Today’s Totally Random Line(s)           

                                       

    I would not have my father

See me in talk with thee.

 

-Jessica 

The Merchant of Venice     Act III, Scene iii, Line 9

 

It’s a short scene, only seventeen lines with Jessica and Launcelot Gobbo. Jessica is leaving home to run away with Lorenzo, and Launcelot is leaving this same home to take a new job with Bassanio. They are both leaving Shylock, and they both paint him as a bit of a devil. But is that really fair?

I’ve said before that this is a complicated play, and that it presents and lot of things and characters as something that they are not. Is Shylock a bad guy? Is he bad because he’s a Jew? It’s easy to argue that this play would answer both those questions with yes. But does it really? Does the play really say that about him? I don’t think it’s nearly as simple as all that. In fact, I’m quite sure it’s not.

But I’ve got to check out of this room in forty-four minutes. I too am leaving (not Shylock’s house, but I am leaving), and forty-four minutes is not nearly enough time to properly get into a discussion of what this play says about Shylock. I think I would need about a week for that. .

How about you?

 

Not my usual environs.

Where in the world is Pete?

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)           

                                       

For ‘tis the sport to have the engineer

Hoist with his own petar: and ‘t shall go hard

But I will delve one yard below their mines,

And blow them at the moon.

  

-Hamlet

Hamlet                          Act III, Scene iii, Line 207

 

What a great line! This is the scene in Gertrude’s chamber where Hamlet inadvertently kills Polonius and then sees his father’s ghost.
But right now he’s talking to his mother about the fact that R&G are set to escort him to England, and that he’s going to turn the tables on them. A petar is a bomb, so Hamlet is talking about the bomber being blown up with his own bomb. I really like the part about delving one yard below their mines and blowing them at the moon. 

When I read that I couldn't help but think of Tolkien's use of delve when Gandalf (I'm not sure, but I think it was Gandalf) talks about Durin delving too deep in Moria and disturbing the Balrog. But of course, delve is a very common word, and it's often used when talking about mining, so we mustn't assume that Tolkien had any influence from Will. No.

Just the same, delve one yard below their mines, and blow them at the moon. Where on earth did Will come up with that? Wow!

I don't remember who this friendly guy is, but apparently he wanted to see whatever I was looking at in the telescope. Was it someone being blown at the moon? Again, I don't remember.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)      

                                  

And why, I pray you? Who might be your mother

That you insult, exult, and all at once,

Over the wretched? What, though you have no beauty,--

As, by my faith, I see no more in you

Than without candle may go dark to bed,

Must you be therefore proud and pitiless?

 

-Rosalind 

As You Like It              Act III, Scene v, Line 36

 

I like this speech. Silvius is pleading with Phebe to give him a chance with her, but Phebe wants no part of him. Silvius has just asked Phebe to take pity on him because he loves her, and she has replied that she will not return that love or take pity on him. And that’s where Rosalind comes in. She starts in with today’s lines, laying into Phebe, and continues for another twenty-three lines, ending with

Cry the man mercy; love him; take his offer;
Foul is most foul, being foul to be a scoffer.—
So, take her to thee, shepherd:—fare you well.

Rosalind obviously has no high opinion of Phebe.

Remember now, that Rosalind is dressed as a man and, you guessed it, Phebe falls for him/her, or should I say them. Lots of cross-dressing in Will’s works, eh? Kind of gets me to wondering about what was going on back there in merry ol’ England in the 1590’s.

Today's lines could get us into a long and serious discussion about sexuality, transgenderness... you name it. But that would be way too much for me to get into this morning. How about for now we take a look at these guys and gals and ask the question: Do we think that any of them are attracted to one of their mates who's not traditional in their sexual orientation? Of course, that leads to a more interesting question: If they were so attracted, who's going to tell them that they're wrong for that? Not me!

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)           

                                   

Fear me not, man; I will not break away:

I’ll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money,

To warrant thee, as I’m ‘rested for.

 

-Antipholus of Ephesus

The Comedy of Errors         Act IV, Scene iv, Line 1

Line one, but deep into the play so that if you don’t know a bit about what precedes this, then the line isn’t going to mean much, is it?

