Hamlet - Act 4 Scene 6
Another room in the castle.
Enter HORATIO and a Servant
HORATIO
What are they that would speak with me?
Servant
Sailors, sir: they say they have letters for you.
The play's time-frame is again fluid here. Has enough time passed for Hamlet to have sent word from England?
HORATIO
Let them come in.
Exit Servant
I do not know from what part of the world
I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet.
Enter Sailors
Hamlet is, officially, an ambassador to England, having been sent to collect the tribute. The Sailor's use of this term, however, suggests that Hamlet has kept his true identity a secret.
First Sailor
God bless you, sir.
HORATIO
Let him bless thee too.
First Sailor
He shall, sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, sir;
it comes from the ambassador that was bound for
England; if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it
is.
Shakespeare now inserts a pirate attack and a naval battle into the play, though very indirectly. These thrilling incidents would have been virtually impossible to stage, but they add more intrigue to the plot.
One function of this scene is to provide information to the audience. Claudius still believes that Hamlet is on his way to execution in England, whereas the audience has been told that Hamlet has secretly returned to Denmark, so that Claudius is clearly in for a nasty surprise.
HORATIO
[Reads]
'Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked this, give
these fellows some means to the King: they have letters
for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very
warlike appointment gave us chase. Finding ourselves
too slow of sail, we put on a compelled valour, and in
the grapple I boarded them: on the instant they got clear
of our ship; so I alone became their prisoner. They have
dealt with me like thieves of mercy: but they knew what
they did; I am to do a good turn for them. Let the King
have the letters I have sent; and repair thou to me with
as much speed as thou wouldst fly death. I have words
to speak in thine ear will make thee dumb; yet are they
much too light for the bore of the matter. These good
fellows will bring thee where I am. Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern hold their course for England:
of them I have much to tell thee. Farewell. 'He that thou
knowest thine, HAMLET.'
Come, I will make you way for these your letters;
And do't the speedier, that you may direct me
To him from whom you brought them.
Exeunt