Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

Cousin, there’s faln between him and my lord

An unkind breach: but you shall make all well.

-Desdemona

Othello                                    Act IV, Scene i, Line 224

Faln is a shortening (contraction?) of fallen. An unkind breach has fallen between Cassio and Othello. That’s what Desdemona is saying, and she’s saying that Lodovico will fix it. No, I don’t think so. 

It does not seem that at any point in this play Desdemona becomes aware of the specific problem: that Othello thinks that she and Cassio are having an affair. Or does she? There is clearly much of this play that I don’t remember as it’s been probably twenty years since I’ve read it in its entirety. Also, I have never seen it performed, live or otherwise.

Now speaking of Othello’s mad, jealous obsession, what of this mad obsession of Pete’s with Will’s works? Is it mad? Where did it start? I can tell you that at least, I think. It took off from the blogging. I was a fan of Will’s previously, but once I started this thing of looking at a random line each day, and spending a little time with Will’s works each day, well I suppose the obsession was inevitable. And the blogging, to start with, was simply an idea to create a platform so as to be able to sell a book. The book was a shot in the dark idea of a way to do something to combine Bill’s drawing and my writing. So, I guess mine is a very accidental obsession?

Well, does anyone go about with the intent to get obsessed with something? Do they? I would think not. But wait a minute: whilst you can bet that Othello did not intend (or want) to become obsessed with jealousy, I think you can also bet that Iago did intend it. So, Othello's is a very intentional obsession, just not intended by the guy who got obsessed. Huh.

Okay, I thought I was going to have to call in our resident philosopher for this one. No, not me: I’m talking about our professional philosopher; the guy that gets paid to philosophize (that’s a great word, huh?). I thought we were going to have to ask Professor Davis if anyone goes about with the intent to become obsessed with something. But I think we’ll let him be for today. And we’ll let this topic be, and we’ll be done. What do you think, Professor?

(17) Jackson Browne - Standing in the Breach - YouTube

Now I bet you thought I was going to give you a pic of Professor Davis. Well it just so happens that I gave you a pic of him in Monday's blog, looking appropriately un-professorial. 

Instead, I am giving you something to prove that the word breach is not antiquated. 

Enjoy.

 Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

O, twice my father, twice am I thy son!

-John Talbot

King Henry the Sixth Part I        Act IV, Scene vi, Line 6

John Talbot is the son, and Lord Talbot is the father. The older Talbot just saved Younger’s life in battle, so the latter is saying that dad gave him life twice: when he was born, and just now. That’s it. A bit dramatic, but that’s it. Or maybe it’s not so dramatic. What do you think? Is it too dramatic or not. This is, after all, theater.

Here you go: Father and Son.

No life-saving going on, and no dramatic statements being made. 

Just Father and Son.

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

By the woman’s means?

-Escalus

Measure For Measure          Act II, Scene i, Line 82

Well there’s a bit of nonsense going on here. Escalus, the second-in-command to Angelo, the guy in charge, is questioning Constable Elbow. It looks like Elbow is quite the comic character, which I suppose you would guess with the name Elbow. They’re discussing a fellow that Elbow has brought in, but somehow the talk has turned to Elbow’s wife. Elbow has just said something about his wife being at a bordello, and I believe that’s what Escalus is questioning. Was she there by her own means?

Ooooof, lotta context there. Not sure it was worth it. In fact, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.

Now there’s a river birch in our front yard that is definitely not there by its own means. We bought it and put it there. It looks nice in the early morning when the sunlight outlines the branches, but it’s a little bit of an odd tree. It’s a dozen or so stems growing out of the ground, the thickest of which is about the size of a baseball bat. And growing may not be the right word in that it’s not much bigger now than when we planted it there ten years ago.

What’s all that got to do with today’s line? Absolutely nothing. But that’s where my thoughts are drifting to this morning. Perhaps it’s time to put down the keyboard. 

Here's the river birch. You can't really appreciate the morning sun on it from this pic, but it's there. 

