39:38 Edward III

Day 39 of 38:38
BONUS DAY!
Edward III

So after completing the 38 plays of Shakespeare in 38 days, I have fallen behind on the bonus days. Well, that's life, I suppose. I might move on to one of these a week. More probable to be one of these whenever I have time. And thanks to SAA, I've got a brand new copy of Thomas Middleton's Collected Works to work my way through as well. But, one play at a time.

Surprisingly, I actually have both read and seen Edward III before. Chesapeake Shakespeare in MD did a reading of it for one of their Pub Night events, and then about a year after that I saw a fine production of the play at Washington Shakespeare Company. In performance, it's a viable play, and one that depends on the main actor to carry it off. WSC's lead was quite good and fittingly charismatic.

Prevailing opinion is that Shakespeare had a hand in writing Edward III, but that it was a collaboration. I think the notion of collaboration is obvious from the two completely separate actions of the play. The first half of the play is taken up with Edward's wooing of the Countess of Salisbury. But this story line is completely forgotten in the second half of the play, which deals entirely with war with France, a war in which the English are strong and victorious.

As for whether Shakespeare had a hand in it? Well, thou the verse is at times mundane, there were several echoes for me. First the play starts off like a poor man's Henry V. There is a conversation about whether the English monarch has a right to rule in France, even though he makes that claim through a woman. Then a snarky French ambassador enters, and the English King is defiant.

Countess and will your sacred self
Commit high treason against the King of heaven,
To stamp his Image in forbidden metal,
Forgetting your allegiance and your oath?

remember Measure for Measure?
Angelo It were as good
To pardon him that hath from nature stolen
A man already made, as to remit
Their saucy sweetness that do coin heaven's image
In stamps that are forbid: 'tis all as easy
Falsely to take away a life true made
As to put metal in restrained means
To make a false one.


King John For what's this Edward but a belly god,
A tender and lascivious wantoness,
That t'other day was almost dead for love?

This scene and it's rah! rah! speeches remind me of Richard's and Richmond's speeches to their troops in Richard III.
Richmond For what is he they follow? truly, gentlemen,
A bloody tyrant and a homicide.

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Favorite Female Character:
Countess
Favorite Male Character:
The Scots, David and Douglass are quite fun.

Laugh out loud:
Douglas Jemmy, my man, saddle my black horse.
King David Meanst thou to fight, Douglas? We are too weak.
Douglass I know it well, my liege, and therefore fly.

"That's what she said!":
Douglass Why then, my liege, let me enjoy her jewels.

How insulting:
King John those ever-bibbing Epicures,
Those frothy Dutch men, puft with double beer

Shakey loves his meta:
Countess No, let me die, if his too boistrous will
Will have it so, before I will consent
To be an actor in his graceless lust.

(we should note that 'will' is slang for 'penis,' and whether the Countess intends this double entendre or not is up to interpretation.)

Oh, misogyny:

Boys are silly:
Edward Ignoble David! hast thou none to grieve
But silly ladies with thy threatening arms?

Favorite Moment/Line: