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  • Title: An Humorous Day's Mirth: Textual Introduction
  • Author: Eleanor Lowe

  • Copyright Digital Renaissance Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Eleanor Lowe
    Peer Reviewed

    Textual Introduction

    Punctuation

    The punctuation of the Quarto lightly guides the reader towards meaning. Yamada notes that the compositor was keen to use commas and full stops, but mainly the former.[195] This edition has sought to avoid the over-punctuation favoured by Parrott and Shepherd, particularly in the liberal use of semi-colons and exclamation marks. The intention has been to punctuate lightly, aiding the user始s understanding of difficult passages whilst hoping not to reduce alternative interpretations; options are available discussed in the notes. Certain decisions involving punctuation require a simple commitment to a particular reading of a line. In particular, Scene 1 presents problems of interpretation due to the complex nature of Labervele始s discourse and syntax, coupled with the setting of the scene in prose, when it was clearly written in verse. Labervele始s speech is sprinkled with commas where the user始s understanding is better guided with more decisive punctuation.

    75TLN 1091-1092 prompts a discussion of punctuation, not because the subject matter is especially complex, but simply in deciding the inflection of the line. Each previous editor has chosen different methods of conveying this. Q reads, ‘giue始s the cardes, here come, this gentleman and I wil go to cardes while dinner be ready.始 Berger is addressing Verone, the host, and referring to his companion, Rowley. The effect of the comma after ‘come始 is as a caesura in the line, before Berger informs Verone of his intention to fill the time with a game of cards, and this is the sense conveyed by Parrott始s edition: ‘Give始s the cards here, come!始 Berger始s intention is separated from his call for the cards.

    Shepherd places a full stop after ‘cards始, suggesting that the second thought is entirely separate from the first, when the Q reading seems to indicate an order followed by explanation. Shepherd始s punctuation of the line infers that Berger calls for the cards, then has the idea of playing with Rowley while dinner is prepared. Holaday places a semi-colon after ‘here始, so that ‘come始 relates not to the instruction given to Verone, but again to the notion that he will play with Rowley. This edition follows Edelman始s decision: ‘Come始 is part of an invitation to Rowley rather than the imperative command for the cards. Any of these choices can be supported with suitable reasoning, yet the final editorial decision cannot accommodate all possibilities. In this case, as in several, it is sensible to weigh up the arguments, make a decision and support it with explanation and other options.