Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-06T07:10:57.342Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Master W. H., R.I.P.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 October 2020

Donald W. Foster
Donald W. Foster*
Affiliation:
Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Thomas Thorpe's brief greeting to “Mr. W. H.” in the 1609 Quarto of Shakespeares Sonnets has been one of the great conundrums of modern literary studies. But it is not Thorpe's only such greeting to survive. His remaining epistles, taken together with the dedications in many other English books of the period, suggest that, unless Thorpe was here forsaking the conventions that elsewhere governed his and his contemporaries' practice, scholars have been wrong about “the only begetter of these ensuing sonnets,” wrong about “Mr. W. H.,” and wrong about “our ever-living poet” and the “eternity” he “promised.” But in this they are not alone. The original compositor also got something wrong. If the evidence of other Renaissance epistles is to be trusted, the mysterious and celebrated “Mr. W. H.” is a misprint.

Type
Research Article
Information
PMLA , Volume 102 , Issue 1 , January 1987 , pp. 42 - 54
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Works Cited

Ap-Robert, John. Preface. The Younger Brother His Apologie. By Ap-Robert. London, 1634. A2r–A4v.Google Scholar
Barnfield, Richard. Poems: In Diuers Humors. London, 1598.Google Scholar
Barnstorff, D. A Key to Shakespeare's Sonnets. Trans. T. J. Graham. London, 1862.Google Scholar
Benson, John. Preface. Poems: Written by Wil.Shake-speare. Gent. Ed. Benson. London, 1640. A2r–v.Google Scholar
Blount, Edward. Dedication. Hero and Leander. By Christopher Marlowe and George Chapman. London, 1598. A3r–v.Google Scholar
Blount, Edward. Dedication. Preface. Micro-Cosmographie. By John Earle. London, 1628. A2r–A3v.Google Scholar
Boaden, James. On the Sonnets of Shakespeare. London, 1837.Google Scholar
Booth, Stephen, ed. Shakespeare's Sonnets. New Haven: Yale UP, 1977.Google Scholar
Breton, Nicholas. Dedication. An Old Man's Lesson and a Young Man's Love. By Breton. London, 1605. A2r–v.Google Scholar
Breton, Nicholas. Dedication. Pilgrimage to Paradise. By Breton. London, 1592. A3r.Google Scholar
Breton, Nicholas. An Excellent Poeme vpon the Longings of a Blessed Heart. London, 1601.Google Scholar
Browning, Robert. Paracelsus. Ed. Peckham, Morse. The Complete Works of Robert Browning. Ed. King, Roma A. Jr. Athens: Ohio UP, 1969. 59–285.Google Scholar
Campbell, S. C. Only Begotten Sonnets. London: Bell, 1978.Google Scholar
Cartwright, John. Dedication. The Preachers Travels. By Cartwright. London, 1611. A2r–A3r.Google Scholar
Chalmers, George. A Supplemental Apology for the Believers in the Shakspeare-Papers. 1799. New York: Kelley, 1971.Google Scholar
Chasles, Philarete. “Hints for the Elucidation of Shakespeare's Sonnets.” Athenaeum 25 Jan. 1862: 116–17.Google Scholar
Churchyard, Thomas. Dedication. Churchyards Challenge. London, 1593. A2r–v.Google Scholar
Cook, Ivor R. W. Letter. Times Literary Supplement 18 May 1973: 556.Google Scholar
Corney, Bolton. The Sonnets of William Shakespeare. London, 1862.Google Scholar
Coverdale, Miles. The Old Faith. Writings and Translations of Miles Coverdale. Ed. Pearson, George. 1844. London: Johnson, 1968. 1–83.Google Scholar
Daniel, Samuel. Dedication (in verse). Delia and Rosamond Augmented. By Daniel. London, 1594. A2r.Google Scholar
Dekker, Thomas. Dedication. Newes from Hell. By Dekker. London, 1606. A3r.Google Scholar
Dekker, Thomas. Satiromastix. London, 1602.Google Scholar
Digges, Leonard. “To the Memorie of the Deceased Authour Maister W. Shakespeare.” Shakespeare, Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. [Pre. B1r].Google Scholar
Drayton, Michael. Idea. London, 1593.Google Scholar
Drayton, Michael. Poemes. London, 1605.Google Scholar
Fennor, Dudley. A Defence of the Godlie Ministers, against the Slaunders of D. Bridges. London, 1587.Google Scholar
The First and Second Part of the Troublesome Raigne of King John of England. By W.Sh. London, 1611.Google Scholar
Florio, John. Dedication. Michel de Montaigne. The Essayes or Morali, Politike and Militarle Discourses. Trans. Florio. London, 1595. A2r–A3v.Google Scholar
Forbis, John F. The Shakespearean Enigma and an Elizabethan Mania. New York: American Library Service, 1924.Google Scholar
G[ray], R[obert]. Preface. A Good Speed to Virginia. By Gray. London, 1609. A3r–A4r.Google Scholar
Hall, A. Letter. Literature 6 (1900): 212.Google Scholar
Heminge, John, and Condell, Henry. Dedication and Preface. Shakespeare, Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. Pre. 3r–4r.Google Scholar
Herbert, George. A Priest to the Temple. The Works of George Herbert. Ed. Hutchinson, F. E. Oxford: Clarendon, 1941. 223–90.Google Scholar
Hotson, Leslie. Master W.H. New York: Knopf, 1965.Google Scholar
Dedication, I. C. A Day-Starre for Darke-Wandring Soules. By Richard Niccols. Ed. London, I. C., 1613. A2r–A5r.Google Scholar
Ingram, W. G., and Redpath, Theodore, eds. Shakespeare's Sonnets. New York: Barnes, 1965.Google Scholar
Johnson, Samuel. A Dictionary of the English Language. 1773. London, 1828.Google Scholar
Jonson, Benjamin. Sejanus. London, 1605.Google Scholar
Karpf, Carl. Die Idee Shakespeare's und deren Verwirklichung. Hamburg, 1869.Google Scholar
Knight, G. Wilson. The Mutual Flame. London: Methuen, 1955.Google Scholar
Lee, Sidney, ed. Shakespeare's Poems and Pericles. 5 vols. Oxford: Clarendon, 1905. Vol. 4.Google Scholar
Lodge, Thomas. Dedication. Prosopopoeia. By Lodge. London, 1596. A3r–A4r.Google Scholar
The London Prodigal … by W. Shakespeare. London, 1605.Google Scholar
Luce, Morton. A Handbook to the Works of William Shakespeare. London, 1906.Google Scholar
McGrane, Moira Joan. “A Survey of Shakespeare Sonnet Criticism: 1943–1974.” DAI 41 (1980): 1614A. Columbia U.Google Scholar
Mackail, J. W. The Approach to Shakespeare. Oxford: Clarendon, 1930.Google Scholar
Marlowe, Christopher. Dedication. Amintae Gaudia. By Thomas Watson. London, 1592. A2r–v.Google Scholar
Marlowe, Christopher. Tamburlaine the Great. Ed. Cunningham, J. S. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1981.Google Scholar
Marschall, Wilhelm. “Das Zentralproblem der Shakespeare-Sonette.” Anglia 51 (1927): 31–38.Google Scholar
Mason, Thomas. Dedication. Christs Victorie over Sathans Tyrannie. By Mason. London, 1615. A3r.Google Scholar
Meres, Francis. Palladis Tamia. London, 1598.Google Scholar
Minto, William. Characteristics of English Poets. Edinburgh, 1874.Google Scholar
Moseley, Humphrey. “To the Reader” [of Comedies, Tragedies, with Other Poems]. The Plays and Poems of William Cartwright. Ed. Evans, G. Blakemore. Madison: U of Wisconsin P, 1951. 829–33.Google Scholar
Muir, Kenneth. Shakespeare's Sonnets. London: Allen, 1979.Google Scholar
Newman, Thomas. Dedication. Astrophel and Stella. By Sir Philip Sidney. London, 1591. A2r–v.Google Scholar
