A quotation from 'Hamlet'

[Tomasz Klimkiewicz]

Hello Everyone,

In this famous four-line verse from 'Hamlet', Act III Scene II:

'Why, let the stricken deer go weep,
The hart ungalled play;
For some must watch, while some must sleep:
Thus runs the world away.'

should 'ungalled' (line 2) be pronounced as a two- or three-syllable word?
In view of modern English rules the -ed ending should be contracted, but pronouncing it as a syllable makes for better rythm.

What do you think?

Thanks in advance for your input.

TeeKay

[Tdol]

I'd go for three syllables for rhythm.

[Tomasz Klimkiewicz]

Thank you Tdol. Sounds a lot better, indeed.

I try to memorise a gem like that every now and then. W.S. was a master of getting a lot of meaning across to his readers with very few words.

Regards,

TeeKay