What is Hamlet reading when he comes on stage in Act 2?

To Polonius who asks him this, he replies "words, words, words", and our curiosity remains unsatisfied. Any suggestions?

Answers on a postcard please.



A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

I have only this information on Hamlet:

Ham. Rest, rest perturbed Spirit: so Gentlemen,
With all my loue I doe commend me to you;
And what so poore a man as Hamlet is,
May doe t' expresse his loue and friending to you,
God willing shall not lacke: let vs goe in together,
And still your fingers on your lippes I pray,
The time is out of ioynt: Oh cursed spight,
That euer I was borne to set it right.
Nay, come let's goe together.



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Those who forget the pasta are doomed to reheat it.

Obviously he's reading The Eyre Affair's last chapter, when Thursday's Dad is telling her about no-one actually writing Shakespeare.

No, after reading it ealier this year, I went out to find the Hamlet e-book.



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Those who forget the pasta are doomed to reheat it.

Pilkijam _

That's a good question, and one that I don't recall ever seeing or hearing asked before. I'd guess that it's some work of theology or philosophy, in which he's seeking guidance about the reality (or otherwise) of ghosts and the righfulness (or otherwise) of revenge. Then agian, it's been years since the last time that I read or saw the play and I don't recall where in the overall storyline that scene falls: If this is shortly before his departure for England then maybe it's either a guide-book or a travellers' phrase-book instead...

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"God rot Botchkamos Itsochnik!"

I reckon it's a children's picture-book. His embarassment about it moves him to assert three times that it is actually words.

Is now the time that I mention that I have never seen Hamlet, unless you count the Reduced Shakespeare Company's rather excellent version?

I've seen the Reduced Shakespeare Company too and loved it. That was when Bill Clinton was still in power, hence:

"My Lord has come before me."
"Better save that dress then."

I have seen a student production of 'Hamlet', performed by a cast of about 8. There weren't enough of them to some to be watching the play within a play, while others performed it. They started the performance with the play within a play (The Mousetrap, I believe), then later did the reactions of the characters to the play. Most ingenious.

I mentioned this to xomeone at work yesterday and he reckons: "words, words, words" it's a dictionary!



A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.

When we put on Hamlet at school, we used a copy of the script. It was what we used in rehearsals and no-one thought to change the prop. (It got a laugh from the front row though)

Now that's a really neat twist!



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That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

I've got it! He was reading Wordsworth and developed a stutter.

You might have sexy hands, Dibs, but it's a shame about the mind power.







(He's MINE, Tracy!)

Thank you Kaz. A put down I shall treasure forever :)

I am here to oblige!

Then oblige us by coming into the gutter.

Kaz, if I've told you once I've told you a dozen times, HE's MINE!!








So there.

Oh no, no another fish fight?

(incidentally can I just say that I thought the above theories regarding Hamlet wete all close, but no cigar...)

So what's your Hamlet theory, Ptols?



..........................................................................................

That which does not kill us makes us stranger.
(Llewelyn the dragon, Ozy and Millie)

Sarah

Hi Sarah... I was always under the impression he was reading the morning's post - the usual assortment of unbeatable loans, @#$%& insurance offers, a menu for the local Tandoori, double glazing, a new kitchen designed specifically for your postcode (etc etc ad nauseum)

I was hoping it was the local takeaway menu - "sausages onna bun, getchoor reindeer burgers here, lovely jubbly, special rate for one-parent families, free delivery..."



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If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur.