and interests of the theatre company.
《哈姆莱特》的剧情可能借鉴了三种原始材料。第一种是1589年就被人提到而1594年在伦敦纽因顿靶场剧院上演过的，现被普遍称为《原始哈姆莱特》的古剧，虽已失传，但它被认为属于不同的作者，集中的意见是托马斯·基德（1558—1594）——大众喜欢的《西班牙悲剧》的作者，可能是他写的另一部“英文古罗马剧作家塞内加式”的悲剧，它与莎士比亚的《哈姆莱特》有很多相似之处。它有鬼魂出现，凄厉呼叫：“哈姆莱特，报仇哇！”第二种是丹麦历史学家萨克叟·格拉玛蒂克斯于12世纪用拉丁文写成的《丹麦史》中的卷三卷四关于哈姆莱特的故事。但这个历史故事直到1608年才有英译本。莎士比亚已写出《哈姆莱特》好几年了。第三种是16世纪法国作家贝尔佛莱把萨克叟所着的《丹麦史》中的哈姆莱特故事译成法文编入其所着的《惨史》中，并于1570年出版。莎士比亚可能读过法文版，因他写的故事中很多细节都与之相同。不管莎士比亚为《哈姆莱特》借用了什么情节，该剧都写得非常成功。
莎士比亚用这些情节和所有其他的联想，写出了一部反映他所处时代和他自己最深刻思想感情的不朽剧作。
The story of Hamlet has probably been used three kinds of materials for reference. The first is anold play mentioned in 1589， acted at the Newington Butts Theatre， London in 1594 and now is generallycalled Ur-Hamlet. But the text has not survived. It has been attributed to various writers， notably to ThomsKyd (1558—1594) the author of the popular Spanish Tragedy. It might be he who wrote another“EnglishSenecan”(Lucius Annaeus Seneca， 4BC-65AD) play. It has a very great number of similarities toShakespeare’s Hamlet. The second is the story of Amlethus in Volume 3 and Volume 4 of Historia Danicaby Saxo Grammaticus， a Danish historian， in Latin in the twelfth century. But this historical story was nottranslated into English until 1608， quite a few years after Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. The third is the Frenchversion of the story of Amlethus from Saxo’s Historia Danica translated by the sixteenth-century Frenchwriter F. de Belleforest， whose Histories Traiques included the Hamlet story and was published in 1570.
Shakespeare might have read the French version because many of the details of his story were the same.
Whatever story Shakespeare borrowed for Hamlet， the play was a great success！ Shakespeare took thestory and all the other suggestions and wrote an immortal masterpiece which reflected his age and his owninnermost thoughts and feelings.
《哈姆莱特》的剧情：丹麦城堡厄耳罥诺的警卫已看见在城墙垛上的鬼魂。它看起来像是在两月前逝世的哈姆莱特王子的父王。警卫们请哈姆莱特王子的一个绅士朋友霍拉旭来和他们一起观察并与鬼魂交谈。但鬼魂出现时，它不说话，并很快从视域中消失了。丹麦新国王克劳狄斯，是哈姆莱特的叔叔，刚刚与王子的母亲葛特露结了婚。他让他的宫务大臣波洛涅斯的儿子雷欧提斯回巴黎去，“让他努力学习他的音乐”。但他却对哈姆莱特说：“你要回威登堡去继续求学，那是完全违反我们愿望的；请你听从我们劝告，留在这里，使我们每天能够看到你而感到欢欣，做我最主要的侍臣，爱卿，亲儿子。”
