H A M L E T (Regained) | Arguments with Arden 3

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Act I Scene 1
3 Long ... King: Barnardo's exclamation is not a password. He is saying something so that Francisco can recognize his voice. They cannot see each other well enough yet to identify each other by sight. Barnardo's reflexive choice of phrase is ironic.
4 "You are very punctual.": Arden's attempt at equivalent phrasing is obviously wrong. It is a fact in the play that Barnardo is slightly late to relieve Francisco, for one thing. It's expressly stated that the midnight bell has already struck when Barnardo relieves Francisco. Barnardo is not, in fact, punctual. He is late.; Francisco is not praising Barnardo for his punctuality, of course, he is remarking on the fact that Barnardo startled him. When Barnardo saw the human shape ahead of him in the darkness, he stopped and called out, in case it might be the Ghost. Such carefulness, by Barnardo in arriving to replace Francisco, is unusual, and elicits the remark by Francisco on Barnardo's unexpected behavior. Normally, Barnardo would simply walk up and say a "hello," but the Ghost has changed things.; It is, of course, expected as a routine matter that Barnardo will normally arrive on time. Mere punctuality is an ordinary thing that would elicit no comment from Francisco. Arden's obliviousness to both the explicit facts of the play, and common sense, makes for an inauspicious beginning to their attempt at presenting Hamlet.
18 Say ... there: There is no such presumption that Arden claims. Barnardo does see Horatio, but only as a human shape in the darkness near Marcellus, at first. One again, as he did with Francisco, Barnardo is checking to be sure the human shape is not the Ghost. The line requires punctuation to indicate a pause after "Say."
Also, A ... him: Horatio's remark would be commonly expressed in modern terms that he's freezing his a-- off. He also means his thoughts are elsewhere, as he thinks about being inside by a nice, warm fireplace. In undertone, in advance of the Ghost, Horatio's remark carries allusion that a ghost is only a piece of a person, not the entire, living person. There is irony that Horatio, when he speaks and identifies himself as not being the Ghost, expresses himself in a way that the Ghost could be described: only a "piece" of a person.
20 SP [speech prefix]: Q2 gives the line to Horatio, and there is no sound editorial reason to imagine it should be otherwise, and certainly not in a presentation of the Q2 text. Since Arden purports to present Q2 in this volume, their note is inappropriate. Discussion of differences between Q2 and the Folio, and Q1, belong elsewhere than within a presentation that is supposed to be specific to the Q2 text, itself.; Horatio's reason for asking is that if the Ghost has already appeared, he can leave at once, since there would be no point to his continued presence. We can be fully confident that the line is Horatio's, exactly as Q2 shows, because he is the one who has the immediate motivation to ask.
29 Sit down awhile: Since the location is a cannon platform, the sentinels most reasonably sit on the carriage of a cannon. If cannons are not available in stage production, a simple bench would do. In literature, however, cannons are available to the imagination, of course. The men should not sit on the ground, because they're on serious sentinel duty, with the nation under a military threat.
43 *harrows: Q2 "horrows" ought not have been changed in the playtext. The word, horrows, is not difficult to interpret as a plausible combination of "horrors" and "harrows," and may be viewed as a Shakespeare coinage. It's an editorial blunder to alter a word which can be interpreted an authorial coinage, simply to get a familiar word. One denies proper credit to the author. The OED is not a source for Shakespeare, rather, quite the contrary.
45-7 usurp'st ... Denmark: Arden's comment is peculiar, and can only be seen as foolish. There has never been any rational contention that the Ghost is the actual person of the former king. The issue Arden is apparently trying to answer in their note is one which has never arisen, at least not among sane people who can read.
49 offended: Arden overlooks the distinct possibility that the Ghost might be offended by Horatio's phrase "by heaven." It is a continuing question in the play whether the Ghost is genuinely the spirit of Hamlet Sr, or an evil imposter. If an evil imposter, the Ghost would object to being asked to do something "by heaven."
59 the very armour: The persistent uncertainty, which has somehow endured in commentary, of how Horatio knows the armor, is manifestly imbecilic, and should be firmly put to rest. Steel armor does not evaporate and disappear when a person takes it off. It continues to exist. Anybody with the slightest bit of sense knows that. The obvious likelihood is that Horatio saw the armor on public display, as part of the memorial exhibits for King Hamlet.; A person does not have to be 500 years old to know what the armor of Henry VIII looked like. Several suits of armor that belonged to Henry VIII still exist, and are on display to public view in the Tower of London. That editors and commentators on Hamlet should overlook this simple point, over and over again, about the endurance of steel armor, is sadly unfortunate, and a disgrace to Shakespeare scholarship. It makes Shakespeare scholars look like idiots. There is an extremely easy answer to the question of how Horatio knows the armor: it still exists, and has been on public display since the death of Hamlet Sr. Horatio could easily have seen the armor within only the last few days, and would remember it well. Indeed, he could have seen the actual armor earlier in the day. There is no mystery in Horatio's remark.
62 sledded Polacks: FIrst, if one is sincerely presenting the Q2 text, the first word should have been left "sleaded" as Q2 shows.; The word is interpretable as "sleided," which is a weaver's term. It means, arranged in neat rows or columns, like threads for weaving cloth. From sley. A variant spelling of "sley" includes an "a." The author knew the word. See Pericles Act IV: "Be't when she weaved the sleided silk," also, Lover's Complaint stanza 7: "With sleided silk ..."; A pun on "sledded" is likely intended, in connection with "ice," but "sleided" is sensibly the primary word.; The Poles were in good military formation, for combat, well arrayed in orderly lines. The parley turned angry and became a battle, which Hamlet Sr won, in icy conditions. The weaving term implies a large number of Poles, many lines of men, or a few long lines. It was a major victory for Hamlet Sr.; Also, the phrase carries advance allusion to Hamlet's "smiting" of Polonius, the "Pol-" character, during Hamlet's "angry parley" with Gertrude in the Closet Scene, when Polonius is hidden behind the "sleided silk" tapestry. This advance allusion is further evidence in favor of "sleided" being the correct word in the playtext. (Historical documentation mentions the tapestries at Kronborg Castle being woven of silk, by the way.)
74 impress: Although "impressment" has the definition of conscription, it ought to be noted that the sense is most likely figurative. The "press" is reasonably the press of the urgent circumstances.
82: Horatio is saying that Fortinbrasse Sr wanted to become a king. His "emulate pride" was his ambition to emulate his brother, Norway, and his enemy, Hamlet Sr, in being king of a nation. The phrase "emulate pride," if it's given a simple gloss, should be equated to "ambitious pride," but simple gloss is inadequate.
85 sealed compact: The meaning is not "sworn," but "official and binding." The agreement may indeed have been sworn to, and probably was, but "sealed" means it was made final and binding on the parties, officially.
92 co-mart: "Comart" can be directly interpreted from the prefix and root, and means "mutual bargain," or "mutual agreement." It's the correct word in the playtext, and there is no reason to add the hyphen which is not present in Q2. The word is apparently another Shakespeare coinage, since it seems to be unknown elsewhere. Strangely, while purporting to present the Q2 playtext, Arden calls a change that was made in the Sixth Quarto "sensible," which is ridiculous. It is hardly sensible to overlook a genuine Shakespeare coinage.
93 carriage ... design: "Design" means "intent," and the line means simply that when Hamlet Sr won, the agreement was carried through as it had been designed and was intended to be.; Lines 93 and 94 also carry an undertone in advance of the fencing match scene. Ostrick will speak of the design of the "carriages" of the swords Laertes wagered, and at the match Laertes's poisoned foil will "fall" to Hamlet.
95 unimproved mettle: The phrase means that Fortinbrasse Jr is "just like his father." His character is the same, not more restrained, or tame, or domesticated. "Mettle" is a reference to Fortinbrasse Jr's nature, or character, and "unimproved" means "no better" than his father was. The Q1 mistake deserves no mention in a playtext note, especially when one is supposedly presenting the Q2 playtext, specifically.; One begins to get the impression that the Arden notes were originally intended for a conflated text, and were inadequately rewritten when the decision was made to present only Q2 in this volume. Be that as it may, the Arden notes consistently display a lack of focus on Q2, itself, and even a lack of focus on Hamlet, itself.
97 Sharked up: "Sharked" is most easily understood as "scavenged" in an aggressive way.
Also: lawless; When Fortinbrasse arrives at the end of the play, he and his army have just taken the castle by force. It's rather charitable to dismiss the question of that being lawful.
108 sort: Means "sort out" or "turn out." Barnardo is asking what the appearance of the Ghost may predict for future events. He's wondering if events will turn out well for Denmark, based on viewing the Ghost as an omen.
111 mote: Should be "moth" as Q2 shows. Horatio is using "moth" to mean "an unpredictable thing." It's unpredictable where a moth will land, when one sees it fluttering about at night. Horatio is not talking about the sight of the Ghost irritating his eye, he's talking about the future that the Ghost may foreshadow. There is, indeed, an intended pun on "mote," strictly in connection with "eye," but "mote" is only the pun.; Although a moth is an unpredictable thing, in general, it's well known that moths are attracted to light, such as firelight. That is exactly where the Ghost "moth" will later tell Hamlet it landed: "in sulfurous and tormenting flames."; The common expression is: like a moth to a flame.
116 *At stars: The Q2 wording ought not have been changed in the playtext. Q2 says "As," and good editorial practice would respect that.; The line does not require any change in wording to be interpreted. Punctuation is enough. Lines 116 and 117, as originally printed in Q2, can be read: 'As stars with trains of fire... and dews of blood... Disasters in the sun.'; Horatio is thinking of each of those things, pausing, then dismissing it. He and the sentinels have not seen any showers of shooting stars, or dews of blood, or any disasters in the sun. All they've seen, that might be an omen, is the Ghost. The phrases are not intended to be a grammatical sentence, they are a list of things Horatio ponders momentarily.; It is unlikely the living Romans were bothered that the Roman dead gibbered at phenomena, rather, the problem was, the Roman dead were gibbering at them, the living. The emendation adopted by Arden, without authority, does not make sense.; Concerning the historical suggestions for emendation offered by Jennens et al, none of that belongs in a footnote to a genuinely scholarly playtext of Q2. Commentators on, and editors of, Hamlet have, over the years, suggested the most amazing variety of changes for things they did not easily understand, with many of the suggestions being purely idiotic, and indeed, with some suggestions (Collier) being fraudulent. All that the historical commentators have proven is that none of them showed any sign of having been Shakespeare reincarnated, however much some of them might have wished they were. Historical oddities should be relegated to a separate volume on the shelf, preferably a dusty one, entitled perhaps "The Pathology of Hamlet Commentary," and not be allowed to contaminate a sound, respectable presentation of Shakespeare's text. There is no reason to suppose that any of the four persons mentioned was right, and every reason to conclude, firmly, that each of them was stupidly wrong, and is unworthy of mention, if the intent is genuine to present Q2, itself.
117 Disasters: Apparently with no presence of mind at all, Arden calls the sun "a star or planet." The phrase in the playtext is "Disasters in the sun," which is obviously specific to the sun. Arden's note is peculiarly useless. Technically, Arden's phrase would include the sun, but, good heavens. Horatio's phrase most likely refers to sunspots. The first illustrated account of sunspots was by an Englishman, John of Worcester, in A.D. 1128, showing two large sunspots observed with the naked eye.
120 *feared: The word in Q2 is "feare," and it is known the author was casual about grammatical forms. A misprint is hypothetically possible, here or anywhere, but one does not so easily assume misprint, when the word in the original text has an interpretable meaning. Arden purports to be presenting the Q2 playtext, but fails to do so. The original "fear" should be in the text, with the suggestion of "feared" in the note, if the latter deserves mention at all. Arden has done it backwards, and has been remiss in their stated objective of presenting the Q2 text. If one is going to claim to present the Q2 text, it is only proper to do that in reality.; "Fear events" are events to fear, or events of fear. The phrase is not difficult to interpret, as it genuinely appears in Q2.; It is also unprofessional, unscholarly, and just plain unintelligent to speculate on the possibility of wording in a manuscript the editors have never seen, and never will see, at the expense of a clear, sensible presentation of the play as it was printed.
122 omen: Arden's note reveals a lack of understanding of the play. The Ghost, the omen, is certainly not "the terrible event itself." The terrible event, itself, in the play, will be the death of the protagonist Hamlet, which does not happen in this passage, of course.
124 climatures: Arden's note is unacceptably deficient. The phrase demands gloss, not just the isolated word out of context. The phrase is "our climatures," which Horatio mentions because Denmark is in northern Europe, whereas Rome, of which he has been speaking, is in southern Europe. Horatio means that, although he has been speaking of phenomena which have been observed in southern Europe, the same sorts of things have been observed in northern Europe, where Denmark is. Horatio mentions that to show that what he's been saying about Rome is not irrelevant to them, in Denmark.
