Author: erainbowd

They are incensed.

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I was making some guesses where “incensed” comes from and I thought maybe it was connected to our senses – that it suggested a kind of loss of sense – related to sensibility – being insensible.

But I looked it up and it is related to fire. It’s earliest connection to Old French “encensen” which was to arouse or inspire and to Latin “incedere” to set on fire. Like something incendiary. So are Hamlet and Laertes burned up? Are they, not just furious, as it means now, but burning?

I’m not quite sure how Claudius means this. Is he just saying they’re mad? Separating fighters just for fury doesn’t seem quite right.

We know why they need to be separated – they’re fighting and drawing each other’s blood and killing each other, by the way.

But incensed is a curious word choice for Claudius.

Part them.

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Claudius waits to do this. He could have stopped it as soon as Laertes stepped out of bounds and wounded Hamlet. But he doesn’t. He waits. And watches while the swords, get switched, knowing full well that the sword that is passing from Laertes to Hamlet is a murder weapon. He makes no move to save Laertes’ life. He’s probably thinking that a dead Laertes can tell no tales on him.

But I suspect his failure to prevent Laertes’ death is probably a big factor in Laertes deciding to confess.

I mean – the timing is malleable. The stage directions place this line after the mutual wounding – though certainly one could stage it so that he tries to stop it before the sword touches Laertes. That seems a little out of character for our politic villain, though.

He could also say it the way Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka says his, “Wait. Stop.” – that is, not very loud – and without conviction.

Have at you now.

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I have seen many a Laertes who is playing this line throughout the whole scene – or the whole play, even. He’s fiery and ready to burst most of the time. But – a more interesting Laertes gets himself to this moment with lots of ups and downs. He may be fighting with himself for a good long while before he’s pushed to behaving this badly.

As much as we see Laertes break the rules (by staging a coup, breaking down doors, leaping into graves, etc) – he seems to have a strong sense of honor and this move is well outside the bounds of that. I think he’d need to feel pushed well past his own tolerance to make a move like this.

He probably has had to silence his conscience in a number of ways to step outside of the confines of the game this way.

And I feel like the crowd should know it, too. They need to have a response that suggests that Laertes has broken through rules and honor and codes to go after Hamlet in an aggressive out of bounds move.

Come on.

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I can’t recall whether it was Mary Chapin Carpenter or Rosanne Cash – I think it was MCC – But she had this super sexy but also sad lulling song that went “Come on, come on.”

I don’t remember anything about it except the repeated refrain of “Come on, come on.” And some whispering.

“Come on” is an incredibly popular phrase for pop songs. If there were a theme for most pop songs it is, “Come on.” They should rename it Come On Music.

Say you so?

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There is talk of Laertes being goaded into this third round of the duel. It is as if he has been successfully trash talked and Hamlet has made him mad. Mad enough to kill him. But “say you so” is not especially fraught. It is not necessarily an angry response. It could be said that way, for sure.

To me, it is equivalent to saying, “Oh yeah?”
Which could be a furious response to an insult or just an indication that we’re both playing the game.

And in this round – nothing happens. Laertes doesn’t hit Hamlet. Hamlet makes no contact with Laertes. This round is a bust.

The kill blow happens after the round is over.

I wonder if this round gives Laertes time to think. Is he still trying to decide what to do as he plays this round?

I feel like I’ve mostly seen it with an enraged Laertes, playing too aggressively to win because he’s trying so hard to kill Hamlet.

It’s a pretty standard way to play Laertes. But a thoughtful Laertes is also possible. Say you so? I say so.

I am afeard you make a wanton of me.

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If Laertes has gotten in trouble for messing around with loose ladies in France and both his father and sister have suggested this might be the case, then this line might be getting a little personal and pointed.

Are Laertes’ missteps in this department known to the entire Danish court or just his family? Does Hamlet know?

Is he saying – “Don’t use me like you use one of your French girls.” – Is he TRYING to get Laertes’ goat or he is just being coy – like – flirting a little bit.

It would seem a little flirting in the middle of a fight might be par for the course. Flirting and fighting create a similar kind of tension, certainly.


The question in performance would become whether Hamlet is goading Laertes on purpose or by accident.

And also – is Laertes actually goaded or does he just use this moment as an excuse to get in there and start poisoning?

The questions become who is making a wanton of who here. Is there any wantonness happening?

I pray you, pass with your best violence.

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This has got to be some of the nerdiest trash talking in the history of violence. I mean, first, it’s all done with the formal “you” and second, it sounds like someone who has never done a lick of fighting.

He might as well push up his tape-repaired glasses after this one.

Good sir, I would like to kindly rquest that you insert the tip of your sword into the integrity of my flesh, thereby creating a wound. And I would like to suggest, as any gentleman might, that your mother is not beautiful, your father dishonorable and  your sister a common stale.

And furthermore, your mother is so fat that when she sit-eth around the house she really sit-eth around the house.

You do but dally.

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Apparently, dally began as a word that meant the opposite of its current meaning . It was once to have an intimate, serious conversation, and it seems to have moved from there to amusing one’s self, to playing or toying with. I wonder how this happened. If the word’s evolution were a relationship, it will have begun with intense late night conversations where secrets were shared and meaningful words were exchanged – then when these two lost touch and feelings were hurt, those conversations began to be reframed as flirtatious and then finally to meaningless games.

Come, for the third, Laertes.

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Is his adrenaline firing up this moment? Is Hamlet, having refused the wine and there having been a little pause in the proceedings, worried that he will lose the momentum he’s gained?

Is he simply tired of standing around jawin’? He’s not someone who seems to like standing around in silence. I picture him all limbered up, bouncing around, ready to get into it, man, before this energy fades away.