Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Give me your hands, if we be friends...

Ok, so i'm supposed to find a passage from one of Shakespeare’s plays and post it.
-preferably one page
- interaction between characters
-preferably in middle English

I originally wanted to do Ophelia's flower scene, but there's not much interaction between many characters in that part. so, I give you one of my FAVORITE scenes of all time... second only to the entirety of loves labour's lost
Midsummer Night's Dream Act 3. Sc. 2. Lines 314- 365
Middle English:
Hel.
I pray you though you mocke me, gentlemen,
Let her not hurt me; I was neuer curst:
I haue no gift at all in shrewishnesse;
I am a right maide for my cowardize;
Let her not strike me: you perhaps may thinke,
Because she is something lower then my selfe,
That I can match her.
Her.
Lower? harke againe.
Hel.
Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me,
I euermore did loue you Hermia,
Did euer keepe your counsels, neuer wronged you,
Saue that in loue vnto Demetrius,
I told him of your stealth vnto this wood.
He followed you, for loue I followed him,
But he hath chid me hence, and threatned me
To strike me, spurne me, nay to kill me too;
And now, so you will let me quiet go,
To Athens will I beare my folly backe,
And follow you no further. Let me go.
You see how simple, and how fond I am.
Her.Why get you gone: who ist that hinders you?
Hel.A foolish heart, that I leaue here behinde.
Her.What, with Lysander?
Hel. With Demetrius.
Lys.Be not afraid, she shall not harme thee Helena.
Dem.No sir, she shall not, though you take her part.
Hel.O when she's angry, she is keene and shrewd,
She was a vixen when she went to schoole,
And though she be but little, she is fierce.
Her.Little againe? Nothing but low and little?
Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?
Let me come to her.
Lys.Get you gone you dwarfe,
You minimus, of hindring knot-grasse made,
You bead, you acorne.
Dem.You are too officious,
In her behalfe that scornes your seruices.
Let her alone, speake not of Helena,
Take not her part. For if thou dost intend
Neuer so little shew of loue to her,
Thou shalt abide it.
Lys.Now she holds me not,
Now follow if thou dar'st, to try whose right,
Of thine or mine is most in Helena.
Dem.Follow? Nay, Ile goe with thee cheeke by
iowle. [ Exit Lysander and Demetrius.]
Her.You Mistris, all this coyle is long of you.
Nay, goe not backe.
Hel.I will not trust you I,
Nor longer stay in your curst companie.
Your hands then mine, are quicker for a fray,
My legs are longer though to runne away.
Her. I am amazed and know not what to say.


HELENA
I pray you, though you mock me [gentlemen,]
Let her not hurt me. I was never curst;
I have no gift at all in shrewishness.
I am right maid for my cowardice.
Let her not strike me . You perhaps may think,
Because she is something lower than myself,
That I can match her.
HERMIA
"Lower"? Hark, again!
HELENA
Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me.
I evermore did love you, Hermia,
Did ever keep your counsels, never wronged you--
Save that, in love unto Demetrius,
I told him of your stealth unto this wood.
He followed you; for love, I followed him.
But he hath chid me hence and threatened me
To strike me, spurn me, nat, to kill me too.
And now, so you will let me quiet go,
To Athens will I bear my folly back
An dfollow you no further. Let me go.
You see how simple and how fond I am.
HERMIA
Why, get you gone. who is't that hinders you?
HELENA
A foolish heart that I leave here behind.
HERMIA
What, with Lysander?
HELENA
With Demetrius.
LYSANDER
Be not afraid. She shall not harm thee, Helena.
DEMETRIUS
No, sir, she shall not, though you take her part.
HELENA
O, when she is angry, she is keen and shrewd.
She was a vixen when she went to school,
And though she be but little, she is fierce.
HERMIA
"Little" again? Nothing [but] "low" and "little"?
Why will you suffer her to flout me thus?
Let me come to her.
LYSANDER
Get you gone, you dwarf,
You minimus of hind'ring knotgrass made,
You bead, you acorn--
DEMETRIUS
You are too officious
In her behalf that scorns your services.
Let her alone. Speak not of Helena.
Take not her part. For if thou dost intend
Never so little show of love to her,
Thou shalt aby it.
LYSANDER
Now she holds me not.
Now follow, if thou dar'st, to try whose right,
Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.
DEMETRIUS
"Follow"? Nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowl
[Demetrius and Lysander exit]
HERMIA
You, mistress, all this coil is long of you.
[Helena retreats.]
Nay, go not back.
HELENA
I will not trust you, I,
Nor longer stay in your curst company.
Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray
My legs are longer though, to run away. [She exits]
HERMIA
I am amazed and know not what to say. [She exits]

No comments: