Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

Come, come, no longer will I be a fool,

To put the finger in the eye and weep,

Whilst man and master laugh my woes to scorn.

Adriana
The Comedy of Errors. 2,  2. 202

This is the first meeting of Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse with the wife and sister-in-law of Antipholus of Ephesus. As to be expected, it is meeting full of confusion since the two women think they are talking to Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus. Today’s line is Adriana expressing her frustration with the confusion that’s going on.

Since I know the story here, and what’s going on, it’s not confusing to me. However, there is something here that is confusing to me. The first half of the scene is just Antipholus and Dromio, and there is no rhyming whatsoever in the lines. When Adriana and Luciana show up the non-rhyming continues for about eighty more lines and then suddenly, hey presto, they’re all talking in rhyme. Mostly. Even then, though they finish the scene (another half page) talking in rhyme, even then, they still manage to slip in and out of rhyme. As you can see, today’s three lines are not written in rhyme.

So, why the inconsistency? I find that confusing. It’s not stick my finger in my eye and weep confusing, but it is confusing nonetheless.

 

I thought a picture of an eye might be appropriate, so naturally I turned to my sticker book. Well, I found three stickers of eyes: one really big, one really weird, and this one. Perhaps you'll get to see the other two on another day, or days.

Confused? I hope not.