The Contention as early draft Henry VI, Part 2

dick butcher & smith weaver seizing clerk of chatham henry william bunbury (1795)

urkowitz not alone in finding evidence support draft theory. example, in contention, margery jourdayne referred cunning witch of ely , in 2 henry vi referred merely cunning witch. traditional argument explain disparity such information added either shakespeare or else during rehearsals, not found in prompt book used print first folio. however, r.b. mckerrow argues against likelihood of theory. asks why writer go chronicle source add piece of information of no importance dramatically, , brings nothing scene. mckerrow suggests line cut after performance. similar example found in act 4, scene 7 cade orders men kill lord saye , sir james comer. in 2 henry vi, cade orders them cut off saye s head , go cromer s house , kill him, in contention, tells them bring saye standard in cheapside , , go cromer s house in mile end green. mckerrow argues such unimportant detail suggests removal after performance rather addition before performance.

more evidence found in act 2, scene 1. in contention, after winchester has accepted gloucester s challenge duel (l. 38; marry, when thou dar est ), there additional dialogue not found in 2 henry vi;

again, mckerrow s argument here not these lines added during rehearsals, existed in draft of play , removed after rehearsals, deemed unnecessary; animosity between 2 had been established.

however, theory contention may draft not imply not represent bad quarto. traditionally, critics (such alexander, doran, mckerrow , urkowitz) have looked @ problem either-or situation; contention either reported text or draft, there has been argument may both. example, theory supported roger warren in oxford shakespeare edition of play. theory advanced randall martin in oxford shakespeare edition of 3 henry vi. crux of argument both evidence bad quarto theory , evidence draft theory compelling neither able refute other. such, if play contains evidence of being both reported text , draft, must both; i.e. contention represents reported text of draft of 2 henry vi. shakespeare wrote version of play, staged. shortly after staging, of actors constructed bad quarto , had published. in meantime, shakespeare had rewritten play form found in first folio. warren argues theory can account strong evidence both reporting , revision, , theory gaining increased support in late twentieth/early twenty-first century.