Page 364 - Hamlet: The Cambridge Dover Wilson Shakespeare

5.2. NOTES 257

sword and closing with Laer. seizes the 'sharp' with his
empty right hand and wrests it from him, whereupon
he allows him in ironical politeness to pick up the
discarded 'blunt' from the ground. One merit of this
explanation is that it tallies with the Q 1 S.D. 'They
catch one anothers Rapiers.'
301. Nay, come again As Bradley (pp. 422-23)
points out, the K.'s command to 'part them' is an
attempt to save Laer. after the exchange of rapiers.
Ham. frustrates this by running Laer. through before
the judges can intervene.
304-305. Why...mine own treachery This aside
could hardly have been spoken if Osric was himself
innocent of the treachery. Cf. note 1. 257.
306. She swoons to see them bleed. The K.'s nerve is
magnificent.
320. S.D. Qz omits. F i 'Hurts the King.'
322. but hurt = only wounded.
324. Is thy union here ? Caldecott suggests a quibble;
'the-potion (v. G.) effects the union of the King and
Queen.' Cf. Bradley, p. 151.
333. mutes or audience = silent spectators, v. G.
'mute.'
334. this fell sergeant, Death Malone quotes
Silvester's Du Bartas: 'And Death, drad Serjant of
th'eternall Iudge.' Cf. Son. lxxiv: 'when that fell arrest
Without all bail shall carry me away,' and G. 'sergeant.'
342. O God, Horatio, (Q2) Qi 'O fie Horatio,'
F i 'Oh good Horatio'—which all edd. but Capell,
Malone and Furness read. The Qi reading lends
support to Q2. MSH. p. 266.
347. S.D. Q2 'A march a farre off,' F 1 'March
afarre off, and shout within.' The 'shout' is prob. a
misprint for 'shoot.'
354. my dying voice Claudius being dead, Ham. is
now de facto king. .It was the constitutional theory of
the age that the 'voice' of the reigning monarch, when