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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1726 THEON

theon: contra pope

2903-8 A noyse within . . . . Burne out . . . eye] Theobald (1726, pp. 111-4): <p.111> “Had I never seen any other Edition of SHAKESPEARE than Mr. POPE’s, I could not but have suspected Something wrong here, tho’ I should not, perhaps, have known so easily how </p.111><p.112> to rectify it. Just before the Entrance of Ophelia, a Noise is heard behind the Scenes, viz. of Some, that would have the Young Lady admitted; and of Others, that would keep her out. Laertes’s Friends, as we may observe at the Beginning of the preceding Scene, where he rushes in by force upon the King, are set to guard the Door; and they might be solicitous that Laertes should see his Sister in her Madness, to heighten his Resentments for the Death of his Father. But it is certainly very absurd that Laertes should know who it is without, upon the Noise made; that Ophelia should come in; and then that he should desire, that She may come in; and then after all, that he should enquire into the Meaning of the Noise. I think, the second Folio Edition sets the whole Passage right; and it seems to Me that it ought to be corrected as that Copy, and several Others, which come after, exhibit it with more Propriety thus; ‘It shall as level to your Judgment pierce, As Day does to your Eye. [A Noise within, Let her come in. Laert. How now? What Noise is that?— Enter Ophelia fantastically drest, &c. O Heat, dry up my Brains; Tears, sev’n times salt, Burn OUT the Sense and Virtue of mine Eye.’

“‘Tis natural for Laertes, who was in a riotous Proceeding against the King, to be alarm’d at the Tumult without, least his Party could not maintain the Door: And as soon as he sees the Occasion of the Noise, in the Admission of his distracted Sister, his deep Concern makes him wish at once that he were depriv’d both of Sense and Sight. But why, burn ON the sense? This Reading, in Mr. Pope’s Impression, is, as I apprehend, a literal Mistake of the Press instead of burn OUT; and it is a Mistake so easy to happen, that I think in another place the same Error has passed thro’ all the Editions of Shakespeare; and, as I suppose, was not so much as </p.112><p.113> suspected by our Editor, because he has given us the Passage as he found it.”

1866b cam1

cam1: theo

2903-6 A noyse . . . . is that] Clark and Wright (ed. 1866): “Rowe followed the Folio, Pope the Quartos, reading ‘Let...that?’ as one line. Theobald first transferred the stage direction, Enter Ophelia, to follow the first line of Laertes’s speech.”

1934 Wilson

Wilson: xref.

2903-4 Wilson (1934, rpt. 1963, 2:189): <2:189> “the words ‘Let her come in’ belonging to A noyse within have been by a natural accident inserted at the beginning of Laertes’ speech that follows. By a striking coincidence the same words, ‘Let her come in,’ at Ophelia’s first entry earlier in the scene [4.5.16 (2761)] have also become assigned to the wrong character in Q2, which tacks them onto the end of Horatio’s speech. It is, however, the Queen alone who can give the word for admittance and editors rightly assign the words to her. F1 does so likewise, but confuses the issue by transferring Horatio’s speech also to her.” </2:189>

1982 ard2

ard2

2903 Jenkins (ed. 1982): SD Ophelia . . . singing.] “The words which follow show that the ‘noise’ signals Ophelia’s return.”

2006 ard3q2

ard3q2: 2932-37 xref; Bullough analogue; WT //

2903 Thompson & Taylor (ed. 2006): “The noise is presumably of a woman or women crying out within , i.e. offstage. Ophelia usually enters carrying the flowers she distributes at 173-8 [2932-37], though some productions and commentators) assume that the flowers exist only in her imagination. Q1’s like ’I a bin gathering of floures’ (13.75-6) and the entry [stage direction] in Fratricide Punished , ’Ophelia, with flowers’ (4.7; Bullough, 7.153), may testify to early stage practice, and this would be supported by the comparable scene where Perdita distributes flowers in WT (4.4.73-134).”