Hamlet; ‘Why look you there! look how it steals away – out at the portal!’ Act III, Scene iv, Hamlet 1902

Edwin Austin Abbey's 1902 illustration, "Hamlet; ‘Why look you there! look how it steals away – out at the portal!’ Act III, Scene iv, Hamlet," depicts the iconic scene where Hamlet, adorned in a crown, points dramatically toward an unseen figure while Ophelia sits despondently in the foreground. The artwork captures the tension and despair of Shakespeare's play, with Abbey's masterful use of charcoal and white highlighting the emotional weight of the moment. This poignant image is a testament to Abbey's talent in capturing the essence of literary masterpieces through his illustrations.