Act Two
Act
Two Scene Two
Sub
Scene Nine
The
play runneth
The players discarded their luggage and stood
to form a semi-circle which then the main player stepped forth. He stood there
with his right arm extended out as he was holding a sword.
“Anon,
he finds him striking too short at Greeks. His antique sword, rebellious to his
arm, lies where it falls, repugnant to command.” The player swung his arm
but struck nothing with it. He then stepped up to a chair near him.
“Unequal
matched, Pyrrhus at Priam drives, in rage strikes wide,” The player still
missed the chair with his strike, but he kicks it over with his right leg. It
fell sideways to mimic that the force of the swing by the arm could have moved
it.
“With
the whiff and wind of his fell sword th’ unnervèd father falls.” Another player
rushed forth to lie by the toppled chair with the hands raised to deflect any
blows on his face.
“Then
senseless Ilium, seeming to feel this blow, with flaming top, stoops to his
base, and with a hideous crash takes prisoner Pyrrhus’ ear.” The second player
called out in pain and had his hands over his ears.
“For
lo, his sword, which was declining on the milky head of reverend Priam, seemed
i’ th’ air to stick. So as a painted tyrant Pyrrhus stood and, like a
neutral to his will and matter, did nothing.” The main player had stood over
the fallen player, hesitant in his next move. His arm holding the sword fell to
his side.
“But
as we often see against some storm a silence in the heavens, the rack stands
still, the bold winds speechless, and the orb below as hush as death, anon
the dreadful thunder doth rend the region; so, after Pyrrhus’ pause, arousèd
vengeance sets him new a-work” The main player shaken out of his stupor raised
his arm and then swung it down at the fallen player.
“And
never did the Cyclops’ hammers fall on Mars’s armor, forged for proof eternal, with
less remorse than Pyrrhus’ bleeding sword now falls on Priam.” The other
players at the semi-circle hummed a tone that was low yet surrounding to be
heard by all.
“Out,
out, thou strumpet Fortune! All you gods In general synod take away her power,
break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, And bowl the round nave
down the hill of heaven as low as to the fiends!” A female player steps out
from the line of players at the semi-circle to call out as if she was talking
to the Gods.
“Be
firm, be focused, let's not the whims of strumpet once again strike uncertainty
to what was fated.” The other players echoed. “The lady of fortune, the bane of
certainty gives way most times in the act, thus the action will be dulled to
its true reaction.”
“Struck
thee and delay not.” The players all got together in the semi-circle and sang
together.
“Bravo
but too long an act.” Polonius praised the acting and script.
“It
shall to the barber’s with your beard.” Hamlet snapped in to say that the beard
on Polonius was long and thick, and to get it done with, even the barber will
lament the long cut it will take.
“Prithee
says. He’s for a jig or a tale of bawdry, or he sleeps.” Hamlet added to
insult the other that he knew no real tragedies to relate to, but bawdy taste
perhaps in his write or he will fall aside.”
“Say
on; come to Hecuba.” Hamlet prompts the players.
“Hecuba?”
Polonius was baffled. “Why her?”
“She
is Priam’s lover and listens to thee.” Hamlet hushed his explanation to
Polonius. The female player ran forth and collapsed by the toppled chair. She
was barefooted and held out her arms to the chair as if to place it right.
The
main player took his turn as he approached the female player.
“Run
barefoot up and down, threatening the flames with bisson rheum, clout upon
that head
Where late the diadem stood, and for a robe, about her lank and all o’erteemèd
loins a blanket, in the alarm of fear caught up— who this had seen, with tongue
in venom steeped, against Fortune’s state would treason have pronounced?”
It
was the state of a lady who had felt the losses in her life; her dignity, her
child borne by her, her fate hung in the losing end as if she was treacherously
bestowed.
“But
if the gods themselves did see her then when she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport
in mincing with his sword her husband’s limbs, the instant burst of clamor
that she made”, The main player stood over the chair and mimicked the killing
once more.
“Unless
things mortal move them not at all, only the Gods will know if they are to
look. .” The other players in the semi-circle bemoaned with them facing away
from each other as society does in them.
“Does
when they chose not to see or hear. as would have made milch the burning eyes of
heaven.” Hamlet cut in on the play. “And passion in the gods if any does
exist.”
“Encore!”
Hamlet called out. “I loved all of you. Your tempestuous acts lay the words to
those who are with sight. I am moved once more.”
Tears
have appeared on Hamlet and he wipes them off with his fingers watching them
flow down his fingers.
“If
only I was moved then, but my flows were stifled.” Hamlet sighed in himself.
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