Page 332 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

4.5. NOTES 225

153. S.D. Q2, Fi 'Enter Ophelia.' Qx 'Enter
Ofelia as before.' Rowe 'Enter Ophelia, fantastically
drest with Straws and Flowers.' Delius and Poel (Sh. in
the Theatre, p. 172) suggest that the flowers spoken of
in 11. 174-83 are imaginary.
154.* O heat etc. The 'bravery' of Laer.'s grief is as
evident in this scene as at the funeral later.
161-63. Nature.. .it loves (F1) Q2 omits. MSH.
pp. 96-7. A high-flown sentimental way of saying that
Oph.'s sanity has followed Pol. to the grave. No one
seems to have noticed that 'nature' here = natural or
filial affection (cf. Introd. p. xxxiii; I. 5. 81; 3. 2. 396;
5.2. 229, 242 and 2 Hen. IV, 4. 5. 39 'nature, love and
filial tenderness'). To paraphrase: Filial love is exquisite
in its working, and will sacrifice its most precious
possession as a proof of its affection for the dear departed,
v. G. 'fine,' 'instance.'
167. Fare.. .dove! Q2, F1 do not distinguish this
from the song; Capell first printed it as if it were an
observation on the part of Oph., addressed to Laer. as
she recognises his presence. MSH. pp. 227—28.
170-71. You must sing.. .adown-a Again Q2, F i
make no distinction in type between speech and song,
and there have been many attempts to differentiate them.
I take it that Oph., addressing Laer., bids him sing
'adown, adown' as the refrain to her song, if he indeed
agrees that Pol. is 'adown,' i.e. fallen low. This inter-
pretation leads on to 'the wheel' in 1. 171. MSH.
pp. 228-29.
171. 0, how the wheel becomes it! Variously ex-
plained as referring to the refrain (v. N.E.D. 'wheel'
16), or to the spinning-wheel, as an accompaniment to
ballad-song; cf. Tw. Nt. 2. 4. 45. The former fits the
context well, but I suggest that Oph. is also thinking of
Fortune's wheel which has brought the leading statesman
of Denmark low 'adown'; if so 'becomes it' means that
a wheel (= refrain) corresponds well enough with his