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III
Editorial policy regarding historical place-names and significant names may go unnoticed when reading an individual play in a particular edition; on the basis of the cumulative evidence of a larger sample of names and editions, however, the surprising diversity and the changes in editorial attitudes become recognizable. From the authoritative texts to the editions of the last century an uninterrupted tradition of gradual modernization can be observed which comprises historical and significant names. The Cambridge Edition represents a turning point in this process. With historical names Clark and Wright preserved the stage of modernization which had already been attained; the twentieth century introduced the new tendency of returning to Elizabethan forms. With significant names the Cambridge editors restored a number of Elizabethan forms, both in cases where the meaning
In regard to both modernization and restoration, the practices of modern editors can be called at best experimental, at worst inconsistent. Each edition offers a different example of a compromise between editorial tradition and a partial reconsideration of the problem. No editor has consistently applied a recognizable principle; this is also true of those who simply preserve the Cambridge readings for they are on no safer ground. The inconsistency is the same whether a single editor or many (Arden, Yale) have prepared the texts. No two editions modernize or restore the same names. Three different editors may retain — in addition to the special cases of well-known characters — only three old forms, but the three names are never identical: W. J. Craig, for example, preserves Bede, Dizie, Dumbe; Wilson has Belman, Dizie, Turph; Sisson retains Belman, Dumbe, Turph. A similar phenomenon can be observed with place-names: Kittredge has Calais, Frankford, Harflew; the New Arden reads Callice (only R2), Frankfort, Harfleur; the Revised Yale offers Callice, Frankfort, Harflew.
Modern-spelling editions have been termed "semi-popular" and it is obvious that they cannot provide the best text for the Shakespeare scholar. But they will always present the main access to the plays, both for the general reader and for many a serious student of literature. Those readers who prefer a modern-spelling edition deserve to be offered a scholarly text prepared in a way which enables them to grasp the Shakespearean meaning as fully and as directly as present-day orthography permits. In such a case the need for an editor to be faithful to his original cannot be understood as an exact replication of selected copy-text forms. Quite apart from the possibility that these may be accidental and not authorial, it must be taken into account that they change their nature in a modernized context and begin to convey impressions which no longer reflect the author's intentions. It may be tempting to preserve some Elizabethan flavor with at least the proper names, but this can only be done at the expense of clarity. The principle of full modernization, once embraced, has to be applied without exception since it is only this method, paradoxically enough, that is able to reflect the Shakespearean meaning within the new context.
SURVEY OF READINGS
In this survey the modern editions consulted are listed in the order of their dates of publication in order to indicate possible dependencies. The following abbreviations have been used: G = Cambridge and Globe Editions; C = W. J. Craig (1892, Oxford Standard Authors 1905); A = Arden Shakespeare (1899-1924); N = W. A. Neilson (Riverside Edition, 1906; C. J. Hill's revised edition of 1942 makes no changes in proper names); Y = Yale Shakespeare (1917-1927); NC = New Cambridge Shakespeare (1921-1966); R = M. R. Ridley (New Temple Shakespeare, 1934-1936); K = G. L. Kittredge (1936); P = T. M. Parrott (1938; selection); Al = P. Alexander (1951); NA = New Arden Edition (1951-); S = C. J. Sisson (1954); RY = Revised Yale Edition (1954-); M = J. Munro (London Shakespeare, 1957). In addition, the forms preferred by H. Kökeritz, Shakespeare's Names: A Pronouncing Dictionary (1959), are included under the abbreviation "Kö". Some editions adopt the Cambridge readings in all cases and have, therefore, not been listed independently: C. H. Herford (Eversley Edition, 1899-1900); G. B. Harrison (1948); H. Craig (1951). The numbers preceding the OED variants refer to the centuries in which these forms were used (e.g. 6 = 16th century).
