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Petesophizing...

Theater, Books, Opinion, Milwaukee

Sugar Sugar (imported from my Hamlet blog)

Friday, January 25, 2008

Here's what I was talking about from Quarto 1, (4.6):
Gertrude:
Then I perceiue there's treason in his lookes
That seem'd to sugar o're his villanie:
Though there's some confusion with pronouns, I'm pretty sure Gertrude is referring to her husband Claudius here, as Horatio has informed her of the plot to assassinate Hamlet in England, which Hamlet has uncovered.

In Quarto 2 and Folio (3.1):
Polonius:
Tis too much proou'd, that with deuotions visage
And pious action, we doe sugar ore
The deuill himselfe.
Here I'm thinking long-winded Polonius instructing Ophelia on how to conduct herself when Hamlet arrives has a revealing moment, offering (unnecessarily) how an outward display of piety and devotion can conceal evil. He understands the Richard III (Machiavellian) formula for power and trips Claudius into a crisis of conscience, the "heavy burden" speech that follows.

Gertrude delivers this "read" on Claudius in Quarto 1. In Q2 and Folio Polonius seems to throw it against the wall and it sticks to Claudius.

Sugar over the devil himself--love it.
posted by Petey, 2:31 PM

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