There No Death That Shall Withstand the Arts of Grave I Can Command

• Intro
• Summary
• Modern English
• Human activity 1, Scene 1
• Human action 1, Scene 2
• Act ane, Scene 3
• Act 1, Scene 4
• Act i, Scene five
• Human action 2, Scene 1
• Act 2, Scene 2
• Deed 3, Scene 1
• Act 3, Scene 2
• Act 3, Scene three
• Act 3, Scene 4
• Human activity 4, Scene 1
• Human activity four, Scene 2
• Act 4, Scene 3
• Deed 4, Scene four
• Act iv, Scene 5
• Act 4, Scene 6
• Human activity four, Scene vii
• Act five, Scene i
• Human activity five, Scene 1 Summary
• Act 5, Scene 2
• Themes
• Quotes
• Characters
• Assay
• Questions
• Photos
• Quizzes
• Flashcards
• Movie
• Best of the Web
• Write Essay
• Infographics
• Teaching
• Lit Glossary
• Table of Contents

Hamlet: Act 5, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act five, Scene i of Hamlet from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Gravedigger and Another. GRAVEDIGGER Is she to be cached in Christian burying, when she willfully seeks her own salvation? OTHER I tell thee she is. Therefore make her grave direct. The crowner hath sat on her and finds it Christian burial. 5 GRAVEDIGGER How can that be, unless she drowned herself in her ain defense force? OTHER Why, 'tis found so. GRAVEDIGGER Information technology must be se offendendo; it cannot be else. For here lies the point: if I drown myself ten wittingly, it argues an human action, and an act hath three branches—it is to act, to exercise, to perform. Argal, she drowned herself wittingly. OTHER Nay, but hear you, goodman delver— GRAVEDIGGER Give me leave. Here lies the water; 15 practiced. Hither stands the human being; skilful. If the man go to this water and drown himself, information technology is (will he, nill he) he goes; mark you that. But if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself. Argal, he that is not guilty of his own expiry shortens not his xx ain life. OTHER But is this law? GRAVEDIGGER Ay, marry, is 't—crowner's 'quest law.	At the palace graveyard, two howdy-la-rious gravediggers discuss Ophelia's death. In their dialogue, they paraphrase some of the arguments from the famous 1554 suicide instance of Sir James Hales, a dead-past-suicide judge whose land was forfeited to the crown, equally was standard punishment for suicides. One argument held that the court could only punish someone for acts committed in their lifetime. "Successful" suicide required the ending of 1'due south life—thus when Hales succeeded at suicide, he was no longer living and couldn't exist held accountable, meaning...his widow should exist entitled to his stuff. That argument didn't win, and she didn't become information technology, but it'due south part of the reason for all the quibbling on whether Ophelia meant to impale herself or not.
OTHER Will you ha' the truth on 't? If this had non been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o' 25 Christian burial. GRAVEDIGGER Why, there grand sayst. And the more pity that great folk should accept count'nance in this globe to drown or hang themselves more than their fifty-fifty-Christian. Come up, my spade. There is no 30 ancient gentlemen but gard'ners, ditchers, and grave-makers. They concord up Adam'south profession. OTHER Was he a admirer? GRAVEDIGGER He was the beginning that always bore arms. OTHER Why, he had none. 35 GRAVEDIGGER What, art a heathen? How dost g understand the scripture? The scripture says Adam digged. Could he dig without artillery? I'll put another question to thee. If thou answerest me non to the purpose, confess thyself— 40 OTHER Go to!	These 2 men remember Ophelia'south death was conspicuously a suicide. Because suicide is an offense against God, those who committed the human activity were usually non allowed to exist buried in a Christian graveyard. Lucky for Ophelia, her family is rich and powerful. They motility on to a give-and-take of Adam and whether or not he had arms, with 1 of the men meaning actual arms and the other taking the give-and-take to mean weapons. Side by side, the chief Gravedigger challenges his buddy to solve a riddle.
