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Line 2426 - 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.”

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Notes for lines 2023-2950 ed. Frank N. Clary

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

2426 From the faire forhead of an innocent loue,	3.4.43

1882 elze2

elze2: malsii, Nares; cald1 (London Prod. analogue) without attribution; Arden of Fev. analogue; xref. (incl. Q1)

2426 faire forhead] Elze (ed. 1882): “Malone justly remarks that the forehead, especially that part of it, which is situated between the eyebrows, ‘seems to have been considered by our poet as the seat of innocence and modesty.’ But not by our poet alone; Honest as the skin between one’s brows was a proverbial phrase of the time. To the passages quoted by Nares. Honest &c. may be added: The London Prodigal 5.1 (Malone’s Supplement, II, 524): She is my wife’s handmaid, and as true as the skin between any man’s brows here. Arden of Feversham, 3.5 (ed. Delius, p. 46): Even in my forehead is thy name engraven. Hamlet, Q1 (Mr Griggs’ facsimile, p.44): A front wherin all vertues are set downe.—Perhaps this widely spread notion owed its origin to the circumstance, that the skin between the brows was the only part of the face which was not painted by the ladies. Compare §179 (chaste unsmirched browe).”

1934 cam3

cam3: xref.; Ado, MM //s

2426 forhead] Wilson (ed. 1934): “Cf. [4.5.119 (2862)]. It was a common idea that the character was written on the brow (cf. Ado [3.5.11-12 (1606-7)]) ‘honest as the skin between his brows,’ MM [4.2.154 (2020)], which is perhaps why malefactors and harlots were branded on the forehead; hence ‘blister’ [2427]. For ‘rose’ v. G.”

1934 cam3 Glossary

cam3: Son. //; OED; xref.

2426 rose] Wilson (ed. 1934, Glossary): “(i) perfection, paragon (formerly an epithet often applied to the Virgin Mary; cf. Son. 1.2. ‘Beauty’s rose, v. N.E.D. [OED] 5); [3.1.152 (1808)]; (ii) emblem of perfection and innocence.”

1947 cln2

cln2 ≈ v1793 (branding practice only)

2426 faire forhead] Rylands (ed. 1947): “Malefactors and harlots were branded upon the forehead.”

2003 ShSt

Parker: 2423, 2427, 2543 xref

2426 Parker (2003, p. 130): “The contrast of black and ’faire’ in Hamlet’s portraits of two brothers is thus joined by the adulterous declining of the queen--described in F and Q2 as an ’act’ that sets a ’blister’ or blemish on the ’faire’ forehead of an ’innocent loue’ (166-67). Q1’s ’Forbear the adulterous bed to night’ (172) makes even clearer the attempt by her son to remove her from the adulterate mingling or mixture of coupling with this second husband.”