Act Four
Act
Four Scene Five
Sub
Scene One
Ophelia
in distress
In
the chamber of Gertrude, a rarity was any meeting to be held there, but it was
done. The castle walls do have ears, and there was an important matter to be
discussed.
The
madam was entertaining both Horatio, Queen, and another gentleman dressed in a
three-piece suit held up by a grim expression and smoked a pipe with the foul-smelling
tobacco.
“Madam,
you must.”
“And
I will not speak with her,” Gertrude said.
“She
is importunate, indeed distract; her mood will needs be pitied.” The pipe
smoker told her. “It’s my professional view.”
“What
would she have?” Gertrude looked at the gentleman whom she has to pay good
money to get him there and listened to another raving mad induced individual.
If not for Ophelia being looked at her as would be her daughter, she would have
long discarded the need there.
“She
speaks much of her father, says she hears tricks are i’ th’ world and hems and
beats her heart. Events that spurn enviously at straws, speak things in doubt that
carry but half sense. Her speech is nothing, Yet the unshapèd use of it doth
move the hearers to the collection.” The gentleman was saying that Ophelia was
unsettled about her father’s death; she told him but the words came out in half
sense or nothing of meaning, yet it shapes into some collection of bonds that
she had with her father if one listened well.
“They
aim at it and botch the words up fit to their thoughts; which, as her winks and
nods and gestures yield them, indeed would make one think there might
be thought, though nothing sure, yet much unhappily.” The gentleman
continued. Ophelia spoke her mind incoherently as her mind was in fragments. In
other words, moments like this, when the unknowing may frame their conclusions
may pass on the gossip thus harming the inflicted.
“They're
good she were spoken with, for she may strew dangerous conjectures in
ill-breeding minds.” Horatio pleaded with the madam. “She is …fragile.”
“Let
her come in,” Gertrude said before she turned to the doctor. “You may leave,
Doctor Strange. Your fees will be delivered to your office.”
The
one named as the doctor bowed to the madam and took his leave.
“Open
the drapes and let fresh air cover the chamber. I am suffocating with the
stench from the pipe. Godless person to ever enjoy a puff like that.” Gertrude
told Horatio.
“Horatio,
I am with my sickness soul (as sin’s true nature is), each toy seems prologue
to some great amiss. So full of artless jealousy is guilt, it spills itself in
fearing to be spilled.” Gertrude was depressed that each moment will cause her
guilt feeling.
The
sounds of singing were heard in the corridor.
“She
cometh.” Ophelia appeared at the doorway.
“Where
is the beauteous Majesty of Denmark?” Ophelia stood there, her appearance
haggard, with unkempt hair, and her clothes untidy, yet she held flowers in her
hair and hands.
“How
now, Ophelia?” Gertrude asked.
“How
should I ….your true love know from another one? By his cockle hat and staff and
his sandal shoon.” Ophelia sang as she was addressing Gertrude who seen to be more
attracted by wealth than love.
“Alas,
sweet lady, what imports this song? It’s so unbecoming.” Gertrude was dismayed
by the singing. It was a bawdy song heard at the taverns.
“Say
you? Nay, pray you, mark.” Ophelia sang. “He is dead and gone, lady.”
“He
is dead and gone; at his head a grass-green turf, at his heels a stone.”
Ophelia sang from King Lear.
Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Ding-dong.
Hark! now I hear them—Ding-dong, bell
(King
Lear Act 1 Scene 2)
“Father
is laid to rest. “Oh, ho!” Ophelia went into the high tone.
“Nay,
but Ophelia—” Gertrude protested/
“Pray
you, mark.” Ophelia sings “White his shroud as the mountain snow—”
Claudius
appeared then.
“Alas,
look here, my lord.” Gertrude motioned to her lover. “She is ….”
“Who?”
Claudius saw then Ophelia.
“Come,
my coach!” Ophelia waved her arms as if she was calling for others to follow
her like the teacher calling in her students.
“Is
she …” Claudius was to ask when Ophelia cut in.
“Larded
all with sweet flowers; which bewept to the ground did not go with true-love
showers.” Ophelia kept on dancing and singing while dropping the flower’s
petal. She was relating that some of us may bring flowers to the grave but our
heart is not there.
“One
for you, one for you, and one here too.” Ophelia placed the petals on the
flooring. “Nop, you must not take that. It’s hers. Naughty of you there.”
“How
long hath she been thus?” Claudius asked. The Emperor steps in and looked at
the lady dancing and singing to herself. Ophelia saw the other and stopped.
“Hello,
my lord. How fares Hamlet? I do miss him.” Ophelia asked before she went into
her own singing words again.
“Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's day.
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.”
"Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more."
Ophelia went down on her haunches and clasped
her hands over her face. It was all silent.
“Did…did
Hamlet…” Gertrude tried to understand the words spoken by Ophelia. “Hamlet
won’t. He is a gentleman in him. He won’t for he …once loved her.”
“Alas,
the young have their bearing. It may be done for lust not to last but does
virtue mean any more to them? Or was it only for us? They taketh what we hold
…virtuous.”
“Don’t
be, Gertrude. She may not be of the mind…” Claudius pushed the notion off
Gertrude. It will only pain him more that he was her first, but she wedded the
other, and yet he never ceases to knock on her chamber door.
“She…did
she mean us…”Gertrude looked at Claudius. “He knew and told him, and him to
tell her. Oh my God, I am shame. Who else may know?”
“Hush,
my love. It’s the past. We are …” Claudius reached toward Gertrude. It was then
Ophelia opened her eyes and looked at Gertrude.
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