HAMLET

Hamlet in Modern English: Act 1, Scene 1

Bernardo climbed the long stairs to the company’s entrance door. It was a bitterly cold night outside. He made his way carefully through the freezing fog to relieve Francisco of his guard duty. He saw a dim figure and challenged him.

‘Who’s there?’

‘No, you answer me!’ It was Francisco’s voice. ‘Stop and identify yourself!’

Bernardo stopped. ‘Long live the PEAR!’ Thy both laughed.

‘Bernardo?’

‘Yes, It’s me.’

‘You’re right on time.’

‘It’s just gone midnight,’ said Bernardo. ‘Get off to bed, Franciso.’

‘Thank God.’ Francisco prepared to leave. ‘I’m starving and bored to death.’

‘Has it been quiet?’

‘As usual.’

‘Well goodnight then.’

Bernardo stopped him. ‘If you see the head of security and Horatio, Hamlet’s friend, tell them to hurry.’
Francisco set off. He took a few steps then turned and called to Bernardo: ‘I think I can hear them now.’ He opened the door and went to meet them. ‘Stop! Who’s there?’

‘Friends,’ said Horatio and Marcellus.

‘Well goodnight to you, friends,’ said Francisco smiling.

‘And to you,’ said Marcellus. ‘Who’s relieved you?’

‘Bernardo. Once again, good night.’

‘Ho, Bernardo,’ called Marcellus.

‘Tell me, is Horatio with you?’ said Bernardo.

‘What’s left of me, coming out in this cold night,’ said Horatio.

Bernardo waited for them. When they entered the building, they closed the doors to prevent the cold air fill in the hall.

‘Welcome, Horatio. Welcome good Marcellus.’

‘Well?’ said Marcellus. ‘Has that thing appeared again tonight?’

‘I haven’t seen anything.’

‘Horatio says it’s all in our imaginations and doesn’t believe we’ve seen it twice,’ said Marcellus. ‘Even though we have, so I’ve brought him with me on the night watch. If this ghost comes again he’ll see it with his own eyes.’

‘Tut, tut, nonsense! It won’t appear!’ said Horatio.

‘Just sit down and let us tell you the story that you won’t believe: tell you what we’ve seen two nights in a row.’

Horatio laughed and dismissed them with a wave of his hand. ‘Well let’s sit down anyway, and listen to Bernardo.’

‘Last night,’ began Bernardo, ‘Marcellus and I were sitting here when we felt that bizarre chill….’

‘Quiet!’ said Marcellus. ‘Stop. Here it is again!’

The three men watched as a figure walked slowly through

the fog just outside the glass doors.

‘The same thing, that looks like the late owner of this company!’ Bernardo whispered.

‘You’re friend of his son, Horatio,’ said Marcellus. ‘Speak to it.’

‘Look Horatio,’ exclaimed Bernardo. ‘Doesn’t it look like Claudius?’

Horatio shivered. ‘Too much like him. It fills me with fear and wonder.’

‘It wants you to speak to it,’ said Bernardo.

‘Question it, Horatio,’ said Marcellus.

‘Who are you and why do you haunt this company, dressed in the suit of the dead company owner?’ Horatio demanded. ‘In the name of God, speak!’

The ghost turned and glided away.

‘It’s offended,’ said Marcellus.

‘Look how it stalks away,’ said Bernardo.

‘Stop! Speak! Speak! I command you to speak!’ Horatio yelled.

The ghost disappeared into the fog.

‘Now it’s gone and won’t answer,’ said Marcellus.

Bernardo chuckled. ‘What’s the matter, Horatio? You tremble and you’re pale. Isn’t this something more than fantasy? What do you think now?’

‘Before God, I wouldn’t have believed this if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes!’ exclaimed Horatio.
‘Isn’t it just like Claudius?’

‘As much as you look like yourself.’ said Horatio. ‘That was the very suit e wore when he frustrated the ambitions of the owner of Quince. I remember that frown – the same as on the day he trumped the Polish forces as they crossed the ice on their sledges. It’s strange.’

‘He came twice before at this very hour with that same outfit.’

‘I don’t know what to think about it,’ said Horatio, ‘but my overall opinion is that it bodes ill for matters of company.’

