Today’s Totally Random Lines

Well, thou hast a son shall take this disgrace off me; scurvy, old filthy scurvy lord!

Parolles

All’s Well That Ends Well      Act II, Scene iii, Line 239

Parolles is alone and talking about Lafeu, who has just walked off. The latter is an old man and a lord, and he’s just spent the last few minutes insulting Parolles, who is a commoner. So Parolles is all worked up, but afraid to do anything about it because 1) Lafeu is an old man and he doesn’t want to fight with an old man, and 2) Lafeu is a lord and he doesn’t want to fight with a lord. Parolles is stuck yelling at the wind, sort of.

I guess he’s saying that he’ll fight Lafeu’s son in order to regain his honor; a son who’s apparently neither old, nor a lord. I’m not sure there even is a son of Lafeu, because he’s not mentioned otherwise in this play, but perhaps Parolles knows more than we do about Lafeu’s family. In any event, beating up on the son because the dad insulted him doesn’t make all that much sense to me, but who am I to say. 

 

Did someone say something about old guys? I've got an old guy too, and he doesn't give me much trouble at all. Maybe I could give Parolles a few tips about how to handle old guys?

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Buck!--I would I could wash my self of the buck!—Buck, buck, buck! Ay, buck I warrant you, buck; and the season too, it shall appear.

 

Ford

The Merry Wives of Windsor         Act III, Scene iii, Line 172

 

Well I can’t be sure, but it seems possible that Today’s Line might have something to do with Buck. Just kidding. Yes, obviously Buck is the word today, so I guess I’m going to have to go into a bit of a lengthy explanation. Apologies in advance.

So this play is all about Falstaff trying to sleep with both Mistress Page and Mistress Ford. These latter two know what Falstaff’s up to all along and they just lead him along and play with him. Meantime Mister Ford and Mister Page catch wind of what’s going on and get involved in the antics as well.

In this scene Mistresses Ford and Page are sneaking Falstaff out of the house in a basket of dirty laundry whilst Misters Ford and Page are arriving, knowing (or at least suspecting) that something is going on. Ford asks the servants where they’re going with the laundry basket (it must be a pretty big basket if Falstaff’s in it), and Mistress Ford says,

Why, what have you to do whither they bear it? You were best meddle with buck-washing.

And that’s were our word comes in. Ford’s reply is Today’s line.

Now, if you thought that was a lengthy explanation hold on to your teeth because we’re only halfway there. Buck-washing, it seems, was some sixteenth century form of laundry. It involves a lye mixture…but no need to get into details; just know that it’s getting the laundry done. Ford picks up on the buck portion of buck-washing and whilst apparently referring to the wash, he is also making a double entendre reference to Falstaff who is the unwanted buck (male animal) in the house. Also, buck at just a little bit of a stretch can also refer to the male horned animal which is an oblique reference to being cuckolded, or cheated on, which of course is what Ford thinks is happening. So it’s really a triple entendre and as such Will has decided, I suppose, that he wants to make sure that you don’t miss it.

And was he successful? Was there any particular word that stood out in Today’s Line? Again, just kidding. Buck, buck, buck.

 

 

 

Due to today's word, I have no choice but to show you a picture of my big brother Buck. So, here he is with his lovely wife at the celebration of having a Boys Club gym named after him. If you didn't already figure it out, his real name's not Buck 

 

Now don't worry, I got Mojo's approval today for the non-Mojo picture in the Moj-Post. Apparently what you see below is his "stamp of approval"

 

 

Don't over-exert yourself, Buddy. We don't want you getting hurt.
 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Who glazed with crystal gate the glowing roses

That flame through water which their hue encloses.

 

Maiden

A Lover’s Complaint      Line 286

 

A Lover’s Complaint is one of Will’s long poems, this one telling the story of a young maiden lamenting the woes of her love life. These lines are near the end of the poem, and she’s talking about the lad who seduced and then left her. Specifically, in this stanza she’s talking about his face with the tears streaming down his cheeks, and how those tears melted her heart and won her over. The lines directly preceding today’s two lines are easier to understand.

         Each cheek a river running from a fount

        With brinish current downward flow’d apace:

        O, how the channel to the stream gave grace

The tears were running down his face and made him look even better than without them. And then today's lines…

         Who glazed with crystal gate the glowing roses

That flame through water which their hue encloses 

What the heck?

Who or what is the who here? The lad? The maiden? The lad’s eyes? Something else?

And is the glazed with crystal gate a modifier of who, or an action of who.

This is a mystery waiting to be solved. But who’s going to solve it?

I'm not exactly sure it's that kind of mystery, Mojo, or one that has an answer to be found in the carpet fibers.

Nonetheless, it's good to see that you're on the case!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat; it ever changes with the next block.

 

Beatrice

 

Much Ado About Nothing     Act I, Scene i, Line 68

 

Well if it’s Beatrice talking smack about someone, we have to assume she’s talking about Benedick. Yup, just listened to the first part of this act, and it is indeed Benedick. By the way, what she’s saying above about the next block is the next change in fashion, in case you were wondering. And yes (spoiler alert!), if you didn’t already know it, Beatrice and Benedick end up together by the end of the play.

Speaking of hats, I found this beauty when I was shopping a few years ago, but I passed on it and have regretted it ever since.

What do you think Mojo? Big mistake on my part not getting that hat, eh?

I've finally left Mojo speechless.

He's flabbergasted on how great I look in that hat!

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night

Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear;

Romeo

Romeo and Juliet   Act I, Scene v, Line 47

 

We’re breaking with tradition today as this is not a random line. It’s one that I picked, so just go with it.

These are some of the first words that Romeo uses to describe Juliet upon first seeing her. Why did I pick them? Well, I came across them, and the fact that they resemble some words from a modern song, and I just felt like writing about it.

I met you on a midway at a fair last year

And you stood out like a ruby in a black man’s ear

That’s the beginning of That Song About The Midway by Joni Mitchell.

So, is it the same image? Is like a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear the same simile as like a ruby in a black man’s ear? I dunno, but it just seemed too close to be a coincidence. And like I said yesterday, I don’t believe in coincidences. It's my belief that Joni Mitchell knows her Romeo and Juliet. I guess I’ll probably never have a chance to talk to Ms. Mitchell about this, but if any of you do, please ask her for me.

Thanks.

 

Well, Mojo, I'm pretty sure your ear doesn't need a rich jewel or a ruby; you've got some sound-sifters there that could make an elephant envious.