The age is grown so pickt’ that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier, he gaffs his kibe.
-Hamlet
Hamlet
Act V Scene i, Line 145
Oh boy, he gaffs
his kibe? What language did you say this was? See, now this is why people think
that Shakespeare’s works were not written in modern English. To be clear, and
just in case you didn’t know, Shakespeare’s works were written in modern
(albeit, sometimes referred to as early modern) English. So, let’s take
a look at this line.
First of all,
this is the gravedigger scene, made famous by the ‘Alas poor Yorick’ line. Right
here, Hamlet is having a back and forth with one of the gravediggers. The
gravedigger is being a bit of a wise ass with Hamlet, and that’s the reason for
the line. You’re still not sure what he’s saying, are you? Okay, well pick’t
just means refined, and the bit about the toe to his
kibe? I’ll give you another GB Harrison footnote on that one:
The peasant follows the courtier so closely that he rubs the courtier’s heel into a blister. From about 1598 onward, writers, especially dramatists, often satirized the practice of yeoman farmers grown rich from war profits in sending their awkward sons to London to learn gentlemanly manners.
So after reading
that footnote I have no idea exactly how to put that in my own words, even
though I feel as though I understand it. Hmmm.
How about this: try
not to gaff your kibe, with or without the help of a gravedigger. Okay?
1 comment:
Sometimes you refer to lines as being famous by quoting things I've never heard before. Methinks I am not so well versed in Shakespeare as to recognize some of these "iconic" lines.
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