Random Notes on the Technique of Editing a Comedia

Abstract

BULLETIN OF THE CO li EDI A II TES Vol. IINovember, 1950Noi 2 Published in April and November by the Comediantes, an informal, international group of all those interested in the comedia. Editor: Everett Vi, Hesse, University of Wisconsin, i.iadison'6. Published with the cooperation of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, University of Wisconsin, Mrs. Harriet S, Merten, Secretary. RANDOM NOTES ON THE TECHNIQUE OF EDITING A COiEDIA by Loma Lavery Stafford, Mexico City College. I. PRELIMINARIES 1.Title-page (verso blank) 2.Dedicatory (verso blank) 3.Preface or Foreword a.Preliminary Observations 1,Place of present edition, in time and importance, with reference to other editions of the same work. 2,Exposition of purpose and confines of present edition; criteria established in method of treatment. b.Acknowledgements U. Table of Contents 5.List of Illustrations and Plates 6.List of Abbreviations (of scholarly journals, critical works, etc., utilized in critical apparatus). II. INTRODUCTION 1.Bibliographical Note a.Detailed description of present edition, its location and observations concerning the vicissitudes of existence. b.List of complete bibliographical apparatus of all manuscripts , editions, translations and refundiciones known to exist with brief descriptions for purposes of comparison (each preceded by an abbreviation for future identification in text). 2.Date of Composition: establishment of date from autograph KS, princeps edition, internal or external evidence 3.Versification a.Analysis and discussion of individual meters utilized and function of each in the play. b.Analysis of plot (by ,jomadas or actos) with indication of meter in relation to incident, if such exists. c.Tables (by jornadas or actos ) ; distribution of verse forms. d.Sunmary of meter distribution. Ur Sources 5. "Comedias" of Related Theme 6. Dramatic and Critical History: includes the history on the stage, among the critics and an evaluation of the quality of the play by the present editor. III. TEXT 1. Preparation of Text a. Transcription 1.original orthography retained; long form of s_ substituted by modern s_ and one r in cases of texts which use s_ and r. 2.accentuation modernized (in soite of G. T, Northup, Ködern Philology, XV [1917-19Í6 UU7). 3.punctuation modernized. b· Conventional aids to indicate typographical structure and facilitate interpretation and reading of text. 1.foliation of numbered recto or verso folios indicated in right margin according .to those of basic text: [fol.] 1U5 fr] ; unnumbe.red recto or verso of each folio supplied within brackets : (fol. IUUv.]. 2.typographical arrangements of columns noted in parenthesis in left margin: single column (col.); double column (col. 1; col. 2). 3.lines numbered in groups of five in right margin. U. abbreviations resolved and placed in italics with exception of character names in distribution of speeches which are expanded and no indication made, 5.additions bracketed in cases of omissions of character names and stage directions. 6.division of scenes with acts indicated and enclosed in brackets to facilitate comparison with modern texts. 7.words, obviously run together or separated typographically, properly spaced. 8.words separated into etymological parts joined with an'/ to indicate original reading. 9.combinations of de with personal pronoun or demonstrative adjective or pronoun left unchanged but accented in accordance with modern usage. 10. diéresis used in words where possible diphthong must be read as two syllables. c. Emendations in text: emendation should be introduced only after every effort has been made to justify the original reading; no emendations should be made for metrical reasons, except where errors are obvious. 1. correction or addition of letter(s) enclosed in brackets. This abolies in cases where, in words or groups of words, the author has omitted one of two or more like, contiguous vowels, i.e., agradezco oj s. 2. deletion of letter(s): original form retained and deleted portions enclosed in parentheses. 2, Variants: original readings always noted. a.Textual: noted in footnotes with corresponding line according to the criteria established and with indication of nature and variety« b.Stage Directions: not noted except in cases of syntactical emendations of original. IV. REFERENCE MATERIAL 1. Notes a.Numbering of footnotes: it rests with the editor to determine whether footnote numbering should start with "1" on each page...