GRAVEDIGGER What is he that builds stronger than either the bricklayer, the shipwright, or the carpenter? OTHER The gallows-maker; for that frame outlives a thousand tenants. 45 GRAVEDIGGER I like thy wit well, in proficient faith. The gallows does well. Simply how does it well? It does well to those that do ill. Now, g dost sick to say the gallows is built stronger than the church. Argal, the gallows may do well to thee. To 't again, come up. 50 OTHER "Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter?" GRAVEDIGGER Ay, tell me that, and unyoke. OTHER Marry, now I can tell. GRAVEDIGGER To 't. 55 OTHER Mass, I cannot tell. Enter Village and Horatio distant off. GRAVEDIGGER Cudgel thy brains no more than about it, for your dull ass will not mend his step with beating. And, when you lot are asked this question next, say "a grave-maker." The houses he makes threescore lasts till doomsday. Go, get thee in, and fetch me a stoup of liquor. The Other Human being exits and the Gravedigger digs and sings. In youth when I did love, did dearest, Methought it was very sweet To contract—O—the time for—a—my behove, 65 O, methought there—a—was aught—a—encounter.	The riddle is: Who builds something that is stronger than things built by carpenters, masons, or shipbuilders? The Gravedigger'due south buddy guesses a guy who builds gallows (the structure you apply to hang people). It's a skilful answer, just non the one the Gravedigger was looking for. He finally gives it upwardly after teasing his friend a chip. The respond? A grave digger, of course, considering the house he builds lasts forever. Ba-DUM-bum!
Village Has this fellow no feeling of his business organization? He sings in grave-making. HORATIO Custom hath made it in him a property of easiness. 70 HAMLET 'Tis e'en so. The paw of picayune employment hath the daintier sense. GRAVEDIGGER sings But historic period with his stealing steps Hath clawed me in his clutch, And hath shipped me into the land, 75 As if I had never been such. He digs up a skull.	Village wonders if the Gravedigger who remains is particularly callous because he's singing while he digs the grave. Horatio points out that doing a task over and over makes it easier—easy enough to crevice jokes.
HAMLET That skull had a tongue in it and could sing one time. How the knave jowls information technology to the ground as if 'twere Cain's jawbone, that did the first murder! This might exist the pate of a politician which this ass 80 now o'erreaches, one that would circumvent God, might it not? HORATIO It might, my lord. Hamlet Or of a courtier, which could say "Good morrow, sweet lord! How dost yard, sweetness lord?" 85 This might be my Lord Such-a-one that praised my Lord Such-a-one's horse when he went to beg it, might information technology not? HORATIO Ay, my lord. Hamlet Why, east'en so. And at present my Lady Worm'south, 90 chapless and knocked about the mazard with a sexton'southward spade. Here's fine revolution, an nosotros had the trick to see 't. Did these bones cost no more the convenance but to play at loggets with them? Mine ache to think on 't. 95 GRAVEDIGGER sings A pickax and a spade, a spade, For and a shrouding canvas, O, a pit of clay for to exist made For such a guest is meet. He digs up more skulls.	Village philosophizes as the Gravedigger uncovers a skull from the pigsty in the ground. Hamlet wonders who this skull used to be when it was part of a living person.
HAMLET There's some other. Why may non that be the 100 skull of a lawyer? Where exist his quiddities now, his quillities, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks? Why does he suffer this mad knave at present to knock him most the sconce with a dirty shovel and volition not tell him of his action of battery? Hum, this fellow might 105 be in 'south fourth dimension a great buyer of land, with his statutes, his recognizances, his fines, his double vouchers, his recoveries. Is this the fine of his fines and the recovery of his recoveries, to have his fine pate full of fine dirt? Will his vouchers vouch him no more 110 of his purchases, and double ones also, than the length and latitude of a pair of indentures? The very conveyances of his lands will scarcely prevarication in this box, and must th' inheritor himself have no more than, ha? HORATIO Not a jot more, my lord. 115 HAMLET Is not parchment made of sheepskins? HORATIO Ay, my lord, and of calves' skins too. HAMLET They are sheep and calves which seek out assurance in that. I will speak to this swain.— Whose grave's this, sirrah? 120	When the Gravedigger uncovers some other skull, Hamlet suggests it could be the skull of a lawyer. Horatio says sure, why not? Could be. Village decides to chat up the Gravedigger and come across if he knows.
GRAVEDIGGER Mine, sir. Sings. O, a pit of dirt for to exist fabricated For such a guest is meet. HAMLET I recall information technology be thine indeed, for yard liest in 't. GRAVEDIGGER You prevarication out on 't, sir, and therefore 'tis 125 not yours. For my role, I practice non lie in 't, yet it is mine. HAMLET K dost lie in 't, to be in 't and say it is thine. 'Tis for the dead, non for the quick; therefore m liest. 130 GRAVEDIGGER 'Tis a quick lie, sir; 'twill away once more from me to you lot. Hamlet What man dost g dig it for? GRAVEDIGGER For no man, sir. Hamlet What woman so? 135 GRAVEDIGGER For none, neither. HAMLET Who is to be buried in 't? GRAVEDIGGER I that was a woman, sir, but, rest her soul, she's dead. Hamlet How accented the knave is! Nosotros must speak by 140 the card, or equivocation will undo u.s.. By the Lord, Horatio, this three years I have took note of it: the age is grown so picked that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier, he galls his kibe.—How long hast thou been 145 grave-maker?	The Gravedigger is a chatty—only very literal—guy. When Hamlet asks him whose grave he digging, he says it'south his...because he'south the 1 digging it. When Village asks if the grave is for a homo or a woman, the Gravedigger says neither. He finally adds that information technology'due south for someone that was a adult female, but isn't anymore, because she's dead. Hamlet is amused past this guy's wit and asks him how long he's been digging graves.
GRAVEDIGGER Of all the days i' thursday' year, I came to 't that day that our last Male monarch Village overcame Fortinbras. Village How long is that since? 150 GRAVEDIGGER Cannot yous tell that? Every fool tin can tell that. It was that very twenty-four hours that immature Village was born—he that is mad, and sent into England. Hamlet Ay, marry, why was he sent into England? GRAVEDIGGER Why, because he was mad. He shall 155 recover his wits at that place. Or if he do not, 'tis no great thing there. Hamlet Why? GRAVEDIGGER 'Twill not be seen in him there. There the men are as mad as he. 160 Hamlet How came he mad? GRAVEDIGGER Very strangely, they say. HAMLET How "strangely"? GRAVEDIGGER Religion, e'en with losing his wits. HAMLET Upon what ground? 165 GRAVEDIGGER Why, here in Denmark. I have been sexton here, man and boy, thirty years.	The Gravedigger says he'due south been at it since the day the old King Hamlet beat Fortinbras, which, coincidentally is the twenty-four hours the young Hamlet was built-in. The Gravedigger doesn't know who he's talking to, so he tells his new BFF a little more than—like that Prince Village has gone mad and been sent England, where it doesn't thing if he'due south cured since everyone there is mad, too. We bet thatkilled at the World.
Hamlet How long volition a human being lie i' th' earth ere he rot? GRAVEDIGGER Faith, if he be not rotten earlier he die (as we have many pocky corses present that volition 170 scarce hold the laying in), he will last you some eight year or 9 yr. A tanner will last yous nine year. HAMLET Why he more than some other? GRAVEDIGGER Why, sir, his hide is so tanned with his 175 merchandise that he volition keep out water a great while; and your h2o is a sore decayer of your whoreson dead trunk. Here's a skull now hath lien you i' th' earth three-and-twenty years. Village Whose was it? 180 GRAVEDIGGER A whoreson mad boyfriend'due south information technology was. Whose do you think it was? Hamlet Nay, I know not. GRAVEDIGGER A pestilence on him for a mad rogue! He poured a flagon of Rhenish on my head once. 185 This same skull, sir, was, sir, Yorick's skull, the King's jester. HAMLET This? GRAVEDIGGER Due east'en that.	Next, Village wants to know how long information technology takes a body to rot. The Gravedigger says it depends. For virtually bodies, it takes 8 or ix years. Tanners terminal the longest considering their skin is stained with the chemicals they use on leather, so their bodies are more waterproof. The Gravedigger easily Village a skull and says information technology's from someone dead for twenty-3 years now: King Hamlet's former jester, Yorick.
Village, taking the skull Allow me see. Alas, poor 190 Yorick! I knew him, Horatio—a young man of infinite jest, of nigh fantabulous fancy. He hath bore me on his dorsum a thousand times, and at present how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Hither hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how frequently. 195 Where exist your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment that were wont to gear up the table on a roar? Not one now to mock your own grinning? Quite chapfallen? Now get you to my lady's sleeping room, and tell her, let her paint an inch 200 thick, to this favor she must come. Make her laugh at that.—Prithee, Horatio, tell me 1 thing.	The is the famous "Alas, poor Yorick" chip: Hamlet reminisces most the times Yorick used to cart him around on his back and generally makes a melodramatic scene about all the jokes and laughs and dances Yorick used to exercise, but now tin can't, being dead and all.
HORATIO What's that, my lord? Village Dost 1000 think Alexander looked o' this way i' th' earth? 205 HORATIO Eastward'en so. Hamlet And smelt so? Pah! He puts the skull down. HORATIO E'en so, my lord. Village To what base uses we may return, Horatio! Why may non imagination trace the noble dust of 210 Alexander till he find information technology stopping a bunghole? HORATIO 'Twere to consider besides curiously to consider so. Village No, religion, not a jot; but to follow him thither, with modesty enough and likelihood to lead information technology, as 215 thus: Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust; the dust is earth; of globe we make loam; and why of that loam whereto he was converted might they not cease a beer barrel? Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to dirt, 220 Might end a hole to continue the wind away. O, that that earth which kept the globe in awe Should patch a wall t' miscarry the winter's flaw! Enter King, Queen, Laertes, Lords attendant, and the corpse of Ophelia, with a Doctor of Divinity. Just soft, merely soft awhile! Here comes the King, The Queen, the courtiers. Who is this they follow? 225 And with such maimèd rites? This doth signal The corse they follow did with desp'rate hand Fordo its own life. 'Twas of some estate. Burrow nosotros awhile and mark. They stride aside.	Is this anybody's fate? Hamlet is especially interested in Alexander the Great, wondering if yous could trace his dust until you found him stopping up a "bunghole" (which was literally the pigsty in a barrel or cask of drink, simply, y'all guessed information technology, has been slang for "anus" since the thirteenth century). This is very similar to Hamlet'southward railroad train of thought with the worm eating a male monarch'south corpse, the worm becoming bait, etc. He'southward saying that Alexander the Bang-up, after dying, would be buried. His body would return to dust and mix with the earth, from which we make loam which could exist used to stop up a beer barrel. Hamlet's a real cheerful guy. His morbid thoughts are interrupted past a funeral procession. We know it's Ophelia's, but Hamlet doesn't...nonetheless.
LAERTES What anniversary else? 230 HAMLET That is Laertes, a very noble youth. Mark. LAERTES What ceremony else? Dr. Her obsequies have been as far enlarged As nosotros have warranty. Her death was doubtful, And, only that great command o'ersways the society, 235 She should in footing unsanctified been lodged Till the concluding trumpet. For charitable prayers Shards, flints, and pebbles should be thrown on her. Even so here she is allowed her virgin crants, 240 Her maiden strewments, and the bringing dwelling Of bell and burying. LAERTES Must there no more be washed? Doc No more be done. Nosotros should profane the service of the expressionless 245 To sing a requiem and such remainder to her As to peace-parted souls.	Village observes from afar as Laertes, who he recognizes, asks near the brevity of the anniversary. The priest snarks a little near how Ophelia's powerful family got her a nice burial, even though she shouldreally be in unsanctified basis and only go broken bits of pottery and pebbles as a tribute. Instead, she's getting a garland to indicate she's a virgin and flowers strewn virtually her grave. Plus she'south in the sanctified section and she's getting the full bell-tolling treatment.
