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Line 85 - Commentary Note (CN)

Commentary notes (CN):

1. SMALL CAPS Indicate editions. Notes for each commentator are divided into three parts:

In the 1st two lines of a record, when the name of the source text (the siglum) is printed in SMALL CAPS, the comment comes from an EDITION; when it is in normal font, it is derived from a book, article, ms. record or other source. We occasionally use small caps for ms. sources and for works related to editions. See bibliographies for complete information (in process).

2. How comments are related to predecessors' comments. In the second line of a record, a label "without attribution" indicates that a prior writer made the same or a similar point; such similarities do not usually indicate plagiarism because many writers do not, as a practice, indicate the sources of their glosses. We provide the designation ("standard") to indicate a gloss in common use. We use ≈ for "equivalent to" and = for "exactly alike."

3. Original comment. When the second line is blank after the writer's siglum, we are signaling that we have not seen that writer's gloss prior to that date. We welcome correction on this point.

4. Words from the play under discussion (lemmata). In the third line or lines of a record, the lemmata after the TLN (Through Line Number] are from Q2. When the difference between Q2 and the authors' lemma(ta) is significant, we include the writer's lemma(ta). When the gloss is for a whole line or lines, only the line number(s) appear. Through Line Numbers are numbers straight through a play and include stage directions. Most modern editions still use the system of starting line numbers afresh for every scene and do not assign line numbers to stage directions.

5. Bibliographic information. In the third line of the record, where we record the gloss, we provide concise bibliographic information, expanded in the bibliographies, several of which are in process.

6. References to other lines or other works. For a writer's reference to a passage elsewhere in Ham. we provide, in brackets, Through Line Numbers (TLN) from the Norton F1 (used by permission); we call these xref, i.e., cross references. We call references to Shakespearean plays other than Ham. “parallels” (//) and indicate Riverside act, scene and line number as well as TLN. We call references to non-Shakespearean works “analogues.”

7. Further information: See the Introduction for explanations of other abbreviations. Click here for more information about browsing the entries and here for more information about the special symbols used in Hamletworks. Click the question mark icon above to remove this help message.

Notes for lines 0-1017 ed. Bernice W. Kliman

For explanation of sigla, such as jen, see the editions bib.

85 This bodes some strange eruption to our state.	1.1.69

1765- mDavies

mDavies

85 some strange eruption to our state] Davies (1765-): “Some distemper which will break out in dangerous disorder.”

1784 Davies

Davies ≈ mDavies

85 some strange eruption to our state] Davies (1784, 3:8): “‘Some political distemper, which will break out in dangerous consequence.’”

1791- rann

rann

85 some strange eruption to our state] Rann (ed. 1791-): “some state malady on the point of breaking out.”

1857 fieb

fieb

85 bodes] Fiebig (ed. 1857): “to portend, to be the omen of.”

1872 hud2

hud2

85 state] Hudson (ed. 1872): “Horatio means that, in a general interpretation of the matter, this foreshadows some great evil or disaster to the State; though he cannot conceive in what particular shape the evil is to come.”

1881 hud3

hud3 = hud2

85 state]

1891 dtn1

dtn1

85 eruption] Deighton (ed. 1891): “here meaning violent disturbance, is in [JC 1.3.78 (517)], used in the plural of the natural phenomena supposed to indicate calamity to the state [quotes on prodigious eruptions].”

1974 evns1

evns1

85 eruption] Kermode (ed. 1974): “upheaval.”

1982 ard2

ard2

85 Jenkins (ed. 1982): “Compelled by his own eyes [72] to abandon the theory of ‘fantasy’ [32], Horatio adopts an orthodox alternative. Cf. Lavater, ii. xvi: ‘If they be not vain persuasions, or natural things, then are they forewarnings of God.’”

ard2 ≈ dnt without attribution

85 eruption] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “violent outbreak. Cf. [JC] 1.3.78 (517), ‘strange eruption.’”

2001 McCoy

McCoy

85 McCoy (2001, p. 127) thinks that the line would have resonated for Sh.’s audience because of the unease over the queen’s approaching death and the “unsettled succession.” Sh.’s attitude toward kings is made problematical by the nature of the characters who state the claims of kingship most fulsomely (the king in 4.5 [2868] and R&G in 3.3 [2280-96]).

2005 Shakespeare. Journal of the British Shakespeare Association

Holderness

85 eruption] Holderness (2005, p. 162): “The Ghost bodes ’some strange eruption’: it has broken out from somewhere, but also irrupted, broken in. Elsinore is well fortified against external assault, as the vigilance of the sentries testifies. But the enemy is already, like the Greeks ’couched in the ominous horse’ [TLN 1496], within the gates. Similarly Horatio’s ears purport to be ’fortified’ [TLN 42] against the story of haunting that assails them. But the play has begun, the poison is already in the ear; it is too late . . . . Disproof, ’something more than fantasy’ [69], will soon present itself to his mind’s eye, as the incessant makes itself seen”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: xref; ≈ Mercer CN 86 on change of mood without attribution

85 eruption . . . state] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “political revolt or disturbance. In Horatio’s opinion here and in the ensuing conversation, including the analogy with the death of Julius Caesar ([124+6-124+18]), it is assumed that the Ghost’s appearance relates to the future rather than to past events. (In view of the Ghost’s description of his disfigurement at [722-58], it is perhaps worth noting that eruption could also refer to a skin condition.)”