2. Shakespeare-in-Essence:
Three Tragedies About Love

City-State Press

The Shakespeare-in-Essence series

Shakespeare is simply too difficult for most people to truly understand and enjoy. Yet a whole world of love and learning is lost to those who do not know Shakespeare well.

And so, I have written this series to bring genuine Shakespeare (essential, condensed and carefully-selected dialogue) to the general public, inserting at intervals normally quick comments which seek to illuminate Shakespeare’s deeper meanings. No wordy, obscure essays to read before or after the play. You comprehend Shakespeare’s meanings while you are reading him.

The idea is to provide an unusually understandable and pleasurable reading experience. You tell me if I have or have not succeeded. You must come away feeling greatly rewarded – I will not settle for less than this – or I have failed.

I am betting that Shakespeare-in-Essence tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra . . . will leave you deeply touched, perhaps numb, and never forgetting what you have read.

I am also betting that comedies such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, the male chauvinist Taming of the Shrew and the female chauvinist Merry Wives of Windsor . . . will leave you amused and delighted -- forever.

That’s what Shakespeare can do for you.

ROMEO AND JULIET

A star-crossed Tragedy of young Love

- - - - - - - - -

I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes,
[Mercutio does not know about Juliet]
By her high forehead and her scarlet lip,
By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,
And the demesnes that there adjacent lie,
That in thy likeness thou appear to us.

Mercutio, like his name, is mercurial, quick and lively, changeable and volatile, wonderfully imaginative and high-spirited. He is frolicsome and, as if you did not notice, quite bawdy.

- - - - - - - - -

Juliet. Although I joy in thee,
I have no joy of this contract tonight.
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say ‘It lightens’. Sweet, goodnight.
This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.

Young Juliet has wisdom and caution to go with her daring romance. Romeo, a deserving lad, has chanced upon a very remarkable girl.

- - - - - - - - -

Lady Capulet. Here comes your father; tell him so yourself,
And see how he will take it at your hands.

Capulet comes in with the Nurse. He does not “take it” particularly well.

Capulet. Hang thee, young baggage! Disobedient wretch!
I tell thee what; get thee to church o’ Thursday,
Or never after look me in the face.
Speak not, reply not, do not answer me!
My fingers itch. Wife, we scarce thought us blest
That God had lent us but this only child;
But now I see this one is one too much.
To have a wretched puling fool . . .
To answer ‘I’ll not wed, I cannot love;
I am too young, I pray you pardon me’.

But, an you will not wed,
Graze where you will; you shall not house with me.
Look to’t, think on’t; I do not use to jest.
Thursday is near. Lay hand on heart; advise.
An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend.
An you be not, hang, beg, starve.

- - - - - - - - -

Romeo finds Juliet.

Romeo. O my love, my wife!
Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
Thou art not conquered.

Ah, dear Juliet,
Why art thou yet so fair?

OTHELLO

A tragedy of Love, Cunning, and Horror

"She loved me for the dangers I had passed
And I loved her that she did pity them."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Othello

- - - - - - - - -

Streamlined, gripping, an ultimate horror story of deftly brutal impact, the Othello tragedy by Shakespeare has never been equalled for its vivid portrait of malice and crime and victimization. Iago, the inhumanly cunning criminal, stands as an embodiment of breathing, calculating, daring Evil no reader can forget once having made the terrible aquaintance.

After reading Othello for the first time, many years passed until I could force myself to face such excruciating tragedy again.

- - - - - - - - -

Now, sir, this granted, who stands so eminent in
the degree of this fortune as Cassio does? Why
none; why, none – a slippery and subtle knave; a
finder-out of occasions.
Besides, the knave is handsome, young,
and hath all those requisites in him that folly and
green minds look after; a pestilent complete knave;
and the woman hath found him already.

Roderigo. I cannot believe that in her; she’s full of
most blest condition.

Iago. Blest fig’s end!

Now comes the most obscene line I have ever read.

The wine she drinks is made of grapes.

- - - - - - - - -

Iago. For Michael Cassio,
I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.