126 SD [stage direction: "It spreads his arms."]: Arden fails to mention the known fact of Elizabethan usage that the word "his" was often used as the neuter pronoun at that time. The word "its" was only beginning to be used in that era. Sensibly, the word "his" should be understood as "its" and the SD refers to the Ghost, ignorant speculation by some {White (1861) et al} in the history of Hamlet commentary notwithstanding.; The Ghost's gesture is ironic. After Horatio said he would cross the Ghost, the Ghost "crosses" Horatio, by imitating the posture of Christ on the cross. That is the reason for the stage direction, in Q2. It's an attempt to ensure the irony is understood (and further implies the Ghost heard what Horatio said.)
153 extravagant and erring: Although Arden lists the entire phrase, they fail to note "erring." The phrase means approximately "wandering and straying."
164 and ... it: The Arden note is careless of the dialogue. The fairies and witches just mentioned by Marcellus are not "ghost-lore." The part Horatio believes is about Christmas being a special time. He is not sold on fairies and witches, because, although he has now seen a ghost, he has not seen them.
166 eastward: Whether Hibbard personally preferred a word different from what is genuinely in the Q2 text is irrelevant, and Arden's note is a foolish waste of space in what is supposed to be a presentation of the Q2 text. "Eastward" is, of course, the correct word, as we know, because "ward" is from a root meaning of "watch," which alludes to the sentinels' watch. It reveals Shakespeare's knowledge that "ward" comes from "watch." The sun, rising in the east, is now taking over the "watch" for the sentinels.
169 young Hamlet: "Assumed??" The use of the word is madness. Have the Arden editors lost their minds? There is no honest question in the play that Hamlet is the son of King Hamlet. Are the Arden editors certain Hamlet is in the play at all, or is his presence also a matter for speculation, as far as they can tell? Madness is a theme of Hamlet but that doesn't mean the editors of a publication of Hamlet have to make themselves appear crazy.

Act I Scene 2
2 us befitted: The correct meaning is "did befit." Claudius uses the simple past tense, as he announces that the mourning period for Hamlet Sr is over.
22 message: The original printing is correct with the singular. Although several communications have been sent by Fortinbrasse, they have all carried the same, single message. A distinction is being made between the communication, and the message which it carries. Multiple communications can carry the same message.
28 Norway ... Fortinbrasse: The Arden note is wrong; there is no reason to think Fortinbrasse was King of Norway at his death. Had he been, Hamlet Sr would have won Norway, but we know he did not, since Norway exists as a separate entity in the play. Fortinbrasse Sr was apparently a duke, or some such, and what he risked was his dukedom, not his country. Fortinbrasse Jr is not exactly analogous to Hamlet, and is clearly not intended to be.
31 gait: Arden irresponsibly fails to note that the word in the original playtext is "gate." There is no excuse for their failure, nor any excuse for their substitution of the wrong word, since "gate" is also the word in F1. No legitimate source for "gait" exists. The substitution of a word (without even a comment attempting to justify it) that has no proper source is unscholarly and unprofessional.; Shakespeare's word "gate" is right, as originally printed, with no factual question about it. It means "access" or "entrance." By ignoring the legitimate Shakespearean word in favor of a mistake made in incompetent later commentary, Arden has mangled the point of Claudius's remark for the play. Claudius's stated diplomatic intent is to keep Fortinbrasse out of Denmark, to deny his access to Denmark, and it is manifestly vital to the play that Claudius's stated intent is not realized.; The incorrect notion of "gait" apparently goes back at least to Theobald (1729) and has been for some mysterious reason accepted, mindlessly, by some later editors, even though there is no reason to think he was right, and the word, itself, in the playtext proves that he was wrong. "Gate" is a known Shakespeare word, used by him some 61 times in his various writings, in the same sense the word is currently used, and with the same spelling as is currently standard. Changing Shakespeare's word to "gait" is an act of groundless speculation, and sheer ignorance, and further, doing so without even a comment, that the word has been changed, is a disgraceful editorial lapse. One has a right to demand higher standards in a serious publication. If one is going to present Q2, it really is necessary to pay attention to what Q2 actually says.
31-2 levies . . . proportions: The Arden note is inadequate, and wrong as far as it goes. "Full proportions" means the land that Hamlet Sr won is now a full part of Denmark. It has been divided into Danish governmental districts, counties or parishes, and is the same as any other Danish land. The point of Claudius's lines is that the land is not unclaimed territory to be fought over.
33 his subject: Arden is exactly wrong. The phrase "his subject" refers to the subject of Fortinbrasse's message, i.e. the land. The land is now legally part of Denmark, so any people on that land would be officially Danish, and certainly not Norwegian.
38 delated: Arden misses the crucial point that, although Claudius says "delated," the ambassadors mishear the word as "dilated." The ambassadors take it that Claudius is telling them they may expand on what he's written, although he does not intend to give them that instruction. The ambassadors do proceed to expand on the articles, essentially changing them completely, which results in Fortinbrasse being allowed to enter Denmark unchallenged, which is exactly the opposite of what Claudius originally wants, as he expressly states in this passage. The misunderstanding of this word, by the ambassadors, is what brings Fortinbrasse and his army into Denmark. A proper explanation, of delated/dilated, is vital to comprehension of the events of the play.; This is an instance where it's a great stroke of luck that history has preserved both Q2 and the Folio. Q2 shows "delated" and F shows "dilated." Between them, they show both what Claudius says, and what the ambassadors mistakenly hear. There has been some historical argument over which word is correct, but in fact, both words are correct. "Delated" is what Claudius says, but "dilated" is how the ambassadors take it.
42-50 And . . . Laertes?: Arden badly misinterprets this passage. Claudius is neither coaxing Laertes, nor ingratiating himself with Laertes, but is rudely talking over him. Claudius repeatedly calls on Laertes, but then obnoxiously keeps talking, preventing Laertes from speaking. Claudius's important diplomatic mission has left him swelled with pride, in his power as King, and he shows it by talking over Laertes. Claudius likes it that when he talks now, as the King, others have to be quiet and listen. The point is important for Claudius's characterization.
77 cold mother: The first word is "cooled." The original printing shows "coold," easily interpreted as "cool'd" with the apostrophe omitted. A son/sun pun is implicit. Hamlet is saying a mother without a "son" (sun) would be cooler. Gertrude is cooled by having less "son." Hamlet is expressing his feeling of alienation from Gertrude.
82 shapes: The correct word is "chapes," as Q2 shows. The Arden editors fail even to note that they have changed Shakespeare's wording, which is a serious disservice to the reader, and also unprofessional and unscholarly editing. We can be confident that "chapes" is Shakespeare's word, exactly as Q2 shows, because not only does it refer to an outward covering, (specifically a sheath, pertinent to Hamlet's inky cloak,) it has a further meaning of the part of a scabbard that covers the point of a sword, which is advance allusion to the unbated foil at the fencing match. "Chapes" is a nicely chosen word by Shakespeare, and will be respected in any good presentation of the playtext.
83 *denote: Arden errs in changing the correct playtext word "devote." The editors try to justify their misrepresentation of Q2 by claiming they can read a manuscript they have not seen, and never will see. They cannot read such a thing. There is no misprint in Q2. "Devote" is the correct word, and it makes good sense. Hamlet's lines mean that his true devotion to his father is an inner thing, in his heart, and not something he puts on, like clothes. It's as easy as that.
107 unprevailing: The word does not mean "ineffective," it means exactly what it says. Claudius is casting Hamlet's continued mourning for his father as a contest of wills. Claudius has announced the end of mourning for Hamlet Sr, thus he would have it that Hamlet's continued mourning is something by which Hamlet would hope to prevail over him, in disobedience to his wishes.
113 school: We do not "learn ... that Hamlet is 30." We "learn" no such thing in the play. The Gravedigger is a Clown, explicitly and unmistakably identified as such. Not only is "Clown" his name at entry, it is his speech prefix, throughout. The Clown does not say what many have imagined.
126 tell: It means "speak." Figurative.
132 canon: There is a delicious double meaning. In undertone, by "fixed" Hamlet means aimed, "His" means Claudius, "canon" means cannons, and "self-slaughter" means Claudius slaughtering himself. Hamlet is saying that he wishes when Claudius fires his cannons during his rouse, they'd be aimed so he'd shoot himself with them.
135 fie: Arden fails to note that Hamlet's "fie" goes back, in mockery, to the "fie" Claudius spoke to him.
137 merely: Arden's gloss is wrong. The word means "only." Hamlet is saying the problem with the world is only that things rank and gross possess it.
138 two months: Ophelia makes no such claim, as Arden claims, at the 'Mousetrap' play. Her remark there is a slip of the tongue, and something Shakespeare used for undertone. Hamlet's "two months" is the correct statement of the passage of time.
141 might not: Arden's note is such a bad misreading that it deserves to be called bizarre. "Might not beteem" means, would not permit. Hamlet is saying that his father was so protective of his mother that he would not even allow strong winds to blow on her face.
143 should: Arden is incorrect that admonition is implied. Imperative is implied. "Should" is the past tense of "shall."
163 change . . . you: The name Hamlet means is, of course, "Horatio," the name he has just spoken emphatically. The failure of editors, over the years, to get this, is surpassingly peculiar. It's as though editors experience some mental obstacle that prevents them from looking back only two lines. It's another of those odd phenomena in Hamlet commentary.; Hamlet is saying that, with the way things are for him, he'd rather be Horatio than Hamlet. He wishes he could trade names, i.e. identities, with Horatio. The theme of change of identity recurs in the author's writings, and he alludes to it here, but without using it for Hamlet and Horatio.
164 make you from: Horatio's remark is not puzzling in the least. He's joking. Horatio is being facetious. An editor of Hamlet who is puzzled by such a simple thing should be doing something other than trying to edit the play.; Further, it is not surprising at all, (to anybody who can read the play with normal comprehension and retention,) that Hamlet was unaware of Horatio's earlier presence in the area. There have been three major social events, undoubtedly with large crowds, and Hamlet has been a V.I.P. at each event. In a class-conscious society, commoners such as Horatio are kept apart from the V.I.P.s. Further, Hamlet has been depressed, and almost certainly has not been mingling with the crowds, where he might have seen Horatio. Even further, his romantic interest in Ophelia has taken some of his free time. It is entirely credible, based on the known facts of the play, for Hamlet and Horatio not to cross paths until Marcellus arranges their meeting.
168: Arden's note is oddly unhelpful. Horatio is commenting, in a facetious way, that he isn't at the university. He's giving a jocose spin to the obvious. Horatio most certainly does not think he's wasting his time.; Then, re "good my Lord," there is no apology in Horatio's usage. Horatio's deference is because Hamlet's father has recently died, and Horatio is a respectful person. Horatio is honoring Hamlet's grief, as one would naturally expect a good friend to do.
179 Thrift: The mention of the Romanian dictator is mere prating, at the expense of a sane gloss that a reader might actually find helpful in understanding the play. Such comments belong in an appendix, or a supplemental volume. The word "Thrift" refers to economic benefit.
185 I . . . once: In fact, Horatio's line raises no question at all about his age, unless he were presumed to be younger than two months, which he is not.
191 Season: The word means "delay," until the right time. Horatio is asking Hamlet to wait for the right "season" to express his wonder. The usage is figurative based on the seasons of the year. Horatio means the right season for Hamlet to express his wonder will be later, after he's heard the account of the Ghost.
192 attent: The word means "waiting," or "awaiting," and there is nothing illogical about it. Horatio is asking Hamlet to delay his admiration with a waiting ear, i.e. both to delay his admiration, and also to have a waiting ear.
203 truncheon's: Arden is wrong. A truncheon is a club. In this case, the word refers to King Hamlet's cudgel, which the Ghost appeared to carry. The Ghost, armed for battle, carried his weapon of war. It was not a staff, in the modern sense of the word. There are at least two existing illustrations of King Hamlet's cudgel, odd as that may seem. Also, Arden's notion that somehow the Ghost measured his pace with his truncheon is foolish. Horatio is speaking of how closely the Ghost passed by the sentinels, of course. The length of the King's truncheon would be about three feet.
204 act: The word means "actions."
208 Where, as: Arden has taken it upon themselves to alter the true Q2 wording, with no justification to the reader why they have done so. It is unscholarly and unprofessional conduct. The word in Q2 is "Whereas," and it is the correct word in the playtext. Horatio is speaking legalistically about his eyewitness evidence, in confirmation of the Ghost. The Folio also shows "Whereas," so there is no question that it is the correct word in the text, while Arden's phrase is not.
212 platform: The platform is an earthen mound outside the castle wall. See pictures of Kronborg Castle on the web.