So, do we want to get into context, this far into the play? Nah. How about something with the three line sentence that we’ve got? Hmmm. I can’t see much in it that really excites me. How about you?

Why don’t we just say Happy Birthday Jessica and see if we can’t find an appropriate pic for the day, since that's the only thing the birthday girl looks at anyway.

Happy Birthday Jess!

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)           

           

Let us all ring fancy’s knell;

-Singer

The Merchant of Venice              Act III, Scene ii, Line 69

For the third day in a row we have an anonymous speaker, or in this case singer. This is the scene in Belmont where Portia tries to talk Bassanio into waiting a while before he makes his stab at picking the right casket. He insists and heads off to try his luck, she makes a little speech about the situation, and then some anonymous singer comes in and sings a song.  

        Tell me where is fancy bred,

        Or in the heart or in the head?

        How begot, how nourished?

                Reply, reply.

        It is engender’d in the eyes,

        With gazing fed; and fancy dies

        In the cradle where it lies.

                Let us all ring fancy’s knell;

                I’ll begin it,-- Ding, dong, bell.

And, of course, a knell typically refers to a bell ringing for a funeral. Yes, I looked it up to be sure.

I dunno, but it seems like Bassanio is just rushing into this deal. Portia wants him to wait a few months, I think just because she wants to have him around for a little while. If he tries to pick the right casket and fails, he’s got to leave immediatement. But of course – SPOILER ALERT – he’s not going to fail.

It’s an odd little song, and Will’s songs always get me to wondering whether he wrote it, or if it’s some song of the day. I’ll never know, that’s for sure.

Naturally, I pulled out my little book about Shakespeare's songs. Believe it or not, it has four pages about this song, but none of it about the origin of the song (though I've only skimmed it so far). 

I think I'm going to need to read this whole little book. Wish me luck.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)        

                              

I will talk further with you.

-Gentleman

King Lear                     Act III, Scene i, Line 43

 

Here’s an interesting exchange between Kent and a Gentleman he meets on the Heath. Kent is out looking for Lear, and he has a fairly long talk with this fellow who shall remain nameless. Kent tells him that something is afoot and that he, Kent, needs the fellow to go to Dover and tell Cordelia of Lear’s sorry state. Naturally, after receiving this assignment from a stranger (even though Kent says I know you to the guy twice, he never comes up with a name) this gentleman says I will talk further with you. In other words the fellow is saying, What’s this now?

But Kent doesn’t want to discuss it, and gives the guy a ring to show Cordelia, which will be proof that what he says is true. And that appears to be enough for the fellow.

Honestly, I have no remembrance of this scene at all, whether from my reading of the play (quite a few years ago) or my viewing of a few different versions of it (one with Ian McKellen and one with Antony Hopkins). But here it is, 72 lines and for the second day in a row involving a ‘Gentleman’. 

How ironic.

I have a really good remembrance of meeting someone whom I had not seen in about 25 years, and the fellow looking at me and saying slowly, I know you. He knew he had known me, but he wasn't able to figure out who I was until I told him how he knew me, and then he remembered. 

Unfortunately, I have no pic to go with this very relevant story. Boy, I wish I did. Oh well. 

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

           

                                         So she parted,

And with the same full state paced back again

To York-place, where the feast is held.

 

-Third Gentleman

King Henry the Eighth                Act IV, Scene i, Line 110

Gents One and Two (a couple of anonymous describers of the action) are watching the procession of Anne Boleyn from her coronation. Gent number Three shows up, having been at the coronation and describes it. Today’s line is the last line of his description.

These Gentles Three are all very praising of the new queen and, given the historical context, it is no wonder. Anne Boleyn, even though she was beheaded for supposed adultery, was nonetheless the mother of Queen Elizabeth. And whilst this play was written a few years after the latter’s death, and into the reign of James I, Elizabeth was still well known and well loved by the day’s play-goers. So Will would have been careful with his treatment of Anne, the mother. And in fact, this play ends with a celebration of the birth of Elizabeth, the downfall of Anne Boleyn being left for someone else to deal with. As we know, the story of Anne Boleyn and Henry’s many attempts with many women to father a son have been well documented and discussed in the centuries since; but not by Will.

