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Where is the beauteous Majesty of Denmark?

Ophelia
Where is the beauteous Majesty of Denmark?
Queen
How now, Ophelia?
Ophelia sings

How should I your true love know
From another one?
By his cockle hat and staff
And his sandal shoon.

Queen
Alas, sweet lady, what imports this song?
Ophelia
Say you? Nay, pray you, mark.
Sings.

He is dead and gone, lady,
He is dead and gone;
At his head a grass-green turf,
At his heels a stone.

Oh, ho!

Lord, we know what we are but
know not what we may be.

Queen
Nay, but Ophelia—
Ophelia
Pray you, mark.
Sings.

White his shroud as the mountain snow—

Enter King.

Queen
Alas, look here, my lord.
Ophelia sings

Larded all with sweet flowers;
Which bewept to the ground did not go
With true-love showers.

King Claudius
How do you, pretty lady?
Ophelia
Well, God dild you. They say the owl was a
baker's daughter. Lord, we know what we are but
know not what we may be. God be at your table.
King Claudius
Conceit upon her father.
Ophelia
Pray let's have no words of this, but when
they ask you what it means, say you this:
Sings.

Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose and donned his clothes
And dupped the chamber door,
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.

King Claudius
Pretty Ophelia—
Ophelia
Indeed, without an oath, I'll make an end on ‘t:
Sings.

By Gis and by Saint Charity,
Alack and fie for shame,
Young men will do ‘t, if they come to ‘t;
By Cock, they are to blame.
Quoth she “Before you tumbled me,
You promised me to wed.”

He answers:

“So would I ‘a done, by yonder sun,
An thou hadst not come to my bed.”

King Claudius
How long hath she been thus?
Ophelia
I hope all will be well. We must be patient,
but I cannot choose but weep to think they would
lay him i' th' cold ground. My brother shall know of
it. And so I thank you for your good counsel. Come,
my coach! Good night, ladies, good night, sweet
ladies, good night, good night. She exits.

Source:
Act 4
Scene 5
Line 26

Source Type:
,

Spoken by:
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Themes: