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Hamlet · Act 5, Scene 1

Hamlet monologue from Hamlet

Hamlet’s monologue from the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare (Act 5, Scene 1). A classical piece for men with a playing age of 20s–40s, running about 1:00.

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The full speech. Read it out loud twice before you start working it.

Hamlet’s monologue

Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times. And now how abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kiss'd I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? Quite chap- fall'n? Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must come. Make her laugh at that.

Public domain text.

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About Hamlet

Play by William Shakespeare · c. 1599–1601

  • Hamlet is the longest of Shakespeare's plays, and Hamlet speaks more lines than any other character Shakespeare wrote.
  • The play is set at the royal castle of Elsinore in Denmark.
  • "To be, or not to be" in Act 3, Scene 1 is one of the most quoted speeches in the English language.

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