LAERTES Lay her i' th' world, And from her fair and unpolluted flesh May violets spring! I tell thee, churlish priest, 250 A minist'ring angel shall my sister be When thou liest howling.	Laertes doesn't take kindly to all this trash talking of his recently dead sis, and says that Ophelia will be an angel while the priest howls in Hell.
HAMLET, to Horatio What, the fair Ophelia? QUEEN Sweets to the sweet, bye! She scatters flowers. I hoped thou shouldst have been my Village's wife; 255 I thought thy bride-bed to have decked, sweet maid, And not have strewed thy grave. LAERTES O, treble woe Fall ten times treble on that cursèd head Whose wicked act thy most ingenious sense 260 Deprived thee of!—Concur off the earth awhile, Till I have defenseless her over again in mine arms. Leaps in the grave. Now pile your dust upon the quick and expressionless, Till of this flat a mountain y'all have made T' o'ertop old Pelion or the skyish head 265 Of blueish Olympus. HAMLET, advancing What is he whose grief Bears such an accent, whose phrase of sorrow Conjures the wand'ring stars and makes them stand up Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I, 270 Village the Dane.	Await—did he say sister? Hamlet realizes this is Ophelia's funeral. He advances toward the grave every bit his mom scatters flowers, proverb she idea Ophelia was going to be Village's wife one mean solar day. Laertes, beside himself with grief, jumps into the grave, and you can bet his mood is not improved when Hamlet approaches, talking nearly how sad he is and announcing himself the way you lot would announce the King.
LAERTES, coming out of the grave The devil have thy soul! HAMLET One thousand pray'st not well. They grapple. I prithee take thy fingers from my throat, For though I am not splenitive and rash, 275 However have I in me something dangerous, Which let thy wisdom fearfulness. Concur off thy hand. King Pluck them asunder. QUEEN Village! Hamlet! ALL Gentlemen! 280 HORATIO Proficient my lord, be quiet. Village and Laertes are separated. Hamlet Why, I volition fight with him upon this theme Until my eyelids will no longer wag! QUEEN O my son, what theme? HAMLET I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers 285 Could not with all their quantity of love Make up my sum. What wilt k do for her? King O, he is mad, Laertes! QUEEN For love of God, forbear him. HAMLET 'Swounds, bear witness me what grand 't practise. 290 Woo't cry, woo't fight, woo't fast, woo't tear thyself, Woo't drink up eisel, eat a crocodile? I'll do 't. Dost thou come up hither to whine? To outface me with leaping in her grave? 295 Be buried quick with her, and and then volition I. And if thou prate of mountains, let them throw Millions of acres on us, till our ground, Singeing his pate confronting the burning zone, Make Ossa like a wart. Nay, an thou 'lt rima oris, 300 I'll bluster as well as thou. QUEEN This is mere madness; And thus awhile the fit will work on him. Anon, as patient equally the female person dove When that her golden couplets are disclosed, 305 His silence will sit drooping. Hamlet Hear y'all, sir, What is the reason that you use me thus? I loved yous ever. But it is no thing. Let Hercules himself do what he may, 310 The cat will mew, and dog will take his day. Village exits.	Laertes promptly leaps out of Ophelia'south grave and scuffles with Village. The two are broken upwardly, and Hamlet declares he'll fight Laertes "on this theme," meaning, the question of who loved Ophelia more, until the stop of his days. While his mother tries to calm him and make excuses for his behavior, Hamlet challenges Laertes to a duel and stalks out. Information technology's all very dramatic.
KING I pray thee, good Horatio, expect upon him. Horatio exits. To Laertes. Strengthen your patience in our concluding night's speech. We'll put the matter to the present button.— 315 Good Gertrude, set some watch over your son.— This grave shall take a living monument. An hour of quiet thereby shall we see. Till then in patience our proceeding be. They get out.	Claudius says what he needs to say to everyone: he sends Horatio to tend to Village, tells Laertes to hold business firm with their plan, and tells Gertrude to accept someone watch over Hamlet. What a guy.

---

gannoncombou52.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.shmoop.com/hamlet/act-5-scene-1-translation.html