‘Alright then,’ said Marcellus. ‘ Sit down again and tell me, whoever can, why we have to do this guard duty with more men every night! And why everyone is acting more and more suspicious every day, and why there is tension at the company. What’s going on that everyone’s working so hard night and day? Who can tell me?’

‘I can,’ said Horatio. ‘At least I can tell you the rumours. Our late boss, whose ghost we’ve just seen, was challenged by Fortinbras, the owner of Quince, who was driven by an envious pride. Fortinbras tried to steal the latest Project of our company but Hamlet made him caught and put in jail for good. Now this young Fortinbas  claims to create such a secret and good Project that it will effect the position of Pear in the market dramatically.

But the rumours has it that, Pear is also about to announce its latest product. Now, sir, the young Fortinbras has grown up and, although he’s a novice in the market, he’s spoiling for a battle and it is said that he has assembled a gang of lawless troublemakers from the backwaters of Norway. For little more than their daily food they will try and steal our new product. From what I can gather this is the main reason for all the security measurements go this vital .’

‘That makes sense,’ said Bernardo, ‘and it may be that this portentous figure that comes through our watch, looking so much like the dead king of the electronics market, is the focus of these conflicts.’

‘It certainly stirs the imagination,’ said Horatio. ‘At the height of Rome’s might, just before the mighty Julius Caesar was assassinated, graves opened and the dead walked the streets muttering and wailing.

Stars of flaming fire came as disasters from the sun, and the moon, which influences Neptune’s watery empire, was eclipsed. Similar sightings, like warnings from heaven or prologues of an ill omen about to happen, have been witnessed here, by our own countrymen.’

He saw the ghost coming slowly towards them. ‘But look!’ he said, ‘the ghost comes again. I’ll approach it even though it might sweep me aside.’

The ghost walked past them without altering its pace.

Horatio followed it. ‘Stop, illusion!’ he commanded. ‘If you can make any sound or have a voice, speak to me. If there’s any good thing that has to be done that will give you peace and bring me grace, speak to me. If you have any foreknowledge of your company’s fate, which perhaps prior knowledge of may avoid, oh speak. Or if you have hoarded stolen treasure during your life, for which reasons, they say, you spirits walk after death, tell me about it.’

A cock crowed somewhere. The ghost continued walking.

‘Stop it, Marcellus!’ Horatio tried to grasp it but his hands went right through it.

‘Shall I hit it with my night stick?’ said Marcellus.

‘Do so if it won’t stop,’ said Horatio.

‘It’s here!’ said Bernardo, pointing.

‘No, it’s here! said Horatio.

‘It’s gone,’ said Marcellus. ‘We wronged it, being so majestical, by threatening it with violence. It’s invulnerable, like the air. Our antics were a mockery.’

‘It was about to speak when the cock crew,’ said Bernardo.

‘And then it started like a guilty thing hearing a fearful summons,’ said Horatio. ‘I have heard it said that the cock, the trumpeter of the morning, wakes the god of day and at that warning, whether it’s in the sea, or in fire, on the earth or in the air, the wandering and erring spirits retreat to their

prisons. What we’ve seen this morning is proof of that story.’

‘It faded on the crowing of the cock,’ agreed Marcellus. ‘Some say that at Christmas time the bird of dawn actually sings all night. And then, they say, no spirit dares roam. The nights are wholesome: the planets are stable: neither fairy nor witch has any power, so holy and gracious is that time.’

‘I’ve heard that too,’ said Horatio, and I partly believe it. But look, the morning, dressed in it’s russet mantle , is coming over the dew of that high eastern hill. Let’s break the watch up. My advice is that we tell young Hamlet of what we’ve seen tonight. I’ll bet my life that this spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him. Do you agree we should tell him out of our friendship and duty to him?’

‘Let’s do that,’ said Marcellus. ‘I know where we’ll find him.’

Hamlet in Modern English: Act 4, Scene 7

Claudius: You must acknowledge my innocence.You must take me to your heart as a friend.

Laertes: It does look like it,but were only interested in protecting yourself.

Claudius: They are strong.

Laertes: And so I’ve lost a noble father,my revenge will come

Claudius: Don’t sleep Laertes.What news?

Servant: Letters from Hamlet.This one is to your majesty, this is to the queen.

