Which Hamlet is It: The Argument for F1 Over Q2

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the enduring and tragic tale of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. It is a testament to Shakespeare’s wit and thorough understanding of humanity’s complex psychological makeup. Yet, Hamlet exists in several variant editions. Some modern editors have chosen to lean on the Quartos, while others insist on the validity of the First Folio, and still, others, choose to publish a conflated edition of both. The effect of this is that many scholars hold divergent views on the play. For instance, while sentimental views of Hamlet subsist, the idea that Hamlet may have wanted to commit suicide is emergent. Consequently, reliability of the text is often a matter of intense debate among modern editors. One reason for this contention is that there is no autographed manuscript from Shakespeare which could be used to represent the true intentions for the play. However, by looking at internal textual evidence one could argue for the reliability of the First Folio’s edition of Hamlet. In this essay, by comparing the Second Quarto (Q2) with the First Folio (F1), an argument will be made that by looking at word choice, stage directions, missing lines, and orthography, it can be establish that the First Folio’s (F1) edition of Hamlet has more textual authenticity. In order to bring context to the aforementioned thesis, the historical background of the Fist Folio will be examined first.