The Trap is an excerpt from “Hamlet’s Obsession” (2014) by Jon Pescevich.
(…the King and Queen hold a fencing competition…)
(…Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, has challenged Hamlet, and Laertes has poisoned his sword to insure hamlet’s death…)
(…King Claudius prepares a poisoned cup of wine for Hamlet…)
(…Hamlet and Laertes fight…)
King Claudius:
Bring me some wine.
(…King Claudius takes a cup of wine…)
The King shall drink to Hamlet’s better breath,
and in the cup a union shall he throw,
(…Claudius produces a large and expensive pearl…)
richer than that which four successive kings in Denmark’s crown have worn.
Hamlet:
A hit.
King Claudius:
Give me the cups.
Now the King drinks to Hamlet.
(…King Claudius adds the poisoned pearl to the cup…)
King Claudius:
This pearl is thine.
Drink.
(…they stop fighting…)
Hamlet:
Set it by awhile.
I’ll play this next bout first.
King Claudius:
Our son shall win.
Queen Gertrude:
He’s fat and scant of breath.
Hamlet:
Laertes, I have shot an arrow o’re the house and hurt my brother.
(…with great humility…)
Please forgive me.
I’ve done you wrong!
(…Hamlet offers Laertes the hand of friendship, but Laertes refuses to take Hamlet’s hand…)
(…insistently, King Claudius offers his poisoned cup of wine to Hamlet…)
(…Hamlet and Laertes fight again…)
King Claudius:
Stay, drink with me, Hamlet.
(…Hamlet strikes Laertes again…)
Hamlet:
A touch.
(…Laertes is losing the match…)
King Claudius:
Stay.
Drink.
Take your cup.
Hamlet:
Set it by.
Queen Gertrude:
Stay, Hamlet.
(…Laertes strikes Hamlet with the poisoned sword…)
Hamlet:
No.
Queen Gertrude:
Take your cup.
(…Gertrude takes the poisoned cup of wine from Claudius…)
Here.
The Queen carouses to thy fortune.
(…Laertes and Hamlet drop their swords…)
King Claudius:
Gertrude, do not drink.
(…by mistake, Hamlet picks up Laertes’ sword…)
Queen Gertrude:
I will.
I will, my lord;
I pray you, pardon me.
(…Gertrude drinks deeply from the poisoned cup…)
King Claudius:
Please, no.
(…Hamlet strikes Laertes with the poisoned sword…)
Queen Gertrude:
Stay, Hamlet.
Here, rub thy brows.
(…Queen Gertrude swoons…)
Hamlet:
How does the Queen?
King Claudius:
She swoons to see you bleed.
Queen Gertrude:
No, the drink!
O my dear Hamlet.
My dear Hamlet!
Hamlet:
Ho!
Treachery!
I must seek it out!
(…as Gertrude dies, Hamlet sees the truth…)