234 Very like: It doesn't mean "possibly," it means "very likely."; It's Gertrude's "very like" in Scene 7 (A2s2) that means "possibly," that is, her meaning as she speaks the words is "possibly," as she takes a skeptical attitude there in response to what Polonius says. Her doubt is not literal in her words there, and the literal meaning of her words there is also "very likely." Hamlet is not doubtful here that the Ghost would have amazed him, thus, what he means, and what his words mean literally, are the same.; Arden's note here refers the reader ahead to Gertrude's phrase. The gloss here is "perhaps, possibly." However, Arden's gloss at that later line is "probably, possibly." Arden thus equates "perhaps" with "probably" which is not going to be helpful to any reader.
236 hundred: The word in Q2 is "hundredth," which ought not have been changed, because it is technically correct for counting in general. By changing the word, with neither justification for the change, nor even any footnote to show the true Q2 word, Arden has given Shakespeare a technical error in arithmetic which he, in fact, did not make. In general counting, to one hundred, one stops when one has told (assigned a number to) the hundredth item.
240 A sable silvered: At the 'Mousetrap' play, Hamlet is not saying, particularly, that sable is black. He is saying something different in that Scene when he says "suit of sables." (For one thing, he means what Polonius is wearing.)
241 walk: It is definitely not the case that either the F or Q2 word is acceptable when one is allegedly presenting the Q2 text, specifically. The impression continues that the Arden notes were originally intended for a conflated text, and were given inadequate attention when the decision was made to present separate texts in different volumes. That would be understandable, but still not good.
246 tenable: Hamlet does not mean "capable of being held," he means actually held.
252: Hamlet is not rejecting the use of the word "duty" by the others, and it is not a "colder" word. Arden's note is wrong headed. Servants, or lower class persons, have duty to a Prince, and especially so for the military personnel, Barnardo and Marcellus. Duty extends from a subordinate to a superior. The others are correct to express duty to their Prince, Hamlet. There is nothing "cold" in that. Quite the contrary, it's an affirmation of loyalty, an expression of closeness, not a distancing. When Hamlet expresses "love" in reply to their "duty" he is also using the correct word, with knowledge of the respective social status. It would simply be improper for him to express "duty" to them. A Lord "loves" his people. Hamlet extends his expression of "love" to acknowledge their personal friendship, which is quite correct for him to express.; The same pattern of language is seen in the religious context, where a god is said to "love" his people, and the people, in turn, have "duty" to obey their god. There is no implication of coldness in the word "duty," and indeed, the more dutiful the people are to their god, the warmer and more intimate the relationship with the god is supposed to become, ideally. The English class terms are not much different from religious terms, a fact the author made significant use of in Hamlet, to the point one can't tell the difference, sometimes.
255 *foul: What is misleading to a reader is when Arden purports to present the Q2 text, but fails to do so. The word in Q2 is "fond."; Nor is "fond" hard to interpret, nor is it "plausibly" explained as a misreading (of a nonexistent manuscript which the Arden editors have never seen, and about which they know next to nothing, if the truth were faced.) It is stupid of editors to pretend they can read a nonexistent manuscript, so they can see what the "real" word was that Shakespeare wrote. That is flatly impossible, and anybody with any sense knows it. Such Hamlet "scholarship," which habitually ignores and demeans the original source, is disgraceful, and diminishes Shakespeare scholarship in general. An honest editor would face the truth of his ignorance, openly admit he knows no such thing as what the manuscript "really" said, and allow himself to be guided by the truth. The Q2 word is, in fact, "fond" (in modern spelling) and that is the only "plausible" possibility for the correct word in Q2 in this instance. The Arden substitute has no authority for a Q2 text.; Hamlet is using "fond" to mean foolish, which makes perfect sense in the text. There is no sound reason to suspect any misreading by a compositor. Hamlet is hoping that the Ghost can tell him of something foolish Claudius has done, (such as, perhaps, provable bribery to get the crown - Claudius expressly refers to bribery later, in the Prayer Scene) that he can use against Claudius.

Act 1 Scene 3
2 as: The Arden gloss is wrong. "As" means "the same way as."
3 *convey is assistant: The Q2 phrasing is correct, and ought not have been changed. Laertes means as follows.; ~~~~~
And sister, (the same) as the winds give benefit (to me)
And convey (me,) (likewise,) in assistant...
~~~~~; Laertes means Ophelia should be an assistant to him, the same as the winds that convey his ship. The phrasing is concise, but interpretable to make good sense as it stands in Q2.
6 toy in blood: "Toy" means "idea," and "blood" means "passion." Laertes is asserting that Hamlet's interest in Ophelia is an idea from his passion, not his heart.
12 thews and bulks: Since "thews" is plural there is no good reason to question "bulks" being correctly plural, as printed in Q2. The reasonable decision is that the Folio is in error.
27: The "main voice" being referred to by Laertes is the voice of the King. Denmark was not a popular democracy. Correct understanding of this is important in anticipation of Polonius's later efforts to get Claudius involved, which leads to the Nunnery Scene. Laertes's phrase, meaning the King, is significant in the flow of events.
41 Contagious blastments: "Contagious" refers to transmission from one person to another, and "blastment" means swelling. The phrase refers to pregnancy. Laertes means the possibility of Hamlet "transmitting a swelling" to Ophelia.
43: Laertes means that if no authority is available to rebel against, youth will rebel against itself. The saying concerns the intrinsic rebelliousness of youth.
48 puffed: Ophelia tossed a meaning of "swelled up" back at Laertes. This is significant to Ophelia's characterization as a bright girl. Ophelia is saying to Laertes, "Don't get all swelled up, yourself, brother."
49 primrose . . . dalliance: A "primrose path" is a self-indulgent path that goes wherever the flowers grow.
51 SD (Enter Polonius): Arden has placed the stage direction incorrectly. It belongs between the speeches of Ophelia and Laertes, as Q2 shows. The reason why Laertes says, "I stay too long" is because he spots his father approaching. Then, the reason he says "my father," even though he knows Polonius is the father of them both, is because he's sure Polonius will want to talk to him in particular. Polonius's approach, upon his entry, is slow. He's an old man, and he doesn't move very fast.
51 stay too long: There is no real implication in Laertes's phrase that he doesn't want to hear Ophelia (although it's doubtful he'd take it seriously if he did listen to her more.) Laertes says, "I stay too long," because of his father's approach, which would be understood if Arden had been faithful to their goal of presenting the Q2 text accurately, and had placed the SD correctly.
53: The significant point of Laertes's lines is that upon seeing his father he recites a saying, which is one of Polonius's verbal habits. Laertes is unconsciously imitating Polonius. This observation is important for Laertes's characterization (and Polonius's.) In Polonius's following speech we get to see how Polonius taught Laertes to recite sayings.
55: The Arden note is correct enough, but deficient at explaining "shoulder." Reference is to the shoulder blade area. The wind is right to move the ship ahead, the same way a push to the shoulder blades will move a person ahead.
57 these few precepts: It would be most inappropriate to have Polonius read the sayings. Sayings are a normal part of Polonius's speech habit. He just talks that way. This is important for his characterization, and relevant to later comment by Hamlet.
58 [Look thou] character: Polonius's phrase does mean what Arden says, but it also means, "look like what you are." Both meanings apply. It is one of the innumerable instances of ambiguity intentionally written into the play by Shakespeare. The author's verbal ingenuity was phenomenal. The phrase is not only an instruction to Laertes, but also, a saying in itself.
62: Far more relevant than Othello is Hamlet's encounter with the pirates, later in Hamlet. Polonius's "grapple" saying anticipates Hamlet's pirate encounter.
63 dull thy palm: It means to wear a callus on your palm, figuratively speaking. There is a further implication, in the word "dull," of "dirty," as in shaking hands with a person who is "dirty," figuratively speaking.
64 courage: Arden unfortunately misses the allusion to the Ghost. See the Hamlet (Regained) Notes. It's a certainty that "courage" is Shakespeare's word, because "courage" is also "spirit," and spirit = ghost. The Folio word is wrong, and must be editorial.
73 *Are . . . that: Arden blunders in changing the Q2 wording. The line ought to have been reproduced as Q2 shows it. Q2 is correct, and interpretation is not difficult, if one understands the play. Polonius has momentarily lost his way in his rhetoric. The same thing will happen again later when he's talking to Reynaldo. It is not any kind of misprint in Q2, it is characterization of Polonius. He tends to lose his way after talking for a while, and that is what happens in this line. It is not supposed to be a grammatical sentence. Polonius leaves off, after getting lost in his thoughts, and recovers by reciting a very common saying in his next line.
76 *dulleth th'edge: The Q2 wording ought not have been changed merely for the sake of schoolroom grammar. Nothing is really gained, and the authentic Shakespeare wording is lost. Changing Shakespeare's words, merely for the sake of schoolroom grammar, is madness. The article is not in Q2, and not required, and is further not desirable for sound, as "-th" and "th-" run together. It is conceivable that the sound could be why the author would have omitted the article in the first place.
80 season: The primary meaning of "season" is more likely as in seasoning food, to make it better. The word is ambiguous, intentionally so, undoubtedly.
82 invests: The Q2 word is correct. It means essentially "ordains." Polonius is saying that time (personified) has invested Laertes with the power of departure.; Arden should not have repunctuated to put "go" in the next sentence. "To" is implicit before "go."
90 of late: Hamlet has been at Elsinore for some two months, so there is nothing remarkable that he would have found time to spend with Ophelia. Polonius's "of late" is from the perspective of an old man. Time perception changes with age. The last two months is very recent time from the perspective of the elderly.
91: It should be noted that "private time" does not necessarily imply seclusion or intimacy. It means time that Hamlet has for himself, to spend as he wishes. Hamlet could talk to Ophelia in the Lobby with a crowd of 100 people there, and if he had nothing in particular else to do, it would be his "private time." There is somewhat less to Polonius's phrase than meets the modern eye. When Claudius allowed Laertes to go to France he was giving him "private time." This is not to say that Ophelia and Hamlet have not enjoyed some privacy, but that isn't exactly what Polonius means.
92 audience: It ought to have been noted that the word is thematic. The idea of "Putting On A Show" runs through the play. Polonius is casting Ophelia as the "audience" for Hamlet's "performance," which implies insincerity by Hamlet, as Polonius goes on to make more explicit in his remarks.
107: Arden is wrong. Polonius is referring to flatulence. He is saying he doesn't want to do the phrase wrong by saying it so abruptly it sounds like passing gas. There is self reference; it is part of the characterization of Polonius's odor problem. "Crack the wind of" = break wind with. It leads to Hamlet's "fishmonger" and "dead dog" remarks, also Hamlet's "nose him," and to Claudius's exclamation about something "smelling to heaven," just after Polonius has left his presence. Polonius, himself, has (unintentionally) begun his "odor" characterization here, with his reference to flatulence.
113 almost . . . heaven: Arden fails to note that Ophelia, in an attempt at self defense, is hinting to Polonius that she and Hamlet are engaged. Holy vows = marriage vows, holy matrimony. "Almost" means they are "almost" at the altar, or in other words, they are engaged. Wrapped up in his lecturing, Polonius missed it. The engagement of Ophelia and Hamlet is a crucial fact for understanding of later events, as is Polonius's ignorance of their engagement.
117 more light than heat: Arden fails to note that Polonius has gotten it backwards. He means more heat than light. This is not printing error in Q2, it is characterization of Polonius: too many words with too little thought behind them. So intent on his lecturing, he got it backwards, and didn't notice.
127 their investments: The irony of this in relation to Hamlet's black mourning clothes should be noted, instead of irrelevancies about white garments.
132 moment leisure: The best gloss, if a simple gloss is demanded, is simply to reverse the phrase. Leisure moment.

Act 1 Scene 4
1 *shrewdly: The correct word is "shroudly," as Q2 shows. Once again, the Arden editors, while pretending to present Q2, have changed the real Q2 wording. "Shroudly" means "like a shroud of death." It is a genuine Shakespeare coinage, which the Arden editors have missed identifying. It's the perfect word to begin the scene where Hamlet sees the Ghost. When Hamlet says the air bites shroudly, he means the cold night air seizes him like a shroud of death, figuratively speaking. The Folio "shrewdly" most likely came from the Q1 word, "shrewd," and is therefore suspect, at best. Whether "shroudly" occurs elsewhere is quite beside the point. A Shakespeare coinage can easily be unique, and when it has gone unrecognized it is very likely to be unique, for what should be obvious reasons.
2 nipping: Horatio's word follows from Hamlet's. Horatio agrees that, indeed, the air "bites."
4 struck: Whether "Riv" prints 'strook' is as beside the point as anything. If one is going to give an exact spelling in an earlier printing, the appropriate printing to cite is that of Q2, when the intent is to present Q2.
7: Horatio's question concerns customs at the castle. It raises no issue about Horatio being a native of Denmark. The average pub in Denmark would not supply trumpets, kettledrums and cannons to sound while the patrons drink. Horatio is simply from a different part of Denmark, and is unfamiliar with the King's rouse at the castle.
