Notes for lines 2023-2950 ed. Frank N. Clary
| 2435 Quee. Ay me, what act? 2435 | 3.4.52 |
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| 2435-6 {Ham.} That roares so low’d, and {thunders} <thun-| ders> in the Index, | |
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1733- mtby3
mtby3
2436 Index] Thirlby (1733-): “note index in the end or beginning of a book, sometimes both.”
1747 warb
warb
2436 Index] Warburton (ed. 1747): “This is a strange answer. But the old quarto brings us nearer the poet’s sense by dividing the lines thus: ‘Queen. Ah me, what act? Ham. That roars so loud, and thunders in the Index.’ Here we find the Queen’s answer very natural. He had said the Sun was thought-sick at the act. She says, ‘Ah me! What act?’ He replies, (as we should read it) ‘That roars so loud, IT thunders TO the INDIES.’ He had before said Heav’n was shocked at it; he now tells her, it resounded all the world over. This gives us a very good sense where all sense was wanting.”
1753 Edwards
Edwards: R3 //; contra warb
2436 Index]
Edwards (1753, pp. 90-2): <p.“I think it is plain, that Sh. has used
index <n.> The Index used formerly to be placed at the beginning of a book, not at the end, as now. </n.> for
title, or
prologue. So he used it in
R3 [2.2.149 (1425)]. Vol. V. p. 304. Here Mr. Warburton takes occasion, from what seems a mistaken division of the passage in the old Quarto, to represent an act as
thundering to the Indies, that is,
making a noise all over the world, as he explains it; which was probably known only to the murderer himself, and to Hamlet, to whom his father’s ghost had revealed it. And when he has made the mistake, he contrives, as he frequently does, to commend himself, by commending Sh. for what he never wrote, or thought of; ‘This, says he, ‘gives us very good sense, where all sense was wanting.’ Modest enough for a Professed Critic!”
This comment relates to Warburton’s "The flattering index . . . all sense was wanting."
1755 Johnson Dict.
Johnson Dict.
2436 index ] Johnson (1755): 1. “ the discoverer; the pointer out.”
2. “ the hand that points to anything, as the hour or way.”
3. “ the table of contents to a book.”
1765 Edwards
Edwards=Edwards 1753 (abbreviated); ≈ warb + magenta underlined
2436 Index]
Edwards (1765, pp. 156-7): <p.156> “I think it is plain, that Sh. has used
index, for
title, or
prologue.* <n.> *The Index used formerly to be placed at the beginning of a book, not at the end, as now. </n.> So he uses it in
R3 [2.2.149 (1425)] Vol. 5. P. 304.
‘The flattering index of a direful page;’ or pageant, as others read. And again, in the same play P. 257. ‘I’ll sort occasion, as index to the story we late talk’d of.’ So also in Oth. [2.1.257-258 (1039-40)] Theob. Vol. 7. P. 412. ‘Letchery, by this hand,; an index and obscure prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts.’
“But Mr. Warburton says, ‘This is a strange answer:’ (I thought it had been a question) ‘But the old Quarto brings us nearer the poet’s sense, by dividing the lines thus: Queen. ‘Ay me! what act? / Ham. ‘That roars so loud, and thunders in the index.’
“Here we fine the Queen’s
answer very natural. ‘He had said, the Sun was thought-sick at the act. She says, </p.156><p.157> ‘Ay me! what act?’ He replies (as we should read it) ‘That roars so loud,
it thunders
to the
Indies.
“He had before said, heaven was shocked at it; he now tells her, it resounded all the world over. This gives us a very good sense; where all sense was wanting.’ warb.
“Here Mr. Warburton takes occasion, from what seems a mistaken division of the passage in the old Quarto, to represent an act as thundering to the Indies; that is, making a noise all over the world, as he explains it; which was probably known only to the murderer himself, and to Hamlet, to whom his father’s ghost had revealed it. And when he has made the mistake, he contrives, as he frequently does, to commend himself, by commending Sh. for what he never wrote, or thought of; ‘This, says he, ‘gives us very good sense, where all sense was wanting.’ Modest enough for a Professed Critic!” </p.157>
This edition (7th) expands on the 1753 edition (5th) by embedding Warburton’s argument in the comment. New supplement is underscored. HLA’s transcription, however, indicates that this note was first published in the 1750 edition (4th), pp. 90-2, just as it appears in 1765.
