Merchant and Tempest

While we’re at it I thought I would probe you guys for other insights into the plays you’re reading, if you had an opinion on these things.

Anne, when I read it a couple months ago, I thought ‘Merchant’ was probably the toughest play for Shakespeare race-wise — his characters say some questionable things. Were you sensitive to that? If it makes sense to call him a racist, what sort of racist was he? What was his relationship to race?

Holly, I found that a recurring theme in the conclusion of many of Shakespeare’s plays was that of mercy –it seemed almost a sort of deus ex machina in which instead of going through the messy business of doling out justice, the leading figure would roundly declare everyone forgiven. This happens in the Tempest too. What is Prospero thinking?

If you have some thoughts on these or other issues –make posts– (not comments)….

Nothing In The Taming of The Shrew

Intro: “Persuade him that he hath been lunatic, and when he says he is, say that he dreams, for he is nothing but a mighty lord” [intro.1.64] (Lord to Huntsman); “let them want nothing that my house affords” [intro.1.103] (Lord of players, to servants); “thou art a lord and nothing but a lord” (Lord to Sly) [intro.2.61]. “Al’ce madam, or Joan madam? — Madam, and nothing else.” [intro.2.108] (Sly and Lord).

Act 1: “Nothing comes amiss, so money comes withal” (Grumio) [1.2.80]; “she may perhaps call him a half a score of knaves or so; why, that’s nothing” (Grumio) [1.2.110];

Act 2: “Why, that is nothing,” [2.1.130] (Petruchio to Baptista about Katharina’s shewery);

Act 3:

Act 4: “Why, she comes to borrow nothing of them” [4.1.95], (Grumio to curtis, regarding Katharina); “Faith, nothing but has left me here behind, to expound the meaning or moral of his signs and tokens” (Biondello) [4.4.78]; “Evermore cross’d and cross’d; nothing but cross’d!” (Petruchio) [4.5.10];

Act 5: “Mine old master Vicentio! Now we are undone and brought to nothing!” (Biondello) [5.1.42]; “nothing but sit and sit, and eat and eat! — Padua affords this kindness, son Petruchio.–Padua affords nothing but what is kind” (Petruchio and Baptista). [5.2.12].

Nothing in King Lear

Act 1: “What can you say to draw a third more opulent than your sisters?” “Nothing, my lord.” “Nothing?” “Nothing.” “Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again” [1.1.85-90] (Cordelia and Lear); “If aught within that little seeming substance or all of it, with out displeasure piec’d, and nothing more, may fitly like your Grace, she’s there, and she is yours” [1.1.199-202] (Lear to Burgundy); “Nothing. I have sworn. I am firm.” [1.1.246] (Lear to Burgundy); “What paper were you reading?” “Nothing, my lord” “The quality of nothing hath not such need to hide itself. If it be nothing I shall not need spectacles” [1.2.32-36] (Edmund and Gloucester); “I have told you what I hahve seen and heard; but faintly, nothing like the image and horror of it.” [1.2.178-179] (Edmund to Edgar); “This is nothing, fool” “then tis like the breath of unfeed lawyer; you gave me nothing for it. Can you make no use of nothing nuncle?” “Why no, boy, nothing can be made out of nothing” “Prithee, tell him, so much the rent of his land comes to.” [1.4.126-133] (Kent, Fool, Lear); “I had rather be any kind o’ thing than a fool, and yet I would not be thee, nuncle; thou hast pared thy wit o’ both sides, and left nothing in the middle” [1.4.182-185]; “I am a fool, thou art nothing” [1.4.190-191] (fool to Lear); “Yes, forsooth, I will hold my tongue; so your face bids me, though you say nothing” [1.4.191-192] (Fool to Goneril);

Act 2: “have you nothing said upon his party, gainst the Duke of Albany?” [2.1.25-27] (Edmund to Edgar); “thou art nothing but the composition of a knave” [2.2.20] (Kent to Oswald); “Away! I have nothing to do with thee.” (Oswald to Kent); “Nothing almost sees miracles, but misery” [2.2.168] (Kent); “Edgar I nothing am” [2.3.21] (Edgar);

Act 3: “tears his white hair, which the impetuous blasts, with eyeless rage, catch in their fury and make nothing of” [3.1.7-9] (gentleman to Kent of Lear); “I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing” [3.2.37-38] (Lear); “Go to, say you nothing” [3.3.8] (Gloucester to Edmund); “Has his daughters broughth him to this pass? Couldst thou save nothing? Wouldst thou give ‘em all?” [3.4.62-63] (Lear to Edgar); “death traitor! nothing could have subdued nature to such lowness but his unkind daughters” [3.4.69-70] (Lear to Kent);” The thing itself: “Thou art the thing itself, unaccommodated man is no more but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thou art” [3.4.105-107] (Lear to Edgar).

Act 4: “Welcome, then, thou unsubstantial air that I embrace! The wretch that thou hast blown unto the worst owes nothing to thy blasts”[4.1.6-8]; “Y’are much deceived. In nothing am I changed but in my garments” [4.6.8-9] (Edgar to Gloucester); “There is nothing done if he return the conqueror” [4.6.265-267] (letter from Goneril to Edmund, intercepted by Edgar, speaking of Albany); Everything: “Go to, they are not men o’ their words. They told me I was everything. ‘Tis a lie, I am not ague-proof” [4.6.103-105] (Lear of Goneril and Regan);

Act 5: “There is my pledge. I’ll make it on thy heart, ere I taste bread thou art in nothing less than I have here proclaimed thee.” [5.3.95-97] (Albany to Edmund).