The 1599 version was used as the copy text for the following edition. 1597 and 1637 publications were also consulted for wording, punctuation, and stage direction variations. Language has been modified to modern English. Annotations are numbered, color-coded, and follow after the edition.
Edition
Friar
- How long hath he bin there?
Balthazar (1)
- Full halfe an hour and more (2)
Friar
- Go with me to the Vault
Balthazar
- I dare not sir.
- My Master knowes not but I am gone hence,
- And fearfully did menace me with death
- If I did stay to looke on his entents (3)
Friar
- Stay then ile go alone, feare comes upon me.
- O much I feare some ill unthrifte thing.
- Fryer stoops and lookes on the blood and weapons (4)
Balthazar
- As I did sleep under this yong tree heere,
- I dreamt my maister and another fought,
- And that my maister slew him.
Friar. Romeo.
- Alack alack, what bloud is this which staines
- the stony entrance of this Sepulcher? (5)
- What meane these maisterlesse and goarie swords
- To he discolour’d by this place of peace?
- Romeo, oh pale! Who else, what Paris too?
- And sleept in bloud? ah what an unkind hower
- Is guiltie of this lamentable chance?
- The Lady stures
Juliet
- O comfortable Frier, where is my Lord?
- I doe remember well where I should be,
- And there I am:
- Where is my Romeo?
Friar
- I heare some noise Lady, come from that nest
- Of death, contagion, and unnatruall sleep:
- A greater power than we can contradict
- Hath thwarted our intents: come, come away,
- Thy husband in thy bosom there lyes dead,
- And Paris too: come, ile dispose of thee
- Among a sister-hood of holy Nunnes.
- Stay not to question, for the watch is coming.
- Come, goe good Juliet, I dare no longer stay.
Juliet
- Ah leave me, leave me, I will not from hence.
- Go get thee hence, for I will not away.
- Whats heere? a cup close in my true loves hand?
- Poison I see hath bin his timelesse end:
- O churle, drunke all, and left no friendly drop (6)
- To help me after, I will kisse thy lips,
- Happile some poyson yet doth hang on them,
- To make me dye with a restorative. (7)
- Thy lips are warm.
- Enter boy and watch
Watch
- Leade boy, which way.
Juliet
- I, noise? then must I be resolute.
- O happy dagger thou shalt end my fare, (8)
- Rest in my bosom, thus I come to thee. (9)
49. She stabs herselfe and falles. (10)
Annotations
(1) In the 1599 copy text and in the 1597 original these lines are by “Man.” In the 1637 version they are by “Balthazar.” Using the character Balthazar’s name instead of Man adds clarity and purpose to the lines.
(2) The words “and more” are seen in the 1597 original version, yet not in the 1599 copy text. The words “and more” emphasize the time that has passed, as well as contribute to the anxious tone that adorns the Friar and Balthazar as they make this discovery.
(3) “Entents” spelled “intents” in the 1637 version. In the 1597 version, the word used is “enterprize.”
(4) This stage direction appears in the 1597 original text, and not in the copy text. This direction is helpful in terms of staging where the actors are standing at this moment, and contributes to the curiosity and confusion that the Friar is experiencing.
(5) Definitions of this word include burial place, tomb, vault, and also the cave where Jesus Christ was buried in the Christian religion (OED).
(6) Defined as a male human being or husband (OED).
(7) Defined as renewing or restoring, and also as a food, medicine, or treatment with the capability to renew or restore (OED). It is of note that Juliet wishes to die with something that is defined as having the capability to restore; the only thing that will restore her is dying with Romeo so that they can be together.
(8) Many seventeenth-century definitions of the word happy mean a blessing (OED). Here, Juliet thinks the dagger is a blessing or gift so that she can join her husband in death.
(9) This line appears in the 1597 original version. In the copy text it appears as “This is thy sheath, there rust and let me dye.” The wording of “rest in my bosom, thus I come to thee” work to explain the action Juliet is taking, and there is significance of using the word “bosom” to connect her physical body and heart to the emotions she is feeling.
(10) This stage direction does not appear in the copy text but it appears in the 1597 original version. It further emphasizes the action that Juliet has taken as well as explains that she falls to the ground afterwards, adding to the drama and tragedy of this moment.
Rationale
When I was choosing what variant to use as a copy text, I found that the 1599 version seemed to include the most similarities between both the 1597 and the 1637 versions of the play. The 1599 and 1637 versions were very similar, but the 1597 original version had many differences from these two in terms of wording, stage directions, and even how many lines the scene I chose was. So, I knew that for this portion of the project, I would refer to the 1599 version because of the way it was almost in the middle of the other two in terms of differences. In other words, it was the most comprehensive.
While working on my own edition, I modernized letters so that I, as a modern reader, would be better able to understand each line. I also used some of my annotations to make note of where I strayed from the 1599 copy text and why. One moment where I thought the reader should be aware of such reasoning was in line 10: “Fryer stoops and lookes on the blood and weapons.” This stage direction only appeared in the 1597 version that I consulted, but I thought that it helped set the scene and paint the picture and was therefore necessary in my edition. I also thought it might be interesting for the reader to know that this only appeared in that version, and consider whether or not it was necessary, like I did when I was deciding if I should include it in my own edition or not.
I did choose a few other moments from the 1597 version for my edition. I did this partly because it was the first edition published, and this fact seemed important, and also partly because I felt the way some moments were worded were clearer in that version. For example, the ending of the section I chose, where Juliet stabs herself, feels more dramatic and tragic with the lines “O happy dagger thou shalt end my fare,/ Rest in my bosom, thus I come to thee.” The other versions worded these lines very differently, but I felt like the original wording fit Juliet’s emotions in this scene the most. Also, with the focus on the body and literature in this course, Juliet’s reference to her own body meeting death was something I could not ignore.
The words that I chose to gloss were words that I felt either contributed to something bigger in the plot and therefore needed to be explained, or, more simply, words that I had to look up myself in order for the lines to make more sense to me as a modern editor. For example, the word “happy” in line 47 peaked my interest because the modern definition of “happy” would probably not be used to describe finding a dagger to kill oneself with. However, once I researched that this word was most likely used to mean “blessing,” the choice of “happy” made all the more sense, as Juliet is thankful that she has the means to join Romeo in death.
One word that I glossed that felt more important to the plot overall was “Sepulcher” because I knew that this term could have religious ties. There was discussion in class about the fact that Juliet dies and is resurrected the same way that Jesus Christ was, so I decided to include this definition in my edition because it was something the reader should think about and consider throughout this scene of the play. While creating my own edition of these lines, I considered what I, as a modern reader, would need to know in order for the lines to be properly understood and analyzed.
Bibliography
OED Online. April 2022. Oxford University Press. https://www-oed-com.ezproxy.trincoll.edu
Shakespeare, William. An excellent conceited tragedie of Romeo and Juliet As it hath been often (with great applause) plaid publicly, by the right Honourable of the L. of Hunsdon his Seruants. Printed by John Danter and Edward Allde. London, 1597. Pages K2r-K2v. STC 22322.
Shakespeare, William. The most excellent and lamentable tragedie, of Romeo and Juliet. Newly corrected, augmented, and amended: as it hath bene sundry times publicuely acted, by the right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants. Printed by Thomas Creed for Cuthbert Burby. London, 1599. Pages L3v-L4r. STC 22323.
Shakespeare, William. The most excellent and lamentable tradedie of Romeo and Juliet As it hath been sundry times publikely acted by the Kings Majesties Servants at the Globe. Printed by R. Young for John Smethwicke. London, 1637. Pages L1v-L2r. STC 22326.