哈姆莱特仍对他父亲的突然死亡而悲痛欲绝，并对他母亲在父亲仅仅逝世两个月后就改嫁而深感心烦意乱。他渴望死去并谴责他母亲说：“脆弱啊，你的名字就是女人！”同时，哈姆莱特与霍拉旭去到城堡的城墙垛观察。当鬼魂出现时，作为哈姆莱特父王的灵魂，他对哈姆莱特说话了：“我是你父亲的灵魂，因为生前孽障未尽，被判在晚间游行地上，白昼忍受火焰的烧灼，必须经过相当的时期，等生前的过失被火焰净化以后，方才可以脱罪。若不是因为我不能违犯禁令，泄露我的狱室中的秘密，我可以告诉你一点事，最轻微的一句话，都可以使你魂飞魄散，使你年轻的血液凝冻成冰……据他们宣布，我是在果园里睡觉时被毒蛇螫死的；这个虚构的死状，把丹麦全国的人都骗过了……我简单说吧。当我按照每天午后的习惯，在花园里睡觉的时候，你叔叔趁我不备，悄悄溜了进来，拿着一个盛着毒草汁的小瓶，把那毒汁倒入我的耳朵里，那毒药极不利于人的血液，如水银一般极快地侵入周身大小血管，像酸液滴进牛乳里一样地把淡薄而健全的血液凝结起来；那毒药就这样凝住了我的血；我全身光滑的皮肤立刻发生无数疱疹，像害着癞病似的浑身是龌龊的斑疤。这样，我在睡梦中被我亲兄弟一手抓去了我的性命、我的王冠和我的王后；甚至于不给我一个忏罪的机会，使我在没有领到圣餐也没有受过临终涂膏礼之前，就毫无准备地负着我的全部罪恶去对簿阴曹。可怕啊，可怕！恐怖极了！要是你有骨肉之情，不可隐忍；不要让丹麦的御寝变成了藏奸养逆的卧榻。但是，无论怎样进行复仇，你的行事必须光明磊落，更不可对你的母亲有什么不利的图谋，她自有天谴，自有良心上的榛棘去刺她螫她。你立刻去吧！哈姆莱特，记着我。”
哈姆莱特吩咐霍拉旭和马西勒斯说：“现在，好朋友们，你们既是我的朋友，又都是学者、军人，请允许我一个小小的要求：永远不要把你们今晚所见的事情告诉别人。”他们都发誓了，哈姆莱特决心找到他叔叔邪恶的证据。他决心为父复仇，装疯骗国王，以便杀死他。奥菲利娅，雷欧提斯的妹妹，是哈姆莱特的恋人。她注意到哈姆莱特言行奇怪，告诉了她父亲波洛涅斯，她父亲认定哈姆莱特是为他女儿害了相思病。国王克劳狄斯也为哈姆莱特的言行担忧。国王和王后决定要看看哈姆莱特是否正在遭受相思病之苦。他们安排奥菲利娅单独和哈姆莱特在一起，但应在国王和波洛涅斯能够偷听到他们谈话的地方。哈姆莱特考虑的是死的问题并问奥菲利娅是死更好或是活更好，用残忍的话轻蔑地拒绝奥菲利娅的爱，使她对他的变化绝望地失声痛哭。偷听到他们谈话后，国王知道了不是失恋使哈姆莱特精神不正常。他怀疑哈姆莱特有邪恶的计划，决定派哈姆莱特到英国去。同时，国王派人去叫哈姆莱特的老同学老朋友罗森格兰兹和吉尔登斯吞去试探哈姆莱特到底是什么毛病。哈姆莱特很快就发现了他们是国王派来的信使，并向他们叙述了他的忧伤。当哈姆莱特得知一个剧团要来厄尔罥诺城堡演出时，他问了演员们是否愿意在他们的剧中加一场——“我要叫这些演员在我叔父面前表演一场跟我父亲被谋杀情节相仿的戏，我在一旁窥察他的神色；我要探视到他的灵魂深处，只要他稍露惊惶，我就知道我该怎么办……我要有比这更确切的证据；凭着这一本戏，我可以发掘出国王内心的隐秘。”
哈姆莱特指导演员如何演好角色。他仔细观察克劳狄斯和他母亲对演戏的反应。王后的反应是“我觉得那女主人公发誓太多”。国王却心神不安。当戏演到扮演国王者被毒害时，克劳狄斯站起来并说，“拿火烛来，回去！”国王害怕并自觉罪恶就冲离了演出厅。哈姆莱特确信克劳狄斯谋杀了他父亲并决心复仇。国王现在意识到哈姆莱特知道他谋杀之事了。独自一人时，克劳狄斯试图祈求宽恕但发现那很难。哈姆莱特看见他单独一人在祷告，放弃了杀死他的机会。因为他内心在疑虑，如国王的祈求被上帝听到就可能被宽恕，那就不会遭受地狱火焰之烧灼。哈姆莱特被召去见他母亲。他母亲同意波洛涅斯藏在挂毯后面听他们母子间的交谈。哈姆莱特对他母亲说话严厉而逼人。波洛涅斯大叫，为王后安全担心。哈姆莱特认为那是国王，拔剑刺穿地毯。波洛涅斯倒地死在他脚下。王后深信她儿子是疯了，把波洛涅斯之死告诉了国王。克劳狄斯知道那一剑本是要杀他的，就坚持要哈姆莱特立刻离开丹麦，把他送到英国去。在哈姆莱特出发去英国不久，奥菲利娅明显地因失去哈姆莱特之爱和她父亲之死而变疯了。克劳狄斯评论说，“不幸的事情总是要接踵而来。”雷欧提斯听到他父亲逝世的消息就从法国赶回丹麦。他被奥菲利娅的精神失常所震惊。她撒着鲜花，唱着歌曲，不顾她周围的危险环境。克劳狄斯说服雷欧提斯相信是哈姆莱特要对他父亲波洛涅斯之死和他妹妹奥菲利娅之疯负责。当他们从信使得知哈姆莱特没到英国去而是在回宫的路上时，他们提出了杀害哈姆莱特的计划。克劳狄斯劝雷欧提斯与哈姆莱特比剑，说：“他是个粗心的人，一点不会想人家在算计他，一定不会仔细检视比赛用的剑的利钝；你只要预先把一柄利剑混杂在里面，趁他没有注意的时候，不动声色地自己拿了，在比赛之际，看准他的要害刺去，便可报了杀父之仇”。
