Edited Script Romeo and Juliet Editing Project Pg 2
They draw, to them enters Tybalt, they fight, to them the Prince, old Mountague, and his wife, old Capulet and his wife, and other Citizens and part them.
Prince▪
Rebellious subjects enemies to peace,
On paine of torture, from those bloody handes1
Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground.
Three Ciuell2 brawls bred of an airy word,
By the old Capulet3 and Montague,
1 The terminal part of the human arm beyond the wrist, consisting of the palm, four fingers, and thumb, and used for grasping, holding, and manipulating things, and for gesturing
2 Civil: Of warfare, conflict, etc.: occurring within a society or community; taking place between inhabitants of the same country or state, or between the populace and the ruling power
3 A member or citizen of the family or party (Juliet) in a Romeo and Juliet couple
Have thrice disturbd the quiet of our streets.
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the ransom of your fault:
For this time euery man departs in peace.
Come Capulet come you along with me,
And Mountague4, come you this afternoon,
To know our farther pleasure in this case,
To old free Town our common judgment place,
Once more on pain of death each man departs.
Exeunt5.
M: wife.
Who set this ancient quarrel first abroach?
Speake Nephew, were you by when it began?
Benuo:
Here were the servants of your adversaries,
And your close fighting here I did approach.
Wife:
Ah, where is Romeo, saw you him today?
Right glad I am he was not at this fray.
Ben:
Madame, an hour before the worshipt sunne
4 A member or citizen of the family or party of the husband(Romeo) in a Romeo and Juliet couple
5 A stage direction (originally exeant) signifying that at this point two or more actors leave the stage. So in exeunt omnes ‘all go out’, a direction for all to retire
6 Long lasting tension between the two families, Capulet and Mountaque, resulting in many quarrels between the two families
7 Law. An opposing party in a dispute or legal action
8The bright celestial object at the centre of the solar system, and related senses
Peep through the golden window of the East,
A troubled thought drew me from companie:
Where underneath the group Sycamore,9
That Westward rooteth from the Cities side,
So early walking might I see your sonne.
I drew towards him, but he was ware of me,
And drew into the thicket of the wood:
I noting his affections by mine owne,
That most are busied when the are most alone,
Pursued my honor, not pursuing his.
Moun:
Black and portentous must this honor proue,
Vinesse good counsel due the cause remote.
Ben:
Why tell me Uncle do you know the cause?
9 A species of fig tree, Ficus Sycomorus, common in Egypt, Syria, and other countries, and having leaves somewhat resembling those of the mulberry
10 Having the nature or quality of a portent; ominous, threatening
Reflection:
Having read Shakespeare, specifically Romeo and Juliet, over 4 times throughout my high school and college Education I am fairly familiar with the difficult wording and complex style which can often lead to confusion. Something I had not realized until the editing project was the numerous variations between printing editions and their substantial impact on the reader.
These decisions and edits I made challenged my thought process with words for example, handes and hands or sun and sunne which has 4 different meanings. These are choices I have never had to decide between in my writing as over the course of time their counterparts had been weeded out with modern english. I felt with the old English style already being confusing enough as it is, to then use some of the footnotes for definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary which provided context as well as root origin and prior use to clarify the reading and ease the complexity. I was planning to designate some footnotes for the variations in letters and mark the differences in the footnotes. In some of the printings in which letters were for example vv symbolized w and also varied depending upon the capitilization, I made the decision to change to the modern form of the letter which I honestly am unsure is within the parameters of the editing project. In my eyes, I feel as though the decision is well justified and allows for focus on the matter within the text and shifts the focus away from deciphering the meaning of the letters and words.
A large portion of my decision making can be associated with our copy text of Romeo and Juliet, a modern edition with no hints of style to old english. When making my decisions between variants, I felt it important to root the text with its old english style seen in printings pre eighteenth century. Noting this, I felt a slight modernization of words and spelling would allow for continued clarity initiated by the footnotes. This touch of old english still whined into the text pays homage to prior editors and printers of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a homage many previous editors and printers likely made to keep the edition feeling classic.
Complex situations in the text arose when there were references to both sunne and sonne, the latter meaning son, or male child of a mother and father. I attempted to clarify and bring distinction between the two by including the definition of sunne, or sun in the footnotes made accessible to the reader. Why Shakespeare choose to add such similar words of meaning and sound, one may never know. Too me, I felt it all apart of his style which I attempted to replicate and modernize.
“Discover the Story of Englishmore than 600,000 Words, over a Thousand Years.” Home : Oxford English Dictionary, https://www.oed.com/.
STC (2nd ed.) / 22326. Shakespeare , William. “The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedie of – Proquest.” ProQuest, R. Young, https://www.proquest.com/docview/2240922513. (Copy Text)
STC (2nd ed.) / 22322. Shakespeare, William. “An excellent conceited tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet As it hath been often (with great applause) plaid publiquely” ProQuest, Danter John, https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.trincoll.edu/eebo/docview/2240913904
STC (2nd ed.) / 22273. Shakespeare, William. “Mr. VVilliam Shakespeares comedies, histories, & tragedies Published according to the true originall copies.” ProQuest, Laggard Isaac, ED Blount,