Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

173
After learning of Polonius's murder, he summoned Kosencrantz
aiicl Guildenstern and sent them to find Hamlet. Thirteen lines
wt ,*e cut from the scene, including 17-23 which refer to "the
owner of a foul disease". Five lines were cut from the end of
the scene, and the Kin 'c npeoch continued v.'ith IV. 3. 2 (IV. 2
being omitted,) From thic speech Barrett cut four lines:
...to bear all smooth and even,
This sudd«n ponding him away must seem
Deliberate pause. Diseases desperate arov;n
By desperate rrinliance are relieved,
(7b-10)
The conclusion of the speech became:
And where 'tis GO, ';h* of fender's ccourge is weighed
But nearer the offc-xce
Or not ct 1.1,
iianlct's lines concerning the progress of a King through tlic
guts of a bcc.T'r were dolrtecl (22-31) » but at "seek him i'th'
other place yourself, 'Icnlct answered the Kin,;; fiercely "as
if to provoke him to a quarrel", Claudius's fir;,-1; .-caction was
to advance on Hamlet, but he evidently thou lit .••-.In, ant"
sensed that it v.oulc! be more prudent to be quiet ( >rompt-co;jy) .
villi rci's acting in thia scone made a strong impression on
the critics - Scott wrote that he "was a >ian of flosh and
blood, obviously c c voted to liis hel :;:.i: to and concoalinc all
through his norvoua a.pproiion:jion of Ii;xilct", ?"'i-' Ti:.ur: observed
that tho splendour of tlic p.-lace cettinc contrnrsted tellingly
vvitn Hriialet'o broj'Ji.v: cnger, and 01 uOiuc'c .:a:_riety, Tho
speed of thia sequence, anc Orrrott's .al'o ;.;i:," ill r'"1 to
one. tnc act (.-t 67, "And thou nuet care mo" - uot ,ith tho
couplet) helped to intensify the ii.rpro:.::ion of "a raan of action
"ironpt rnd docicive" sh-dinr at ti.'ics i.r'jo what t;u Captious
Critic called a "i\;