1765 Heath
Heath: contra warb (based on Edwards’ Canons of Crit.)
2435-6 Ay me . . . Index] Heath (1765, p.542-3): “The generality of the editions, ancient as well as modern, attribute both these lines to the Queen, and give us the text thus, ‘Ay me! what act, That roars so loud, and thunders in the index?’ That is, At the very first mention of it. See the expression well explained, and this absurd alteration of Mr. Warburton’s amply exploded in the Canons of Criticism, p.118, 119.”
1765 john1
john1, john2 = warb +
2435-6 Ay me . . . Index] Johnson (ed. 1762): “The meaning is, What is this act, of which the discovery, or mention, cannot be made, but with this violence of clamour?”
1771 han3
han3
2436 Index] Hawkins (apud Hanmer, ed. 1771): “The index was usually placed at the beginning of a book.”
1773 jen
jen ≈ Edwards
2436 Index]
Jennens (ed. 1773): “The
index used formerly to be placed at the beginning of a book, not at the end, as now: so that it signifies
prologue or
beginning. Canons, p.118.”
This is a rare annotation in that Jennens cites the authority for this explanation.
1773 v1773
v1773 ≈ Edwards; Oth. //
2435-6 thunders in the Index] Steevens (ed. 1773): “Mr. Edwards, I think, says, that the indexes of many old books were at that time inserted at the beginning, instead of the end, as is now the custom, This observation I have often seen confirmed. So Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)]]—an index and obscure prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts. Steevens.”
1773 m stv1
mstv1: warb
2435-36 thunders in the Index] Steevens (ms. notes in Steevens, ed. 1773): For ‘and thunders in the index’ Dr. Warburton reads, ‘it thunders to the Indies.’ He had before said, Heaven was shocked at it; he now tells her, it resounded all the world over.”
1774 capn
capn
2436 Index] Capell (1774,1:1: glossary, index): “Indication, meaning—Declaration.”
1790 mal
mal = v1785 +
2436 Index] Malone (ed. 1790): “See Vol. VIII. p. 180, n.6. Bullokar in his Expositor, 8vo. 1616, defines Index by ‘A table in a booke.’ The table was almost always prefixed to the books of our poet’s age. Indexes, in the sense in which we now understand the word, were very uncommon. Malone.”
1791- mtby3
rann ≈ v1773 (Oth. //) + Tro. // magenta ujnderlined
2436 Index] Rann (ed. 1791-): “at the first mention of it. ‘And in such indexes.’ Tro. [1.3.343 (810)] Nest. ‘An index, and obscure prologue.’ Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)]. Iago.”
1793 v1793
v1793 = MAL minus xref (“See Vol. VIII...”),
1815 Becket
Becket
2436 Index] B
ecket (1815, 1: 59-60): <p.59> “This is not spoken of the index of a book, but in allusion to an index of the powers </p.59><p.60> in Algebra: to the
exponent, or that which sets forth, which shows the order or seat of each power.” </p.60>
1819 cald1
cald1 ≈ rann (Oth., Tro. //s) + magenta underlined
2436 Index] Caldecott (ed. 1819): “That is introduced with such formality, and so strong an appeal. In early topography, indexes, called tables of contents, or a sort of bill of fare, were generally prefixed to books. this appears in several parts of our author. ‘An index and obscure prologue to the history,’ &c. Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)] Iago. ‘And in such indexes, although small pricks To their subsequent volumes.’ Tro. [1.3.343 (810)]. Nestor.’”
