“Q” is for “Quotation”
This week’s Magpie prompt reminded me of a Shakespeare play, one I’m sure you’re familiar with. And of course when I think of Shakespeare I think of quotations.
Before we get to the quotation in question, let me set the scene.
The story really begins with a huge ball, an elegant party Old Man Capulet throws because he’s going to marry off his daughter Juliet to a man he has chosen for her.
But there’s a hitch: Juliet falls in love with another, a chap named Romeo, a Montague who showed up at the party uninvited.
The Capulets hate the Montagues and have for many decades. (No one alive remembers the reason for this feud; it just keeps rolling along under its own power.)
As you might imagine, everyone drank too much at the party, which happens at quite a few parties, I am informed. Old Man Capulet feels that life is good. However, he isn’t aware that his daughter has not only fallen in love with this Romeo fellow but is actually married to him.
Juliet knows her dad is going to insist she marry the other man; she’s despondent, wants to end it all. However, she is given a secret potion that will simulate death but allow her to regain consciousness later, and then she and Romeo can, hopefully, go off and live together.
She musters up the courage to drink the potion. The Capulets are overcome with grief at the news of what they believe is their daughter’s death and she is interred in the family’s burial vault.
A message is sent to Romeo to make sure he understands that the potion Juliet has taken will allow her to recover consciousness later. Unfortunately, tragically, he does not receive the message; he believes that Juliet has died and her body is in her family’s vault.
When he arrives he delivers these powerful lines (and this is the quotation I had in mind):
“Here lies Juliet,
And her beauty makes this vault a feasting presence full of light.
O my love, O my wife,
Death, that has sucked the honey of thy breath,
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
I will stay with thee,
And never from this palace of dim night
Depart again.”
35 comments:
Oh, you had lots of Shakespeare to choose from this week...excellent pick...
You certainly have been on a Shakespearean trip recently and this take is yet another example of your ability to bring out the best in the prompts.
Yes, Juliet and Romeo and death and love. Good of you to bring that to us.
Bee: "You certainly have been on a Shakespearean trip recently..."
I've been on that trip all my life. :-)
Tess K: "You had lots of Shakespeare to choose from this week."
You keep pitching 'em, Tess, and I'll keep trying to hit 'em over the fence. :-)
Very apropos- and as always nicely done! thanks.
The most perfect declaration of love, and here you are to remind us..as always..thank you...
I think you cleared the fence B. Good choice.
nice...i can see romeo and juliet in this as well...which another magpie alluded to as well...nice choice in verse as well to play on the prompt...
Other Mary: "I think you cleared the fence, B."
Good news, since I strike out so often.:-)
Romeo and Juliet...this stone does draw thoughts to the star crossed lovers...a nice choice for the prompt
Lyn: "The most perfect declaration of love, and here you are to remind us."
It is what I do. :-)
Susie C: "...a nice choice for the prompt."
And an equally nice choice for the comment; thanks.
I've always found the ending of Romeo and Juliet preposterous, before being caught yet again in the sadness of it all and the beauty of the language. My Magpie this week is A Plot Both Great and Grand.
Ah, indeed! Very fitting Magpie...
missing info can be fatal
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
A very memorable quotation, especially for those who have read and/or taught Romeo & Juliette.
Leslie
abcw team
Once again, a sharing of your Shakespeare-intoxicated brain. I always enjoy it.
I enjoyed your post, Berowne, and I also enjoyed all the back-and-forth comments here.
I suspect that, with you, Q is almost always for quotations just as, with some people, M is always for Mom and A is always for Apple pie.
Good work.
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel
Excellent!
Well Shakespeare did have a way with words ;)
Pheno, ABCW Team
Rinkly R: "Once again, a sharing of your Shakespeare-intoxicated brain."
I've been wondering what was wrong with it. :-)
Ah, beautiful words from Romeo. Cheers for a great informative post.
Anna :o]
Dear Berowne: Thank-you for this fine oration narrator! I still remember balling my eyes out at this scene. They should have eloped post haste! Chiccoreal
HyperCRYPTICal: "Cheers for a great informative post. Anna"
You were neither cryptic nor hyper; thanks, Anna.
Nothing brings young love (and our memory of it) alive like Romeo and Juliet. Fun use of the prompts!
Nice display of Q! I love how you worked it all in. :)
Powerful enough to make you cry centuries later.
- Alice
Powerful words. It's amazing to me just how powerful simple words can be.
I was pleased to see that, as usual, you were on top of your game. Great job.
My thanks to Mary A, Chris J, Alice A, LeAnn and the bunnygirl for your friendly comments.
Unfittie's Guide: "I also enjoyed all the back-and-forth comments here."
Yes, I enjoy the back-and-forth too--thanks.
Thank you, Berowne, for your comment on my latest Magpie. I've had some times of doubt lately, so your "face it" was welcome. How can anyone do better than Shakespeare? These are lovely lines, balm to the ear, the language rising up in all its glory.
Wonderful comment, Kathryn; my thanks.
Love that quote! Well, I love anything Shakespeare! I even made my husband buy a Shakespeare fishing rod! He thought I was nuts. Your summary is concise and perfect!
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