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Line 522 - 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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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.

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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 0-1017 ed. Bernice W. Kliman

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

522 And you are stayed {for, there my} <for there: my> blessing with {thee,} <you;>	1.3.57

1726 Theobald

Theobald

522 for, there my] Theobald (1726, pp. 24-5): <p. 24> “This Adverb in the Close seems a dragging and idle Expletive; and of no Use but to support the Measure of the Verse, But if we come to point this Passage right, and to the Poet’s Intention in it, we shall find it neither unnecessary, nor improper, in its Place. In the </p. 24> <p. 25> Speech immediately preceding this, Laertes taxes himself for staying too long; but seeing his Father approach, he is willing to stay for a Second Blessing, and kneels down to that End. ‘Laer. I stay too long; — But here my Father comes: A double Blessing is a double Grace; Occasion smiles upon a second Leave. [Kneeling.’ Polonius give him his Blessing accordingly; and therefore it ought to be read, (as I perceive my Two Quarto Editions of 1637, and 1703, have it;) in Support of my Conjecture. ‘Yet here, Laertes! Aboard, aboard, for Shames: The Wind sits in the Shoulder of your Sail, And you are staid for—There,—my Blessing with you; ’ [Laying his Hand on Laertes’s Head.” </p.25>

THEON connects the there with the blessing that Laertes said, above, he would get. Pope had attached it to “stayed for there,” as in the Ff.”

1733 theo1

theo1 ≈ Theobald

522 for, there my] Theobald (ed. 1733), After quoting Pope’s version: “There —where? in the Shoulder of his Sail? For to That must this local Adverb relate, as tis situated. Besides, it is a dragging idle Expletive, and seems of no Use but to support the Measure of the Verse. But when we come to point this Passage right, and to the Poet’s Intention in it, we shall find it neither unnecessary, nor improper, in its Place. In the Speech immediately preceding this, Laertes taxes himself for staying too long; but seeing his Father approach, he is willing to stay for a second blessing, and kneels down to that end: Polonius accordingly lays his hand on his Head, and gives him a second Blessing. The Manner, in which a Comic Actor behav’d on this Occasion, was sure to raise a Laugh of Pleasure in the audience: and the oldest Quarto’s, in the pointing, are a Confirmation, that thus the Poet intended it, and thus the Stage express’d it.”

Ed. note: theo1has the same idea as theon, a little more snide perhaps. Instead of mentioning 1637 and 1703 specifically, he mentions “the oldest quartos.”

1736 Stubbs

Stubbs

522 for, there my] Stubbs (1736, p. 20), while agreeing with Theobald about the blessing, disagrees that the moment can be comedic: “I am perswaded [sic] that Shakespeare was too good a Judge of Nature, to design any Thing Comick or Buffoonish upon so solemn an Occasion, as that of a Son’s taking leave of his Father in the most emphatical and serious Manner. And therefore, whatever Actor proceeds upon this Supposition (as I have seen some do in parallel Cases) does only shew his Ignorance and Presumption. This Assertion of mine will appear indisputable, if my Reader considers well the whole Tenour of this Scene, with the grave and excellent Instructions which it contains, from Polonius to Laertes, and from both to Ophelia. It is impossible that any Buffoonery could be here blended, to make void and insignificant so much good Sense expressed in the true Beauties of Poetry.”

1740 theo2

theo2 = theo1

522 for, there my]

1757 theo4

theo4 = theo2

522 for, there my]

1854 del2

del2: theo

522 for, there my] Delius (ed. 1854): “Die Fol. verbindet there mit dem Vorhergehenden.—Die folgende Bühnenweisung ist ein Zusatz der Herausgeber.” [The folio connects there with the preceding. —The SD after is an addition by the editors.]

1874 Corson

Corson: cap; contra theo +

522 Corson (1874, p. 12): “[quotes 521-2] The punctuation of C[apell] is Theobald’s, who in accordance with his understanding of ‘there,’ added the stage direction, ‘Laying his hand on Laertes’ head.’ But ‘there’ certainly means at the port, where the ship is all read to sail, and the attendants are waiting for him. In [548], Polonius says: ‘The time inuites you, goe, your seruants tend.’”

1877 v1877

v1877: theon, Corson

522 Furness (ed. 1877): “In this punctuation all succeeding edd. have followed Theobald, who could see no reference which ‘there,’ as punctuated in the Ff, could have, except it be to the ‘shoulder’ of the sail. Corson upholds the Ff.—[quotes Corson: ‘“there,” certainly means . . . port.’ and adds ref. to 548.]”

1880 Tanger

Tanger

522 thee] Tanger (1880, p. 123) ascribes the variant in F1 as “probably due to the critical revision which the text received at the hands of H.C. [Heminge & Condell], when it was being woven together from the parts of the actors.”

1939 kit2

kit2 = theon without attribution

522 there] Kittredge (ed. 1939): "Polonius lays his hand on his son’s head and gives him his blessing."

1980 pen2

pen2 ≈ theon without attribution

522 there] Spencer (ed. 1980): “Polonius places his hand on the head of the kneeling Laertes.”

1982 ard2

ard2: Theobald; contra Corson

522 there] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “Goes with the ’blessing’, as suggested by Q2 (and Q1). Theobald’s S.D., ’Laying his hand on Laertes’ head’, is adopted by many editors. Corson, implausibly defending the F punctuation, held there to refer to the port where the ’sail’ was.”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: standard

522 stayed for] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “awaited”

ard3q2: Theobald; performance

522 there] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “Some gesture probably accompanies this word: an embrace, a shake of the hand, a pat on the back or head. Theobald provides an explicit SD, ’Laying his hand on Laertes’s head’, and comments, ’The Manner, in which a Comic Actor behav’d upon this Occasion, was sure to raise a Laugh of Pleasure in the Audience; and the oldest Quarto’s, in the Pointing [[punctuation]], are a confirmation that thus the Poet intended it, and thus the Stage express’d it.’ It is rare, however, to see a comic Polonius on the modern stage.”

ard3q2: xref

522 thee] Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “The shift in pronoun may reflect a change to a more intimate tone (see [465 CN]).”