You see, there are occasional mornings when I just don't feel like doing much with the Totally Random Line of the day. Oh well. Better luck tomorrow. 

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                 

But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,

And ceremoniously let us prepare

Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

 

-Lorenzo

The Merchant of Venice                Act V, Scene i, Line 37

We’re very near the end of this play. The main characters have not yet arrived back at Belmont, but they will, shortly. Stephano has come ahead to tell Lorenzo and Jessica, who stayed behind in Belmont, that the mistress of the house will be arriving shortly.

This scene began with these two lovers sitting beneath the moon alone, talking like lovers would. But that which they might have gotten around to, they should’ve done when they could, because they ain’t gonna be any of that now. The whole crowd is about to descend on their quiet, moonlit night. Ah well, there will be other moonlit nights, eh?

I was looking for a pic of a moonlit night, but this is actually better. It's a pic of two star-crossed lovers and one of them is named Jessica. The other one is Andy, but we'll call him Lorenzo just for today. 

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Line(s)                

Hold, for your lives!

 

-Othello

Othello                                     Act II, Scene iii, Line 159

Today is Superbowl Sunday. So, perhaps this is an appropriate line? In Othello’s world hold means stop, he's trying to stop a drunken brawl. In the Superbowl world it might mean hold onto the lead, or perhaps hold on to that ball and don’t drop it. Yeah, a little different. But then, Shakespeare is just a little different from the Superbowl. Though, if you think about it, they both could involve drunken brawls.

Anyway, when you pass that guacamole dip today to someone on the couch, you can say, Hold, for your life! Don’t drop that dip! Unless of course you want to use the phrase with a more Shakespearean meainng, in which case you can wait until you get sick of Uncle Bud ranting about how great Patrick Mahomes is. Then, if it was me I'd say, Hold, for your life, Uncle Bud! Enough already!

Football Jon!

A perfect pic for Superbowl Sunday. 

 Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                       

And, for the sake of them thou sorrowest for,

Do me the favour to dilate at full

What have befallen all of them and thee till now.

 

-Duke of Ephesus

The Comedy of Errors                      Act I, Scene i, Line 122

So here is the classic, ‘what happened then?’ that the duke serves up so that Aegean can tell the rest of his story. And coincidently, I’ve got to drink more of my coffee before going on.

That’s better. Now, the only thing I’ve got on today’s line is another contraction, befall’n. Befallen is a fairly little used word today in the first place, contraction or no. But it’s not completely forgotten. ‘So, what has befallen you since last we spoke?’ Ahh, but apparently (I just looked it up) it doesn’t mean just ‘what happened’, it implies something bad happening. I guess that if I thought about, I knew that? I’m not sure. I can’t exactly remember. Ahhh, what has befall'n me?

This is actually not the cup of coffee I was referring to above. That cup was at home, where I started writing this morning. This cup is at work, where I am now. It's true. 

Let't not be doubted.

 Today’s Totally Random Line(s)

                              I do believe thee:

I saw his heart in’s face.

-Polixenes

The Winter’s Tale                    Act I, Scene ii, Line 445

Well, well, we have a continuation of yesterday’s topics. This is earlier in the play than yesterday. It’s a scene where one of the king’s men is warning Polixenes that the king is going to kill him, because the king thinks Polixenes is having an affair with the queen. As soon as he’s warned, Polixenes knows it’s true because he knew something was bugging the king. I saw his heart in’s face, he says.

And look, another day, and another interesting contraction: in’s for in his. I suppose it’s used here for the sake of meter. Anyway, unlike the king who won’t believe the truth (what the heck is wrong with that guy?), Polixenes knows the truth when he hears it, and he believes it.

I guess that’s a theme in this play: seeing the truth, or not seeing the truth. I suppose that’s something that we all struggle with: recognizing what is the truth.

Yes, truth is a big topic these days. And some would have us believe that in many cases truth is unimportant. I think that way of thinking is very dangerous. Quite so. A guy should definitely care about the truth. After all, it’s in’s best interest.

Sorry, I got no pic today; maybe tomorrow.