Othello. I think so too.

Iago. Men should be what they seem.

Othello. Certain, men should be what they seem.

Iago. Why then, I think Cassio’s an honest man.

Othello. Nay, yet there’s more in this.
I prithee, speak to me as to thy thinkings.
As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts
The worst of words.

Iago. It were not for your quiet nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Othello. What doest thou mean?

Iago. Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate jewel of their souls.

(He need not have said “man and woman”, “their”; but this master of insination sets up a twin image in Othello’s mind.)

- - - - - - - - -

V.2 A chamber in the citadel. Desdemona asleep in her bed. Othello enters with a light, and locks the door.

- - - - - - - - -

What motivates Iago? Who is Iago? What is Iago?

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA

a World lost for Love

“Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety.”

- - - - - - - - -

Antony and Cleopatra is a colossal love story, featuring two astonishing personalities who were in history very much as our author portrays them. Shakespeare dramatizes wonderfully the grand, generous, strongly affectioned spirit of Mark Antony and the queenly, courtesan, “infinite variety” genius of the seductive Cleopatra. He captures the spirit of the exotic, languid and luxurious Orient in contrast with disciplined, power-oriented Rome.

The soul of Antony is caught between East and West, the conflict between his love and fascination for Cleopatra, and the demands of his Roman empire and honor. The tension in the play centers on Antony’s struggle to become sufficiently independent of Cleopatra to maintain his empire – and his life – in the face of Octavius Caesar. Caesar is everything Antony is not – cold, shrewd, ruthless, and ambitious for world power.

As Shakespeare established Romeo and Juliet as the young, innocent, romantic lovers of all time, so has he rendered Antony and Cleopatra the experienced, worldly, earthy lovers for all eternity to know and marvel at.

- - - - - - - - -

Antony enters. Cleopatra immediately sees by the look in his eye that he is about to assert himself. Thus she goes into an I-am “sick”- and-“betrayed” routine, cutting off his speech. Before he can finally deliver his news, she plies him with Antony-like verses to kindle mirth and douse Roman thoughts:

Cleopatra. Eternity was in our lips and eyes,
Bliss in our brows bent; none our parts so poor
But was a race of heaven. They are so still,
Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world,
Art turned the greatest liar.

Antony. Hear me, queen.
The strong necessity of time commands
Our services awhile; but my full heart
Remains in use with you.

He explains about Pompey and Fulvia, the threat to peace and the balance of power.

Cleopatra. O most false love!
Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fill
With sorrowful water? Now I see, I see,
In Fulvia’s death, how mine received shall be.

Antony. Quarrel no more. By the fire
That quickens Nilus’ [river Nile] slime,
I go from hence
Thy soldier, servant, making peace or war
As thou affects.

Cleopatra. Cut my lace, Charmian, come.
But let it be – I am quickly well, and well –
So Antony loves.

Antony. My precious queen, forbear.

Cleopatra. Good now, play one scene
Of excellent dissembling, and let it look
Like perfect honour.

Antony. You’ll heat my blood. No more.

Cleopatra. You can do better yet.

Antony. Now, by my sword –

Cleopatra. And target.

“Sword” and “target” have second meanings, sexual ones. She reminds him a bit more explicitly what he will be leaving behind.

- - - - - - - - -

Enter Guardsman

Guardsman. Here is a rural fellow
That will not be denied your highness’ presence.
He brings you figs.

[Soothsayer. You shall outlive the lady whom you serve.

Charmian. O excellent! I love long life better than figs.]

Cleopatra. Let him come in. [exit Guardsman
What poor an instrument
May do a noble deed! He brings me liberty.
My resolution’s placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me. Now from head to foot
I am marble-constant; now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

Cleopatra sits on a golden couch. The Guardsman returns with a Clown who brings in a basket.

Guardsman. This is the man.

Cleopatra. Avoid, and leave him. [exit Guardsman
Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,
That kills and pains not?

Clown. Truly, I have him. But I would not be the party
that should desire you to touch him, for his biting
is immortal; those that do die of it do seldom or never
recover.