9 the . . . reels: The Arden note is wrong. Hamlet's phrase means:; swaggering = overbearing; upspring = upwell; reels = staggers (Hamlet and his friends)
Hamlet is saying that the overbearing upwell of noise staggers him and his friends. Shakespeare wrote the line with a double meaning, however, as he did so many times in Hamlet. It additionally means:: swaggering = overbearing; upspring = upstart; reels = staggers (in reference to Claudius's drunkenness)
Hamlet is additionally saying that the overbearing upstart, Claudius, is staggering with drunkenness. Both the meanings are present, simultaneously. Hamlet is calling Claudius an overbearing upstart, who is staggering with drunkenness, and also commenting on the loud noise making his friends and him reel. There is no reference to any dancing. The "dance" notion was apparently picked up, at random, from a German publication of 1634 that had nothing to do with Hamlet (and still doesn't.)
11 bray out: The Arden note misinterprets the play. It is not that Hamlet is being uncomplimentary to the instruments, it's that he's being uncomplimentary to Claudius, who is responsible for sounding the instruments. Hamlet is calling Claudius a jackass, who is using the instruments and cannons to "bray."
19-20 with . . . addition: The Arden note is inadequate. "Addition" has a more specific meaning. For example, in the name John Smith, Esquire, the word "Esquire" is the "addition." It means a title that is customarily used after a name. "Ph.D." would be another example. Hamlet is objecting to other peoples calling the Danes "Danish pigs" as though "pigs" were their proper addition. A neutral addition would be simply the word "people": Danish people.
21 though . . . height: The Arden note is incorrect. Hamlet is saying that for the Danes to carouse after they have truly reached a height of achievement is natural and acceptable. There is no height of national achievement here for Claudius's celebration.
22 The . . . attribute: "Attribute" doesn't imply "name," it implies "tribe," which is the root meaning. Hamlet is saying it's natural for the "tribe" to celebrate when they've accomplished something truly notable.
23 So: It means "very."
53 glimpses: Most sensibly, it's a cloudy night, with the moon visible intermittently.
54 we . . . nature: Hamlet doesn't mean the Ghost has turned them into anything, but is referring to what the men are, i.e. living. "Nature" is reference to the natural world, the world of the living. "Fools of nature" means living fools. "Fools," itself, refers to the men being fools not to believe in ghosts, earlier.
56 reaches: "Extents" is better, for synonym. The "reach" of the soul of a living person is only as far as he can extend his hand, since his soul is confined to his body while he lives. Thoughts that go beyond the "reach" of Hamlet's soul, within his living body, are thoughts about the soul, or spirit, being outside the body.
71 beetles . . . base: "Beetle" is from a root meaning of "bite." Horatio is saying that the cliff has an "overbite," since the upper part projects farther than the lower. "Beetles over" = overbites. Shakespeare used "beetle" in continuation of the "bite" idea with which this scene began. Horatio is worried about Hamlet being "bitten" at the cliff with the "overbite."
82 *artery: The Q2 word should have been left as it was originally printed. "Artery" has a modern meaning which it could not have had in Elizabethan times, and the substitution is misleading to the reader. The Q2 word, "arture," is better left, and then noted. It is certain Shakespeare did not mean "artery" in the modern sense, but any modern reader, seeing "artery," will immediately take it that way.
87 *imagination: Arden has blundered in not honoring the genuine Q2 word, and has missed another chance to identify a Shakespeare coinage. "Imagion" is the correct word, as Q2 shows. The word is formed from a root of "image" and a suffix of "-ion" which means "the result of." Horatio means Hamlet has grown desperate as a result of the image, of his father. "Imagion" = image result.
90 state: Arden is wrong to reject "condition." The line has a double meaning, intentionally written so by Shakespeare.

Act 1 Scene 5
3 sulphurous . . . flames: It's an open question, at this point in the play, whether the Ghost is genuine or an imposter. It therefore cannot be taken that the flames are necessarily those of Catholic Purgatory. The flames may be those of Hell. Purgatory is never specified in the play. The Ghost does intend to suggest Purgatory, but he would, either way. An imposter Ghost would not tell Hamlet he's from Hellfire. Arden errs in identifying the flames as specifically those of Purgatory, which they may not be.
21 blazon: It means a description, or explanation, in words, as opposed to a pictorial illustration, and is a term from heraldry. "Blazon" is from a root meaning of "shield." The word is used in a punning way, following the mention of fire. The heraldic term hints of Hamlet being his father's son, and now the senior male of the family, who carries onward the family coat of arms.
53-7: The wording of Q2 is correct in this speech, Arden was wrong to change the wording, and the Arden note is wrong. In his lines 53 through 57, the Ghost means as follows:; But Virtue - since it will never be moved to evil
Even though Lewdness might court Virtue with a Heavenly appearance -
So, but although linked to a radiant angel (Lucifer,)
(Virtue) will sort its way in(to) a heavenly resting place,
And pray on garbage (something thrown away.); "Virtue" is the subject of "will sort." The Q2 wording is sensible and reasonably grammatical, and should have been respected, and definitely so in a presentation that is allegedly specific to Q2.; On page 517, in Appendix 2, the editors comment on why they refused to accept the Q2 wording, but in the lines they used for illustration, they cut the utterance so short they lost the subject! Of course a person cannot understand an utterance if he abridges it in such a way that he loses the subject. The subject of "will sort" is "Virtue."; The Ghost is casting Gertrude as "Virtue." (Hamlet will, in a way, do the same thing later, in the Closet Scene.) The Ghost means that Virtue (Gertrude) cannot be moved to do evil, even though lewdness (Claudius) may court her in the shape of heaven (pretending to be a virtuous man,) and so, even though Gertrude is linked to the radiant angel (Lucifer, by her marriage to a murderer,) she will make her way to a celestial bed, (a resting place in Heaven,) and also, she will pray about something thrown away (which is the general definition of "garbage."); The implications of the utterance, in the flow of events of the play, will not be understandable to most readers from the utterance, itself. What Shakespeare wrote, in that speech, becomes understandable only with a detailed (and correct!) knowledge of the play.; The Ghost's prediction of Gertrude sorting her way to Heaven anticipates the Ghost saying shortly after: "leave her to Heaven." The reason for the Q1 wording, generally followed in error by the Folio, is something beyond these comments.
55 *Lust: Q2 "but" is correct.
56 *sate: Q2 "sort" is correct.
57 garbage: It means something that gets, or will get, thrown away.
62 hebona: The word should probably have been capitalized, just as Q2 shows, since there is reference to Hecate, a proper name, as we learn at the 'Mousetrap' play.
69 eager droppings: Should probably be more specific, referring to acid or vinegar, since there is likely reference to alchemy, a subject with which the author had some familiarity.
72 lazar-like: Should have been glossed. Reference is to the "other" Lazarus in the Bible.
80: Yeah, and my cousin's brother-in-law's neighbor's dog thinks the Martians have landed in Poughkeepsie. It really is long past the time when respectable scholarly standards should have been applied to Hamlet, and duly recognized, and generally observed. Groundless speculation, about altering the Hamlet text, without even the slightest factual basis, is a disservice to the reader, and a disgrace to Shakespeare scholarship in general, and deserves no notice in a serious publication of the playtext. The "horrible" line is the Ghost's line. Period. We know that for a certainty because that's how it's printed in Q2, and in F1, as well. The fact is established. It is not an open question. Johnson's rumor-mongering should be restricted to his own biography, and not be allowed to diminish a proper presentation of Hamlet, (and the same goes for idle rumoring from any other historical figure, no matter how well known.) If an editor can't resist mentioning an unfounded oddity of commentary, he should put it in the last appendix, not in company with the text. Give readers who sincerely want to understand the play a break.
124-5 There . . . this: Skepticism correctly describes Horatio's attitude. He doubts the Ghost went to all the trouble, merely to say what Hamlet says.
132: More sensibly, Horatio is concerned about Hamlet's state of mind.
137 honest: Hamlet is saying that it's "honestly" a ghost. He phrases it in an ambiguous way, which is no surprise in Hamlet. It further means "honorable," that it's his "honorable" father. "Truthful" is implied, but is not exactly what he says.
145-6 not I . . . Nor I: Horatio and Marcellus are not refusing to swear, and the question of that should not even arise. Their uses of the negative follow directly from the negative in their "we will not."
150 truepenny: There is demonstrably reference to Ralph Roister Doister [RRD] shown by relating various utterances in Hamlet to utterances in RRD, both in this scene and elsewhere. RRD was far better known in Elizabethan times than now. RRD was the first comedy play printed in English. Hamlet says "truepenny" here because RRD contains the line: 'Ye are a slow goer, sir.' Hamlet is facetiously observing that although the Ghost said "adieu," it has not left yet. The Ghost is a "slow goer."
151: The repunctuation by Arden, to make the line a question, is an error. The original shows a comma. Hamlet is making a declaration, not asking a question. Thus, it is not a question in the play whether Horatio and Marcellus hear the Ghost. They do. Understanding of the "swear" sequence requires knowing they hear.
156 Hic et ubique: In RRD the maids do a passage about Truepenny always rushing around and being "everywhere."
161 Well said, old mole: RRD contains the line: 'Well said, Truepenny.'
164: Hamlet (i.e. Shakespeare) is alluding to RRD. RRD contains two relevant passages about welcoming a stranger.
172 encumbered: Hamlet means with the hands held out in front, palms upward, as if carrying something. Try it yourself, while staring straight ahead, slightly open-mouthed, and you will recognize the gesture.
180 Rest . . . spirit: Horatio and Marcellus do not swear on the sword. Hamlet changes his mind, and puts the sword away. This is why there is no line in the Q2 playtext for them to swear. It is not a printing oversight that they have no such line. The reason Hamlet changes his mind is because he realizes he cannot get away from the Ghost, and he's aware of the possibility it might be an evil spirit, a tool of the Devil (as Hamlet expressly speculates later in the play.) When the Ghost calls out the order to "swear," it puts Horatio and Marcellus in the position of swearing both to Hamlet and to the Ghost, if they do swear. Hamlet doesn't like that, because it would put his friends in the position of possibly swearing to the Devil (without even knowing it.) Hamlet does not want to risk making his friends swear to the Devil, (if it is.) That would obviously not be friendly to them. So, when Hamlet finds he cannot escape the voice, he puts his sword away. His gesture is an act of friendship, but Horatio and Marcellus don't understand, and to them it looks even more peculiar. First, Hamlet insisted they swear on the sword, but then he puts it away without allowing them to. This somewhat anticipates the Prayer Scene, when Hamlet sheaths his sword without carrying through his intent.
188 Nay, come: There is the significant point that Hamlet wants his friends close to him after what he's been through in his encounter with the Ghost.

Act 2 Scene 1
0.1-2: There is no uncertainty in the SD, and it is not truly the case that "only one man is needed." There is only one speaking part for a servant. However, Polonius is a wealthy individual of high status, and he assuredly has more than one servant employed. What the SD means, is that if the playing company can provide it, more than one servant should appear attendant on Polonius, to signify his wealth and status. If a second servant is not readily available (in proper costume, etc.) Reynaldo alone is enough to play the scene. Polonius would have livery for his servants, so the company would need two matching costumes, the second only for a non-speaking extra.; The notion of "uncertainty" by Shakespeare is oblivious, and unfair. More sensibly, the author preferred two servants for Polonius, as a display of his status, but recognized the reality that the company might have personnel and proper outfitting for only Reynaldo, the speaking part. A well-supported performance of Hamlet, then, will have a second servant "extra" in this scene, in proper costume, which is Shakespeare's option, so stated in the SD.; The SD "...or two" means "or two servants, properly outfitted, if the company can do that." Although the source from which the Second Quarto was printed was very probably written especially as a closet drama, the author was still very attentive to the practical realities of the stage. On the stage of the imagination, which a person forms in his own mind while reading the play, the second servant should always be there, and he and Reynaldo should both be neatly outfitted in the livery of Polonius. Since Reynaldo is leaving, the second servant is present to attend Polonius after Reynaldo departs. Thus, Polonius, the top aide to the crown of the nation, will not be inappropriately left without any servant to attend him. Ophelia's entrance prevents the second servant from being called upon, so he remains waiting at the side, or in the background. Shakespeare dotted his I's and crossed his T's magnificently, within the limits that practicality imposed on him.; The misguided conceit, that keeps popping up in Shakespeare commentary, that "Shakespeare made a mistake," or "Shakespeare was uncertain" needs to be gotten rid of. It continually leads editors and commentators into their own blunders, and the Arden misinterpretation of this SD is a good example. There is no uncertainty by the author. It's an option, to better display the wealth and status of Polonius, if the playing company can easily do it.
