O cleft293 effect! Cold modesty, hot wrath,
Both fire from hence and chill extincture294 hath.
‘For lo, his passion, but an art of craft295,
Even there resolved296 my reason into tears.
There my white stole297 of chastity I daffed,
Shook off my sober guards298 and civil fears,
Appear to him as he to me appears,
All melting, though our drops this difference bore:
His poisoned me and mine did him restore.
‘In him a plenitude of subtle302 matter,
Applied to cautels303, all strange forms receives,
Of burning blushes, or of weeping water,
Or swooning paleness: and he takes and leaves,
In either’s aptness, as it best deceives305,
To blush at speeches rank307, to weep at woes,
Or to turn white and swoon at tragic shows,
‘That not a heart which in his level309 came
Could scape the hail of his all-hurting aim,
Showing fair nature is both kind and tame311,
And, veiled in them312, did win whom he would maim.
Against the thing he sought he would exclaim313,
When he most burned in heart-wished luxury314,
He preached pure maid and praised cold chastity.
‘Thus merely316 with the garment of a grace
The naked and concealèd fiend he covered,
That th’unexperient318 gave the tempter place,
Which319 like a cherubin above them hovered.
Who, young and simple320, would not be so lovered?
Ay me, I fell321, and yet do question make
What I should do again for such a sake322.
‘O, that infected moisture of his eye,
O, that false fire which in his cheek so glowed,
O, that forced thunder from his heart did fly,
O, that sad breath his spongy326 lungs bestowed,
O, all that borrowed motion327 seeming owed,
Would yet again betray the fore-betrayed328
And new pervert a reconcilèd329 maid.’
TEXTUAL NOTES
VENUS AND ADONIS
Q = First Quarto text of 1593
Q2 = a correction introduced in the Second Quarto text of 1594
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
185 Souring = Q (So wring)193 shines but = Q corrected by hand in unique copy to shineth but198 earthly = Q corrected by hand in unique copy to this earthly231 deer spelled deare in Q325 chafing = Q. Ed = chasing 466 love = Q. Ed = loss654 air = Q. Ed = earth748 th’impartial = Q2. Q = the th’impartiall754 sons = Q2. Q = suns832 deeply = Q. Ed = doubly873 twined = Q (twin’d). Ed = twine962 the = Q. Ed = her1031 are = Q. Ed = as1054 had = Q. Ed = was1095 sung = Ed. Q = song1113 did = Q. Q2 = would
THE RAPE OF LUCRECE
Q = First Quarto text of 1594
Q (uncorrected) = uncorrected version of this edition
Q (corrected) = corrected version of this edition
Q2 = a correction introduced in the Second Quarto text of 1598
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
THE RAPE OF LUCRECE = Q (poem header and running header, but just LUCRECE on title page)21 peer = Q. Q2 = prince24 morning’s = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = morning31 apology = Q (uncorrected). Q (corrected) = Apologies48 repentant = Q. Ed = repentance50 Collatium = Q (uncorrected). Q (corrected) = Colatia77 in = Q. Ed = o’er125 themselves betake = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = himself betakes126 wake = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = wakes425 Slaked spelled Slakt in Q. Ed = Slacked550 blows = Ed. Q = blow684 prone = Q. Ed = proud/foul755 in = Q. Ed = e’en782 musty = Q. Ed = misty812 quote spelled cote in Q 950 cherish = Q. Ed = perish/blemish1037 betumbled spelled betombled in Q1310 tenor spelled tenure in Q1316 stained her stained = Q. Ed = stained her strain’d/stained her stain’s1452 chaps spelled chops in Q 1652 robbed spelled rob’d in Q1680 on = Q. Ed = one/in1712 The = Q. Ed = Her1713 in it = Ed. Q = it in1822 wounds help = Q. Ed = wounds heal
THE PASSIONATE PILGRIM
O1 = First Octavo text of 1598/99
O2 = Second Octavo text of 1599
O3 = Third Octavo text of 1612
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
EH = England’s Helicon (1600)
Griffin = Bartholomew Griffin’s Fidessa (1596)
LLL = Love’s Labour’s Lost (1597/1623)
MS = manuscript copy/copies held in Folger Library
Weelkes = Thomas Weelkes, Madrigals to 3, 4, 5, and 6 voices (1597)
The only surviving copy of O1 is a fragment containing poems 1–5, 16–18; the remaining poems are edited from O2
1.11 habit’s in = O1. O2 = habite is
3.11 Exhal’st = LLL (Exhalst). O1 = Exhalt, O2 = Exhale
4.13 her = O2. O1 = his
7.10 whereof = O2. O3 = thereof11 midst = O3. O2 = mids
10.1 faded spelled vaded in O28 left’st = Ed. O2 = lefts
11.1 Adonis = O2. Griffin = yong Adonis3 god = O2/O3. MS = great 4 she fell = O2/O3. Griffin = so fell she5 warlike = O2/O3. Griffin = wanton
13.2 fadeth spelled vadeth in O (also subsequently)
14.3 care = O2. O3 = eare14 the watch = O2. Ed = them watch27 a moon = Ed. O2/O3 = an houre
16.12 thorn = EH. O1 = throne
17.27 stand = Weelkes/EH. O1 = stands28 back peeping = EH. O1 = blacke peeping; Weelkes = back creping34 woe = O1. EH = moane
19.1 Live = O2. EH = Come live
“TO THE QUEEN”
Stanford = a reading in the original manuscript of “To the Queen” (commonplace book of Henry Stanford, Cambridge University Library MS Dd.5.75, fol. 46)
Ed = a modern editorial reading
TO THE QUEEN = Stanford (“to the Q. by the players 1598”); date is old-style calendar
16 fathers’ = Ed. Stanford = father
“LET THE BIRD OF LOUDEST LAY”
The 1601 Quarto printing in Robert Chester’s collection, Love’s Martyr, contains no disputed readings.
SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS
Q = First Quarto text of 1609
MS = a reading in an early manuscript copy
O1 = First Octavo of The Passionate Pilgrim (1598/99)
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
2.4 tattered = MS. Q = totter’d11 ‘This…excuse’ speechmarks = Ed
5.14 Lose spelled Leese in Q
6.4 beauty’s = Ed. Q = beautits
8.0 MS Sonnet 8 = title “In laudem musice et opprobrium contemptoris eiusdem” (“In praise of music and opprobium of those who hold it in contempt”)14 ‘Thou…none’ speechmarks = Ed
12.4 all silvered o’er = Ed. Q = or siluer’d ore. Alternate Ed = are silver’d o’er/o’er-silvered all/ensilvered o’er/o’er-silvered are
13.7 Yourself = Ed. Q = You selfe
14.8 oft = Q. Ed = aught/ought
17.12 metre spelled miter in Q
19.5 fleet’st = Q. Ed = fleets14 ever live = Q. Ed = live ever
20.7 man in = Q. Ed = maiden/native/maid in
21.5 couplement = Q (coopelment). Ed = Complement
22.3 furrows = Q (forrwes). Ed = Sorrows4 expiate = Q. Ed = expirate
23.6 rite spelled right in Q9 books = Q. Ed = looks14 with…wit = Ed. Q = wit…wiht
24.1 stelled spelled steeld in Q
25.9 might = Ed. Q = worth. Alternate Ed = fight11 quite = Q. Ed = forth
26.11 tattered spelled tottered in Q12 thy = Ed. Q = their
27.2 travel spelled trauaill in Q10 thy = Ed. Q = their
28.5 either’s = Q (ethers). Ed = other’s12 gild’st the even = Ed. Q = guil’st th’ eauen13–14 longer…length…stronger = Q. Ed = longer…strength…stronger/stronger…length…longer
30.8 sight = Q. Ed = sigh
31.8 there = Q. Ed = thee
32.10 ‘Had…love’ speechmarks = Ed
33.8 west = Q. Ed = rest
34.12
cross = Ed. losse = Q
35.8 thy…thy = Ed. Q = their…their. Alternate Ed = thy…their/their…thy/thee…thy/these…these9 in sense = Q (in sence). Ed = Incense
37.7 thy = Ed. Q = their
39.12 dost = Q. Ed = do/doth
40.7 this self = Q. Ed = thy self8 thyself = Q (thy selfe). Ed = thy sense
41.8 he = Q. Ed = she9 mightst = Ed. Q = mighst
43.11 thy = Ed. Q = their
44.13 naught = Ed. Q = naughts
45.5 For = Q. Ed = Forth/So12 thy = Ed. Q = their
46.3, 8 thy = Ed. Q = their13, 14 thy = Ed. Q = their. Alternate Ed = thine
47.10 are = Q. Ed = art11 not = Ed. Q = nor. Alternate Ed = no
50.4 ‘Thus…friend’ speechmarks = Ed6 dully spelled duly in Q
51.11 neigh = Q (naigh). Ed = weigh/raign
54.14 fade spelled vade in Qmy = Ed. Q = by
55.1 monuments = Ed. Q = monument9 all oblivious = Q. Ed = all- oblivious/all oblivion’s
56.13 Or = Ed. Q = As. Alternate Ed = Else
58.11 To = Q. Ed = Do
59.11 whe’er spelled where in Q
61.8 tenure = Q. Ed = tenor
62.7 for = Q. Ed = sodo = Q. Ed = so10 Beated = Q. Ed = ’Bated/Batter’d/Blasted/Beaten
63.3 filed = Ed. Q = fild. Alternate Ed = filled
65.10 chest = Q. Ed = quest12 Or…of = Ed. Q = Or…or. Alternate Ed = Or…o’er
67.6 seeing = Q. Ed = seeming12 proud = Q. Ed = prov’d
