Улісс

           ElizabethanLondonlayasfarfromStratfordascorruptParisliesfromvirginDublin.Whoistheghostfromlimbopatrum,returningtotheworldthathasforgottenhim?WhoisKingHamlet?

           JohnEglintonshiftedhissparebody,leaningbacktojudge.

           Lifted.

           —ItisthishourofadayinmidJune,Stephensaid,beggingwithaswiftglancetheirhearing.Theflagisupontheplayhousebythebankside.ThebearSackersongrowlsinthepitnearit,Parisgarden.CanvasclimberswhosailedwithDrakechewtheirsausagesamongthegroundlings.

           Localcolour.Workinallyouknow.Makethemaccomplices.

           —Shakespearehasleftthehuguenot’shouseinSilverstreetandwalksbytheswanmewsalongtheriverbank.Buthedoesnotstaytofeedthepenchivyinghergameofcygnetstowardstherushes.TheswanofAvonhasotherthoughts.

           Compositionofplace.IgnatiusLoyola,makehastetohelpme!

           —Theplaybegins.Aplayercomesonundertheshadow,madeupinthecastoffmailofacourtbuck,awellsetmanwithabassvoice.Itistheghost,theking,akingandnoking,andtheplayerisShakespearewhohasstudiedHamletalltheyearsofhislifewhichwerenotvanityinordertoplaythepartofthespectre.HespeaksthewordstoBurbage,theyoungplayerwhostandsbeforehimbeyondtherackofcerecloth,callinghimbyaname:

           Hamlet,Iamthyfather’sspirit,

           biddinghimlist.Toasonhespeaks,thesonofhissoul,theprince,youngHamletandtothesonofhisbody,HamnetShakespeare,whohasdiedinStratfordthathisnamesakemayliveforever.