In spite of its lacking proper ACT & SCENE divisions, HAMLET is probably one of the most readable, cleanest and least problematic texts of the FOLIO. Of course, the play itself is certainly not devoid of editorial problems but these occur with regards to the many long, short, and incidental variants between the two “authoritative” versions: the 2nd quarto (Q2) of 1604–05 (which was probably issued in response to the publication of an “un-authorized” or “bad” 1st quarto in 1603) and the Folio of 1623. Together, the 2nd quarto and 1st Folio make up the standard “conflated” text of HAMLET.
The printer’s copy for the longer Q2 text was probably Shakespeare’s own “foul papers” (though the compositors seem to have also referred to the “bad” Q1). Whereas the Folio’s copy was most likely a scribal transcript that may have been used as a promptbook. In other words, the differences between Q2 and F may reflect something of the passage between the “conception” and the “performance” of one of Shakespeare’s plays.
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As mentioned above, F divisions of ACTS & SCENES are incomplete. Location of ACTS 3 to 5 was provided by the PLAYERS’ QUARTO of 1676. The standard division of ACTS & SCENES — as a whole — was first established by Capell in 1768.
Those subdivisions that ARE in the FOLIO are prefixed, below, by an F.
F. 1.1: line 1
F. 1.2: line 175
F. 1.3: line 460
1.4: line 603
1.5: line 681
F. 2.1: line 889
F. 2.2: line 1018
3.1: line 1646
3.2: line 1848
3.3: line 2271
3.4: line 2374
4.1: line 2586
4.2: line 2630
4.3: line 2661
4.4: line 2734
4.5: line 2743
4.6: line 2972
4.7: line 3006
5.1: line 3189
5.2: line 3499]
The traditional ACT / SCENE break between 3.4 and 4.1, though it appears to be suggested by Q2′s “Exeunt”, is somewhat problematic since, as F demonstrates (Tragedies p.272 / TLN 2586), the King merely has to enter for the scene to continue without break.
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Entrances & exits of Characters
According to their order of appearance.
• (2,13) reads “enters at line 2, exits at line 13″.
• (1237[rip 1245] 1252)
reads “enters at line 1237, dies on line 1245, corpse exits on line 1252”. RIP at the end a character’s list indicates (or confirms) his/her decease.
• (3245 [retires 3404,3449] 3491)
reads “enters at line 3245, retires (or “withdraws”) from lines 3404 to 3449, and exits on line 3491”.
• PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS are capitalized.
Barnardo
(2,174) (344,454)
Francisco
(2,25)
HORATIO
(18,174) (344,454) (603,680) (798,887) (1901,2258) (2744,2812) (2972,3005) (3245 [retires 3404,3449] 3491) (3499,3905)
Marcellus
(18,174) (344,454) (603,680) (798,887)
GHOST
(51,66) (125,141) (622,674) (681,776) (2482,2519)
KING CLAUDIUS
(176,311) (1019,1207) (1646,1708) (1818,1847) (1942,2141) (2271,2373) (2586,2629) (2661,2733) (2775,2971) (3006,3188) (3405,3498) (3674 [rip 3810] 3905) RIP
QUEEN GERTRUDE
(176,311) (1019,1207) (1646,1693) (1942,2141) (2374,2629) (2744,2971) (3154,3188) (3405,3498) (3674 [rip 3790] 3905) RIP
HAMLET
(177,459) (603,674) (681,887) (1203,1645) (1709,1805) (1848,2270) (2349,2371) (2384,2585) (2630,2660) (2681,2717) (3245 [retires 3404,3448] 3491) (3499 [rip 3847] 3905) RIP
POLONIUS
(176,311) (516,602) (889,1017) (1063,1265) (1427,1575) (1646,1708) (1818,1847) (1894,1898) (1942,2141) (2244,2257) (2301,2311) (2374 [hidden 2379] [rip 2405] 2585) RIP
LAERTES
(176,311) (461,553) (2851,2971) (3006,3184) (3405,3498) (3674 [rip 3815] 3905) RIP
OPHELIA
(176,311) (461,602) (968,1017) (1646,1847) (1942,2141) (2766,2810) (2905,2950) RIP@ 3156
Voltemand & Cornelius
(204,221) (1082,1111)
Reynaldo
(889,967)
ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN
(1019,1061) (1265,1587) (1647,1677) (1894,1900) (1942,2141) (2163,2258) (2271,2300) (2619,2625) (2634,2660) (enter separately 2672/81,2722) RIP@ appx. 3559
PLAYERS
(1466,1585) (1848,1893) (1990,2141) (2215)
DUMBSHOW
Dmb King: (1991 [sleeps 1995] [rip 1996] 2000)
Dmb Queen: (1991,1995) (1997,2002)
Dmb Fel: (1995,1997) (1998,2002)
Dmb Mutes: (1998,2000)
Prologue: (2016,2019)
Player King: (2023 [sleeps 2095] 2141)
Player Queen: (2023, 2096)
Pl. Lucianus: (2111, 2141)
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
FORTINBRAS
(2734,2743) (3852,3905)
Captain
(2734,2743)
Messenger
(2833,2971) (3045,3053)
Attendant to Horatio
(2972,3005)
Sailor
(2978,3005)
CLOWN
(3189,3498)
Another Clown
(3189,3250)
Priest
(3406,3498)
Young Osricke
(3586,3647) (3674,3792) (3838,3905)
English Ambassadors
(3852,3895)
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The play concerns three avenging sons: FORTINBRAS, HAMLET, & LAERTES.
• FORTINBRAS, to avenge his own father’s death (albeit, at the hands of Hamlet’s father in single combat), must get back his lands from Denmark. Note that in the play, Fortinbras is the first of the three to be mentioned (his name appearing at 1.1.95 / TLN 112).
• HAMLET, to avenge the death of his (Ghostly) father, must kill CLAUDIUS. But, in spite of this (and against the Ghost’s explicit command), it rather seems as if Hamlet’s principal concern were too shame his mother, GERTRUDE.
• LAERTES to avenge the death of POLONIUS (& the madness of OPHELIA) must kill HAMLET.
Of course, in the end, all three succeed.
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•(1494,1562)
Type: Inset-play (yellow)
Title: Rugged Pyrrhus
•(1990,2141)
Type: Inset-play
Title: The Mousetrap