1822 Nares
Nares: Ferrex and Porrex analogue
2436 Index] Nares (1822, glossary: index): “A summary of the chapters annexed to a book. It has been properly remarked, that, from the following passages of Sh., it is plain that this was most commonly prefixed, as indeed we find it in the publications of that time; but then it is seldom an alphabetical list, such as we now call an index, but a mere table of contents. . . . Sometimes, perhaps, it also meant a preparatory sketch, in dumb show, prefixed to the act of a play, as exemplified in that of Ferrex and Porrex, &c. [Ham. line cited].”
1826 sing1
sing1 ≈ v1773 (incl. Oth. //) minus Edwards attribution
2436 Index] Singer (ed. 1826): “The index, or table of contents, was formerly placed at the beginning of books. In Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)], we have—’an index and obscure prologue to the history of foul and lustful thoughts.’”
Steevens names “Mr. Edwards” as source for this explanation, which he has “often seen confirmed.”
1839 knt1 (nd)
knt1: rann (incl. Oth. //) minus Tro. //
2436 Index] Knight (ed. [1839] nd): “The index, is here used as in Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)]:—‘An index and obscure prologue to the history.’”
1843 col1
col1 ≈ Edwards
2436 Index] Collier (ed. 1843): “i.e. in the commencement, where the indexes of books were formerly placed. See Vol. v. p. 397.”
1847 verp
verp = col1 minus xref.
1854 del2
del2 ≈ Nares
2436 Index] Delius (ed. 1854): “index, das damals vorn im Buche stehende Inhaltsverzeichniss, wird auch sonst=Ankündigung, Vorbereitung auf Etwas, gebraucht.” [index, the table of contents that stood in the front of a book at this time, is also used elsewhere as an announcement or preparation for something.]
1856 hud1 (1851-6)
hud1=sing1 without attribution
1857 fieb
fieb = john for what . . . low’d
fieb ≈ sing1 (incl. Oth. //) without attribution; Edwards (incl. R3 //)
2436 Index] Fiebig (ed. 1857): “Index is a summary of the chapters annexed to a book. It has been properly remarked, that, in the publications of that time, we find is commonly prefixed, but then it is seldom an alphabetical list, such as we find now called an index, but a mere table of contents. Figuratively it was meant to be a preparatory introduction to the particulars of the story at large. So, in R3 [2.2.149 (1425)]: ‘For by the way I’ll sort occasion/As index to the story we late talk’d of.’ Again, in Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)]: An index, and obscure prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts.”
1861 wh1
wh1 ≈ del2
2436 Index] White (ed. 1861): “i.e., in the commencement of its recital. Indexes or ‘Tables’ were of old not uncommonly placed in the first part of books.”
1864a glo
glo ≈ fieb (R3 //)
2436 Index] Clark and Wright (ed. 1864a [1865] 9: glossary, Index): “sb. a preface. R3 [4.4.85 (2856)]; Ham. [3.4.52 (2436)].”
1865 hal
hal ≈ mal (incl. v1785) slightly modified
2436 Index] Halliwell (ed. 1865): “Edwards, observes that idexes of many books were at that time inserted at the beginning, instead of the end, as is now the custom. This observation I have often seen confirmed. So, in Oth. [3.4.52 (2436)].: ‘—an index and obscure prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts.’—Steevens.
“Bullokar in his Expositor, 8vo. 1616, defines an Index by ‘A table in a booke.’ The table was almost always prefixed to the books of our poet’s age. Indexes, in the sense in which we now understand the word, were very uncommon.—Malone.”
1866b cam1
cam1: warb
2435-6 Ay me . . . Index] Clark and Wright (ed. 1866): “This speech given to the Queen in the Folios, but is not printed as prose. The second Quarto has: ‘Quee. Ay me, what act? Ham. That roares so low’d, and thunders in the Index, Looke heere &c.’ This is followed by the subsequent Quartos, except the sixth, which has a colon at ‘Index.’ Warburton adopts the distribution of the Quartos, but alters the second line thus: ‘Ham. That roars so loud, it thunders t the Indies.’”
