Shall I strike at it with my partisan?

-Marcellus

Hamlet                   Act I Scene 1, Line 140

 

For starters, a partisan is one of those spear type things like what the guards at the Tower of London carry. So in this context it’s a weapon, not a person who’s leaning in a particular political direction.

That said, well, act one, scene one of Hamlet. Not a whole lot of too much going on here. It’s the ramparts of the castle at night, and the guys up there are doing a little bit of intro stuff for the play, and talking about the ghost they’ve been seeing. The ghost shows up and Marcellus throws out today’s line. Considering that the ghost is dead, I’m not sure what striking him with a partisan is going to do. Marcellus probably didn’t think that one all the way through. On the other hand, a few lines down here’s Marcellus again,

         We do it wrong, being so majestical,

        To offer it the show of violence;

        For it is, as the air, invulnerable,  

        And our vain blows malicious mockery

So I guess I didn’t initially give our buddy Marcellus enough credit, did I? And I guess that just shows that you shouldn’t rush to judge people. Or better said, I shouldn’t rush to judge people; leastways, not Marcellus.

 

What say’st thou, my lady?

-Hotspur

King Henry the Fourth  Part I      Act II Scene 111, Line 77

 

This is Hotspur addressing his wife. Most of this scene is the dialogue of Hotspur with his wife, and it’s a good one. So you know what? Instead of talking about it, why don’t you just read it? I'll give you a link. If you page down to the end of the scene there’s a few lines telling you exactly what’s going on in the scene. Read that first, then read the scene. Its’ only 122 lines. It’ll do you good.

 Go ahead, take the link and read the scene.

Henry IV, I Act II, scene iii

 

Lord mayor,--

-Duke of Buckingham

King Richard the Third         Act III Scene v, Line 14

 

Yup, Lord mayor. That’s it. Actually, there’s a beginning to the line. It gets interrupted by a little stage direction, and it actually looks like this: 

Let me entertain him

                   Enter the MAYOR and CATESBY

                                                Lord mayor,--

And then Buckingham gets interrupted by Richard. It’s not a particularly inspiring line. It’s part of a scene where Richard and Buckingham are up to a bit of political intrigue as they work on getting Richard the crown.

There’s just a ton of political intrigue in Will’s history plays. And so much of it is so similar to all the political intrigue that continues today. None of it’s changed much. They say it’s all about the Benjamins, but I think that to a lot of these characters (I’m speaking of Will’s characters and of the real-life ones that fill our media coverage today) it’s all about the power. Will that ever change? Let me answer my own question: I think it’s part of the human condition, so no, it will never change.

Will would have a field day writing a play about some of the idiots (and worse) populating today's political landscape. Or perhaps you can say he already has?

 

 I’ll be so bold to break the seal for once.

-Duke of Milan

The Two Gentlemen of Verona     Act III Scene i, Line 139

 

The Duke has found a letter in the pocket of Valentine’s coat, and he’s decided to read it. The funny thing is that the Duke asked Valentine if he could try on Valentine’s coat, and consequently Valentine is standing right there. I guess if you’re the Duke you can read other peoples letters or do whatever else  you want without being questioned? I suppose it should be noted that the sealed letter is addressed to Sylvia and that the Duke is Sylvia’s father. So maybe that counts for something? I dunno.

So does this mean that if I borrow this rascal's coat and find a letter in it addressed to Nina, then I get to read that letter? Well that could be interesting. Perhaps the most interesting part of the whole thing  would be that he's writing a letter to Nina in the first place; forget about what's in it.

 

...but, sweet heart, let that pass. By the world, I recount no fable:

-Armado

Love’s Labour’s Lost             Act V Scene i, Line 100

 

Hmmm, what to say about this line? Okay, this scene is a lot of bluster and wordplay. I listened to it whilst reading it this morning and that was certainly helpful. I also read the summary before that, so I had a general sense of what was going on. Given all of that, can I explain this line to you? No, not really. I think it’s best explained by saying that it’s part of the bluster and wordplay of the scene. How’s that.

So, why did I pick this picture for today? I'll tell you why. The diversity of personalities in this picture is significant. I daresay, very, very significant. Whilst I do not remember the conversations that took place that day, or if there actually was much interchange between the members of this group, I would have to assume that if there were any conversations, they would have included some bluster and wordplay. There, how's that?

 

It is enough you know; and it is fit,

What being more known grows worse, to smother it.

-Pericles

Pericles, Prince of Tyre         Act I Scene i, Line 105

 

Oh boy. Well, if you didn’t know, we’re dealing with incest in this play. Yup.

Long story, short: Pericles must answer a riddle to win the daughter of King Antiochus. If he can’t figure out the riddle they will kill him. Pericles has figured out that the answer to the riddle is that Antiochus and his daughter are in an incestuous relationship. He’s has decided that he’s no longer interested in the girl, and more importantly that it will be in his best interest not to reveal the answer to the riddle. He’s speaking here to the king, trying to get out of giving the answer without losing his head.

So, given that, today’s Totally Random lines should be pretty clear. I can see why they don’t teach this play in schools. Oof.

Pic? No pic.

 

 

--I see their knavery: tis is to make an ass of me: to fright me, if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can: I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid.            [Sings]

-Bottom

A Midsummer Night’s Dream       Act III Scene i, Line 121

 

Bottom’s head has just been transformed into a donkey’s head (I don’t think he realizes this yet), and his friends have all run away from him.

And so, he begins to sing, and it’s a song about birds: ousel-cocks, throstles, wren, finch, sparrow, lark, and cuckoo. Don’t ask me what an ousel-cock is.

        The ousel-cock so black of hue,

        With orange-tawny bill,

        The throstle with his note so true,

        The wren with little quill,

        The finch, the sparrow and the lark,

        The plain-song cuckoo gray,

        Whose note full many a man doth mark,

        And dares not answer nay;

 Birds; it’s for the birds, eh?

Okay, these are purple finch. This is a pic I took of plate 402 from my Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio. It's a reproduction, of sorts, of Audubon's original Birds of America. No need to thank me.