Speaking of feasts, Patrice likes to take pictures of notable meals, usually ones that we have in a restaurant. This is a Thai dinner that we had in NYC a few weeks ago. Don't ask me what that stuff is, but the meal was gooo--oood. Tep Thai was the name of the place if you're interested. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

           

                                         One thus descended

That hath beside well in his person wrought

To be set high in place, we did commend

To your remembrances; but you have found,

Scaling his present bearing with his past,

That he’s your fixed enemy, and revoke

Your sudden approbation.

 

-Sicinius Velutus

Coriolnaus                    Act II, Scene iii, Line 265

 

Scaling, as used above, means weighing. Approbation is approval or praise.

Almost every time I open up Coriolanus, I read something that reminds me of so many of the politicians these days that talk out of both sides of their mouth. And I’m also reminded of the gullibility of the masses.
Come to think of it… no wait, that can’t be right. I was gonna say that’s why they don’t teach this play: because the powers that be don’t want to teach about how corrupt the politicians are. But that would assume that the politicians know this play. Hah! That’s a hot one.

So what looks like a pretty tough few lines, isn’t really that bad. The politicians are talking to the masses about Coriolanus. They want to turn the crowd against him. In the lines previous to these, they had noted that he is descended from a noble family. The first part of today’s lines is a little tough. Sicinius is just saying that Coriolanus is descended from noble blood, his actions have earned him a high place, and we (the politicians) commended him. But now they’re telling the masses that he’s their enemy. And, of course, they will listen to and believe that. And this, of course, brings us back to the dangers of democracy. Oy!

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

       

 And bid them bring the trumpets to the gate.

 

-Duke

Measure For Measure      Act IV, Scene v, Line 9

 

And why do we need trumpets? For a birthday celebration, of course!

We're celebrating the second birthday of the prettiest and smartest little girl I know. 

Happy Birthday Priscilla!

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

What, art thou faln? – What subtle hole is this,

Whose mouth is cover’d with rude-growing briers,

Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood

As fresh as morning dew distill’d on flowers?

 

-Quintus

Titus Andronicus         Act II, Scene vi, Line 199

 

Yes, Quintus, your brother has faln (fallen) into a hole. And in a moment you will too. Then Aaron will lead Saturninus to you both, sitting in a hole with his murdered brother, Bassianus. To be sure, that Aaron is a clever fellow.

But forget about Aaron. Let's look at and appreciate the language here for a moment. The hole is subtle, the briers are rude-growing, and the dew is distill'd on flowers. Even in this early work of Will's, it is quite obvious that he's not just a dramatist, but rather a poet-dramatist. He just can't help but show it. 

What must it have been like to speak with this guy, or rather to listen to this guy speak. I can’t help but wonder if he thought in this type of language and what came out of his mouth in his every-day speech. This guy, Will Shakespeare, clearly walked alone.

No pic today, just words.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

               

I perceive, sir, by our general’s looks, we shall be fain to hang you.

 

-First Soldier

All’s Well That Ends Well        Act IV, Scene iii, Line 239

Pleased, willing, with pleasure: that’s fain according to the modern dictionary. Since my iphone is on the fritz (I’m afraid it may have bricked out) I can’t go to my app and see what it says is the 1600’s definition, but I’m pretty sure it’s along the same lines. No, wait; it’s obliged, forced, or compelled. That’s what my app says. The phone is okay after all. It was pilot error. Don’t ask.

Now here’s a random, ironic coincidence. I was just reading an interview with the CIA guy who spent months interrogating Saddam Hussein. He was asked how he felt about the final outcome of Saddam being hanged. The CIA guy said he had mixed feelings. On the one hand, justice was served. On the other hand, the guys who actually performed the execution were mocking Saddam and laughing at him, clearly happy to be hanging him. And the CIA guy felt this took away from the justice of it and made it appear to be more of a revenge killing.

So, those executioners were fain to hang Saddam, and by that I mean pleased, willing, and with pleasure, as opposed to obliged, forced or compelled.

What do you think of that?

