EXAMPLE. Compound and Radical Stress, Energetic Force, Orotund, Pure Tone, and Pectoral, Expulsive Form. Scene from Hamlet. Act iii. Scene iv. SHAKESPEARE. Pol. He will come straight. Look, you lay home to him: Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with; And that your grace hath screened and stood between Pray you, be round with him. Queen. I'll warrant you— Fear me not. Withdraw, I hear him coming. Enter HAMLET. Ham. Now, mother, what's the matter? Queen. Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended. Queen. Why, how now, Hamlet? You are the qucen, your husband's brother's wife; Queen. Nay, then, I'll set those to you that can speak. Where you may see the inmost part of you. Queen. What wilt thou do? Help, help, ho! Thou wilt not murder me! Pol. What, ho! help! Ham. How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead Pol. O O! O! I am slain. Queen. O, me! what hast thou done? Ham. Nay, I know not: Is it the king? Queen. O, what a rash and bloody deed is this! Ham. A bloody deed; amlost as bad, good mother, As kill a king, and marry with his brother. Queen. As kill a king! Ham. Ay, lady, 'twas my word. — Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell! I took thee for thy better. Leave wringing of your hands: Peace-sit you down, And let me wring your heart: for so I shall, If it be made of penetrable stuff; If damnéd custom have not brazed it so, That it be proof and bulwark against sense. Queen. What have I done, that thou dar'st wag thy tongue In noise so rude against me? Ham. Such an act, That blurs the blush and grace of modesty; Ah, me! that act ! Queen. Ah, me ! what act? Ham. Look here, upon this picture, and on this; This was your husband. Look you now, what follows: You cannot call it love: for, at your age, The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble, And waits upon the judgment-and what judgment, O, shame! where is thy blush? Queen. O, Hamlet, speak no more ; Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul; And there I see such black and grained spots, No more, sweet Hamlet. Ham. A murderer, and a villain : A slave, that is not twentieth part the tythe Enter GHOST. A king of shreds and patches: Save me, and hover o'er me with your wings, You heavenly guards!-what would your gracious figure? Queen. Alas! he's mad. Ham. Do you not come your tardy son to chide, That, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by The important acting of your dread command ? Ghost. Do not forget:—this visitation Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose. Ham. How is it with you, lady? That you do bend your eye on vacancy, And with the incorporal air do hold discourse! O, gentle son, Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper Sprinkle cool patience. Whereon do you look ? Ham. On him! on him! Look you, how pale he glares ! · His form and cause conjoined, preaching to stones, Would make them capable. Do not look upon me; My stern effects: then what I have to do Will want true color; tears, perchance, for blood. Ham. Do you see nothing there? Queen. Nothing at all; yet all that is I see. Ham. Nor did you nothing hear? Queen. No, nothing, but ourselves. Ham. Why, look you there! look how it steals away! My father, in his habit as he lived! Look where he goes, even now, out at the portal ! Queen. This is the very coinage of your brain; This bodiless creation ecstasy Is very cunning in. Ham. Ecstasy! My pulse, as yours, doth temperately keep time, Infects unseen. Repent what's past; avoid what is to come, Queen. O, Hamlet! thou hast cleft my heart in twain. Ham. O! throw away the worser part of it, And live the purer with the other half. Good night! And when you are desirous to be blessed, I'll blessing beg of you. For this same lord, I do repent. I will bestow him, and will answer well The death I gave him. So, again, good-night !— I must be cruel, only to be kind: Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind. QUESTIONS. 1. What is the element in this lesson? 2. What the topic? 3. Define Compound Stress. 4. What the principle? 5. Why do the passages marked require Compound Stress? 6. What quality of voice should Hamlet use? Why? 7. What the queen? Why? 8. What Polonius? Why? 10. Draw a diagram of this lesson. Thorough Stress is the application of the force of the voice equally to all parts of the word or sound. It can be given with both Effusive and Expulsive Forms. ADVANTAGES OF THOROUGH STRESS. Thorough Stress is one of the most powerful weapons of oratory. Its effect, when judiciously used with Expulsive Form, Orotund Quality, Impassioned Force, is magical. It rouses the feelings, kindles the emotions, |