6 Look you, sir: It is not anxiety by Polonius, it is characterization by Shakespeare. Polonius is habitually insistent that others pay attention, even if they already are. It's the way he is. Observe in the play that he says "mark" even to the King and Queen when they are already looking at him and listening to him. He is not anxious here, he is being himself. Telling others to "mark" or "look," even when they already are, is one of his speech mannerisms. Polonius may, indeed, be viewed as an anxious individual, (and a bossy one,) but that is not specific to this line, and should be dealt with in a section describing the personalities of the play characters.
8-9: It deserves comment that Polonius's lines have an amusing undertone, as if Polonius is asking Reynaldo to "case" the Danes in Paris, with the plan of Polonius robbing them. The word "means" refers to money, and the immediately following phrase, "where they keep," makes it sound as if he's asking where they keep their money. The undertone provides, quite intentionally by Shakespeare, an image of old, slow Polonius as a burglar in Paris.
11-12: The Arden note is wrong. Polonius is trying to tell Reynaldo that encompassment will come nearer to finding the truth about Laertes than specific questions about Laertes would. A rephrasing of the sentiment would be: 'with encompassment you will come nearer the truth than you would with particular questions.' Polonius expresses approximately the same idea to Claudius, in a later scene, in the speech where he says, "if circumstances lead me..."
19 Addicted: "Addicted" certainly has pejorative implications, as Polonius uses it. Polonius is talking about the habitual misbehavior of his son, which he suspects. He is using "addicted" in connection with thoughts of misbehavior.
22 usual: Means "typical." Polonius takes it that youths will typically misbehave.
24 youth and liberty: Means "youth at liberty," away from mature supervision. The Arden editors have gotten carried away with identifying hendiadys, which interferes with meaningful gloss. The Arden note is unintentionally amusing: the parenthetical "hendiadys" following the phrase "young men" makes it appear Arden believes that young men are more commonly called hendiadys.
26 drabbing: The Arden note misses the point. Polonius's dismissiveness is deception by him. What Polonius is really most concerned about is Laertes getting involved in a sexual scandal in Paris involving some low-class woman. It is important, for the flow of events in the play, that this point be clear, because it leads directly to Polonius's instructions to Ophelia about Hamlet. Polonius's thoughts about Hamlet, with Ophelia, are tainted by his fears about Laertes and the women in Paris.
28 season: Means to make more palatable, so to speak, as in seasoning food. Polonius is telling Reynaldo to phrase the accusation of drabbing so that it will be "easier to swallow."
30 incontinency: Polonius's denial is a falsehood. Polonius's worry about Laertes being incontinent is exactly his meaning, it's what he most wants Reynaldo to find out about. He's most worried about a sexual scandal that would hurt the family name, and that he'd have to pay for. We know this because Polonius so expressly denies it, specifically. (And Edwards's notion, that Arden for some unfathomable reason chooses to mention, is insane, and does not belong in a respectable presentation of Hamlet, at least not in company with the playtext.)
33-4: It is an irony, certainly intended by Shakespeare, that as Polonius is trying to tell Reynaldo how to downplay Laertes's suspected faults, he uses such high-flown, dramatic terms that they would be sure to draw attention if Reynaldo used them. This is characterization of Polonius, that he lacks perception of what is fitting, and that he is a poor instructor.
35 Of general assault: "Assault" refers to temptation, an assault on morality. Polonius means temptations into evil which entice men in general.
38 fetch of wit: The phrase as it stands in Q2 is exactly the phrase from Shakespeare's hand. We can be confident of that, because of the wonderful irony. Polonius is saying to Reynaldo that he thinks he's come up with a bright idea, that it's something fetched up by his intelligence. It is not a bright idea. It's such a stupid idea that it's going to get Reynaldo killed. The reason Reynaldo is not seen again in the play is because he's dead. The Folio error is a different subject. Perhaps the Folio editor(s) simply liked "warrant," since it was wrongly substituted twice in the Folio.
39 sallies: It is not the case that "either seems acceptable" in a text which is supposed to be presenting Q2. That makes the Q2 word the only acceptable word. As Arden themselves show, there is no reason to question "sallies" since it has a good, interpretable meaning.
56 *o'ertook in's rouse: The Q2 wording and punctuation are correct, and Arden is wrong with their changes. Particularly, by putting a comma after "gaming," a comma which does not exist in Q2, they have lost the Q2 meaning. If a comma is to be inserted, it should go after the first "There." Polonius means, 'There, he was gaming there, or (he was) "taken" by drink...' Likewise, a comma should be inserted after "There" in the next line, for the modern eye.
61 we . . . reach: "Reach" does not mean comprehension, it is the idea of extending the hand. Polonius is saying he can "reach" to Paris.
68: The correct meaning is 'don't misbehave in Paris the way he is.' Polonius is assuming Laertes's misbehavior before he has heard Reynaldo's report.
69 ply his music: Misinterpreted by Arden. Polonius means, 'have his fun (until I find out about it.)' "Music" is figurative, used as a reference to enjoyable activity.
71 SD1: Reynaldo's exit is placed in the original printing so that it will not interrupt Polonius's speech. Thus, Reynaldo's exit is placed slightly early. However, the original marking of the exit serves another purpose as well. It is fully consistent with Polonius's characterization, and with the play overall, that he speaks to somebody who has left. That will happen again, later, more significantly. Reynaldo's exit before Polonius says "Farewell" is directly interpreted as intentional here, in anticipation of that later scene, giving the effect that Polonius is 'madly' talking to nobody, or is 'madly' saying "farewell" to Ophelia instead of "hello." Arden's negligence, with their unfaithful placement of the stage direction, loses the 'madness' element which is part-and-parcel of the play.
103, 108 I am sorry: Ophelia will find little solace that her father immediately tries to blame her. Polonius starts to say he's sorry, stops, and abruptly questions Ophelia. This is the bureaucrat in Polonius showing. If something goes wrong, look for somebody else to blame. Polonius instinctively thinks of perhaps being able to blame Ophelia. The point is significant to Polonius's characterization.
107 That . . . mad: Arden errs in mentioning "antic dispostion" in relation to Hamlet's behavior in question. There is no such thing. The historical misunderstanding of "antic disposition," and the continual attempts by confused and incompetent commentators to explain the whole play with it, has badly hurt real understanding of Hamlet. That issue is too much to go into here, but editors who want to present the play in an understandable way, and who want to understand it themselves, are well advised to ignore "antic disposition" completely, as it has no further application to the play, after Hamlet originally says it, except that it keeps Horatio in his seat at the 'Mousetrap,' a point which is not very prominent. Hamlet says the phrase specifically to Horatio, and Marcellus, and since Marcellus does not appear again, the phrase is specific to Horatio's point of view. Horatio is the one who heard Hamlet say it.; Hamlet rushed to Ophelia's room because he had a nightmare about her. "Bad dreams" is the relevant phrase.
109 *quoted: Q2 "coted" is correct. Polonius is using it figuratively to mean "gotten ahead of" or "anticipated." Polonius is regretting he did not anticipate Hamlet's reaction. In addition to its easy interpretation, "coted" is verified by the amusement of old, slow Polonius describing himself in terms of a greyhound. That humor is Shakespeare's work. Further, "coted" accords with Polonius later speaking of his brain hunting the trail of policy, which is more dog imagery.
110 wrack: A note is absolutely required that "wrack" puns with "rack," the torture device. "Bad dreams."
112 cast beyond ourselves: Polonius means "fish" beyond himself. As he goes on to say, he is going to "fish" to get the King involved. Polonius is going to "cast" to try to catch Claudius, as we see him do in subsequent events, leading to the Nunnery Scene. The phrase follows Polonius's mention of "bait" and "carp" to Reynaldo. It also anticipates Hamlet calling Polonius a "fishmonger."
115-16 might . . . love: The line has a double meaning, with "hate" being read both as "hate" and "have it." The explanation is too long to go into here. The word "hate" appears four times in the play, and has the double meaning each time.

Act 2 Scene 2
0.2 *other Courtiers: The Queen's "some of you" that Arden mentions need not be addressed to courtiers, but can be spoken to ordinary servants. The Queen's remark does not necessarily imply more "courtiers" (persons who attend the court, specifically,) rather it can imply the typical servant extras who would be present in the background in many scenes.; "Courtiers" are persons who attend the royal court, specifically, as the word implies. They are under royal orders while the monarch is holding court, but are not servants in the general way. So, there will be the courtiers, who are attendants at court, and then there will be the usual servants who attend, not the court, but various high-ranking persons, themselves.; Queen Gertrude should usually have one or two ladies in waiting nearby, who are certainly not "courtiers" but are her personal attendants, that a Queen would naturally have. Likewise, it would be correct for King Claudius to have one or two personal servants nearby, usually. Of course when the dialogue indicates privacy, as in the Closet Scene or Prayer Scene, the servants will not be there.; If one casts the play so that additional courtiers are indeed present, which is reasonable enough, they need not be given an entrance, however, since the parts are non-speaking. The additional courtiers will walk on behind the speaking parts, and stand in the background. Arden's notion that additional courtiers would somehow require an entrance is a misunderstanding of how entrances were used in the original Q2 Hamlet. The implication that there might be some oversight in the Q2 stage direction is wrong headed, and Arden's specification of courtiers is not necessarily correct.
10 dream: The Folio word may be defended by anybody, but that doesn't make it relevant to the Q2 text which Arden is allegedly attempting to present in their volume. As to which word is correct, the Q2 word is Shakespeare's, since there is allusion to actual dreams which are implicit in the play, and that feature of the play is the work of the author. "Bad dreams."
12 sith: Means "because," as usual. Claudius means R & G should be helpful because they've always been close to Hamlet, as far as he knows.
13 That: This "That" is a different "that." The "That" in line 11 means "in that." Lines 11 and 12 are Claudius's explanation of why he is entreating R & G. The "That" in line 13 begins his consequent request, and is the start of a new utterance.
21 more adheres: There is no question raised about the role of Horatio. Horatio is a university friend of Hamlet, who has become his best friend. R & G are friends of Hamlet from his pre-university days. The difference is like U.S. high school versus college, for a person's friends and acquaintances. Gertrude best knows Hamlet's friends from his pre-university days. This is entirely typical, and is not surprising in the least. What is surprising, and disappointing, is that editors who have considerable university experience would be befuddled by something they have personally seen every day: college students with new friends (and the mothers of the students not present to observe.) Typical college social changes, for the students, are no mystery, nor is it a mystery for the parents to sometimes be surprised. Shakespeare obviously knew of the general phenomenon of newer friends versus older friends. How could he not?
28 your dread pleasures: The Arden note is unhelpful. "Dread" is a reference to stereotype, that a monarch is a powerful person, to be dreaded. It's an implication of power, so "dread" can be equated to "powerful" to clarify the meaning, for plain reading. The word "dread" has the undertone that R & G should dread what they're getting into, as they agree to serve the monarch's pleasure.
33-4: The name reversal is because Claudius got the names wrong. Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, knows his childhood friends. Claudius, previously only Hamlet's uncle, was not well acquainted with them.
36 some of you: The phrase does not necessarily mean "one of you." The correct gloss is "one or more of you." Gertrude doesn't care how many assist R & G, her concern is only the fact of them being assisted. Arden is incompetent to interpret the characters' points of view, which is mandatory in interpreting the play.
39 SD: Again, the Arden specification of a courtier, in particular, is not appropriate, since the attendants in question may not be courtiers, but lesser servants, and indeed probably are lesser servants in this case, since the task is menial.
45 and to: The right reading is the Q2 reading, if Arden's intent is genuine to present Q2 in their volume. Also, any editors who are keen to differentiate between the wordly and divine in Polonius's pledge are badly misguided. Polonius's pledge is directly relevant to why Hamlet rushed to Ophelia's room that morning. "Bad dreams."
47 Hunts . . . policy: The analogy is to a dog's behavior. It follows Polonius's earlier use of "fetch." Polonius views his brain as his dog: it fetches and hunts. This is a detail of Polonius's characterization. His brain is his dog. Eventually, as we shall see, his brain will "roll over and play dead."
61 Upon our first: Means the first diplomatic point, the first item to be negotiated. We know this because the ambassadors are reporting the results of their negotiations.
67 Falsely . . . hand: The Arden note shows no sign the editors had any idea what the phrase means. The ambassadors mean old Norway bore his infirmities in hand so well as to make it seem false he had them. He responded energetically, in other words.
69 in fine: The term "fine" is being used with legal significance.
