Wine and Hamlet - The Chalice and The Pearl

Hamlet and Wine - Part 2

In the final scene of Hamlet, there are of course many deaths. The primary one - the one that starts the snowball rolling, as it were, is the death of Hamlet's beloved mother, Gertrude. The deadly poison which brings her down was planned by her husband, and meant for Hamlet. The King tells Laertes that there should be a sword match between Laertes and Hamlet. Laertes will have a poisoned sword with which to avenge his slain father, Polonius. But as a backup, the King will have a poisoned cup of wine ready for Hamlet:

When in your motion you are hot and dry,
As make your bouts more violent to that end,
And that he calls for drink, I'll have prepar'd him
A chalice for the nonce; whereon but sipping,
If he by chance escape your venom'd stuck,
Our purpose may hold there.

Sure enough, as the match is getting set up, the King boldly tells the group that he has a wine glass there with which to celebrate Hamlet's victories. He even shows that he has an "union" - a pearl of great value - that he'll toss into the goblet to make the drink quite extravagant.

Set me the stoups of wine upon that table,--
If Hamlet give the first or second hit,
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;
The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath;
And in the cup an union shall he throw,
Richer than that which four successive kings
In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups;
And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth,
'Now the king drinks to Hamlet.'--Come, begin:--
And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.

Stoup is another word for a drinking vessel - a goblet or chalice. Here are two great historical chalices from this period of time:

Philadelphia Museum Goblet
Hungarian Goblet

OK, on with the fight. After the second round, the King plunks the pearl into the wine and offers it over to Hamlet:

Stay, give me drink.--Hamlet, this pearl is thine;
Here's to thy health.--
[Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within.]
Give him the cup.

Hamlet doesn't want the wine, and the Queen jumps in, laughing that Laertes will never win. She grabs the goblet and drinks some herself, to toast to her loved son.

He's fat, and scant of breath.--
Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows:
The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.

The King panics and tries to stop his beloved wife from drinking the poison, but she, not realizing the danger, insists and drinks it down.

King
Gertrude, do not drink.

Queen
I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me.

King [Aside.] It is the poison'd cup; it is too late.

That pretty much does it. The Queen collapses and dies, telling Hamlet as she does that she was poisoned. Hamlet forces the King to drink the poison and the King dies. Laertes dies from poison on the blade ... and finally Hamlet dies as well.

If you enjoy this fine classic tragedy, be sure to drink a bottle of dry German wine while you watch it!

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