Page 312 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

3.2. NOTE S 205

to Sh.'s audience as a stock absurdity of the revenge
drama. Ham. ironically exhorts the strutting Player to
bellow in Termagant fashion. On June 22, 1602
Henslowe, the financial director of the Admiral's
company, advanced money to Jonson in earnest of a
play-book called 'Richard Crookbacke' (Jonson, i. 33).
260. usurps (£>2, Qi) F i 'vsurpe,' MSH. pp.
267-68.
S.D. F1 'Powres the poyson in his eares,' Q 2 omits.
262-63. written ... Italian Cf. In trod. p. xxiii.
266. What.. .fire! (Fi) Q2 omits. MSH. p. 245.
v. G. 'false fire.'
267. How fares my lord? The K. had asked Ham.
the same question at the opening of the scene: the tables
are turned.
269. Give me some light This call for light, i.e. to the
torch-bearers to bring him to his chamber (cf. note
1. 89 S.D. above), has a symbolical point.
271-74. Why.. .world away Prob. a stanza from
some ballad, now lost.
272. ungallid Cf. 'the galled jade,'1. 241 above.
27 5. a forest of feathers Plumes were worn by tragic
actors and contemporary references to the fact are
frequent. Cf. note 5. 2. 96-7 for a passage from The
Malcontent in which Sh.'s fellow-actors appear decked
out with feathers, prob. in mockery of some other
company, v. G. 'Provincial roses,' 'razed.'
276. turn Turk v. G. Another reference to Ham.'s
lack of means, cf. note 1. 5. 184.
277-78. a fellowship.. .players=a partnership in a
theatrical company, v. G. 'cry,' 'share.'
281-84. For thou.. .peacock Prob. another stanza
from the ballad quoted above, which should end, of
course, with the word 'ass.'
284. peacock Q2 'paiock,'Fi 'Paiocke.' Mostedd.
now read 'pajock' (F2), which Dyce explained as a
Sc. dialect word. But 'paiock' is almost certainly a