Opinion: FBI agent says Saddam Hussein knew two things about him in seconds | CNN

I couldn't think of any good pic to go with this, so there's a link to the interview with the CIA guy, in case you're interested.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

 

These should be the hours for necessities,

Not for delights; times to repair our nature

With comforting repose, and not for us

To waste these times.

 

-Gardiner, bishop of Winchester

King Henry the Eighth         Act V, Scene i, Line 4

 

It’s one o’clock in the morning, and the bishop is walking through the halls of the palace with his page. He’s about to run into Sir Thomas Lovell with whom he’ll have a conversation about the king and queen.

Since this is a drama, not a novel, we never get an explanation as to why the bishop is up and about at one in the morning. By his own words, he should be repairing his nature with comforting repose.

You know, comforting repose is so important, and it really does repair our nature. I think a lot of people seriously underestimate the importance of comforting repose. When your doctor tells you to get rest, he means get rest. And it’s because the body needs rest to properly heal itself.

But getting back Today’s Totally Random Line (I know, you’re saying to yourself, holy moley, he’s actually going to get back to the line?!), it makes one wonder why the bishop has this line, why he’s talking about the restorative powers of sleep. Or is he simply drawing attention to what time of night it is. Seeing as I don’t know this play very well I’m going to have to pass on the answer to my own question.

Pass.

Speaking of comforting repose, here's a little girl who really knew how to appreciate comforting repose. 

I sure miss the little Nut. 

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

You weary those that refresh us: pray, let’s see these four threes of herdsmen.

 

-Shepherd

The Winter’s Tale                  Act IV, Scene iii, Line 338

Well, I’m at a bit of a loss this morning as to what to do with this line. I can give you a little context, but…

Hmmm, what to do, what to do.

Perhaps, nothing. We’ll do nothing. Though we all know - 

     Nothing will come of nothing.

Today's pic? Surely you must have guessed it: Nothing.

 Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

Then none have I offended. I have done no more to Caesar than you shall do to Brutus. The question of his death is enroll’d in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforced, for which he suffer’d death. Here comes his body, mourn’d by Marc Antony.

-Marcus Brutus

Julius Caesar                 Act III, Scene ii, Line 39

 

In other words, here comes trouble, though Brutus doesn’t yet realize it.

This is the scene after Caesar has been assassinated by Brutus and his cohorts. Brutus has now appeared before the citizens and explained that he loved Caesar, but he loved Rome more, and that Caesar, if left uncheckt, would have made himself emperor and all the citizens would have become slaves. He asks them who is offended by this, and they all reply none, upon which he makes the closing remarks that are Today’s Totally Random Lines.

Now he’s going to make the fatal mistake of leaving and letting silver tongued Marc Antony speak. Antony’s going to start with the infamous Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears, and by the time he’s done talking everyone is ready to go kill Brutus.

Marcus Brutus made the unenviable mistake of underestimating Antony’s ability to sway people with his words. It’s interesting to note that Brutus’s speech to the masses is written in prose, and Antony’s in verse, no doubt to highlight the eloquence of the latter’s and the lack of eloquence of the former’s.

Never underestimate the power of words. By the same token, never overestimate the intelligence of a mob.

I could easily go political here, but I won't. Instead, since there's talk of the capitol in today's lines, I'll give you a pic of my associates at the capitol. This pic is from an evening in 2012, back in somewhat less politically polarized times. If you want to go full-blown political with today's lines, that's on you.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

Why tender juvenal? Why tender juvenal?

 

-Moth

Love’s Labour’s Lost                     Act I, Scene ii, Line 11

Two Why? questions in a row. Yesterday Kent was asking the Fool why his question was foolish, and now Moth is asking Costard, his boss so-to-speak, why he is calling him a tender juvenal. Juvenal is pretty much equivalent to the word juvenile. Why?

Moth is sort of the Fool of this play. So many of the plays (particularly the comedies, but also a lot of the tragedies) have a Fool, and some call them Fools whilst in others you sort of have to pick out the Fool for yourself. I’m not sure if Moth is ever referred to as Fool in this play.

It would be handy if the Fools in real life (oh yes, there are Fools in real life; lots of them) were properly titled. It might just make things a little easier. On the other hand, it’s quite clear that in many of Will’s plays the Fool is the smartest guy out there. So, on second thought, I guess having them labeled in real life wouldn’t really do much good, would it?