雷欧提斯同意并说他还要在剑头上涂抹上毒药。为了置哈姆莱特于死地，克劳狄斯还决定在比剑过程中当哈姆莱特又热又渴时在要饮的酒中加进毒药。在航行到英国去的路上，哈姆莱特说：“我从船舱里出来，披着航海的大衣，我在黑暗中摸索着找寻那东西，居然如了愿，摸到了他们的包裹，拿着它回到我自己的地方，当时吓得忘了礼节，大胆地拆开了他们的公文，那里是，霍拉旭——啊，堂皇的诡计！——我发现一道严厉的命令，借了许多好听的理由，说是为了丹麦和英国双方的利益，绝不能让我这个危险凶残的家伙逃脱，接到公文后，必须不等磨好利斧，立即砍下我的头。”“在这样重重诡计的包围之中……我坐下来另外写了一封国书……我用国王的名义，向英王提出恳切的要求，因为英王是他忠心的藩属，因为两国之间的友谊正如棕榈之茂……以及许许多多诸如此类的重要理由，请他在读完这封信后，不要有任何的迟延，立刻把那两个传书的来使处死，不让他们有从容忏悔的时间。”“我的衣袋里恰巧藏着我父亲的私印，它跟丹麦的国玺是一个式样；我把伪造的国书照着原来的样子折好，签上名字，盖上印玺，把它小心封好，归还原处，一点不露破绽。第二天就遇见了海盗。我们因为船行太慢，逼得我们只好勉力迎敌；争斗间我跳上了他们的船，他们立刻抛下我们的船，扬帆而去，于是我一个人就成了他们的俘虏。他们对待我颇加怜惜，他们知道这样做有好处，我要报答他们的。”哈姆莱特在回厄尔罥诺的路途中于城堡外的墓地遇到了霍拉旭。霍拉旭和哈姆莱特发现那新坟是为奥菲利娅掘的。哈姆莱特宣称他爱奥菲利娅，而雷欧提斯坚持要举行比剑。比剑开始，但在比赛过程中，雷欧提斯刺伤了哈姆莱特，然后，二人争夺彼此手中之剑，各为对方夺去。哈姆莱特又回刺了雷欧提斯，结果，哈姆莱特和雷欧提斯都中了毒剑。王后拿起国王为哈姆莱特准备的毒药酒，在国王来不及阻止她之前，为祝她儿子胜利，一饮而尽，被毒死了。哈姆莱特拿起雷欧提斯涂有毒药的剑刺杀了国王。雷欧提斯毒药发作死了。很明显，哈姆莱特也要死了。为了与哈姆莱特一起死，霍拉旭想喝有毒药的酒，但哈姆莱特坚持要他活下去，以便把哈姆莱特行事的始末昭告世人并还他清白名声。在哈姆莱特死之前，他问“这是哪儿来的战场上的声音？”他被告知是“年轻的福丁布拉斯，在战争中战败，其父被他父亲——先王老哈姆莱特并杀死了，从波兰凯旋班师，这是他对英国来的钦使所发的礼炮”。哈姆莱特说：“啊，我死了，霍拉旭。
强烈的毒药战胜了我的精神，我不能活到听见英国来的消息了。不过我可以预言选举的时候福丁布拉斯将被推戴为王，他已得到我这临死之人的同意；你可把这儿发生的一切事实告诉他，无论巨细，全告诉他……”
哈姆莱特死于霍拉旭的怀抱中，霍拉旭向他作了最后告别。此时，福丁布拉斯，英国钦使和侍从等人到达丹麦王宫发现了这一混乱的现场。英国钦使说：“这情景太惨了；我们从英国奉命来此，本来是要回复这儿的王上，告诉他我们已遵命把罗森格兰兹和吉尔登斯吞两人处死；不幸我们来迟了，那应听我们说话的耳朵已经没有知觉了。我们该到何处去讨酬谢呢？”福丁布拉斯说：“我在这个国内原有继承王位的权利，现在国中无主，正是我要求这个权利的机会；可是我虽然准备接受我的幸运，我的心里却充满了悲哀。”霍拉旭回答：
“关于那一点，我受死者的嘱托，也有一句话要说，他的意见是可以影响许多人的；可是在这人心惶惶的时候，让我还是先把这一切解释明白了，以免引起更多的不幸、阴谋和错误发生。”听了霍拉旭解释后，福丁布拉斯指示：“让四个将士把哈姆莱特像军人一样抬到台上来，因为他若能登上王位，定会成为一个贤明的君主；为了表示对他的哀悼，我们要用军乐和战地的仪式，向他致敬。”
The story of Hamlet： The guards of Elsinore Castle in Denmark have seen a Ghost on the battlements. Itlooks like the father of Prince Hamlet who died only two months before. They ask Horatio， a young noblemanand a friend of the prince， to watch with them and to talk to the Ghost. When it appears， it does not speak，and disappears from sight. The new King of Denmark is Claudius， Hamlet’s uncle who has just marriedthe Prince’s mother， Gertrude. He allows Laertes， the son of his Lord Chamberlain， Polonius， to return toParis“and let him ply his music”. But to Hamlet he says：“For your intent in going back to school inWittenberg， / It is most retrograde to our desire； / And we beseech you， bend you to remain / Here， in thecheer and comfort of our eye， / Our chiefest courtier， cousin， and our son.”
