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.

1726 theon

theon: pope1, Hurling +

825 whurling] Theobald (1726, pp. 54, 56-7): <p. 54> Pope “has the Countenance of several Editions for this Reading: Tho’ here again, as it happen’d in a former Instance, some of the Editions seem to have suspected the Word, and therefore have printed [windy words]. But in what Sense is hurling to be taken here? It is always used to signify throwing, casting, darting out, and, as we are told, in the Old English, making a Noise: None of which are within the Poet’s Meaning, who intends wild and giddy. It must, therefore, certainly be restor’d, as my Quarto Edition of 1637 [Q5], tho’ corrupt in the Spelling, meant to exhibit it. ‘These are but wild and whirling Words, my Lord.’ The Acceptation of this Word is so universally known, as well as so apt and peculiar to our Author’s Meaning, that, I believe, </p.54> <p. 56> few will doubt that it was his own Expression in this Place: And I have nothing more to do (in Support of this Conjecture, if it needs any;) than to produce a few instances from him, to shew that he understood and used hurl, and whirl, in these respective and distant Senses which I have above mentioned to belong to them. [Theobald then has 5 examples to illustrate hurl: R2, 1H6, JC, Ant., Oth.] In all which Passages hurl signifies to throw, or cast, and nothing else. [Then he has 7 illustrating whirl: LLL, </p. 56> <p.57> Jn. (2x), 1H6, Tit. (2x), Tro.] In all which Passages whirl signifies agitating, turning round, in a vehement and giddy Manner.” </p.57>

1728 pope2

pope2: theon

825 whurling] pope (ed. 1728, App. Aa4v) has a note about Theobald’s conjecture: “He would have , whirling Words.”

1819 cald1

cald1

825 wilde and whurling] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “Random, thrown out with no specific aim.”

1832 cald2

cald2 = cald1 with one small change in its lemma

825 whurling] Caldecott (ed. 1832): “wild and hurling.]] “i.e. random, thrown out with no specific aim.”

1854 del2

del2 standard

825 whurling] Delius (ed. 1854): “So Q. A. und Qs, von to whirl = sich im wirbel drehen, unstät sein. Die Fol. liest hurling mit gleichem Sinne.” [So Q1 and 4tos, from to whirl meaning to turn in a whirlpool, to be unstable. The folio reads hurling with the same meaning.]

1857 dyce1

dyce1: cald; knt1

825 whurling] Dyce (ed. 1857): “So all the quartos.—The folio has ‘—and hurling words, my Lord’’ which Caldecott and Mr. Knight retain. (In the earliest quarto ‘whirling’ is spelt ‘wherling;’ in the later quartos ‘whurling,’ —whence the error of the folio.”

1866 dyce2

dyce2 = dyce1

825 whurling]

1877 dyce3

dyce3 = dyce2

825 whurling]

1880 Tanger

Tanger

825 whurling] Tanger (1880, p. 126): “probably Sh.’s orthography; compare sturre [160].” As for the F1 variant, “The copyist seems to have faithfully copied whurling, which H.C. [Heminge & Condell] changed into hurling.”

1982 ard2

ard2:

825 whurling] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “violently excited.”

1987 oxf4

oxf4 ≈ ard2 without attribution; OED

825 whurling] Hibbard (ed. 1987): "violently agitated. OED points out that whirling was sometimes confused with hurling, the reading of F."

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: performance

825 Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “Horatio’s response indicates that he does not approve of Hamlet’s desire to put an end to the conversation.” Ed. note: Or he is concerned about the way Hamlet is expressing himself.

ard3q2: standard

825 whurling] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “excited, extravagant”