1867 ktlyn
ktlyn: Nares (for note on dumb show comparison); standard Tro., R3, Oth. //s and xref.
2436 Index] Keightley (1867, Index): “(R3 [2.2.149 (1425)], Tro. [1.3.343 (810)]), what we now call the table of contents in a book. It also (R3 [4.4.85 (2856)], Ham. [3.4.52 (2436)], Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)]) seems to mean the dumb show before the acts of a play.”
1870 rug1
rug1
2435-6 what act . . . Index] Moberly (ed. 1870): “What drama can you bring before me which has this fearful summary and prologue?”
1872 cln1
cln1 ≈ ktlyn (Oth./R3 //s only)
2436 Index] Clark and Wright (ed. 1872): “The index, or table of contents, was usually prefixed to the book in Sh’s time. Hence what Hamlet has said is termed the index or preface, to his coming speech. Compare Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)]: ‘An index and obscure prologue.’ See also R3 [2.2.149 (1425)].”
1877 v1877
v1877 ≈ warb, Edwards (incl. R3, Oth. //s), mal, Dyce (Gloss.), tsch
2436 and . . .
Index]
Furness (ed. 1877): “
Warburton [following the distribution of speeches in Qq]: To the Queen’s question, ‘what act?’ Ham. replies: ‘That roars so loud
it thunders
to the
Indies.’ He had before said, Heav’n was shocked at it; he now tells her it resounded all the world over. This gives us a very good sense where all sense was wanting.
Edwards (
Canons, &c., p. 156, 7th ed.): Sh. uses ‘index’ for title, or prologue. The Index used formerly to be placed at the beginning of a book, notat the end, as now. Thus, also, is
R3 [2.2.149 (1425)]; and
Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)].
Malone: Bullokar’s
Expositor defines an ‘Index’ by ‘A Table in a booke.’ The table was almost always prefixed to books. Indexes in the modern sense, were very uncommon.
Dyce (
Gloss.): Index, a prelude, anything preparatory to another.
Tschischwitz: The explanations of ‘in the index’ are very lame. Instead of ‘in,’ we should manifestly read
is, and the sense is, ‘What act, that roars so loud and thunders, is my accuser?’ ‘index’ being understood in its ancient judicial sense.”
1877 col4
col4 ≈ col3 minus //
2436 Index] Collier (ed. 1877): “i.e. in the commencement; where the index of a book was formerly placed.”
1878 rlf1
rlf1 ≈ Edwards; ≈ ktlyn (R3, Tro., Oth. //s)
2436 Index] Rolfe (ed. 1878): “Prologue. The index was formerly placed at the beginning of a book (Edwards). Cf. R3 [2.2.149 (1425)], [4.4.85 (2856)], Tro. [1.3.343 (810)], and Oth. [2.1.257 (1039)].”
1882 elze2
elze2
2435 That roares so low’d]Elze [ed. 1882: “This line is erroneously given to Hamlet in Q2.”
elze2: Per. //; Nashe analogue
2436 in the Index]Elze [ed. 1882]: “Both in the title-page and index prefixed to a book its principal contents used braggingly to be announced. Compare Per. 2.3.3, seq.:‘To place upon the volume of your deeds, As in a title-page, your worth in arms, Were more than you expect, or more than’s fit.
“See also Nash, Pierce pennilesse, ed. Collier, p. XIII seq.”
1883 wh2
wh2 ≈ wh1
2436 Index] White (ed. 1883): “The indexes of books used to be printed in the beginning instead of the end.”
1885 Leo
Leo = hal + magenta underlined
2436 Index]
Leo (1885, pp. 91-2): <p.91> “There are really commentators who try to make sense out of this, and take the word ‘index’ seriously. Let me quote only what Edward’s, Steeven’s, and Malone say: [here Leo quotes verbatim from
hal version of Edwards/Steevens and Malone comments]
“A charming image: An act, a deed, roaring and thundering in the table of contents! And clever men, that give their name to such enormities!! We may say with Hamlet: ‘My tables! Meet it is I set it down . . . . ‘
“If it is the question to look for nonsense in this </p.91><p.92> innocent compositor’s error, we do not want the index of an old book—let us speak of the forefinger, the index! Hamlet, standing before his mother, with uplifted ram and outstretched forefinger, points towards the two pictures, and this index thunders and roars! It is not as bad nonsense as ‘the table’s content,’ but notwithstanding I do not take it seriously; I believe that Sh. wrote simply—‘That roars so loud and thunders in thy chest?’” </p.92)
1885 macd
macd
2435 roares so low’d] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “She still stands out.”
