Fortinbras’s Soliloquy

“Lo! the bloodied crown of tyrants and fiends. So

golden and bejeweled; thou hast been crafted as

if thou were made’st to be a star. How shall I

bear thee? Heavy burdens oft’ lie in idle crowns.

How shall I bear thee I say! midst thy bloodied

gems and serpentine spine? Nay, ‘tis not for kings,

but villainous rogues with fiendish ire; it is for

the tyrant king that would perch ‘pon the banister

of raucous public discord, as t’were it a throne.

Art thou not but a tainted wedding jewel ‘twixt men

and the plans they sew? Shouldst thou not be cast into

the belly of the land; allowed thine penance for thy

numbered sins and villainous treats? Thou couldst

maketh a home for the vermin, and be among thy kin.

Or torn asunder and lost at sea; but, nay—for thou

bones wouldst be an albatross ‘pon Neptune’s neck.

Alas! Shall I shackle myself to thee? Submit to the

seeds that temptation doth lay? Become the surrogate

king? Where couldst thy temptation lead, if thine

gleaming jewels and ethereal charm doth not deceive

me as thou did men afore? Hark! I see ‘yond thy golden

rims and succulent call, to the core of thy poisonous lips!

But if that conspirator—if thine Prince of those

vile deeds hath chosen me, wouldst it be wise to

bear thee? ‘Twas it his compassion or damnation that

doth made thee a burden? Whereforth, Hamlet?

Art thou plans, thou villainous schemes, thou

plots of trickery not undone in death? Hath though

not yet passed? Must ye too make a mockery of

me as the shadow doth the darkness and the light?”