69.3 that due = Ed. Q = that end. Alternate Ed = thy due5 Thy = Ed. Q = Their. Alternate Ed = Thine14 soil = Ed. Q = solye. Alternate Ed = solve
70.1 art = Ed. Q = are6 Thy = Ed. Q = Theiroft-time= MS (oftime). Q = of time
71.2 surly sullen = Q. MS = sullen surly8 you = Q. MS = me
72.6 To…me = Q. Ed = To do for me more
73.4 Bare ruined choirs = Ed. Q = Bare rn’wd quires. Alternate Ed = Bare ruin’d quires/Barren’d of quires
74.5 review = Q (reuew). Ed = renew
75.3 peace = Q. Ed = price/sake
76.7 tell = Ed. Q = fel. Alternate Ed = fell/sell
77.1 wear = Ed. Q = were3 The = Q. Ed = These6 thee = Q. Ed = the 10 blanks = Ed. Q = blacks
78.7 learnd’s = Q (learneds). Ed = learnedst
82.8 the = Q. Ed = these
85.3 Reserve their = Q. Ed = Preserve their/Rehearse your/Reserve your 4 filed = Q (fil’d). Ed = filled9 ‘’Tis…true’ speechmarks = Ed
86.13 filled = Q (fild). Ed = fil’d
88.1 disposed = Ed. Q = dispode
89.11 profane = Q (corrected). Q (uncorrected) = proface
90.11 shall = Ed. Q = stall
91.9 better = Ed. Q = bitter
95.12 turns = Q. Ed = turn
96.11 mightst = Ed. Q = mighst
97.4 bareness = Q. Ed = barrenness
98.9 lily’s spelled Lillies in Q11 were spelled weare in Q
99.9 One = Ed. Q = Our13 eat = Q (eate). Ed = ate
100.14 prevent’st = Ed. Q = preuenst. Alternate Ed = preven’st
101.11 him = Q. Ed = her14 him…he = Q. Ed = her…she
102.8 his = Q. Ed = her
104.1 friend = Q. Ed = love5 autumn = Q (Autumne). Ed = autumns
106.1 chronicle of wasted = Q. MS = annals of all-wasting2 descriptions = Q (disciptions). Ed = discription3 rhyme = Q. Ed = mine6 Of…foot = Q. MS = Of face, of handof eye = Q. MS = or eyeof brow = Q. MS = or brow9 their = Q. Ed = these11 divining = Q. MS = deceiving12 skill = MS/Ed. Q = still. Alternate Ed = styleyour = Q. MS/Ed = thy
108.3 now = Q. Ed = new
111.1 with = Ed. Q = wish2 harmful = Q. Ed = harmless12 to = Q. Ed = too
112.8 or changes = Q. Ed = e’er changes/o’erchanges14 you’re spelled y’are in Q
113.6 bird, of = Q. Ed = birds, orlatch = Ed. Q = lack8 catch = Q. Ed = take10 sweet favour = Q (sweet-fauor). Ed = sweet-favoured 14 makes mine eye = Ed. Q = maketh mine. Alternate Ed = mak’th mine eye
116.8 worth’s = Q. Ed = north’s
118.5 ne’er-cloying = Q (nere cloying). Ed = neare cloying
119.7 fitted = Q. Ed = flitted
126.2 fickle = Q. Ed = ticklesickle = Q. Ed = fickle/tickle8 minutes = Ed. Q = mynuit
127.9 brows…eyes = Ed. Q = eyes…eyes. Alternate Ed = eyes…brows/eyes…hairs/hairs…eyes/eyes…brow10 and = Q. Ed = that/as
128.14 thy fingers = Ed. Q = their fingers. MS = youre fingersthy lips = Q. MS = youre lipes
129.11 and proved a = Ed. Q = and proud and
132.2 torment = Q. Ed = torments6 the east = Ed. Q = th’East
136.14 lovest = Q. Ed = lov’st
138.12 to have = O1. Q = t’haue
140.13 belied = Ed. Q = be lyde
144.6 side = O1. Q = sight9 fiend spelled finde in Q
145.2, 9, 13 ‘I hate’ speechmarks = Ed14 ‘not you’ speechmarks = Ed.