They say (and I agree with them) that you can always tell a person's age by looking at their hands. 

Look how old this hand looks. Man, that's depressing. 

Clearly no tender juvenal here!

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

Why, fool?

-Kent

King Lear                       Act II, Scene iv, Line 65

Kent asks why Lear has so few men with him, Fool says that’s a stupid question, and Kent asks why, fool; why is that a stupid question?

Fool answers with one of his patently riddley speeches, ending with an eight-line poem. Rather than give you the ten-line speech, I’ll give you the poem:

The sir which serves and seeks for gain,
   And follows but for form,
Will pack when it begins to rain,
   And leave thee in the storm.
But I will tarry; the fool will stay,
   And let the wise man fly:
The knave turns fool that runs away:
   The fool no knave, perdy.

I believe that last word, perdy, is pronounced such as it would rhyme with bird-eye, and it’s an archaic word meaning indeed or certainly.

Wow, now that I read that poem it makes me realize that I need to take a look at the ten difficult lines that precede it. Ahh, but do I have the time. Do you have the time? Let me give it a quick re-read.

Yup, as I thought, there’s a bit there to unpack. Yeah, I’m really fond of that unpack metaphor; almost as fond as I am unfond of the current use of the word hack. You won’t every hear me using that latter word to describe a better way to do something. Don’t ask me why; there’d probably be a lot to unpack there as well.

In any event, I think we’re going to leave the fool’s ten-line speech packed for now. Perhaps some other time we can revisit and unpack.

Patrice is currently in Cally visiting these two rascals. She is constantly on the move and has to do a lot of packing and unpacking; literally, not figuratively.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

The more degenerate and base art thou,

To make such means for her as thou hast done,

And leave her on such slight conditions.

-Duke

Two Gentlemen of Verona    Act V, Scene iv, Line 136

From what I can tell, he left her because she didn’t want him and wanted Valentine more. So how is that a slight condition, and how does that make him degenerate and base? I dunno, maybe I misunderstood it. I don’t know this play very well. I’ve only posted on it twelve times in the past six and a half years, and never on Act V. It’s not really high on my list of plays to see either.

The enclosed bridge in the background of this pic (taken in Manhattan this past weekend) made me think of the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. I've only seen pictures of that bridge, because I've never been to Venice. But Venice is very high on my list of places to see; much higher than Two Gentlemen of Verona.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

You know me well; an herein spend but time

To wind about my love with circumstance;

-Antonio

The Merchant of Venice                Act I, Scene i, Line 153

This is the first two lines of an eight-line reply that Antonio makes to Bassanio. I’m afraid that the entire eight lines in one sentence, so I’m going to have to give you the whole thing.

You know me well; and herein spend but time
To wind about my love with circumstance;
And out of doubt you do me now more wrong
In making question of my uttermost
Than if you had made waste of all I have:
Then do but say to me what I should do,
That in your knowledge may be me be done,
And I am prest unto it: therefore, speak.

Yup, there’s a period at the end, there, Yup, there is.

So Bassanio preceded this eight lines of Antonio’s with his little bit about shooting one arrow to find the first. Antonio realizes that Bassanio wants to ask something of him, and he takes the eight lines above to say Alright, already: just tell me what you need!
Bassanio’s reply begins with
In Belmont is a lady richly left.
And we all know where this is going.

Today’s lines, therefore, are eight lines of Antonio essentially telling Bassanio that he would do anything for him. This, among other lines, is the reason that many believe that the relationship between these two guys was more than just friends.

Isn’t it interesting, though, how careful Will is with this. Look at line four above,
In making question of my uttermost,
Uttermost what? Presumably uttermost love. Uttermost by itself can be anything: uttermost contempt, uttermost ambivalence. Did Will leave out the word love for the sake of not having it too obvious to Elizabethan audiences, or did Will have Antoino leave it out for some other reason?

See, that’s what I mean when I say that Will’s works are a treasure trove. They’re full of little nuggets like this that you can marvel over and look at from all sorts of angles.

Uttermost.

This young lady has my uttermost.