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Line 2964 - 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).

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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.”

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Notes for lines 2951-end ed. Hardin A. Aasand

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

2964 His meanes of death, his obscure {funerall,} <buriall;>	4.5.214

1843 col1

col1

2964 funerall] Collier (ed. 1843) : ”So the quartos, 1604, &c. The folio has burial . In the last line of this speech, the quartos seem right in reading, ‘That I must call’t in question:’ the folio has “That I must call in question.’”

1854 del2

del2

2964 funerall] Delius (ed. 1854) : “burial]] So die Fol.; die Qs. funeral , was zu obscure weniger gut passt. Polonius ward ohne Leichenfeierlichkeit beerdigt, und ohne dass auf seinem Grae ein militärisches Ehrenzeichen (trophy), Schwert oder Wappenschild, aufgehängt wurde. Die beiden Zeilen no trophy ——nor formal ostentation bilden die erläuternde Appostition zu his obscure burial, dessen ‘Unscheinbarkeit’ eben in der Unterlassung aller dieser herkömmlichen letzten Ehren bestand. “ [“The Qq have funeral , which suits obscure less well. Polonius was buried without a ceremonial burial, and without having hung on his tomb a military trophy, a sword or shield. The two parts no trophy -- nor formal ostentation form the clear apposition to his obscure burial , of its plainesss even in the omission of the last ceremonial honors.”]

1858 col3

col3 = col

2964 funerall]

1870 Abbott

Abbott

2964 means] Abbott (§423): “Transpositions in Noun-clauses containing two nouns connected by ‘of.’ It has been observed in 412 that two nouns connected by ‘of’ are often regarded as one. Hence sometimes pronominal and other adjectives are placed before the whole compound noun instead of, as they strictly should be, before the second of the two nouns. . . . [cites 2964] i.e. ‘the means of his death.’”

Abbott

2964 obscure] Abbott (§492): “Words in which the accent was nearer the beginning than with us. Ben Jonson (p. 777) says all nouns, both dissyllabic (if they be ‘simple’) and trisyllablic, are accented on the first syllable. Perhaps this acounts for the accent on cónfessor , &c. The accent on the first syllable was the proper noun accent; the accent on the second (which in the particular instance of cónfessor ultimately prevaled) was derived from the verb. . . .

“O’bscure (adj.; as a verb, obscúre). [cites MV. //; cites Ham. 2964].”

1872 del4

del4 = del2

2964 funerall]

1872 cln1

cln1 ≈ Abbott without attribution

2964 means] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872):”that is, the means of his death. Compare [1.4.73 (650); 3.2.304 (2557)].”

cln1 ≈ Abbott without attribution

2964 obscure funerall] Clark & Wright (ed. 1872): “obscure with the accent on the first syllable, as in [MV 2.7.51 (1024)): ‘To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave.’”

1877 v1877

v1877 : ≈ Abbott

2964 meanes] Abbott (apud Furness, ed. 1877): “§423: That is, the means of his death. See 1.4.73 (2557); 3.2.321 (650).”

1885 macd

macd ≈ standard

2964 meanes]

1885 mull

mull ≈ standard

2964 meanes]

1890 irv2

irv2

2964 obscure funerall] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “Ff read burial; Qq. funeral, two words of such very similar meaning that there is little to choose between them. I incline to prefer burial as the more poetical word of the two. Obscure is here used with the accent on the first syllable; Shakespeare varies the accent to suit his convenience. In poetry this and similar words are still not unfrequently accentuated on the first syllable, particularly by Browning.”

1899 ard1

ard1 : standard (perhaps irv2)

2964 obscure] Dowden (ed. 1899): “accented in different places by Shakespeare on the first or on the second syllable.”

1909 subb

subb ≈ v1877 without attribution

2964 meanes]

1934a cam3

cam3

2964 meanes] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary): “manner.”

1939 kit2

kit12 ≈ ard1 without attribution

2964 obscure]

1980 pen2

pen2 ≈ cam3

2964 meanes]

pen2 ≈ kit2

2964 obscure]

1985 cam4

cam4 ≈ standard

2964 meanes]

cam4 ≈ standard

2964 obscure]

1987 oxf4

oxf4 ≈ Abbott

2964 meanes]

oxf4

2964 funerall] Hibbard (ed. 1987): “F’s substitution of burial for the funeral of Q2 looks like an authorial change made to get rid of the contradiction in terms presented by obscure funeral, since funeral implies pomp and ceremony.”

1993 dent

dent ≈

2964 obscure funerall] Andrews (ed. 1993): “secret burial service. The word obscureliterally means ‘covered over’; what Laertes is implying is that the manner of his father’s hasty disposal was shady.”