quotes I must share...
May. 28th, 2004 06:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
capri0mniLast week, or there abouts, I was looking forward to hearing Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale again. One of my all-time favorite plays. And indeed, after hearing it, I'm reminded of why I find Shakespeare so impressive. For a while now, I've been trying to figyre out how to spred da luv, without either spoilering it too badly, or writing a full dissertation. I've decided, at last, to post one or two favorite quotes from each act, cut n' pasted from this MIT Etext version of the play.
Just a quick note of context: This play is the embodiment of the observation that "Comedy = Tragedy + Time." In the first three acts, the king of Sicilia accusses his wife of aldutery and conspiracy with his best friend, the king of Bohemia, and are as about as tragic as they come. The last two acts take place 16 years later, when the supposed bastard daughter is all grown up and head over heels in love, lovely and gracious to boot. If I tell you any more, I will be spoiling the plot. So, without further ado:
Act I, scene ii:
Polixenes (King of Bohemia, to Leontes, King of Sicilia)
[. . .] yet we should, for perpetuity,
Go hence in debt: and therefore, like a cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply
With one 'We thank you' many thousands moe
That go before it.
Act II, scene iii:
(Note: Antigonus is a lord of Bohemia, Paulina is his wife.)
LEONTES:
What, canst not rule her?
PAULINA
From all dishonesty he can: in this,
Unless he take the course that you have done,
Commit me for committing honour, trust it,
He shall not rule me.
ANTIGONUS
La you now, you hear:
When she will take the rein I let her run;
But she'll not stumble.
Act 3, scene ii (A court of justice, where Queen Hermione stands accused of conspiracy):
Hermione
[. . .]
[. . .] Now, for conspiracy,
I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd
For me to try how [. . .]
Act 4, scene iv (a cottage where they are holding a shepherds' sheep shearing feast):
Servant
He hath songs for man or woman, of all sizes; no
milliner can so fit his customers with gloves: he
has the prettiest love-songs for maids; so without
bawdry, which is strange; with such delicate
burthens* of dildos and fadings, 'jump her and thump
her;' and where some stretch-mouthed rascal would,
as it were, mean mischief and break a foul gap into
the matter, he makes the maid to answer 'Whoop, do me
no harm, good man;' puts him off, slights him, with
'Whoop, do me no harm, good man.'
*That is, Choruses (but the songs are not bawdy! ;-P)
(Act 5 is a tricky one... which quote to pick that won't spoil the ending? hhmmm...This might spoil it a little bit, but it is so silly, I'll share it anyway) Act 5, scene ii:
Clown (a shepherd's son)
[. . .] I was a gentleman born before my
father; for the king's son took me by the hand, and
called me brother; and then the two kings called my
father brother; and then the prince my brother and
the princess my sister called my father father; and
so we wept, and there was the first gentleman-like
tears that ever we shed.
And there you have it! enjoy!
Just a quick note of context: This play is the embodiment of the observation that "Comedy = Tragedy + Time." In the first three acts, the king of Sicilia accusses his wife of aldutery and conspiracy with his best friend, the king of Bohemia, and are as about as tragic as they come. The last two acts take place 16 years later, when the supposed bastard daughter is all grown up and head over heels in love, lovely and gracious to boot. If I tell you any more, I will be spoiling the plot. So, without further ado:
Act I, scene ii:
Polixenes (King of Bohemia, to Leontes, King of Sicilia)
[. . .] yet we should, for perpetuity,
Go hence in debt: and therefore, like a cipher,
Yet standing in rich place, I multiply
With one 'We thank you' many thousands moe
That go before it.
Act II, scene iii:
(Note: Antigonus is a lord of Bohemia, Paulina is his wife.)
LEONTES:
What, canst not rule her?
PAULINA
From all dishonesty he can: in this,
Unless he take the course that you have done,
Commit me for committing honour, trust it,
He shall not rule me.
ANTIGONUS
La you now, you hear:
When she will take the rein I let her run;
But she'll not stumble.
Act 3, scene ii (A court of justice, where Queen Hermione stands accused of conspiracy):
Hermione
[. . .]
[. . .] Now, for conspiracy,
I know not how it tastes; though it be dish'd
For me to try how [. . .]
Act 4, scene iv (a cottage where they are holding a shepherds' sheep shearing feast):
Servant
He hath songs for man or woman, of all sizes; no
milliner can so fit his customers with gloves: he
has the prettiest love-songs for maids; so without
bawdry, which is strange; with such delicate
burthens* of dildos and fadings, 'jump her and thump
her;' and where some stretch-mouthed rascal would,
as it were, mean mischief and break a foul gap into
the matter, he makes the maid to answer 'Whoop, do me
no harm, good man;' puts him off, slights him, with
'Whoop, do me no harm, good man.'
*That is, Choruses (but the songs are not bawdy! ;-P)
(Act 5 is a tricky one... which quote to pick that won't spoil the ending? hhmmm...This might spoil it a little bit, but it is so silly, I'll share it anyway) Act 5, scene ii:
Clown (a shepherd's son)
[. . .] I was a gentleman born before my
father; for the king's son took me by the hand, and
called me brother; and then the two kings called my
father brother; and then the prince my brother and
the princess my sister called my father father; and
so we wept, and there was the first gentleman-like
tears that ever we shed.
And there you have it! enjoy!
