Metrical Variation and Metrical Emendation in Q1 Hamlet

Editors of Shakespeare usually assume that his dramatic verse is written in iambic pentameters. When they encounter anomalies, they are tempted to emend the verse, and they aim, through the use of accents, abbreviations and commentary notes, to explain the metre for their readers, including actors. In this essay we examine Q1 Hamlet as a special case: this so-called ‘Bad' Quarto appears to be entirely in verse on the 1603 page, but we discuss how and why five modern editions (including our own) have struggled to turn ‘bad' verse into regular pentameters or to print passages as prose, following the example of the longer, ‘good' texts. We ask whether readers are offended by anything less than ‘perfect' blank verse or whether they might find George T. Wright's suggestion of ‘the phrasal line’ helpful.