<b>nightly</b>

<b>nightly</b>

Both words make sense, so there is not likely a misprint.  Both refer to Hamlet's mourning clothes, black like night.  There is a night-knight pun: Hamlet is cast as a "black knight."  A knight is both "knighted" and ''knightly.''  However, Hamlet is not literally "knighted" (apparently) so ''nightly'' works better for the "knight" pun.  ''Nightly'' also works better for the idea of "after nightfall" which is when Hamlet will see the Ghost.  ''Nightly'' is a direct opposite to the word "daily" which was used in Scene 1.  The Folio word ''nightly'' is probably an authorial fine tuning, for better allusion, and consistency, and to drop an irrelevant literalness.

Both words make sense, so there is not likely a misprint.  Both refer to Hamlet's mourning clothes, (and Hamlet's dark mood,) black like night.  There is a night-knight pun: Hamlet is cast as a "black knight."  A knight is both "knighted" and ''knightly.''  However, Hamlet is not literally "knighted" (apparently) so ''nightly'' works better for the "knight" pun.  ''Nightly'' also works better for the idea of "after nightfall" which is when Hamlet will see the Ghost.  ''Nightly'' is a direct opposite to the word "daily" which was used in Scene 1.  The Folio word ''nightly'' is probably an authorial fine tuning, for better allusion, and consistency, and to drop an irrelevant literalness.

{The Folio editor probably found an authorial change to ''nightly'' and correctly used it.}

{The Folio editor probably found an authorial change to ''nightly'' and correctly used it.}

(In performance, a simple hand gesture, by Gertrude toward Hamlet, is appropriate to either word.  The word "cast" is more the actable word in the line.)

(In performance, a simple hand gesture, by Gertrude toward Hamlet, is appropriate to either word.  The word "cast" is more the actable word in the line, played with a "cast aside" motion.)

Return: [[Scene 2#02-069]]

Return: [[Scene 2#02-069]]

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