The 1599 version was used as the copy-text for the following edition. 1597 and 1609 publications were also compared and consulted for textual adaptations. Annotations are color-coded and expanded upon following the edition. Language has been altered to modern English for a more casual-reader-friendly edition.
Edition
Tybalt
1. Patience perforce, with wilfull choller meeting
2. Makes my fleth tremble in their different greeting:
3. I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall
4. Now seeming sweet, convert to bitterst gall. (Exit.)
Romeo
5. If I prophane with my unworthie hand,
6. This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
7. My lips two blushing Pilgrims did readie stand,
8. To smoothe that rough touch with a tender kiss.
Juliet
9. Good Pilgrim you do wrong your hand too much
10. Which mannerly deuocion (devotion) shows in this,
11. For saints have hands, that Pilgrims hands do touch
12. And palme to palme is holy Palmers kiss.
Romeo
13. Have not Saints lips and holy Palmers too?
Juliet
14. I Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
Romeo
15. O then deare Saint, let lips do what hands do,
16. They pray (grant thou) least faith turne to despaire.
Juliet
17. Saints do not move thogh grant for prayers sake.
Romeo
18. Then move not while my praiers effect I take,
19. Thus from my lips, by thine my fin purged
Juliet
20. The have my lips the fin that they have tooke.
Romeo
21. Sin from my lips, o trespas sweetly vrged:
22. Give me my fin againe.
Juliet
23. Youe kisse bith booke.
Nurse
24. Madam your mother craves a word with you.
Romeo
25. What is her mother?
Nurse
26. Marrie Batcheler,
27. Her mother is the Lady of the house,
28. And a good Ladie, and a wife and vertuous,
29. I nurst her daughter that you talkt withall:
30. I tell you, be that can lay hold of her
31. Shall have the chincks.
Romeo
32. Is she a Capulet?
33. O deare account! My life is my foes debt.
Benvolio
34. Away begon, the sport is at the best.
Romeo
35. I so I feare, the more is my unrest.
Capulet
36. Nay gentlemen prepare not to be gone,
37. We have a trifling foolish banquet towards:
38. Is it ene so? Why then I thanke you all.
39. I thanke you honest gentlemen, good night:
40. More torches here, come on, then lets to bed.
Annotations
1. In the 1597, first edition, “shall” is spelled gall. This mistake looks like a case of an eye skip, as the printer’s brain was looking ahead, thus substituting in a similar looking word. “Shall” is spelled “shal” in the 1609 edition. For this edition it is spelled “shall” for a more reader-friendly modern eye.
2. Romeo’s opening four-line speech is the first quatrian apart of a sonnet created between Romeo and Juliet’s first greetings. This line begins the first quatrain (ABAB). The sonnet form provides structure, mirroring the structure within both Romeo and Juliet’s home lives. It is a love poem, structured, but with room for change. The sonnet form is slightly broken, alluding to the idea that perhaps there is room for change. The famous sonnet may be considered cliche, but is only now seen as cliche becuase it has been read a thousand times.
3. The word “unworthie” is seen in the 1597 original, but is written “unworthiest” in both the copy text and 1609 edition. The word “unworthie” is used for both sound and to take away the implication that Romeo’s hand is the most unworthy, in a comparison to others. No other suitors are directly refrenced in this sonnet.
4. “This holy shrine” is printed in the copy text, origional first edition, and the 1609 edition. The “shrine” Romeo is referring to acts as a critical religious comparison reflected in each edition. Romeo is objecting Juliet in calling her a “holy shrine.” He prehpas implies that she is (her hand) a shrine, a holy shrine known to protect and hold bones, dead things. He puts her on a pedistol through this comparison, making her a statue. By admiring her as a statue he is dehumanizing and objectifying her in a very recogznible way.
5. Romeo personifies his body. As his lips are named blushing Pilgrims, he suggests they are travelers, a person or wanderer. Definitions of the word “Pilgrim” include a person on a journey, an alien or a stranger (OED).
6. The word “touch” is printed in the copy text, origional first edition, and the 1609 edition. It is a metric deviation from the iambic pentameter carried through the entire sonnet. This deviation comes in the fourth line of Romeo’s speech, a trochee emphasizing the touch. By adding this tale, this sonnet takes an unconventional form, but still works. The sound and the emphasis on this connecting of two bodies alludes to the idea that one can break the traditional (sonnet) rules and still find love; and still function.