Hamlet is still extremely distressed by his father’s sudden death and deeply upset that his mother hasmarried barely two months afterwards. He longs for death and condemns his mother with the words，”Frailty，thy name is woman.”Hamlet， meanwhile， has gone to the castle battlements with Horatio. When the Ghostappears， he speaks to Hamlet， as the spirit of his dead father.“I am thy father’s spirit； / Doom’d for a certainterm to walk the night， / And for the day confin’d to fast in fires， / Till the foul crimes done in my days ofnature / Are burnt and purg’d away. But that I am forbid / To tell the secrets of my prison-house， / I could atale unfold whose lightest word / Would harrow up thy soul， freeze thy young blood... /’Tis given out that，sleeping in mine orchard， / A serpent stung me； so the whole ear of Denmark / Is by a forged process of mydeath rankly abus’d； ... / Brief let me be. Sleeping within mine orchard， / My custom always in the afternoon，/ Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole， / With juice of cursed hebona in a vial， /And in the porches of mineears did pour / The leperous distilment； whose effect / Holds such an enmity with blood of man / That swiftas quicksilver it courses through / The natural gates and alleys of the body， / And with a sudden vigour itdoth posset / And curd， like eager droppings into milk， / The thin and wholesome blood： so did it mine， / Anda most instant tetter bark’d about， / Most lazar-like， with vile and loathsome crust， / All my smooth body. /Thus was I， sleeping， by a brother’s hand， / Of life， of crown， of queen， at once dispatch’d； / Cut off even in theblossoms of my sin， / Unhousel’d， disappointed， unanel’d， / No reckoning made， but sent to my account / Withall my imperfections on my head： / O， horrible！ O， horrible！ Most horrible！ / If thou hast nature in thee， bearit not； / Let not the royal bed of Denmark be / A couch for luxury and damned incest. / But， howsoever thoupursu’st this act， / Taint not thy mind， nor let thy soul contrive / Against thy mother aught； leave her to heaven，/ And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge， / To prick and sting her. Fare thee well at once！... / Hamlet，remember me.”
Hamlet tells Horatio and Marcellus“And now， good friends， as you are friends， scholars， and soldiers，give me one poor request. Never make known what you have seen tonight.”Both of them have sworn.