| Name in Modernized Form | Qq, Ff Emendations Modernizations | Modern Editions |
| BEAD (PEAD) | Q1: Pead | ___ |
| WIV 5.5.47 | F1: Bede | G, C, Y, R, M |
| Theobald i: Pede | Al | |
| Collier i: Bead | A, N, NC, K, S, Kö | |
| OED: 3-7 bede | ||
| BELLMAN | F1: Belman | G, A, N, Y, NC, R, K, Al, S, M, Kö |
| SHR Ind.1.20 | Bellman | C, RY |
| OED: 4-7 bel | ||
| CALAIS | Q1 (R2), F1: Callice | RY (R2, H5), NA (R2) |
| JN, R2, H5, 1H6, 3H6 | Rowe i: | G, C, A, N, Y, R, K, NC, P, Al, S, NA (JN, H5, 1H6, 3H6), M, Kö |
| Calais | ||
| Pope i: | ||
| DIZZY | F1: Dizie | K, P, M, Kö, NA |
| MM 4.3.11 | F2: Dizy | G, C, A, NC, Al |
| Pope i: Dizzy | N, Y, R, RY, S | |
| Steevens: Dicey | ___ | |
| OED: 6-7 dizie | ||
| DUMB | Q: Dumbe | G, C, N, Y, A, R, K, P, Al, S, M |
| 2H4 2.4.83 | F1: Dombe | ___ |
| F3: Domb | ___ | |
| Capell: Dumb | NC, Kö, NA | |
| OED: 4-7 dumbe | ||
| 4-7 dombe |
| ELBE | Qq1-3: Elme | ___ |
| H5 1.2.45,52 | F1: Elue | ___ |
| F2: Elve | R | |
| Capell: Elbe | G, C, A, N, Y, K, P, NC, Al, NA, S, RY, M, Kö | |
| FRANKFORT | Q1, F1: Franckford | ___ |
| MV 3.1.73 | F4: Frankford | K |
| Rowe iii: Frankfort | G, C, A, N, Y, NC, R, P, Al, S, NA, M, Kö, RY | |
| GISORS | F1: Guysors | G, C, A, N, R, K, Al, NC, S, M, Kö, NA |
| 1H6 1.1.61 | ||
| Gisors | Y | |
| HARFLEUR | Qq, F1: Harflew | K, RY |
| H5 | Rowe i: Harfleur | G, C, A, N, Y, P, NC, Al, NA, S, M, Kö |
| KIMBOLTON | F1: Kymmalton | ___ |
| H8 4.1.34 | F3: Kimbolton | G, C, N, A, Y, R, K, Al, S, M, Kö, NC |
| Kimmalton | NA | |
| LANCE TGV | F1: Launce | G, C, A, N, NC, Y, R, K, Al, S, M, Kö |
| Lance | ___ | |
| OED: 3-8 launce | ||
| LANCELET/LANCELOT MV | Q1: Launcelet | ___ |
| Q2, F1: Launcelet | ___ | |
| Lancelet | ___ | |
| Rowe i: Launcelot | G, C, A, N, Y, R, K, P, Al, NA, M, Kö, RY | |
| Lancelot | NC, S | |
| OED: 6 launcelet | ||
| MARSEILLES | ||
| AWW 4.4.9 | F1: Marcellæ | ___ |
| F2: Marsellis | A | |
| Rowe i: Marsellies | ___ | |
| Rowe iii: Marseilles | G, C, N, Y, R, K, Al, S, M, Kö | |
| Marseillës | NC | |
| Marcellus | NA | |
| AWW 4.5.72 | F1: Marcellus | NA |
| F2: Marsellis | A | |
| Rowe i: Marsellies | ___ | |
| Pope i: Marseilles | G, C, N, Y, NC, R, K, Al, S, M, Kö | |
| SHR 2.1.367 | F1: Marcellus | ___ |
| F2: Marsellis | ___ | |
| Rowe i: Marsellies | ___ | |
| Pope i: Marseilles' | G, C, A, N, Y, NC, R, K, Al, S, M, Kö | |
| Marcellus' | RY |
| MEISSEN | Qq1-3: Mesene | ___ |
| H5 1.2.53 | F1: Meisen | G, C, A, N, Y, R, K, P, NC, Al, S, M, Kö [Meis(s)en] |
| Meissen | NA, RY | |
| MOTE LLL | Qq, F1: Moth | G, C, N, A (LLL), NC, Y, R, K, P, NA (LLL), Al, S, M, Kö |
| MND 3.1.148 | White: Mote | A (MND) |
| OED: 6-7 (?moth) | ||
| OATCAKE | Q, F1: Ote-cake | ___ |
| ADO 3.3.10 | F4: Otecake | G, A, M |
| Rowe iii: Oatecake | ___ | |
| Johnson i: Oatcake | C, N, Y, NC, R, K, P, Al, S, Kö | |
| OED: 4-7 ote | ||
| PIMPERNEL | F1: Pimpernell | G, C, A, N, Y, NC, R, K, Al, RY, S, M, Kö |
| SHR Ind. 2.92 | ||
| Capell: Pimpernel | ___ | |
| OED: 6-7 pimpernell | ||
| POITIERS | ||
| JN 1.1.11 | F1: Poyctiers | ___ |
| 2.1.487 | ||
| 1H6 1.1.61 | F1: Poictiers | |
| 1H6 4.3.45 | F1: Poytiers | ___ |
| Pope i: Poictiers | G, C, A, N, R, K, Al, NC, NA, S, M | |
| Poitiers | Y, Kö [Poi(c)tiers] | |
| ROUEN | F1: Roan | C, A, Y, K, RY (H5) |
| H5, 1H6 | Var '03: Rouen | G, N, R, P, Al, NC, S, NA, M, Kö |
| SEACOAL | Q: Sea-cole | ___ |
| ADO 3.3.10,12 | F1: Sea-coale | ___ |
| 3.5.52 | F4: Seacole | G, N, A, P, M |
| Rowe ii: Seacoale | ___ | |
| Capell: Seacoal | C, Y, NC, R, K, Al, S, Kö | |
| OED: 2-8 cole | ||
| SHOETIE | F1: Shootie | A, P, Al, M |
| MM 4.3.15 | F2: Shooty | G, N, R |
| Warburton: Shooter | ___ | |
| Capell: Shoo-tye | ___ | |
| Var '73: Shoe-tye | ___ | |
| Var '03: Shoe-tie | C, NC (1922), Y, RY, NA | |
| Shoetie | K, NC (1950), S, Kö | |
| OED: 4-7 shoo | ||
| OED: 7 ty | ||
| TURF | F1: Turph | G, A, N, NC, R, K, Al, S, M, Kö |
| SHR Ind.2.92 | Pope i: Turf | C, Y, RY |
| OED: 6-7 turph |
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