Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The TragediesJohnson, Samuel
General
Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies
Johnson, Samuel
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation
I.iii.144 (382,1) men whose heads/Do grow beneath their shoulders] Of
these men there is an account in the interpolated travels of Mondeville,
a book of that time.
I.iii.199 (384,4) Let me speak like yourself;] [W: our self] Hanmer
reads,
_Let me_ now speak _more_ like your self.
Dr. Warburton's emendation is specious; but I do not see how Hanmer's
makes any alteration. The duke seems to mean, when he says he will speak
like Brabantio, that he will speak sententiously.
I.iii.213 (385,6) But the free comfort which from thence he hears] But
the moral precepts of consolation, which are liberally bestowed on
occasion of the sentence.
I.iii.232 (386,8) thrice-driven bed of down] A _driven_ bed, is a bed
for which the feathers are selected, by _driving_ with a fan, which
separates the light from the heavy.
I.iii.237 (337,9)
I crave fit disposition for my wife;
Due reverence of place, and exhibition]
I desire, that a proper _disposition_ be made for my wife, that she may
have _precedency_, and _revenue_, accommodation, and _company_, suitable
to her rank.
For _reference_ of place, the old quartos have _reverence_, which Hanmer
has received. I should read,
_Due_ preference _of place_.--
I.iii.246 (387,1) And let me find a charter in your voice] Let your
favour _privilege_ me.
I.iii.250 (387,2) My down-right violence and storm of fortunes] [W: to
forms, my fortunes] There is no need of this emendation. _Violence_ is
not _violence suffered_, but _violence acted_. Breach of common rules
and obligations. The old quarto has, _scorn_ of fortune, which is
perhaps the true reading.
I.iii.253 (388,3) I saw Othello's visage in his mind] It must raise no
wonder, that I loved a man of an appearance so little engaging; I saw
his face only in his mind; the greatness of his character reconciled me
to his form.
I.iii.264 (386,4)
Nor to comply with heat (the young affects,
In me defunct) and proper satisfaction]
[T: me distinct, i.e. with that heat and new affections which the
indulgence of my appetite has raised and created. This is the meaning of
_defunct_, which has made all the difficulty of the passage. WARBURTON.]
I do not think that Mr. Theobald's emendation clears the text from
embarrassment, though it is with a little imaginary improvement received
by Hanmer, who reads thus:
_Nor to comply with heat_, affects the young
_In my_ distinct _and proper satisfaction_.
Dr. Warburton's explanation is not more satisfactory: what made the
difficulty, will continue to make it. I read,
--_I beg it not,
To please the palate of my appetite,
Nor to comply with heat (the young affects
In me defunct) and proper satisfaction;
But to be free and bounteous to her mind._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account