73 threescore thousand crowns: The number, as printed in Q2, is correct to the author's hand. Neither Claudius nor the ambassadors recognize the number, but it is the annual revenue of Elsinore Castle. Old Norway has promised Fortinbrasse the annual income of Elsinore.; Old Norway and Fortinbrasse "Put On A Show" for the Danish ambassadors, and they fell for it. Norway and Fortinbrasse have conspired in a ruse to get Fortinbrasse's army into Denmark. 'Putting On A Show' is a major theme of Hamlet, of course, and it applies to the diplomatic mission.; Claudius is so distracted by what Polonius said about Hamlet, he doesn't observe that what the ambassadors are reporting is exactly opposite to what he originally said he wanted, when he sent the ambassadors on their mission.; In the course of misinterpreting this number, Arden misinterprets another number. Hamlet's later "twenty thousand ducats" is merely poetic, the same as his "forty thousand brothers" at the graveyard. Hamlet's "twenty thousand ducats" only means "a lot of money," the same as his "forty thousand brothers" means "a lot of brothers." The 60,000 crowns in this passage is not poetic, however, it is as stated. We know that because, as the ambassadors make their report to Claudius, they are reading the number from the diplomatic agreement in which it is written down, as Arden observes for the Arden note 76, 80.; And regarding Wilson and Edwards, one does NOT delete Shakespeare's words from a Hamlet printing. It is simply NOT done by any Hamlet editor worthy of his job.
Also: 73 fee; "Fee" is used with a particular meaning of income from land, which was a standard meaning of the word. Old Norway has promised Fortinbrasse a large income from land. Neither the ambassadors nor Claudius realize it's the land they're standing on.
74 commission: "Commission" does not have the bland meaning of "authorization." It is reference to an officer's commission. Old Norway has commissioned Fortinbrasse the commanding general of a Norwegian army. When Fortinbrasse later sets foot on Danish soil, he'll do so as a commanding general of the Army of Norway, so commissioned by King Norway.
75 as before: It essentially means the agreement allows Fortinbrasse to keep the army he already had. That army, we recall, was raised specifically for use against Denmark.
76, 80 herein . . . therein: It should have been noted that a stage direction is implicit following line 79. Voltemand hands the document to Claudius at that point (or slightly earlier.)
81-2 read . . . think: The word order is indeed notable ("illogical" is not the right word,) and that is no mistake by the author. It's characterization of Claudius. Claudius is stating the literal truth, that he'll sign the agreement before (and without) thinking about it. Claudius is thinking only about Hamlet. This is significant to Claudius not noticing the ruse - his thoughts are entirely on Hamlet.; 3.1.150 is indeed comparable to this, in a way. In that later case, Ophelia's "soldier's tongue" is advance allusion to Hamlet's indecent speech at the 'Mousetrap' play, where he'll talk like a soldier on leave at a saloon. The word order in Ophelia's speech is correct to Shakespeare's intended allusions, as is the word order here.
86 expostulate: Polonius is misusing the word. He has confused "expostulate" with the idea of "postulate." As he begins his speech he's intending to present his postulates. He's trying to say he takes "majesty" and "duty" for granted, that they are his "givens," his postulates.
93-4: Polonius's problem is his preference for sayings. He is trying to think of a saying about madness, but he can't. It bothers him.
95: Observe that Gertrude speaks to Polonius in epigram form in an effort to communicate with him. She knows him well, and his fondness for sayings, so she speaks a saying at him. It is also implicit that Polonius, with his fondness for sayings, is "contagious." We'll see more of that.
98 figure: The word has a double meaning, intentionally so by Shakespeare. It is unintentional self-reference by Polonius, a "foolish figure" as he babbles madly about madness. He's still trying to think of a saying about madness, but he can't, so he then says "farewell it" in his next line, and continues. He just can't think of a saying about madness, and is forced to give up.
104 Thus . . . thus: "Remains" is high irony by Shakespeare. Polonius has spoken 19 lines, so far, and what remains to be said, is his whole argument. He still has not gotten to what he's really trying to say. In fact, he never will.
104 Perpend: Should have been noted that it's a pompous word. The point is significant to Polonius's characterization.
108-21: It would be idiotic to be "troubled by the literary quality" of the letter. That is not at all the point of it. In fact, the literary quality of the letter is superb, suited exactly to its purpose. Arden's commentary note is essentially worthless, or worse.
109-10 that's . . . phrase: Polonius has misunderstood "beautified." He thinks it's "beatified" and he is expressing religious indignation that Hamlet would call Ophelia a saint of the church. He mistakenly thinks Hamlet was being heretical. It is necessary to know the characterization of Polonius to understand his statements, here or elsewhere. There is, indeed, a Painted Face instance in undertone, as Hibbard perceived while misinterpreting the word, but that is not Polonius's meaning, it's the author's thematic development.
110-11 thus . . . these: Arden's comment is a woeful misinterpretation, of no help at all to any reader. It's worse than useless. Polonius is saying Ophelia had the letters in her clothing next to her heart. Properly performed, when he says "thus" he will hold the letters to his own chest. At "etc." he will lift the letters away from his chest, as though giving them to somebody else. Polonius is aping how he claims Ophelia gave the letters to him, by removing them from her clothing near her heart, and handing them to him. And he's lying about that, as his own remarks reveal.
113 I . . . faithful: The important point is that Polonius is not being faithful as he refuses to answer Gertrude's question. He is being insolent to the Queen. It's a touchy point that Polonius has stolen personal letters of the Prince of the nation, and he's defensive about it, as well he should be.
125-26: A note is absolutely mandatory that Polonius has ruined his own presentation with his response to Claudius's question. Proper interpretation is very important to the flow of events, because Polonius's blunder is what leads to the Nunnery Scene.
130 perceived: Polonius is lying. He did not perceive "hot love," in what he goes on to describe here. He thought at that time that Hamlet was only interested in Ophelia for sex, and it wasn't love. He's lying here to try to make himself look smarter to Claudius. It's characterization of Polonius, the bureaucrat, lying to his boss, to try to make himself look more perceptive than he really is.
133 played . . . table-book: Polonius means, if he had only noted what he observed, and had done nothing in particular about it.
134: Means: "given my heart the job of being mute and dumb." This is, again, characterization of Polonius. He is the epitome of the unromantic, who considers the emotions of the heart to be a job the heart does, and that the heart can even be ordered to do a certain emotional "job." He's referring to giving his heart the job of feeling certain emotions, or ignoring them.
136 round: Means "directly," an ironic usage.
140 *his resort: A bad blunder by Arden, revelatory of Arden's incompetence to handle the play. The original Q2 "her" is correct: "lock herself from her resort." Polonius is, unintentionally, revealing why Ophelia is not there. He has left her locked in her room, to prevent her resort to Hamlet, to tell Hamlet that Polonius has stolen Hamlet's personal correspondence. We know "her resort" is correct, to a certainty, just as Q2 shows, because of the pertinent allusion. As Polonius speaks, he is referring (unintentionally) to her resort, to Hamlet, about the letters. The Folio is wrong, and Arden is wrong to follow the Folio, and especially so when Arden is allegedly attempting to present Q2. Arden's lack of faith in their own stated goal has caused them to miss an important point in the play: the reason for Ophelia's absence. Polonius locked her in her room.; It is a pity that Arden did not have the courage of their convictions, and did not follow through on their attempt to present Q2. Had they been faithful to their goal, it would have helped them avoid many mistakes, and also could have helped the editors, themselves, to understand the play.
149 very like: It still means "very likely," as earlier, but Gertrude is saying it with a sceptical tone.
156 the centre: Polonius is talking about Hamlet's heart, or soul, the center of his love. Polonius's point is his attempt to prove Hamlet's love for his daughter. Mention of the center of the earth is not correct notation, since no reader will find that helpful in understanding the play. The Q1 line does not make for proper presentation of other editions. The reason for the exact Q1 wording is a different issue.
160 arras: Regarding the amount of space behind the arras, the Elizabethan stage did not use enclosed sets. In other words, the stage was not set up as a room. There were no partition walls. The amount of space behind the arras, on stage, was the entire part of the stage in that area. Thus, the amount of space behind the arras was not a practical consideration for stage performance, as long as they didn't crowd the actors offstage with the arras positioning. The use of enclosed sets, to mimic rooms, was imported later from continental Europe. For stage performance of Hamlet the amount of room space available behind the arras was a non-issue. One can surmise that arrases were supported on wooden stands, or frames, on stage, and placed to indicate the locations of the room walls, had they been there. Arden's comment implying some supposed lack of space is incompetent, and misleading, in light of the facts of Elizabethan staging. Arden's foolish note could lead an unsuspecting reader to imagine that Polonius must necessarily bulge the arras when he hides behind it, when in fact no such thing is the case for Elizabethan stage performance. Polonius and Claudius will not bulge the arras, of course.
164.1: Arden blunders in mentioning "antic disposition." There is no such thing in the scene. Editors really do need to get over that simple minded, irresponsible approach, if they want to understand the play, and present it properly. As pointed out earlier, "antic disposition" is specific to Horatio's point of view, and has very limited application.
165 wretch: Rather than a term of endearment, it's a term of pity. Gertrude regrets that things have turned out so for Hamlet (but she doesn't worry too much about it, since she thinks it's only a temporary situation.)
165 reading: The point needs mention that Hamlet may be using the book only as a prop (just as Ophelia will use a book later.) He may have the book to provide an innocent-looking "cover" as he strolls in to see what's going on. This does not imply he has overheard any of the earlier conversation.
167 board: The concept of Polonius "boarding" Hamlet anticipates Hamlet's pirate encounter, and provides an amusing image of old Polonius as a buccaneer.
167.1 SD [Exeunt King and Queen]: As discussed just below, Arden has placed the SD wrong. It is correct exactly as in Q2. A note is further required as to the spectacle on stage, for this event. The room is the Throne Room. The theater audience is being treated to the sight of the King and Queen fleeing their own Throne Room, simply because Hamlet happened to walk in with a book in his hand. It's like, say, the President of the U.S. suddenly jumping up and rushing out of his Oval Office just because some fellow walked in carrying a book. Properly understood, it's an amazing sight, as King Claudius and Queen Gertrude flee their own Throne Room.
167 give me leave: Arden has, unfortunately, placed the stage direction incorrectly again, and by doing so has lost an essential element of Polonius's behavior. The SD belongs before Polonius's request for "leave," exactly as the original printing of Q2 shows. Arden's failure to carry through on their stated goal, of presenting Q2, has again deprived their readers of some meaning in the play. Here is the required sequence:; Polonius beseeches the King and Queen to leave. They do so. He comments on "boarding" Hamlet to their backs as they depart. Polonius then realizes he may have been improperly insistent to the royalty, so it could be seen as disrespectful. He then says "give me leave" in the direction of the door, in an attempt to be more polite, but the King and Queen are already gone. So, Hamlet sees Polonius saying "give me leave" to nobody. There's nobody there. To Hamlet it looks crazy, as old Polonius asks leave of nobody. Since Polonius already thinks Hamlet is mad, and now Hamlet sees Polonius talking to nobody, their conversation begins with both of them thinking the other is crazy. Proper placement of the SD is necessary for this point; the departure of Claudius and Gertrude must occur before Polonius asks for leave.; This concept, of Polonius looking crazy when he seems to be talking to nobody, anticipates the Closet Scene, when Hamlet looks crazy to Gertrude, who can't see the Ghost, and thinks he's talking to nobody.
169 God-a-mercy: Arden is wrong. This is not a "polite response." It is Hamlet's facetious reaction that although he has just seen Polonius talking to nobody, at least Polonius can still see a real person to speak to him. Hamlet is basically saying, 'well my goodness, you can talk to a real person, too!'
171 fishmonger: It is not a "comic mistake" and Hamlet is not "feigning madness." Arden's attempt at intepretation is incompetent. There is no "antic disposition" here. Editors need to get over trying to explain the whole play with that one little phrase, it makes them look stupid.; Hamlet has seen Claudius and Gertrude leave, and then Polonius approach him. He easily guesses that Polonius is "fishing" for something to tell Claudius. "Fishmonger" is further a reference to Polonius's body odor problem as Polonius stands closer than Hamlet would prefer. The "fishmonger" remark is a comic insult by Hamlet, and certainly not any kind of "mistake" by him.
173 honest: The word requires gloss, it is being used in the sense of "honorable."
178-9: It would be a mistake in performance to have Hamlet appear to read the words. He might be tapping the book, but he's speaking directly to Polonius.
179 good kissing carrion: Arden's attempt at equivalent phrasing is repulsively foolish. Following his nightmare, Hamlet is expressing his worry that his kiss of Ophelia may lead to her death. He is concerned that Ophelia's only "conception" may be maggots, because of her association with him, as he plots to kill Claudius. "Sun" is a pun, and Hamlet is making an analogy. That's the primary meaning for Hamlet, as he says it, but further undertones and allusions are present. The phrasing requires more extensive discussion, too much for these brief comments.
