Foul papers are an author's working drafts. The term is most often used in the study of the plays of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

and other dramatists of English Renaissance drama. Once the composition of a play was finished, a transcript or " fair copy" of the foul papers was prepared, by the author or by a scribe. The term "foul papers" is given different definitions by various scholars. For example, some define them as "the author's original drafts". W. W. Greg and Fredson Bowers define them as "the author's last complete draft, in a shape satisfactory to him for transfer to a fair copy".

E. A. J. Honigmann Ernst Anselm Joachim Honigmann, FBA (29 November 1927 – 18 July 2011) was a German-born British scholar of English Literature, Shakespeare scholar, and Fellow of the British Academy. Early life Born in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Pola ...

defines them as "any kind of draft preceding the first fair copy". Paul Werstine states that foul papers "need not refer exclusively to authorial drafts", and that the term "simply describes papers that are to be, are being, or have already been transcribed", and that foul papers may once have been fair copies. Few sets of foul papers actually exist from the era in question. Of the relatively small number of dramas that are extant in

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced ...

, the majority are from the Caroline and Cromwellian era (1625–1660) rather than the Elizabethan and Jacobean era (1558–1625), and most are fair copies of plays by professional scribes like Ralph Crane. In a rare direct reference to foul papers and fair copies, Robert Daborne mentions both in a November 1613 letter to theatrical manager

Philip Henslowe Philip Henslowe (c. 1550 – 6 January 1616) was an Elizabethan theatrical entrepreneur and impresario. Henslowe's modern reputation rests on the survival of his diary, a primary source for information about the theatrical world of Renaissance ...

: "I send you the foul sheet and the fair I was writing",Spelling, punctuation modernized (; ). which appears to indicate that Daborne prepared a fair copy of his working drafts as he wrote.

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External links

Shakespeare Quarto text
{{Authority control Early editions of Shakespeare Literary terminology