Hamlet(in letter): High and mighty. You should know that I am back in your kingdom.I will return.

Laertes: Is it correct?

Claudius: Yes!

Laertes: He will learn the truth!

Cladius(thinks): You have to die him!

Leartes: I will do that!I’ll poison my sword’s tip

Gertrude enters.

Cladius: What happenned my lovely Queen?

Gertrude(cried):Your sister’s drowned and died, Laertes.

Laertes: Drowned! Oh, poor Ophelia (cried)

Hamlet in Modern English: Act 5, Scene 1

Two gravediggers buried Ophelia.

The man one (singing):

Dance for me
Dance for me
Dance for me oh oh oh
I’ve never seen anybody do the things you do before
They say
Move for me
Move for me
Move for me ay ay ay

Hamlet(being angry):What a shame! That he sings while grave making?

Horatio: You get hardened to things like this

A skull landed near Hamlet and Horatio.

Hamlet: That skull once had a tongue in it and could sing.It might be the head of a schemer Or a courtier who could say “Good morning, sweet lord! How are you, good lord?”

Horatio: Yes,maybe my lord.

The gravedigger (singing):

Dance for me
Dance for me
Dance for me oh oh oh
I’ve never seen anybody do the things you do before
They say
Move for me
Move for me
Move for me ay ay ay

Another skull came in front of them.

Hamlet: Might this belong to a lawyer?

Horatio: Maybe,my lord.

Hamlet goes near the gravedigger.

Hamlet: Whose grave is this?

Gravedigger: A woman. I don’t know.

Horatio: Cladius is coming. Let’s hide ourselves.

Hamlet: That’s Laertes(whispered and hided)

Laertes: Where is my sister? Over there!

(Hamlet: Oh,No! Ophelia!!!)

Gertrude: Sweet,so sweet Ophelia (cried).I hoped you would have been my Hamlet’s wife.

(Hamlet and Horatio jumped into the grave)

Gertrude: Hamlet! Hamlet!

Horatio: Calm Down,Hamlet!

Hamlet: I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers’ love combined could not make up my total.

Claudius to Laertes(secretly):Şşşş! About our conversation last night,Be patient. We’ll arrange it immediately.

Hamlet in Modern English: Act 5, Scene 2

Hamlet(with a letter): I have a letter for Claudius.

Horatio:How did you seal it?

Hamlet: That was helped by heaven. I had my father’s signed ring in my luggage.

Horatio: Hımm.

Hamlet: Don’t you agree with me? He killed my king and turned my mother into a whore, frustrated my hopes of succession and plotted to kill me.

Horatio: Stop, who is he?

Osric enters

Osric: Welcome to Denmark!

Hamlet: Do you know this spider?

Horatio: No.

Hamlet: You are lucky. Because to know him is unlucky.

Osric: If your lordship is at leisure I would impart something to you from his majesty.

Hamlet:Sure.

Osric:The king, sir, has bet that, in a dozen passes between yourself and Laertes, he shall not exceed three hits: he has laid on twelve for nine, and it will be done immediately if you would offer an answer

Hamlet: What if I say no?

Osric: I mean, my lord, your participation in this challenge

Hamlet: Ok. I will come there.

Osric, Lords, Claudius, Laertes, Queen enters

Hamlet to Laertes: I want to, my lord. Please! Pardon me

Laertes:No problem,Let’s start.

Hamlet: I think you’re playing with me.

Laertes: Is that so? Come on, then.

(The foil’s point entered Hamlet’s side and drew blood.)

Gertrude: Our son will win. I will drink for him.

Claudius: Don’t drink that!

Gertrude: I want to, my lord. Please! Pardon me

(She drank from the poisoned cup)

Osric: The queen, the queen!

Hamlet: What happened?

Laertes: You sword me. I poisoned.

Hamlet: Who did it?

Laertes:The king. The king’s to blame.

Claudius:Help me friends!

Hamlet: Drink this poison. Is your pearl in there? Follow my mother.(He died)

Laertes:He prepared the poison himself.(He died)

Hamlet:I’m coming with you!(falling  and died)

Horatio:Good night,my lord.

Fortinbras Lord comes :

Fortinbras Lord: What happenned here?

THE END