macd
2435-36 thunders . . . Index] MacDonald (ed. 1885): “‘thunders in the very indication or mention of it.’ But by ‘the Index’ may be intended the index or table of contents of a book, at the beginning of it.”
1889 Barnett
Barnett
2436 Index] Barnett (1889, p. 51): “the beginning.”
1890 irv2
irv2 ≈ cln1 (incl. Oth //) + magenta underlined
2436 Index] Symons (in Irving & Marshall, ed. 1890): “Index is used five times in Sh., always in the sense of preface or prologue. Compare Oth. [2.1.256-7 (1038-9)]: ‘an index and obscure prologue.’ In Sh’s time the index was frequently placed at the beginning of a book. The name generally implies merely a table of contents. Compare Per. 2.3.3-5: ‘To place upon the volume of your deeds, As in a title-page,your worth in arms, Were more than you expect, or more than’s fit.’”
1891 dtn
dtn = dyce + magenta underlined
2435-36 what act . . . Index] Deighton (ed. 1891): “what act is it that has so stormy a prelude? Dyce gives ‘Index, a prelude, anything preparatory to another,—the index (i.e. table of contents) being generally in Sh’s day prefixed to the book.’”
1899 ard1
ard1 ≈ sing (incl. Oth. //)
2436 Index] Dowden (ed. 1899): “prelude; the index or ‘table’ was usually placed at the beginning of books. So Oth., [2.1.257 (1039)]: ‘An index and obscure prologue.’”
1903 p&c
p&c ≈ ard1 minus Oth. //
2436 Index] Porter & clarke (ed. 1903): “Not the detailed modern index, but the prefatory table of contents which in most books of the time is the index to what is to come.”
1903 rlf3
rlf3 = rlf1 minus Edwards attribution
1906 nlsn
nlsn ≈ wh2
2436 Index] Neilson (ed. 1906, glossary): “table of contents, and so introduction, beginning.”
1934 Wilson
Wilson
2435-7 Wilson (1934, rpt. 1963, 2:189): <2:189> “At 2435-7 we have a displacement which probably arose from an indistinct assignment of the speeches in Sh’s manuscript. A comparison of the passages in the two texts will make the point clear. [quotes Q2 and F1 versions of lines] The F1 text indeed suggests that the mistake actually appeared at one time in the prompt-book, seeing that the printing of the Queen’s question as prose is readily explained if we suppose the Ham. prefix deleted before 2435 and “Queen. Ay me, what act’ transferred there by an encircling guide-line.”” </2:189>
1934 rid1
rid1 ≈ nlsn
2436 Index] Ridley (ed. 1934): “table of contents at beginning of a book.”
1937 pen1
pen1
2435-36 thunders in the Index] Harrison (ed. 1937): “i.e. ‘If there is so much noise in the preliminary pages, what is to follow?’”
1939 kit2
kit2 ≈ ard1 (incl. Oth.//)
2436 the Index] Kittredge (ed. 1939): “Cf. Oth. 2.1.263, 264 [1038-39]: ‘an index and obscure prologue.’ The index of a book meant the ‘table of contents,’ which precedes the text of a volume.”
