Hamlet Act 2 Quotations

Brevity is the soul of wit.

Polonius

Madam, I swear I use no art at all.

That he’s mad,

‘tis true; ‘tis true ‘tis pity,

…

Or, rather say, the cause of this defect,

For this effect defective comes by cause.

Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.

Perpend.

Polonius

What do you read, my lord?

Words, words, words.

Polonius, then Hamlet

Though this be madness, yet there is

method in ‘t.

Polonius

My lord, I will take my leave

of you.

You cannot, sir, take from me

anything that I will more willingly

part withal—except my life, except

my life, except my life.

Polonius, then Hamlet

Denmark’s a prison.

Hamlet

O God, I could be bounded in a

nutshell and count myself a king of

infinite space, were it not that I have

bad dreams.

Hamlet

What a piece of work is man, how noble in

reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and

moving how express and admirable;

…

what is this

quintessence of dust? Man delights not me.

Hamlet

I am but mad north-north west. When

the wind is southerly, I know a hawk

from a handsaw.

Hamlet

God’s bodkins, man, much better! Use

every man after his dessert and who

shall ‘scape whipping?

Hamlet

Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,

That I, the son of a dear father murdered,

Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,

Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words

And fall a-cursing like a very drab.

Hamlet

I’ll have grounds

More relative than this. The play’s the thing

Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King.

Hamlet