Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

                            Ay, that’s the theme.

To her in haste; give her this jewel; say,

My love can give no place, bide no denay.

 

Duke of Illyria

Twelfth Night         Act II Scene iv, Line 124

 

Apparently denay is not a typo for delay (which I thought it was): denay means denial.

Anyway, this is the last line of the scene. The scene has been the duke pining over his unrequited love for Olivia. Now he’s talking to Viola (not to be confused with Olivia) who is in the duke’s service. However, Viola is disguised as a young man named Cessario. The duke has been sending Viola/Cessario to Olivia’s home with messages of the duke’s love, but Olivia’s not interested. Now he wants him/her to go back to Olivia again.

It’s an interesting conversation between the duke and Viola/Cessario. It seems that Viola has a crush on the duke, but since the duke thinks she’s a young man, he has no idea. They are discussing love and the roles of men and women. Viola is sorting of letting on that she has feelings for the duke, but he’s not picking up on it. Finally he just tells him/her to go back and take another stab at Olivia. And so it goes. 

 

 

Speaking of stabs, I'd like to take another stab at those bunnies out back... 

 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

                             ‘Tis he.

Third Murderer

Macbeth                  Act III Scene ii, Line 13

 

This is the short scene where Banquo is murdered. It’s Banquo that the Third Murderer is speaking of when he says 

‘Tis he.

It’s a very short scene, less than twenty lines, so I read it through just now and I came up with something interesting. A few scenes earlier Macbeth hires two murderers for this job, but this scene has three murderers. The first line of the scene, spoken by Murderer One to Murderer Three, is

But who did bid thee join with us?

Third Murderer responds,

Macbeth.

Murderers One and Two question this a bit, but then just proceed.
Why do I give you this detail? I give it because it seems interesting that Murderer Three is added. Wherefore (remember, that means why)? Murderer Three is the first to point out that Banquo's son,  Fleance, got away. He seems to be the one of the three that’s paying attention to detail and knows the most about what’s going on. But is he needed? One of the first two murderers couldn’t have noticed that Fleance got away? Murderers One and Two are shadowy enough on their own: they show up in one scene and are assigned the task, they have their own short scenes (this one for the murder), and then Murderer One shows up very briefly in a subsequent scene to report to Macbeth. So, we needed a third guy to beef these guys up? Again, why?

Ah, so it turns out that I’ve stumbled onto a mystery that’s well known. I used the Google and found out that the Third Murderer, and his true identity, has been the topic of many a discussion, scholarly and otherwise, on this play. I guess we shouldn't be surprised. There is much belief that Murderer Three is Macbeth, following up on the two guys he hired to make sure they get the job done.

Needless to say, there is no conclusive evidence to tell us who the third murderer is or why he’s been put into this scene. I guess we’ll have to add this to the list of questions we have for Will when we have him over to dinner. 

Again with the list of questions for when Will comes to dinner.

This guy is a piece of work, no question about that. 

 

Today’s Totally Random Lines

 

I’ll wait upon them: I am ready.

 

Leonato

Much Ado About Nothing     Act III, Scene v, Line 53

Well, this is a pretty innocuous line. It sounds like something I often say to Patrice when we’re getting ready to go somewhere.  

I’ll wait upon you: I am ready. 

Okay, she says, I'm just about ready.

And then I go out and sit in the car, and she comes out five minutes later in a tizzy. What are you sitting here for? I had to fold the clothes, empty the trash, wash the dishes, weed the garden, and slop the hogs; and you’re just sitting here?

Oy. 

My goodness, it certainly isn't easy being you, Mr. Blagys, is it?

No Mojo, it sure isn't.