To the celestial and my soul’s idol, the most beautified Ophelia,-

Doubt thou the stars are fire;

Doubt that the sun doth move;

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt I love.

O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans: but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu.

Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him,                

HAMLET

 

-Polonius reading Hamlet’s letter aloud to Gertrude

Hamlet                        Act II, Scene ii, Line 164

 

So, as it says, this is Hamlet’s letter to Ophelia. There’s a little bit of Gertrude and Polonius back and forth that interrupts some of the reading, but for the sake of clarity I’ve left that out and given you just the pure letter. And what do we think? Does it sound like a typical love letter? Does it sound like a love letter period?

My opinion? It’s about as cryptic as any of Hamlet’s words in this play. The little four line poem about doubts leaves off the word ‘you’ at the end, just to maintain a sense of, well, doubt. Though, to be fair, he’s pretty clear towards the end about loving her: but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. And yet, he can’t resist the curveball with whilst this machine is to him. What the heck is that all about? What machine? The human body? Who’s him? God? No wait, him is Hamlet. He's speaking in third person and he's saying Thine evermore while this body is still mine, that is to say, while I still live.  Yeah, that’s probably right. I'm glad we got that settled. Machine indeed.

 

Now here's a machine. Whilst you may not think of an organ as a machine, take a look at the close-up below of one of the side panels...

 

This organ can re-create every sound from soup to nuts. It's a sound making machine!

 

 

His foes are so enrooted with his friends

That, plucking to unfix an enemy,

He doth unfasten so and shake a friend:

 

-Archbishop of York

The Second Part of King Henry the Fourth

Act IV, Scene i, Line 209

 

Okay, a lot going on. Let us give you a little bit of context.

The archbishop here is among the group that has rebelled against the crown. They are discussing amongst themselves whether or not it is worthwhile to go into battle against the king’s forces, or whether they should bother to parley with, and try to come to terms with, the king. Hastings says that any peace made will stand, and Mowbray says that’s not true and that the king will lash out at them again at the slightest provocation. The archbishop, agreeing with Hastings, has this to say to Mowbray:

No, no, my lord. Note this; the king is weary

Of dainty and such pricking grievances:

For he hath found to end one doubt by death

Revives two greater in the heirs of life,

Ant therefore will he wipe his tables clean

And keep no tell-tale to his memory

That may repeat and history his loss

To new remembrance; for full well he knows

He cannot so precisely weed this land

As his misdoubts present occasion:

His foes are so enrooted with his friends

That, plucking to unfix an enemy,

He doth unfasten so and shake a friend:

So that this land, like an offensive wife

That hath enraged him on to offer strokes,

As he is striking, holds his infant up

And hangs resolved correction in the arm

That was uprear’d to execution.

 

I particularly like the five lines that follow todays Totally Random lines and end the passage. …this land, like an offensive wife,/ that hath enraged him on to offer strokes,/ as he is striking, holds his infant up/ and hangs resolved correction in the arm/ that was uprear’d to execution.

I like the imagery- a wife, having poked the bear, is holding the baby up to protect herself. And I like the phraseology combined with imagery- hangs resolved correction in the arm.

It’s marvelous language, it’s timeless and timely, and it’s a part of the reason people fall in love with Shakespeare.

 

No pic today. The passage is too good. Spend the time you would have spent looking at the pic, by re-reading the passage. You can do it!

 

First, that, without the king’s consent or knowledge,

You wrought to be a legate; by which power

You maim’d the jurisdiction of all bishops.

 

-Earl of Surrey       

King Henry the Eighth           Act III, Scene ii, Line 312

 

We’re still in the histories, I see.

This is the part of Henry VIII where they undo Wolsey. Or perhaps Henry has him undone; I’m not quite sure. In any event, today’s line, as it states, is the first in the list of offenses that Cardinal Wolsey has committed. It turns out to be a pretty long list.

Then…

Then…

Item…

That…

Then…

By the time they’re done with the list, Wolsey is done as well. That’s right, stick a fork in him, he’s done. 

 

 

 

I don't think there's much relevance here (though they are talking about eating like kings), but I did think it was pretty funny.