Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

My father’s death,--

 

Richard

King Richard the Third    Act IV, Scene iv, Line 376

Yes, line 376. We’re deep into this act and I’m not sure exactly what’s happened so far. I do know that right here Richard is talking to Elizabeth, the widow of Richard’s brother, Edward IV. Richard is trying to tell Elizabeth something (I’m not sure what) and he’s trying to swear to her it’s the truth, but everything he tries to swear on she discredits.

If something thou wouldst swear to be believed,

Swear, then, by something thou hast not wrong’d.

Now, by the world,-

                        ‘Tis full of thy foul wrongs.

My father’s death,-

                        Thy life hath that dishonour’d.

Then, by myself,-

                        Thy self is self-misused.

Why, then, by God,-

 

                        God’s wrong is most of all.

 

And then she goes on to explain how swearing by God is, for Richard, as useless as all the other things he would swear on. Richard should just give it up here, but of course, he doesn’t. After all that, he somehow still convinces Elizabeth to let him marry her daughter.

Go figure.

You know what they say: some people could sell ice to an Eskimo. Wait, is that a bad word now? I didn't mean any offense by it, I swear. 

I swear by...  oh never mind.