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Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto
Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto is here in full — 472 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto
Context Illustration Reading 1/94 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
* the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.
Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.
The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.
Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.
Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto is here in full — 472 sentences across 95 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/94 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
* the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.
/ðə ərˈɪdʒənəl laɪn breɪks ɑːr prəˈzɜːrvd ˈhaɪfəneɪtɪd wɜːrdz ɑːr nɑːt riˈdʒɔɪnd peɪdʒ breɪks ɑːr ˈnoʊtəd ɪn ðə raɪt ˈmɑːrdʒən ˈprɪntɪŋ ˈerərz ɑːr nɑːt kərˈektəd/
Line 2
Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.
Line 3
The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.
/ðə lɔːŋ es hæz bɪn kənˈvɜːrtɪd bʌt nʌn ʌv ðə ərˈɪdʒənəl ˈspelɪŋ hæz bɪn ˈmɑːdəfaɪd/
Line 4
Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.
Line 5
Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.
/raɪt ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd tekst ɪz ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli əˈlaɪnd ɪn ðə ərˈɪdʒənəl tekst hiːr ɔːl raɪt ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd tekst ɪz əˈlaɪnd tuː ðə raɪtˈhænd ˈmɑːrdʒən/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

aligned adjective US /əˈlaɪnd/

brought into agreement or cooperation on the side of a faction, party, or cause

From this reading “Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.”

hyphenated verb US /ˈhaɪfəneɪtɪd/

past form of “hyphenate” — divide or connect with a hyphen

From this reading “* the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.”

indifferently adverb US /ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli/

with indifference; in an indifferent manner

From this reading “Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.”

modified adjective US /ˈmɑːdəfaɪd/

changed in form or character

From this reading “The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.”

printing noun US /ˈprɪntɪŋ/

text handwritten in the style of printed matter

From this reading “* the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.”

right-hand adjective US /raɪtˈhænd/

located on or directed toward the right

From this reading “Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.”

spaces noun US /ˈspeɪsəz/

plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading “Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.”

spelling noun US /ˈspelɪŋ/

forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage

From this reading “The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.”

All words in this reading · 52

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

alignedadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪnd/

brought into agreement or cooperation on the side of a faction, party, or cause

From this reading Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

breaksnounUS /breɪks/

plural of “break” — some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

centred

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/

cause to change; make different; cause a transformation

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

convertedverbUS /kənˈvɜːrtɪd/

past form of “convert” — change from one system to another or to a new plan or policy

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

correctedadjectiveUS /kərˈektəd/

having something undesirable neutralized

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

effortnounUS /ˈefərt/

earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

eightadjectiveUS /eɪt/

being one more than seven

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

errorsnounUS /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.

hyphenatedverbUS /ˈhaɪfəneɪtɪd/

past form of “hyphenate” — divide or connect with a hyphen

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

indented

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

indifferentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrəntli/

with indifference; in an indifferent manner

From this reading Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.

justifiedadjectiveUS /ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd/

having words so spaced that lines have straight even margins

From this reading Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.

leftnounUS /left/

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

linenounUS /laɪn/

a formation of people or things one beside another

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

marginnounUS /ˈmɑːrdʒən/

the boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

modifiedadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːdəfaɪd/

changed in form or character

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

nonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

notedadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəd/

widely known and esteemed

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

originaladjectiveUS /ərˈɪdʒənəl/

preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

pagenounUS /peɪdʒ/

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

possibleadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːsəbəl/

capable of happening or existing

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/

prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

printingnounUS /ˈprɪntɪŋ/

text handwritten in the style of printed matter

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

rejoinedverbUS /riˈdʒɔɪnd/

past form of “rejoin” — join again

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

right-handadjectiveUS /raɪtˈhænd/

located on or directed toward the right

From this reading Right justified text is indifferently aligned in the original text; here all right justified text is aligned to the right-hand margin.

snounUS /es/

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/

plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

spellingnounUS /ˈspelɪŋ/

forming words with letters according to the principles underlying accepted usage

From this reading The 'long s' has been converted, but none of the original spelling has been modified.

textnounUS /tekst/

the words of something written

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

Typographicallyadverb

in a typographic way

From this reading Typographically, effort has been made to change the text as little as possible.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Text which was centred has been indented eight spaces from the left margin.

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading * the original line breaks are preserved; * hyphenated words are not rejoined; * page breaks are noted (in the right margin); * printing errors are not corrected.

Chapter 1 of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto by William Shakespeare holds 472 sentences, grouped into 95 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto contain?

Chapter 1 holds 472 sentences of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto, unabridged, divided into 95 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto by William Shakespeare exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 472 sentences, grouped into 95 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto?

Work through the 95 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 95 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto

Common questions about reading Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto by William Shakespeare on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto?

Yes. All 916 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #9077 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #9077, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto take to read?

About 76 minutes of reading across 184 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto section by section

How to work through Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 2 chapters of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto

Words and structures a reader meets early in Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Original
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Breaks
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Preserved
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Hyphenated
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Hamlet The First ('Bad') Quarto; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.