Hamlet decides to find proof of his uncle’s wickedness. He is determined to kill the king， and pretends tobe mad in order to trick him. Ophelia， Laertes’ sister， who has been courted by Hamlet， notices his strangebehaviour. She tells her father， Polonius， who decides that Hamlet is lovesick for Ophelia. Claudius， theKing， is also worried about Hamlet’s behaviour. The King and Queen decide to see if Hamlet is sufferingfrom lovesickness. They arrange for Ophelia to be alone with Hamlet， but where the King and Polonius caneavesdrop on the conversation. Hamlet ponders on death and asks Ophelia whether it is better to live or die.
Hamlet spurns Ophelia’s love with cruel words， and she cries out in despair at the change in him. Havingheard the conversation between Hamlet and Ophelia， the King now knows that it is not love that disturbsHamlet. He suspects Hamlet of evil plans and decides to send him to England. Meanwhile， the King sends forRosencrantz and Guildenstern， old school friends of Hamlet， and asks if they can find out what is wrong withhim. Hamlet soon discovers that they are messengers from the King. He describes his melancholy to them.
When Hamlet learns that a group of travelling players are to perform at Elsinore Castle， he asks the actors ifthey will add a scene to their play—“I’ll have these players / Play something like the murder of my father /Before mine uncle； I’ll observe his looks； / I’ll tent him to the quick： if he but blench / I know my course... I’llhave grounds / More relative than this： the play’s the thing / Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”
Hamlet instructs the actors how to play their parts well. He carefully watches the reactions of Claudiusand his mother to the play.“The lady doth protest too much， methinks，”is Gertrude’s response， but theKing is disturbed. When the actors reach the point where the Player King is poisoned， Claudius rises andsays“Give me some light： away！”Frightened and guilty， the King rushes from the hall. Hamlet is nowconvinced that Claudius murdered his father and he is determined on revenge. The King now realizes thatHamlet knows of his murderous deed. Alone， Claudius tries to pray for forgiveness but finds it difficult.
Hamlet， seeing him alone， rejects the chance to kill him. If the King’s prayers were heard， argues Hamlet tohimself， Claudius might be forgiven and would not suffer the fires of hell. Hamlet has been summoned to seehis mother and she agrees that Polonius should hide behind the arras， or tapestry curtain， to listen to theirconversation. Hamlet speaks harshly to his mother， threatening her， and Polonius cries out， alarmed for hersafety. Hamlet， believing it to be the King， draws his sword and thrusts it through the curtain. Polonius fallsdead at his feet. The Queen， convinced that his son is mad， tells the King of Polonius’s death. Claudius knowsthat the blow was intended for him and insists that Hamlet leave for England at once. Soon after Hamlet setsout for England， it becomes obvious that Ophelia has gone mad because of her father’s death and the lossof Hamlet’s love.“When sorrows come， they come not single spies， But in battalions，”observes Claudius.
Laertes， who has heard of his father’s death， rushes back from France to Denmark. He is shocked byOphelia’s insanity. She strews flowers and sings， oblivious of her surroundings. Claudius convinces Laertesthat Hamlet is responsible for his father Polonius’s death and also for his sister Ophelia’s madness. Whenthey learn from a messenger that Hamlet has not gone to England but is returning to court， they set up a planto kill him. Claudius advises Laertes to challenge Hamlet to a fencing match. He says：“He， being remiss.
/ Most generous and free from all contriving. / Will not peruse the fails； so that， with ease / Or with a littleshuffling， you may choose / A sword unbated， and， in a pass of practice /Requite him for your father.”
