Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words; and therefore I will say nothing:

 

-Costard

Love’s Labour’s Lost            Act I, scene ii, line 155

 

Costard seems to be contradicting himself in this sentence, doesn’t he? He is told he’s going to prison, and he says Well, if ever I do see the merry days of desolation that I have seen, some shall see--. Moth interrupts with What shall some see?, and Costard replies with Today’s Totally Random Line(s).

 

Nay, nothing Master Moth, but what they look upon. It is not for prisoners to be too silent in their words; and therefore I will say nothing: I thank God I have as little patience as another man; and therefore I can be quiet.

 

So, what exactly is Costard saying? It seems to be a whole lot of contradiction, doesn’t it? Every piece of this seems to be a self-contained contradiction: They won’t see anything but what they see; It’s not for me to say nothing, so I’ll say nothing; I have little patience, so I can exercise patience and be quiet. What the heck?

This whole scene, most of it dominated by Armado and Moth, is a lot of wordplay. Will loves wordplay, especially in his comedies. And this is, of course, a comedy.

So Costard gets led away by Moth to confinement directly after speaking these lines, and Armado finishes the scene talking to himself about the country wench that he is in love with.

But, what’s it all mean Basil? I think that’s up to you.

This is Veronica Roodt. I was going to say that this picture is completely irrelevant, but now that I think about it:

Veronica's mere presence, at the time and place that we met her, seemed to be a contradiction in and of itself. And today's line is all about contradictions, isn't it?