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Line 483 - 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."

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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.”

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

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

483 Carue for himselfe, for on his choise depends	1.3.20

1791- rann

rann

483 Carue for himselfe] Rann (ed. 1791-): “—The contract you pretend, &c. [Cym. 2.3.113 (1087)] Clotin.”

1815 The Port Folio

Anon: Voltaire +

483 Carue for himselfe] Anon [Avoniensis] (1815, p. 445): In Voltaire’s Gillaume de Vade, the French author translates [Carve for himself] “‘he must not cut his victuals;’ and runs on about morsels, as if Hamlet’s dinner and not his marriage was the subject of debate. He did not know that the word is used metaphorically in the English language to express a person’s framing or fashioning his lot or portion in life. This proves Voltaire depended entirely on the aid of a dictionary . . . . ”

-1845 mHunter

mHunter

483 Carue] Hunter (-1845, fol. 223r): “I think there is a fair question arising upon this passage, what Shakspear means by carve.” He says he has shown in a note for Wiv. “that in our author’s time the word carve was used in the sense of soliciting to [?] propositions in an amorous suit: and this, on the whole, I incline to think is the meaning in this passage,”

1868 c&mc

c&mc

483 Carue for himselfe] Clarke & Clarke (ed. 1868): “‘Selfishly select.’ See [R2 2.3.144 (1255), n. 84].”

1869 Rushton

Rushton: Swinburn

483 Carue for himselfe] Rushton (1869, pp. 43-4): <p.43> “according to [Henrie] Swinburn, ‘it is not lawful for legataries to carve for themselves, taking their legacies at their own pleasure, but must have them delivered by the executors.’ (Swinburn [A Briefe Treatise of Testaments and Last Willes. (London: Windet, 1590), 50). </p.43>

<p.44> “‘If the legatarie of his own authoritie without the consent of the executor, do apprehend and occupie the legacie to him bequeathed, he loseth his right and interest thereunto: For he may not be his own carver in this case, but ought to receive his legacie at the handes of the executor; which executor ought first to have all the goods and cattles in his hands, for the paiment and discharge of the testator’s debts, which debts ought to be paid before legacies.’ —Swinburn, 289.” </p.44>

Ed. note: Henrie Swinburn, A Briefe Treatise of Testaments and Last Willes. (London: John Windet, 1590).

1871 Rushton

Rushton

483 Carue] Rushton (1871, p. 75): “[quotes 482-4, which he thinks resembles the passage from Euphues, which he quotes:] In meates, I loue to carue where I like, and in mariage shall I be carued where I lyke not? I had as liefe an other should take measure by his back of my apparell, as appoint what wife I shal haue, by his minde.”

1877 v1877

v1877: c&mc R2 note + in magenta underlined

483 Carue] Furness (ed. 1877): “Clarke (Note on ‘Carver,’ [R2 2.3.144 (1255)]. Sh. uses the verb to ‘carve’ very expressively to signify ‘hew recklessly’ and ‘to select selfishly.’”

1885 mull

mull

483 Carue] Mull (ed. 1885): “Choose.”

1899 ard1

ard1 = Rushton on Swinburn (probably via v1877, without attribution)

483 Carue for himselfe]

1904 ver

ver

483 Carue] Verity (ed. 1904) “from the literal sense ‘to help oneself to a dish comes the figurative idea ‘to do as one likes, to indulge one’s taste’—as here.”

1939 kit2

kit2: standard + Oth. //; analogues

483 carue for himselfe] Kittredge (ed. 1939): "indulge his own fancy; choose for himself. Cf. Oth. 2.3.173 (1292)]: ’He that stirs next to carve for his own rage Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion’; Lyly, Mother Bombie, i, 3 (ed. Bond, III, 178-9): ’Neither father nor mother . . . shalbe her caruer in a husband.’ The figure (which had become a mere idiom) alludes to the carver’s opportunity to select some special tidbit."

1947 cln2

cln2: standard

483 Carue for himselfe] Rylands (ed. 1947): "pick and choose, help himself."

1980 pen2

pen2

483 Carue for himselfe] Spencer (ed. 1980): “make his own choice of a royal consort (like one who chooses to take his own slice of meat at the dinner table).”

pen2

483 choise] Spencer (ed. 1980): “(of a wife).”

1982 ard2

ard2: Tilley; Muir; standard R2 //

483 Carue for himselfe] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “A proverbial phrase, Tilley C 110. Cf. R2 2.3.144 (1255), ’Be his own carver and cut out his way’; Swinburn, Testaments and Last Wills, 1590, p. 50, ’It is not lawful for legataries to carve for themselves, taking their legacies at their own pleasures’. On the last as a possible source, see Muir, Sources of Sh.’s Plays, pp. 169-70”

1985 cam4

cam4

483 Carue for himselfe] Edwards (ed. 1985): "i.e. serve his own interests"

1987 oxf4

oxf4: standard

483 Carue for himselfe] Hibbard (ed. 1987): "do as he likes, choose as he wishes. ‘To be one’s own carver’ was proverbial (Tilley C110). Compare [R2 2.3.144 (1255)], ‘Be his own carver and cut his way out his way.’ "

1988 bev2

bev2: standard

483 Carue] Bevington (ed. 1988): “i.e., choose.”

1992 fol2

fol2: standard

483 Carue] Mowat & Werstine (ed. 1992): “i.e., choose”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: Dent; xref

483 Carue for himselfe] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “i.e. make his own choice (the metaphor is from serving or helping oneself at table and had become proverbial: see Dent, C100). The belief that Ophelia would be an inappropriate partner for Hamlet which is reiterated by Polonius later in this scene is not shared by the Queen: see [1688-93] and [3436-9].”