146.2 [] these = Ed. Q = My sinful earth. Alternate Ed = Fool’d by those/Starv’d by the/Hemmed with these/Gull’d by these/Feeding these/Spoiled by these/Seiged by these
148.8 ‘no’ speechmarks = Ed. Q = all mens: no
151.14 ‘love’ speechmarks = Ed
152.14 so = Ed. Q = fo
153.8 strange = Q (strang). Ed = strong14 eyes = Ed. Q = eye
“A LOVER’S COMPLAINT”
Q = Quarto text of 1609
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
7 sorrow’s = Ed. Q = sorrowes14 lattice = Ed. Q = lettice37 beaded = Ed. Q = bedded51 gave = Q. Ed = ’gan80 O, one = Q (O one). Ed = Of one102 May = Q. Ed = March118 Came = Ed. Q = Can135 in it put = Q. Ed = put it in161 wits = Q. Ed = wills182 woo = Ed. Q = vovv198 pallid = Q (palyd). Ed = pald204 hair = Ed. Q = heir228 Hallowed = Ed. Q = Hollowed241 Paling = Ed. Q = Playing251 immured = Ed. Q = enur’d 252 procured = Ed. Q = procure260 nun = Ed. Q = Sunne261 ay = Ed. Q = I270 kindred, fame = Ed. Q = kindred fame271 peace = Q. Ed = proof293 O = Ed. Q = Or305 swooning = Ed. Q = sounding308 swoon = Ed. Q = sound
SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS: A CHRONOLOGY
1589–91 ? Arden of Faversham (possible part authorship)
1589–92 The Taming of the Shrew
1589–92 ? Edward the Third (possible part authorship)
1591 The Second Part of Henry the Sixth, originally called The First Part of the Contention betwixt the Two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster (element of co-authorship possible)
1591 The Third Part of Henry the Sixth, originally called The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York (element of co-authorship probable)
1591–92 The Two Gentlemen of Verona
1591–92 perhaps revised 1594 The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus (probably co-written with, or revising an earlier version by, George Peele)
1592 The First Part of Henry the Sixth, probably with Thomas Nashe and others
1592/94 King Richard the Third
1593 Venus and Adonis (poem)
1593–94 The Rape of Lucrece (poem)
1593–1608 Sonnets (154 poems, published 1609 with “A Lover’s Complaint,” a poem of disputed authorship)
1592–94/1600–03 Sir Thomas More (a single scene for a play originally by Anthony Munday, with other revisions by Henry Chettle, Thomas Dekker, and Thomas Heywood)
1594 The Comedy of Errors
1595 Love’s Labour’s Lost
1595–97 Love’s Labour’s Won (a lost play, unless the original title for another comedy)
1595–96 A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1595–96 The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
1595–96 King Richard the Second
1595–97 The Life and Death of King John (possibly earlier)
1596–97 The Merchant of Venice
1596–97 The First Part of Henry the Fourth
1597–98 The Second Part of Henry the Fourth
1598 Much Ado about Nothing
1598–99 The Passionate Pilgrim (20 poems, some not by Shakespeare)
1599 The Life of Henry the Fifth
1599 “To the Queen” (epilogue for a court perf
ormance)
1599 As You Like It
1599 The Tragedy of Julius Caesar
1600–01 The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (perhaps revising an earlier version)
1600–01 The Merry Wives of Windsor (perhaps revising version of 1597–99)
1601 “Let the Bird of Loudest Lay” (poem, known since 1807 as “The Phoenix and Turtle” (turtledove))
1601 Twelfth Night, or What You Will
1601–02 The Tragedy of Troilus and Cressida
1604 The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice
1604 Measure for Measure
1605 All’s Well that Ends Well
1605 The Life of Timon of Athens, with Thomas Middleton
1605–06 The Tragedy of King Lear
1605–08 ? contribution to The Four Plays in One (lost, except for A Yorkshire Tragedy, mostly by Thomas Middleton)
1606 The Tragedy of Macbeth (surviving text has additional scenes by Thomas Middleton)
1606–07 The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra
1608 The Tragedy of Coriolanus
1608 Pericles, Prince of Tyre, with George Wilkins
1610 The Tragedy of Cymbeline
1611 The Winter’s Tale
1611 The Tempest
1612–13 Cardenio, with John Fletcher (survives only in later adaptation called Double Falsehood, by Lewis Theobald)
1613 Henry VIII (All Is True), with John Fletcher
1613–14 The Two Noble Kinsmen, with John Fletcher
FURTHER READING
Auden, W. H., Introduction to Signet Classics edition of the Sonnets, ed. William Burto (1964). A poet’s reading, with some attention to the question of homosexuality.
Bate, Jonathan, “Sexual Poetry,” chap. 2 of Shakespeare and Ovid (1993), “Shakespeare’s Autobiographical Poems?” chap. 3 of The Genius of Shakespeare (1997, revised edition 2008), and “The Perplexities of Love,” chap. 12 of Soul of the Age: The Life, Mind and World of William Shakespeare (2008). Two different takes on the sonnets and an essay on the Ovidianism of the narrative poems by the editor of this volume.
Berryman, John, Berryman’s Shakespeare, ed. John Haffenden (1999). Includes reflections on the sonnets by one of modern poetry’s greatest sonnet writers.
The Sonnets and Other Poems Page 23