Sunday, January 22, 2017


Lay hands on the villain: I believe a' means to cozen somebody in this city under my countenance.
 
Pedant
The Taming of the Shrew                 Act V, scene I                Line 35
So here is yet another post about hands; new hands this time. ‘Lay hands on the villain.’

The previous two days’ lines were about hands, although the word ‘hands’ never appeared in either one. And now, in a way to confirm and solidify the hands subject, we have a line with that very word and thought as part of it. No, I can’t say I understand all of the discussion of the importance of hands that Othello and Desdemona were having. This one, though, is a bit simpler. Lay hands on him – Grab this guy! He’s gonna do some mischief and get me blamed for it!

So let’s recapitulate. Two days ago we had a scene from Titus Andronicus and they were sitting there having a meal and Titus spent a bit of time talking about himself lacking one of his hands and his daughter lacking both of her hands. Then yesterday we had Othello talking drawing conclusions about his wife based on feeling how soft and moist her hand was. And now tonight we have the Pendant talking about getting his hands on someone. All about the hand. The first one about a very literal lack of hands, the second one drawing conclusions based on a literal hand, and the third one a bit more figurative.

Lots and lots of hands.
Here's a guy who wishes he had some real hands and not just a couple of candles at the end of his arms.

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