Hamlet Soliloquy Glossary: O, that this too too solid flesh would melt (1.2.131-61)

solid (1.2.132)

Many scholars ask whether Shakespeare intended "solid" to be actually "sallied", a form of the word "sullied." The second quarto of Hamlet contains "sallied", but the First Folio prints it as "solid." Modern editors have been quite divided on the issue. Editors of The Arden Shakespeare choose to use "sullied", while editors of The New Cambridge Shakespeare have decided upon "solid." The reasoning for the use of "solid" is fairly evident, as it logically corresponds to "would melt" (131). However, there are good arguments to support the claim that Shakespeare did mean "sullied." With "sullied" we have the "suggestion of contamination" (Jenkins, 437), which is apparent throughout the soliloquy.

References
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Harold Jenkins, ed. London: Methuen, 1982.

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How to cite this article:

Mabillard, Amanda. Hamlet Soliloquy Glossary. Shakespeare Online. 20 Aug. 2000. (date when you accessed the information) < http://shakespeare-online.com/plays/hamlet/soliloquies/solid.html >.

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