Nicholson, Samuel. Dedication. Acolastus His After-Witte. By Nicholson. London, 1600. A3r–v.Google Scholar
Norden, John. Dedication. An Eye to Heauen in Earth. By Norden. London, 1619. A9r–B1r.Google Scholar
Nosworthy, J. M. “Shakespeare and Mr. W. H.” Library 5th ser. 18 (1963): 294–98.Google Scholar
Olney, Henry. Preface. Apologie for Poetry. By Sir Philip Sidney. London, 1595. A4r–v.Google Scholar
Parinchef, John, trans. An Extrade of Examples, Apothegmes, and Histories. London, [1572].Google Scholar
The Passionate Pilgrim. London, 1599.Google Scholar
Pooler, C. Knox. The Sonnets. By William Shakespeare. London, 1918.Google Scholar
[Puttenham, George]. The Arte of English Poesie. London, 1589.Google Scholar
Rich, Barnabe. Dedication. A New Description of Ireland. London, 1610. B2r–B4v.Google Scholar
Rollins, Hyder. A New Variorum Edition of Shakespeare: The Sonnets. 2 vols. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1944. Vol. 2.Google Scholar
Shakespeare, William. Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. First Folio. London, 1623. New Haven: Yale UP, 1954.Google Scholar
Shakespeare, William. Dedication. Venus and Adonis. By Shakespeare. London, 1593. A2r.Google Scholar
Shelton, Thomas. Preface. The History of Don Quixote, Part I. By Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Trans. Shelton. London, 1612. Pre. 3r–A3r.Google Scholar
Sidney, Sir Philip. Dedication. The Covntesse of Pembrokes Arcadia. London, 1590. A3r–A4r.Google Scholar
Sidney, Sir Philip. The Psalms. Ed. Rathmell, J. C. A. New York: Doubleday, 1963.Google Scholar
“Societies.” Athenaeum 5 July 1873: 18–19.Google Scholar
Spenser, Sir Edmund. The Faerie Queene. Ed. Roche, Thomas P. Jr. New Haven: Yale UP, 1978.Google Scholar
Spevack, Marvin. A Complete Concordance to the Works of Shakespeare. 9 vols. Hildesheim: Olms, 1968.Google Scholar
Swan, John. Dedication. A Treatise Touching Antichrist. By Lambert Daneau. Trans. Swan. London, 1589. A2r–A3v.Google Scholar
Thorpe, Thomas. Dedication. Epictetus His Manuall. Cebes His Table. Trans. John Healey. London, 1610. A3r–A4v.Google Scholar
Thorpe, Thomas. Dedication. Epictetus Manuall. Cebes Table. Theophrastus Characters. Trans. John Healey. London, 1616. A2r–A4v.Google Scholar
Thorpe, Thomas. Dedication. Lucans First Booke Translated Line for Line. By Christopher Marlowe. London, 1600. A2r–v.Google Scholar
Thorpe, Thomas. Dedication. St. Augustine: Of the Citie of God. Trans. John Healey. London, 1610. A3r–v.Google Scholar
Thorpe, Thomas. Epigraph. Shakespeares Sonnets. Quarto. London, 1609. A2r.Google Scholar
[Thorpe, Thomas]. Preface. Barnevels Apology. By Jan van Oldenbarneveld. Ed. Houlder, Robert. London, 1618. A4v.Google Scholar
[Thorpe, Thomas]. Preface. A Christians Preparation to the Worthy Receiuing of the Lords Supper. By Theophilus Field. London, 1622. A3r–A4r.Google Scholar
[Thorpe, Thomas]. Preface. The Hand-Maid of Repentance: A Short Treatise of Restitution. By Arthur Dent. London, 1614. A3r–A5r.Google Scholar
Verity, A. W., ed. Shakespeare's Sonnets. New York, 1890.Google Scholar
Walkley, Thomas. Preface. Othello. By William Shakespeare. Quarto. London, 1622. A2r.Google Scholar
Waynman, Humfrey. Dedication. Arithmetick. By Thomas Masterson. Ed. Waynman. Rev. ed. London, 1634. A2r–A3v.Google Scholar
Wilson, Katharine M. Shakespeare's Sugared Sonnets. New York: Barnes, 1974.Google Scholar
Wither, George. Epithalamia. London, 1612. A2r.Google Scholar
A Yorkshire Tragedy. Written by W. Shakspeare. London, 1608.Google Scholar