181 i'th' sun: Foolishness by Arden. Arden obviously has no idea what the speech means. Hamlet is hinting to Polonius that he shouldn't let Ophelia walk "in the sun"/"with the son," the "son" being himself. Hamlet is using the wordplay to try to tell Polonius to help keep Ophelia away from him, lest she die. Hamlet can't tell Polonius that directly, because it would immediately lead to the question of 'why,' of course, and Hamlet is certainly not going to tell Polonius that he's thinking about killing Claudius.; There is a fantastic irony here, and an intricate one. Earlier, Hamlet wished to be with Ophelia, but Polonius ordered her to avoid him. Hamlet doesn't know her avoidance of him was Polonius's orders. Hamlet is now telling Polonius to do essentially what he did earlier, that Hamlet doesn't know about, to keep Ophelia away from him. But Polonius now wants to bring Hamlet and Ophelia together. Hamlet is hinting to Polonius he was right the first time, and neither of them knows it.
182 but as: It is odd to call Hamlet's thought "uncompleted." There is nothing wrong with the utterance as printed in Q2. The Folio wording is wrong.
184 How . . . that?: It is not "in effect," it is an outright aside.
187 much extremity: The Arden gloss is unhelpful. Polonius is referring to the "extreme" (unusual and excessive) behavior occasioned by love.
190-2: A note is needed in anticipation of the Nunnery Scene. Polonius is asking Hamlet what he's reading. This is why Polonius will later give Ophelia a book. Polonius will have the idea that Hamlet will approach Ophelia and ask her what she's reading, just as Polonius has asked Hamlet here.; For Hamlet's meaning, Arden's "quarrel" is too leading. Hamlet's word "matter" means "trouble."
199-201 For . . . backward: More emphasis is needed on Hamlet's facetious interchange of the ideas of young and old, as Polonius hears it. This is what will lead Polonius to look at R & G when Hamlet says "old fools." Polonius gets the idea that Hamlet, in his "madness," thinks that young people are old, so he will take the "old fools" that Hamlet means to be R & G, who are young men.; The idea will get further application when Hamlet speaks to his "old friend" actor, who is actually the lad, as Polonius stands nearby. Hamlet will say "old friend" there to tease Polonius, when the actor he's speaking to is really the lad. (This is always played wrong, and needs to be corrected, not only for a correct presentation of that later conversation, but also because it's a powerful aide in identifying the "12 or 16 lines." The lad plays the queen at the 'Mousetrap.') The point here being, Hamlet's young-old reversal needs emphasis since it has significant further application in the play, and proper notation will point that out.
202-3 Though . . . in't: Hamlet is not pretending to be mad. Editors need to get over that. Hamlet is speaking obscurely because he cannot give Polonius direct answers to what Polonius is "fishing" for. Hamlet is diverting Polonius because he most definitely cannot tell Polonius that he's thinking about killing Claudius. It is fully rational behavior by Hamlet, however Polonius might view it.
203, 205 out . . . air: This room is not the Lobby, it is the Throne Room. Arden has misidentified the room, because of their failure to follow the flow of events. The ambassadors were waiting in the Lobby, until Polonius summoned them to this, the Throne Room, to report to Claudius. Hamlet has strolled into this Throne Room from the Lobby. As to the air, Polonius has the conventional notion that a person who is not well should be confined in a warm, closed room. The Throne Room is large and drafty. The "air" idea must not be taken too literally, since it is, of course, a setup for Hamlet's reply. Presuming the scene to be outdoors would be too literal, by far. There is additionally the point of Polonius appearing "mad" to Hamlet, with Polonius's line that could be taken as reference to outdoors following from that. Polonius is seen "madly" speaking as if it's outdoors, when it's indoors.
206 pregnant: It means "productive," of meaning.
207 *sanity: Arden is wrong. Q2 "sanctity" is correct. Polonius takes it that rationality is a sanctified state, since reason is God's gift to man to distinguish him from beasts. Irrationality is therefore unholiness, a fall from God's grace. Polonius's "reason and sanctity" refers to reason and rationality. Hamlet has already, in the play, expressly distinguished man from beast by citing reason.; Further, Arden fails to note the "madness" of Polonius's speech. Polonius says, essentially, that madness is more likely to produce sensible statements than rationality is. It's a mad thing for Polonius to say. Only a mad person would say that madness is more rational than rationality. This is characterization of Polonius as a "mad" babbler.
208-9 I . . . daughter: The Q2 printing did not omit any words, and Shakespeare did not make any mistake or oversight. Such a suggestion by Arden is irresponsible and misleading, and only reveals their incompetence to present the play. What is happening here, is that Polonius is ending the conversation the same way he began it. As Polonius began, he appeared to be asking leave of nobody (a point which Arden denied to their readers, with the incorrect placement of the earlier exit for Claudius and Gertrude.) As Polonius ends, he refers to Ophelia as if she's there when she isn't. Polonius means he will leave Hamlet to his thoughts of Ophelia, but he mistakenly expresses it as if he thinks Ophelia is there, when she isn't. Thus, at both the beginning and the end of the conversation, Polonius is seen "madly" talking to, and referring to, people who aren't there. The intent is to make the audience look at Polonius as if he is the mad one, seeing people who aren't there. This is fully intentional by the author, the Q2 wording is correct, and the change of wording by the Folio editors(s) is a Folio blunder which ruins the "madness" of Polonius that Shakespeare was presenting.
210-11 cannot . . . not: Q2 is correct. Nothing more really needs to be said. The reader will benefit from a rephrasing, however. The negatives cancel, and Hamlet means he is allowing Polonius to take his leave, or anything else Hamlet would even more willingly part with. In other words, Hamlet is very willing for Polonius to take his leave. In other words, good riddance. The Folio change is wrong; it makes Hamlet's reference to his life unworkable.
214.1 SD [Enter Guildenstern and Rosencrantz]: Arden has placed the SD wrong, again! Good heavens. It's a disgrace. The play absolutely requires that R & G enter before Hamlet's "old fools" line, just exactly as Q2 shows. Polonius remembers Hamlet's reversal of young and old, so when Hamlet says "old fools" Polonius thinks he means R & G, and he speaks to them. The SD must be correctly placed for this to occur. R & G must be present onstage when Hamlet says "old fools," for Polonius to display his misunderstanding. Hamlet does not pretend to read the line from the book (he simply says it to Polonius's back,) and Polonius does not look back at Hamlet. Polonius looks only at R & G, speaks to them, and continues out, on his way to report to Claudius. Hamlet notices Polonius speaking to R & G after he said "old fools," is amused by it, and uses the "old" idea to tease Polonius later when he talks to the young actor, the lad, about the 12 or 16 lines.
215 seek . . . Hamlet?: Arden has blundered in making the line a question. It is not a question in Q2, and is not intended to be. Polonius is making a declaration. Polonius is sure that Hamlet has "madly" confused young and old, so he takes it as fact that when Hamlet said "old fools" he meant R & G, and they must be the fools Hamlet meant, so they must be seeking him. It is not a question to Polonius.
219 *excellent: Arden is wrong. Q2 "extent" is correct. The usage is quasi-legal, and "extent" can be read as "valued." Hamlet is saying he values their friendship. "Extent" also implies extending the hand.
223 ever happy: Understanding of this requires discerning that R & G see the Prince as somebody who is "always happy." G is comparing their own state to what he presumes about Hamlet. He thinks Hamlet, being the Prince, is always happy. There is some jealousy in G's remark. The Q2 wording is certainly correct, and the Folio is wrong.
224 *Fortune's cap: Q2 is correct, the Folio is in error, and Arden is wrong to follow the Folio. Arden has made another mistake by failing to follow the Q2 text which they are allegedly attempting to present. G means as follows.; ~~~~~
(We are) Happy, in that (although) we are not always happy (as the coddled children)
On Fortune's lap (like you,) neither are we the very button,
(the least important thing to Fortune.)
~~~~~; G is using "button" to mean "least thing," a trivial thing. His reference to "Fortune's lap" means being a coddled child of Dame Fortune, that Fortune holds on her lap. There is no meaning of a button on a cap. The Folio is wrong. The physical extremes of "cap" and "shoe" do not, in fact, establish the F reading, and Arden ought to have observed the Q2 punctuation. Dame Fortune does not wear her coddled children on her head, she holds them on her lap.; G is hinting to Hamlet that, although they are not the coddled children of Fortune, like the Prince, neither are they the least thing to Fortune. In other words, R & G have come into a good thing, G thinks.; Hamlet's "sole of her shoe" line is then his response reflecting his own feelings. Hamlet feels that Fortune is trying to tread him underfoot. Hamlet has caught the hint from G, and he inquires if they have had some middling luck, using the figurative idea of them being at Fortune's waist. G then makes the sexually suggestive joke about "privates." This is assurance that Q2 "lap" is correct. The flow of the dialogue is that "lap" leads to "waist" and then to "privates." Q2 "lap" is necessary to the flow of the dialogue. It's what leads to G's "privates" remark.
229 privates: In addition to the sex joke, it's a hint that R & G are engaged in something private, i.e. they have a secret. G is quite pleased the King has summoned them, and he can't help hinting.
231 strumpet: Hamlet is talking about how Dame Fortune used to favor him, but no longer does. He is also making reference to Gertrude's behavior in marrying Claudius. He has not insinuated anything against R & G yet. Arden got ahead of themselves in their attempt to interpret. When Hamlet proceeds to ask "What news?" he's expecting to be told what's going on, since G has hinted at something. It's when R then tries to tell him that nothing is going on, despite G's hint, that Hamlet becomes suspicious. His suspicion begins to show after R says "None." If there's nothing going on, what is G hinting at?
234-5 but . . . true: The Folio "Prison Passage" is authorial, and mandatory in the play, since it contains Hamlet's mention of "bad dreams." The crude political cut, for Queen Anne's sake, was not done by the author. He would not so easily have discarded his own fine allusions that he must have worked carefully on. The Elizabethan censor came very near denying us, permanently, some crucial elements of Hamlet.
235 beaten way: Carries the undertone of "defeated way," meaning that the friendship is being defeated. G has hinted at something R & G are involved in, but R is denying that anything is going on, and Hamlet is saying that, in consequence, his friendship with them is being defeated. He won't think they're his friends if they only play games, and aren't honest with him.
238 ever: Q2 is right, of course. Hamlet is exaggerating. There is also possibly some satire going on, of an aristocrat whose name may not be mentioned in connection with the Shakespeare writings, lest the earth fall into the sun.
244 Anything . . . th'purpose: A modern equivalent would be: 'Anything but what I asked you, apparently.' However, the line has a double meaning.
246 colour: It does mean disguise, or camouflage, but also, as Hamlet presses R & G, they blush. Further, it anticipates Hamlet's mention of the chameleon at the 'Mousetrap' play.
249 conjure: Means "summon" (the truth from you.) Hamlet's following remarks are his "incantations" to try to summon the truth from R & G.
255: The line is certainly not addressed to Hamlet. Such a suggestion is foolish, and Arden's mention of the possibility is only another sign of their incompetence. R has turned to G, and is asking him what they should tell Hamlet.
256 Nay . . . you: [and also]
256 of
Arden is wrong, "of" does not mean "on," it means "from." Hamlet is telling R that since he's the one talking to R, R needs to look at him, not at G. Hamlet is saying, 'look at me, not at him.' This is important to understand not only for its own sake, but also in anticipation of the later conversation of Hamlet with R & G after the 'Mousetrap,' where R will be baffled by Hamlet's behavior when Hamlet doesn't look at him. Here, Hamlet's remark is phrased facetiously, but pointed. He is saying to R, 'since I'm the one talking to you, could I have at least one eye from you, in my direction?' (as though R could point his eyes in different directions, like a chameleon.) Also, it would be moronic to mark Hamlet's line as an aside when he is patently talking to R; Arden's incompetence has plenty of company.
258: It is important to note that G is the one who tells Hamlet the truth. Hamlet remembers this, and it's pertinent to why Hamlet draws G in particular aside for the "recorder lesson" after the 'Mousetrap.' Hamlet will be trying to return the favor by giving G, in particular, a warning. G's admission is significant to the flow of events.
261 moult no feather: The Arden gloss is right in a way, but inadequate. Birds moult to grow wing feathers so they can fly. Hamlet means so their secret will not grow wing feathers and fly away like a bird, to be lost. It's the "bird" idea of a secret spreading, as in the common saying, "a little bird told me." Hamlet will use the "bird" idea of a secret again, in the Closet Scene, when he mentions to Gertrude the birds in the basket.
263 custom of exercises: Means "habitual exercises," the activities Hamlet was accustomed to do. It does not contradict what Hamlet says later. A diligent editor will keep in mind that things change as the play proceeds. There's no reference to religious activity in particular, although it can easily be taken that religious observance is different at Elsinore from what it was at the university in Wittenberg.
265 sterile promontory: Kronborg Castle, on which Elsinore is based, is on a promontory. Hamlet is casting Elsinore as a sterile place. This is tragic in anticipation of Hamlet and Ophelia dying childless. The undertone is authorial, intentionally there.
