TEXT:
OSRIC
It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.
HAMLET
But yet methinks it is very sultry and hot for my
complexion.
OSRIC
Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, as
'twere, I cannot tell how. But, my lord, his
majesty bade me signify to you that he has laid a
great wager on your head: sir, this is the matter…
HAMLET
I beseech you, remember…
HAMLET motions to him to put on his hat
OSRIC
Nay, good my lord; for mine ease, in good faith.
Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes; believe
me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent
differences, of very soft society and great showing:
indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or
calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the
continent of what part a gentleman would see.
HAMLET
Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you;
though, I know, to divide him inventorially would
dizzy the arithmetic of memory, and yet but yaw
neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the
verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of
great article; and his infusion of such dearth and
rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his
semblable is his mirror; and who else would trace
him, his umbrage, nothing more.
NOTES:
Gentlemen
Throughout the play there’s been references to gentlemen - all the way back as far as Polonius trying to instil his precepts in Laertes before his return to Paris. We see another side of this when he talks to Reynaldo about what Laertes can get away with in France! Now here, Osric is at pains to point out how much of a gentleman Laertes is, or has become.
The Book of the Courtier
Baldessare Castiglione’s book The Book of the Courtier was published in Italy in 1561. Translations into other languages soon followed, and it was a huge success across Europe. The book is set at the court of Urbino, where Castiglione himself had spent time. Over the course of four nights, a series of conversations take place between courtiers, discussing love, women, humour, nobility and the key qualities of the ideal courtier or gentleman. These qualities include a cool mind, a good voice (the better to speak well-chosen and beautiful words), the confidence to be a good listener, good posture, proper bearing and physical refinement. These should be accompanied by a warrior spirit, athletic ability, good dance moves, perfect manners, and a sophisticated education in languages, politics and the humanities, classics and fine arts. Shakespeare’s plays don’t contain many perfect Renaissance gentlemen - perhaps the young men of Love’s Labour’s Lost, but certainly not the Two Gentlemen of Verona. Hamlet and Laertes, however, are exemplary Courtiers - Castiglione would be proud.
Baldassare Castiglione
Castiglione (December 6, 1478 – February 2, 1529) is one of the most influential Italian writers of the 16th century. I love this portrait of him - the hat is worthy of Osric!
Baldassare Castiglione