Laertes & Ophelia Scene

8/16/2019 Laertes & Ophelia Scene

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Laertes & Ophelia Scene

(OPHELIA and LAERTES are passing the time in the castle, playingcards [could also e reading, playing chess, etc!"! Perhaps they are inthe space et#een risers, right up in the audience$s usiness!%

LAERTES: Your turn.

(They play!%

OPHELIA: I can’t go. Your turn.

(They play! &pstage, HA'LET #anders on in a state o distress! HEmeanders around upstage ut does not notice the t#o playing cardsdo#nstage! HE egins to recite the )To e, or not to e*+ speech at anormal olume and acing upstage or side#ays, as i to an unseen

audience!%

HAMLET: To e! or not to e" That is the #uestion$%hether ’tis no ler in the in' to su(er

The slings an' arro)s o* outrageous *ortune!Or to ta+e ar s... (HA'LET$s spea-ing ades slightly so that theaudience can hear him i they try hard enough, ut other#ise don$t

ocus on his speech!%

(OPHELIA has noticed HI' and has ecome distracted rom the cardgame!%

LAERTES: O! it’s ,our turn- o-

OPHELIA: (Hasn$t reali.ed she #asn$t paying attention!% Oh! sorr,.

LAERTES: (Seeing HA'LET% Ophelia/ You still 'ote on hi ! that *a0orsra lings o* a'ness to ra lings o* lo0e"

OPHELIA: He’s not a'- An' )e 'o spea+ o* lo0e! )hen the ti e is so.

LAERTES: Perhaps he lo0es ,ou no)!

An' no) no soil nor cautel 'oth es irch The 0irtue o* his )ill: ut ,ou ust *ear!His greatness )eigh1'! his )ill is not his o)n.

OPHELIA: He a, He/ It’s co plicate'.

LAERTES: He a, not! as un0alue' persons 'o!2ar0e *or hi sel*3 *or on his choice 'epen's



The sa*et, an' health o* this )hole state3

OPHELIA: Then is not right that I! o0e' , lo0e! shoul' help hi earthe loa'"

LAERTES: It is not ,our lo0e that I 'ou t! ut his.

OPHELIA: He 'oth 'eclare his lo0e *or e as o*t as I-%ell/ He 'eclares it enough. /It’s co plicate'.

LAERTES: I* a an’s lo0e e not as 4r as his s)or'!then )h, shoul' it 4t ,our )is'o to elie0e it"%hen ne5t he sa,s he lo0es ,ou!)eigh )hat loss ,our honour a, sustain!i* )ith too cre'ent ear ,ou list his songs!Or lose ,our heart! or ,our chaste treasure open

To his un aster1' i portunit,.

(Suddenly, a rustle is heard rom upstairs! 'u/ed spea-ing is heardrom O and 0ERTR&1E, culminating in the sound o a slap! 0ERTR&1E

is seen descending the spiral staircase, ut is not seen y OPHELIA andLAERTES! O egins singing to hersel !%

OPHELIA: (2apti ated y the singing% 6o ,ou hear that"

LAERTES: Here )hat! , sister.

OPHELIA: That 0oice- That 0oice )hich sings )hen all is silent! as i* thecastle )alls )ere cr,ing out.

LAERTES: I hear naught ut the 'ra*ts o* the castle. Your turn.

(O #ails a loud singing phrase, #hich decrescendos ac- to HER3uieter singing! LAERTES, startled, loo-s up at the sound!%

OPEHLIA: So ,ou 'o hear it- 7

LAERTES: Thin+ it no ore! Ophelia.

OPHELIA: I thought perhaps that it )as onl, I that hear' the 0oice! ut,ou 'o too-

LAERTES: 8ear it! Ophelia! *ear it! , 'ear sister!An' +eep ,ou out o* the shot an' 'anger o* 'esire to +no) ore.

OPHELIA: 9ut I



LAERTES: You ust *ear. The chariest ai' is pro'igal enough!I* she un as+ her eaut, to the oon.

OPHELIA: 9ut )hat i* the oon’s pull calls e to un as+ ,sel* to it"

I’0e een eaning to as+ *ather i* he +no)s

LAERTES: 6O;’T. (Pause!% I/ I too ha0e *elt the oon’s call! an' onceapproache' 'ear *ather an' as+e' o* its eaning. 6o not as+ hi !sister.

OPHELIA: Oh/

LAERTES: 8ather’s )or' is right an' true:<=irtue itsel* 1scapes not calu nious stro+es:

The can+er galls the in*ants o* the spring!

Too o*t e*ore their uttons e 'isclose'!An' in the orn an' li#ui' 'e) o* ,outh2ontagious last ents are ost i inent.9e )ar, then3 est sa*et, lies in *ear:

Youth to itsel* re els! though none else near.>

OPHELIA: 9ut/

LAERTES: Ophelia. 9est sa*et, lies in *ear. (HE ta-es the 4ueen oSpades and presses it against HER lips! It stic-s there on HER lips,sealing them shut! HE e5its, lea ing OPHELIA to loo- up at the singing

in silence!%

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Laertes & Ophelia Scene