266 look you: It is not an "intensive expression," it is an actual instruction to R & G. Hamlet is telling them to look at the sky, and pointing. They will look. This anticipates the "Cloud Talk" passage with Polonius after the 'Mousetrap' play, when Hamlet will point Polonius to the shapes of the clouds.
269 What . . . work: The line is a rhetorical question. Hamlet is asking whether man is a masterpiece, or some other piece of work. It means, 'what piece of work, in particular, is a man?' The Q2 phrasing is correct. In modern printing it needs a question mark, but Elizabethan practices did not call for one.
271 express: Means "expressive." Anticipates the imminent arrival of the Players. The author simply chopped "expressive" short, as he was occasionally inclined to do with words. "Action" implies action in performance. Arden has mispunctuated, Q2 should have been followed more carefully. The correct line is: "in form and moving, how express(ive) and admirable in action;..." That line should not have an internal semicolon. (Nor should a semicolon be used after "apprehension.")
274 quintessence of dust: It is not oxymoronic, it is figurative. Hamlet is following on his god-angel depiction of man, which he has just stated, and in the Christian view a man who becomes an angel is indeed a quintessence of dust, since man was originally raised from the dust by God. It is extenuation, not contradiction, the idea of a man being eventually raised to a "heavenly body" by God. The concept was fairly common, and was used by Jonson in his Folio poem when he wrote of Shakespeare becoming a heavenly constellation.
282 lenten: Better equated to "cheerless."
282 players: No such assumption exists within the conversation, itself, but is an editorial imposition. Shakespeare knew his play was set in Denmark, and there is no indication within the play that he ever forgot that.
283 coted: A note is needed that R & G use "dog" terminology in reference to themselves, as Polonius did, for himself, earlier. It's a hint that Claudius has put R & G on track to replace Polonius, which is significant as the play proceeds. Polonius's striving to outdo the bureaucratic competition will lead to his death, and Hamlet's earlier "dead dog" remark suddenly connects to Polonius, and to R & G as well. It is not healthy, in Hamlet, to be the King's "dog." Thus, the use of "coted" here, after Polonius used it earlier, is notable. R & G, and Polonius, will be three "dead dogs," all with the maggots "bred" in them by the "son."
285 The . . . King: When Hamlet says "King" he implies his father. He's using analogy. Shakespeare used Hamlet's speech for allusion to play events. Hamlet is not just talking about the Players, but is (unknowingly) predicting the future.
286 tribute: Hamlet is alluding to the tribute he intends to his father, which his intent to kill Claudius is, and which the 'Mousetrap' will become. He doesn't really know the future events as he says it, the undertones are from the author.
287 foil and target: Allusion to the fencing match.
288 gratis: The "Lover" is Hamlet, who sighs for Ophelia, and hopes it isn't for nothing.
288-9 the Humorous . . . peace: The "humorous" man is Hamlet, whose humor is melancholy, and his "part" is to kill Claudius. He hopes to get that done "in peace." He will: the "peace" of the grave.; For a full presentation of the play, the line about the Clown should be included. In that Folio line, "sere" means "dry," or "dryness." It's a reference to "dry" humor. The Clown will make those laugh whose lungs are tickled by dry humor. The "dry" idea plays somewhat on the mention of water in the Gravedigger Scene. The reason why the Clown was left unmentioned here in Q2 is perhaps unknowable. The indication is quite strong of it being authorial, however.
290 *blank . . . it: Q2 is correct, and Arden should have been faithful to their goal. "Black" means "grievous" or "mournful." Hamlet means if the Lady cannot speak freely, it will be mournful verse, and should stop. There is great irony that Hamlet, himself, in both the Nunnery and Closet Scenes, will prevent "the Lady" from speaking freely (Ophelia and Gertrude, respectively,) as he lectures and berates them both in those later scenes. "Black" obviously suggests "blank," but that's only wordplay, and the Q2 word "black" is correct, as advance allusion to Hamlet's "grievous" behavior toward the ladies.
295-6 their . . . innovation: The "innovation" is the change of government with the death of Hamlet Sr and the succession of Claudius. The meaning for the play is quite significant, as the "innovation" is mentioned by R. It's as close as R & G ever get to mentioning the death of Hamlet's father to him, as he stands there in front of them in his mourning black. They are being horribly rude to him, by not sympathizing with him, and good friends would never be so oblivious. This is the first time they've seen Hamlet since his father died, and they can't possibly not know of the fact. Their inconsiderateness confirms to Hamlet, more than words could say, that they are no longer his friends.; A reasonable surmise, about the Players traveling, is that they were sponsored by King Hamlet, but the sponsorship ended with his death, and Claudius has not renewed it. As we've seen, Claudius's preferred entertainment is a rouse. The Players are coming to Elsinore to see if Hamlet can sponsor them. We know that because R said so, explicitly: "hither are they coming to offer you service." It reasonably follows that they have recently lost previous sponsorship. The Players may be disappointed, since Hamlet's a "beggar."
298 the city: The city is Copenhagen, of course. Far from making sense, the idea of London is brain-dead stupid. Shakespeare knew London is in England, not Denmark, and so does everybody who is both conscious and the least bit educated. As background, one could discuss events affecting actors in London, which the author would reasonably have known about, and could have used for inspiration, but to take it that "the city" in Denmark, in the play, is somehow London, is just plain stupid. Good heavens.
299: The "Child Actors" passage was perhaps omitted because of an historical incident that reflected poorly on a company sponsored by Queen Anne. The company was the Children of the Chapel, which became the Children of Queen Anne's Revels. In 1600, a boy was allegedly kidnapped, while on his way to school, to become part of the acting company. The boy's father had political connections, and a Star Chamber inquiry resulted, which raised serious questions about the conduct of the business. It may not have been politic in 1604 to remind anybody of that incident, so a cut in Q2 might have resulted. This can only be speculative, unfortunately, but such an incident involving a company sponsored by the Queen could generate a lot of "heat." In any event, the Hamlet passage in question is authorial, although it's clear the Folio editor(s) changed the wording, at least slightly.
303 picture in little: It's reasonable for Hamlet to indicate miniature pictures of Claudius that R & G may be wearing, which Claudius may have given them. However, the notion of using miniatures in the Closet Scene is ignorant and preposterous, no matter how often it's been done.
307-8 Your hands: Arden misunderstands Hamlet's behavior. It is not a reaffirmation of greeting. He is actually shaking hands farewell to R & G as the Players arrive. Having learned that R & G are no longer his friends, he'd much rather talk to the Players. What Hamlet says in his speech is exactly correct to his intentions: he wants to give R & G no complaint, in his politeness toward them, that they can then repeat to Claudius. He now knows they'll report to Claudius. He intends his gesture to deceive Claudius, and Gertrude, that R & G are still his friends. Otherwise, Claudius would hire somebody else, and Hamlet would just have to put up with somebody else, instead. It would be no benefit to Hamlet if R & G are able to report the truth of his feelings about them to Claudius, so Hamlet gives them a show of enthusiastic politeness.
315 I . . . north-north-west: The line is adapted from Chaucer. Shakespeare changed the idea from Chaucer's "wisely" to "madly."
316 hawk from a handsaw: A "handsaw" is a bad actor, who saws the air too much with his hands, as Hamlet will caution the Players not to do, before the 'Mousetrap.' An actor who moves his hands mechanically looks like a puppet, not real. Hamlet is calling R & G "handsaws," saying they are not good actors, they have not fooled him. Handsaw = bad actor.; "Hawk" is a reference to good actors. When he greets the Players, shortly, Hamlet will speak of "falconers." He means a good actor can "fly" at his role, looking as natural as a hawk on the wing. Hawk = good actor.; The comparison is Hamlet saying to R & G that the Players who have just arrived are good actors, while they are not. This is, of course, on the "Putting On A Show" theme that runs through the play. There is considerably more meaning to be found in the line, too much for this comment.
318-19 at . . . hearer: Hamlet is indeed bringing R & G close to him. This is for Polonius to see. Hamlet has observed Polonius's approach, knows how snoopy Polonius is, and is teasing Polonius with the idea that he's whispering secrets to R & G (that he didn't tell Polonius earlier, in the "fishmonger" dialogue.) Polonius will wonder and worry what Hamlet is whispering to R & G that he didn't tell Polonius. The dark secret here, that will worry Polonius, is: Polonius is a big baby.
321 Happily: There is no "perhaps" about the normal progression of aging. The Arden gloss is wrong. R means it's a happy event that Polonius has lived long enough to enter his second childhood. In those days, very few lived so long.
332: There is no reason to think it a line from a ballad, although Hamlet should recite the line in a way to suggest quotation, to deceive Polonius about the insult it is.
334-5 pastoral . . . pastoral: Polonius has taken Hamlet's "buzz" as really meaning Hamlet doesn't believe the Players have arrived, so Polonius is trying to "sell" Hamlet on the Players, by reciting a list of what they can do, as proof that they're really there.
335-6 scene . . . unlimited: "Individable" means "that can't be distributed" (into categories.) The root meaning of "divide" includes "distribute." "Unlimited" means unbounded by category.
337 for . . . liberty: It's possible the original printing of Q2 contains punctuation error. Considering the character of Polonius, it is also possible he is 'madly' running things together. For interpretation, it can be taken that "law of writ" has some background reference to the ordinances of the city of London, which restricted Player performances, and "liberty" refers to the suburbs outside the London sheriff's jurisdiction, where Players were more free. The usage, then, is figurative, meaning either "in the city" or "outside it." This is exactly the point for the play, that the Players were previously in the city, and are now outside the city, as they have traveled to Elsinore. So, Polonius can be understood as saying that the Players are the best, either in the city, or elsewhere.
339 Jephthah: Hamlet is telling Polonius he's "preaching to the choir" in praising the Players, thus the Bible reference. The figure is: Bible > preaching > preaching to the choir. Hamlet mentions Jephthah specifically because of his "bad dreams." As Arden observes, Jephthah sacrificed his virgin daughter as a "burnt offering" to his Lord. Polonius's "Lord" is Claudius.
357 first . . . chanson: Hamlet refers Polonius to a popular song about Jephthah since he has a low opinion of Polonius as a scholar, and he doesn't expect Polonius would study the Bible carefully. Hamlet's remark means Polonius should start at the first line of the song, and learn it all. (Jenkins was quite right about the "cautionary tale," and Arden should have paid attention, and dumped the trash about bridges, instead of inflicting it on the reader. An unsuspecting reader who sees the bridges mention in company with the text, in a major publication, runs the danger of taking it far more seriously than such garbage deserves.)
358 my abridgement: Arden is right with the meanings, but not with "either way." Hamlet means both things at the same time. It is an intentional double meaning by Shakespeare, one of many in the play.
360 thee: The First Player is the bearded one, of course. We know this because Hamlet Sr had a beard, and the First Player will play the King at the 'Mousetrap.' This also establishes the First Player as an older fellow. It's odd Arden would raise any question about it, and their doubt can only be ascribed to lack of reasonable perception of the play. One could idly imagine a youth with a beard playing King Hamlet, at the 'Mousetrap,' but that's patently unnecessary with Hamlet speaking to his "old friend" about his beard. The old friend, with the beard, drops right into place to play the King at the 'Mousetrap.' And we know with certainty this is not a children's company. Arden's expressed doubt is just odd.
363 *By'r Lady: Arden was wrong to change the phrase. It's wordplay, meaning both "by lady" and "by laddy," at the same time, as Hamlet speaks to the lad. It's impossible to convey the double meaning with spelling alone, so the exact original spelling should be left, and then noted.
367 *French falconers: Arden is wrong. Q2 is correct, and is remarkably easy to interpret. "Friendly" means gregarious, indiscriminate, making "friends" with anything. That is exactly what Hamlet says, that they'll be "friendly" in flying at anything they see. If "French" were the word, one would be forced to gloss it as "promiscuous." Well.
367 fly: Arden has gotten ahead of themselves again. Hamlet's specific choice occurs as he continues to talk and think, in his speech beginning at L371, not here. As Hamlet speaks here he has not yet chosen anything specific. A diligent editor will observe that the dialogue progresses.
369 quality: There's more to it than Arden says. "Quality" was a word used for persons of high status. Actors gained "quality" by being the servants of an aristocrat or nobleman (which was required by law in England at that time.) When Hamlet calls for "quality" here it implies the Player proving he's worthy of royal sponsorship. Hamlet is not just talking about the actor's ability, it's in the nature of an audition. Recall R saying the Players were there to offer Hamlet service.
374-5 caviare . . . general: Arden has blundered by not respecting the original spelling. The word is "caviary," which is the adjective form of caviar. Hamlet is using the adjective, to say the play was "like caviar." The adjective does, indeed, have four syllables. It's sad that well-known individuals writing Hamlet literature could lack basic educati