Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of heaven!

Wind, rain, and thunder, remember, earthly man

Is but a substance that must yield to you.  

 

-Pericles

Pericles, Prince of Tyre                 Act II Scene i, Line 3

 

These are the first three lines of the scene. Pericles is standing alone on the shore all wet because he has just swum ashore from being in a storm and a shipwreck. Earthly man is but a substance that must yield to you, he says. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

I had thought that I would be able to find a pic in my archives of me, or someone I knew, standing on a shore somewhere being contemplative. But rather than show someone being contemplative in the face of nature, I give you this one. It's one of my favourite pictures, and I'm pretty sure she's not thinking about being just an earthly substance. And I guess most of us don't think about that such an awful lot either. I suppose that's about right. 

 

 

A grandam’s name is little less in love

Than is the doting title of mother;

They are as children but one step below,

Even of your mettle, of your very blood;

Of all one pain, save for a night of groans

Endured of her for whom you bid like sorrow.

Your children were vexation to your youth,

But mine shall be a comfort to your age.

 

-Richard

Richard III                      Act IV Scene iv, Line 303

 

Richard is talking to Elizabeth about how he wants to marry her daughter (also named Elizabeth) and give Elizabeth grandchildren. He’s telling her how fabulous it will be for her to have grandchildren. Sounds kind of nice, eh? Except I didn’t give you the beginning part. In that part Richard and Elizabeth are talking about all the people Richard has killed on his way to becoming King; people that include Elizabeth’s sons (the other Elizabeth’s brothers) uncles, you name it.

Here are the lines that precede today’s Totally Random lines, spoken by Richard

       

        Look, what is done cannot be now amended:

        Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,

        Which after hours give leisure to repent.

        If I did take the kingdom from your sons,

        To make amends, I’ll give it to your daughter.

        If I have kill’d the issue of your womb,

        To quicken your increase, I will beget

        Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter

        A grandam’s name…..

 

So, yeah, he’s quite the charmer.

I was thinking of giving you a pic of one of my grandparents or grandkids, but I thought something more reminiscent of Richard might be better. This guy here looks like he'd turn on you in a New York (or in our case simply York) Minute.

 

I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this.

These things being bought and orderly bestowed,

Return in haste, for I do feast tonight

My best-esteem’d acquaintance. Hie thee, go.

-Bassanio

The Merchant of Venice         Act II Scene ii, Line 171

 

Good Leonardo. I did a post on good; it was good Michael. Here’s the link to that post Totally Random Daily Shakespeare .

So I guess since I’ve given you the link, I don’t need to go into the good thing again, do I, good reader?

Anyway, I gave you four lines today because this is the sum of what Bassanio has to say to Leonardo. What he wants him to think on and exactly what things need to be bestowed, well I guess that’s not very important, but as long as Leonardo knows, then things should work out.

 

What’s he that speaks for Edmund Earl of Gloucester?

 -Edgar

King Lear                        Act V Scene iii, Line 125

 

We’re near to the end of the play, and Edgar has come forward to challenge Edmund. This is the part in the play where people start dying left and right. Edgar will be taking care of Edmund directly. Then we’ll get to Goneril, and then Cordelia, and then Lear. 

Did I mention that this is a tragedy?

 

The cod-piece that will house

Before the head has any,

The head and he shall louse;-

So beggars marry many.

The man that makes his toe

What he his heart should make

Shall of a corn cry woe,

And turn his sleep to wake.

 

-Fool

King Lear                        Act III Scene ii, Line 32

 

Lear and the Fool are out on the heath at night alone in a storm. Lear is raging at the storm whilst at the same time yelling about his two daughters. He’s telling the storm to let him have it, but still complaining about the two daughters he’s been given. And this is the poem that the fool says in response to Lear’s ranting. Much like most of the fool’s lines, the meaning of what he’s saying is a bit clouded. Now, I found a really good note on this poem in my auxiliary Shakespeare compilation, the one edited by G.B. Harrison. I’m going to give you the note in full.

The man who goes wenching before he has a roof over his head will become a lousy beggar. The man who is kinder to his toe than to his heart will be kept awake by his corns- i.e., Lear has been kinder to his feet (his daughters) than to his heart (himself). The fool’s remarks, especially when cryptic, and indecent, are not easy to paraphrase.

 

That should help a little, but Harrison’s last sentence is still very true. Like I said above, the meaning of the fool’s lines can be a bit clouded, even when you know what they mean (if you get what I mean).

What have I given you today? Well, Lear and the fool are wandering around in a storm, so I'm giving you a picture of a Storm Petrel (under a cloudy sky). It's plate 14 from my Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio, and it's a Leach's Storm Petrel, not Lear's Storm Petrel, though you have to admit that's pretty close. Also, I think it's a really nice pic, and I especially like the waves in the background. 

 

Do you call me fool?

 -Cloten

Cymbeline               Act II Scene iii, Line 104

 

Yah, she (Imogen) pretty much did. And even though Cloten is kind of a dirtbag, well, I don’t know of anyone who likes to be called a fool. Do you?

And what do we have here? I guess we could suppose that this is Imogene, on the left, calling Cloten, on the right, a fool. He does look a little taken aback, doesn't he? But, actually, the reason I'm giving you this particular pic, is because these guys are Thin-billed Murres; also known as... wait for it... Foolish Guillemots! How about that; plate 213, straight from The Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio to you.

 

Come when the king doth to my lady come;

Then, if I have much love, I’ll give you some.

-Katharine

Love’s Labour’s Lost             Act V Scene ii, Line 823

 

Yes, that’s right, line 823. This is a long scene, and it’s not over yet. It ends with line 918. It’s also an odd line, don’t you agree? It doesn’t seem to matter that I give you more context, because my knowing the context doesn’t really change for me what the line seems to say when taken in isolation.

So there you have it. A Totally Random line. It’s yours to do with as you will. I suppose if you’re trying to put someone off until a later date, or until some other thing happens, you could use this line. You’ll probably have to alter the first of the two lines (and please try to keep the iambic pentameter intact), but I’m sure you can do it. Something like this.

Come when you’ve learned how not to be so dumb,

Then, if I have much love, I’ll give you some.

Now that’s a bit non-specific, but you get the idea.