7. Definitions of “holy” include kept or regarded as inviolated from ordinary use, and appropriated or set apart for religious use or observance (OED). Holy is printed in each analyzed edition. It connects a kiss, between to bodies, and religious influence. This description allows religion and desire to interconnect.
8. Definitions of “Palmer” include a pilgrim, one returning from a holy land. Also an inherent monk travelling from shrine to shrine under a perpetual vow of poverty (OED).
9. Defintions of “fin” include an organ attached to various parts of the body (in fishes and cetaceans) (OED). Defintions of “purged” are described as a way to make physically pure, or to clean by the removal of dirty, impurities, or waste matter; to be cleaned or purified in a moral or spiritual way (OED).
10. In the copy text, origional 1597, and 1609 edition, “virtuous” is the printed adjective to acompany a description of womanhood. With patriarchal expectations set for woman, it is no surprise a modern eye would be able to deem this description as troublesome. Although virtuous is not inherently negative, it implies a need for a woman to be connected to men, through marriage, and to be “good.” Definitions for “virtuous” include able to do something, to be capable, and free from wickedness (OED). This definition suggests a woman is only capable of marriage and/or must be “good” and married to reach true womanhood.
11. The house of Capulet is one of Verona’s most powerful families, fuding with the house of Montegue. Romeo and Juliet’s bodies don’t belong to them, they belong to their families and family names. As seen in arranged marriages and the ongoing fude between both families, names are of the utmost importance. In asking about names, these two characters emphasis that both Romeo and Juliet’s bodies belong to their names. The sonnet is structured to illustrate the structured family lives for the both of them. However, it is clear there is room to change in a sonnet form, leaving these two the space to make their bodies connect, regardless of their names.
Rationale
When deciding which text to make the copy text, I found the 1599 edition to include stage directions and spellings from both the origional 1597 edition and the 1609 edition. I thought it would be interesting to compare the first three editions; to follow the changes between printings in a consecutive series. The 1599 edition literally provided a middle-of-the-line comparison, as it was published second, but also kept many details from the first edition. The small changes in this edition were carried into the 1609 edition, proving to be an impactful change worth keeping.
When writing my own edition, I decided to make reader-friendly changes. I modernized letters, wrote “f” as “s” and “u” as “v.” These changes allowed me to get a better understand of the text. With my modern eye, I was able to better comprehend the text while not heavily disrupting the sounds (iamb) within the text. I made sure to include some specific sounds from the first 1597 edition. This can be seen in line five: “If I prophane with my unworthie hand.” By keeping “unworthie” I found the sound of this line was better fit for this edition. I also found it important that this came from the origional edition. It is important to recognize this was printed in the first edition.
In the body of this edition, I was careful not to disrupt the sonnet created between Romeo and Juliet. Both the structure and sounds of this sonnet make it one of the most read-and-re-read love poems. Part of why I decided to use the first three editions was because I did not want to be influenced by texts greatly disrupted with time, in hopes that the sonnet would be close to identical in each edition. Facinated by the structure of these lines, it was important to be cautious and provide enough white space in my edition for the reader to take their time reading; to slowly appreciate its form.
When writing my annotations, I hoped to provide the reader both context clues and definitions important for a deeper understanding of this text. Each word I provided a definition for was used in each of the three editions used for in my comparative analysis. I chose words that would have ties to religion, patriarchal norms, bodies, and thus connect the larger themes in the love story between Romeo and Juliet. For example, the word “Virtuous” is defined in a religious context and written in this edition directing the reader to patriarchal norms. I also chose to bring the readers attention to the importance of names and bodies. When defining “Capulet” I wanted to be sure to allow the reader to see how names are a sign of cultural affiliation; bodies we figure as ourselves can belong to someone, something else–to a name.
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 C3v-C4r. 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 publiquely acted, by the right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his Seruants. Printed by Thomas Creede. London, 1599. Pages C4r-C4v. STC 22323.
Shakespeare, William. The most excellent and lamentable tragedie, of Romeo and Juliet As it hath beene sundrie times publiquely acted, by the Kings. Printed by John Windet. London, 1609. Pages C4r-C4v. STC 22324.