1942 n&h
n&h ≈ nlsn
2436 Index] Neilson & Hill (ed. 1942): “prologue.”
1947 cln2
cln2 ≈ n&h
2436 Index] Rylands (ed. 1947): “prelude [N.].”
1947 yal2
yal2 ≈ rid1
2436 Index] Cross & Brooke (ed. 1947): “table of contents, prelude.”
1957 pel1
pel1 ≈ yal2
2436 Index] Farnham (ed. 1957): “index table of contents preceding the body of a book.”
1974 evns1
evns1 ≈ nlsn
2436 Index] Evans (ed. 1974): “i.e. table of contents. The index was formerly placed at the beginning of a book.”
1982 ard2
ard2 ≈ rid1
2436 Index] Jenkins (ed. 1982): “table of contents at the beginning of a book, hence any prefatory matter.”
1984 chal
chal ≈ ard2; OED
2436 Index] Wilkes (ed. 1984): “index ‘a table of contents prefixed to a book... also, a preface, prologue’ OED.”
1988 bev2
bev2 ≈ yal2
2435-36 Index] Bevington (ed. 1988): “table of contents, prelude or preface.”
1993 dent
dent: xref.
2435-6 That . . . Index] Andrews (ed. 1993): “Here Index probably refers to a prefatory summary of the contents of a book. If this line belongs to Hamlet (the Folio assigns it to the Queen), it is probably meant to illustrate the ‘Rhapsody of Words’ he describes in [3.4.48 (2431)]. His point would seem to be either (a) that Heaven’s present ‘Visage’ is only an index (prologue or dumb-show) of the ‘Doom’ to follow, or (b) that a description of the Queen’s ‘Act’ is like a thundering table of contents, foretelling the fearful judgement to be detailed in the volume itself.”
1998 OED
OED
2436 Index] OED (Sept. 14, 1998): “5. a. A table of contents prefixed to a book, a brief list or summary of the matters treated in it, an argument; also, a preface, prologue. Obs. b. An alphabetical list, placed (usually) at the end of a book, of the names, subjects, etc. occurring in it, with indication of the places in which they occur. One work may have several indexes, e.g. an index of names of persons and places, of subjects, of words, etc. For these the Latin phrases index nominum, locorum, rerum, verborum are often employed as headings.
“[
1578 LYTE Dodoens (heading), Index Latinorum nominum. Ibid., Index appellationum et nomenclaturarum omnium Stirpium [etc.]. Ibid., The Englishe Table conteyning the names and syrnames [etc.].]
1580 FLEMING in Baret’s Alv. Aaaa j, Which words, though expressed in this Index, are notwithstanding omitted..in this Aluearie. Ibid. Nnnn ij (heading), A briefe note touching the Prouerbiall Index. Ibid., Such Prouerbes as we haue..reduced into an Abecedarie Index or Table.
a 1593 MARLOWE Hero & Leand. II. 129 As an index to a book So to his mind was young Leander’s look.
1604 SHAKS. Oth. II. i. 263 An Index and obscure prologue to the History of Lust. 1606 –– Tr. & Cr. I. iii. 343 In such Indexes, although small prickes To their subsequent Volumes [etc.].
1632 MASSINGER & FIELD Fatal Dowry IV. i, The index tells us the contents of stories, and directs to the particular chapters.
1699 BENTLEY Phal. Pref. 79 No Learning..no Knowledge in Books, except Index’s and Vocabularies. [
1750-1 JOHNSON Let. to
Richardson 9 Mar. in Boswell, I wish you would add an index rerum, that when the reader recollects any incident, he may easily find it.]
1858 CARLYLE Fredk. Gt. I. i. §3. 9 Books..which want all things, even an Index. [
1888 Athenæum 28 Jan. 112/3 The Royalist Composition Papers..of which Mr. Phillimore supplies a capital index nominum.]”
2006 ard3q2
ard3q2: 2434 xref
2435-6 Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “Q2 gives this line to hamlet as the first line of his speech, as if he is continuing from the act in 49 [2434], with the Queen’s question as an interruption; most editors follow F and make it part of her question: index certainly seems to make more sense from her than from him.”
2006 ard3q2
ard3q2 ≈ evns1
2436 Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “i.e. prologue. In Elizabethan parlance the index was the table of contents placed at the front of a book.”
2435 2436