Laertes agrees but says that he will add poison to the tip of the sword. To make sure that Hamlet dies，Claudius decides to add poison t the wine Hamlet will drink when he is hot and dry during the duel. On thevoyage to England， Hamlet says，“Up from my cabin， / My sea-gown scarf’d about me， in the dark / Grop’dI to find out them， had my desire， / Finger’d their packet， and in fine withdrew / To mine own room again；making s bold— / My fears forgetting manners—to unseal / Their grand commission； where I found， Horatio，/ O royal knavery！ an exact command， / Larded with many several sorts of reasons / Importing Denmark’shealth， and England’s too， / With， ho！ such bugs and goblins in my life， / That， on the supervise， no leisurebated， / No， not to stay the grinding of the axe， / My head should be struck off.”/“Being thus benetted roundwith villainies，— /...， I sat me down， / Devis’d a new commission，... / An earnest conjuration from the king，/ As England was his faithful tributary， /As love between them like the palm should fourish，... / And manysuch-like‘As’es of great charge， / That， on the view and knowing of these contents， / Without debatementfurther， more or less， / He should the bearers put to sudden death， / Not shriving-time allow’d.”/“I hadmy father’s signet in my purse， / Which was the model of that Danish seal； / Folded the writ up in form of theother， / Subscrib’d it， gave’t th’ impression， plac’d it safely， / The changeling never known. Now， the next day/ Was our sea-fight....”“Finding ourselves too slow of sail， we put on a compelled valour， in the grappleI boarded them： on the instant they got clear of our ship， so I alone became their prisoner. They have dealtwith me like thieves of mercy， but they knew what they did； I am to do a good turn for them.”Hamlet on hisreturn to Elsinore has been met by Horatio in the graveyard outside the city. Horatio and Hamlet discoverthat the grave is for Ophelia. Hamlet declares his love for Ophelia， but Laertes insists that the fencingmatch take place. The fencing match begins， but during it Laertes wounds Hamlet； them， in scuffling， theychange rapiers， and Hamlet wounds Laertes in return. Consequently， both Hamlet and Laertes are cut withthe poisoned sword. The Queen picks up the wine meant for Hamlet， and before the King can stop her， shedrinks it for her son’s fortune and she dies. Hamlet picks up the poisoned sword and kills the King. Laertesdies and it is clear that Hamlet， too， is dying. Horatio wants to drink the poisoned wine in order to die withHamlet， but Hamlet insists that he remain alive to tell Hamlet’s story and clear his name. before he dies，Hamlet asks“What war-like noise is this？”He is told that“Young Fortinbras， whose father was defeatedand killed by his father—the last king old Hamlet in the war， with conquest come from Poland， To theambassadors of England gives“This war-like volley.”Hamlet says：“O！ I die， Horatio； / The Potent poisonquite o’er-crows my spirit： / I cannot live to hear the news from England， / But I do prophesy the eleclionlights / On Fortinbras： he has my dying voice； / So tell him， with the occurrents， more or less， / Which havesolicited...”
As Hamlet dies in Horatio’s arms， Horatio bids him a last farewell. At that moment， Fortinbras， theEnglish Ambassadors and others arrive at the Danish court to find a scene of devastation. The EnglishAmbassadors say：“The sight is dismal； / And our affairs from England come too late： / The ears are senselessthat should give us hearing， / To tell him his commandment is fulfill’d， / That Resencrantz and Guildensternare dead. / Where should we have our thanks？”Fortinbras says，“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.”Horatioreplies，“Of that I shall have also cause to speak， / And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more： / Butlet this same be presently perform’d， / Even while men’s minds are wild， lest more mischance / On plots anderrors happen.”“Having heard what Horatio explained， Fortinbras commands： Let four captains / BearHamlet， like a soldier， to the stage； / For he was likely， had he been put on， / To have prov’d most royally： and，for his passage， / The soldiers’ music and the rites of war / Speak loudly for him.”
《哈姆莱特》在1603年出版前就在不同的时间和不同的地点，如伦敦、剑桥大学、牛津大学以及其他地方演出过。自从首次出版以来，没人知道《哈姆莱特》在全世界演出了多少次。许多学者为这个戏剧写了大量的文章和书籍，指出哈姆莱特是个多么复杂的人物——但一经舞台上演出，故事引人入胜，根本不难领会。剧中人物都很逼真，观众跟随人物的言行、思想和感情的变化而变化，与他们密切相关。哈姆莱特真的一时疯了吗或只是装疯？
王后真的爱她儿子吗？哈姆莱特真的与奥菲利娅恋爱吗？如是真的，为什么他对她如此残忍呢？《哈姆莱特》像是个极好的神秘故事，因为人们看完演出后仍问这些问题。
By 1603 Hamlet had been diverse times acted... in the City of London： as also in the two Universities ofCambridge and Oxford， and elsewhere. Since its first publication， nobody knows how many times Hamlet hasbeen performed all over the world. Many scholars have written a great deal about the play—pointing out howcomplicated a person Hamlet is—but， when it is acted on stage， it tells a gripping tale that is not at all difficultto follow. In the play， the characters are like living people. The audience follows their actions， thoughts andfeelings and becomes involved with them. Was Hamlet really mad for a time， or was he only pretending？ Didthe queen really love her son？ Was Hamlet really in love with Ophelia？ If he was， why did he treat her socruelly？ Hamlet is like a good mystery story， because people still ask these questions after seeing the play.