QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
ACT/SCENE: 1.2
SPEAKER: Bottom
CONTEXT:
BOTTOM
What is Pyramus? A lover or a tyrant?
QUINCE
A lover that kills himself, most gallant, for love.
BOTTOM
That will ask some tears in the true performing of it.
If I do it, let the audience look to their eyes. I will
move storms. I will condole in some measure. To the
rest. Yet my chief humour is for a tyrant. I could play
Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in to make all
split.
The raging rocks
And shivering shocks
Shall break the locks
Of prison gates.
And Phoebus’ car
Shall shine from far
And make and mar
The foolish Fates.
This was lofty! Now name the rest of the players. This
is Ercles’ vein, a tyrant’s vein. A lover is more
condoling.

DUTCH:
Dat zal een traan of ettelijk kosten, als het natuurlijk
gespeeld wordt. Als ik het doe, laten de toeschouwers
dan hun zakdoeken klaar houden;

MORE:
True performing=If it is performed well/properly
Look to their eyes=Be careful with their eyes
Condole=To mourn (Bottom means make the audience weep)
Humour=Tendency, inclination (to play)
Ercles=Hercules
Rarely=Excellently
Tear a cat=Rant and rave
Condoling=Grieving
Compleat:
To condole with one=Iemands rouw beklaagen
Humour (or disposition of the mind)=Humeur, gemoeds gesteldheid
Rarely well=Zeer wel, ongemeen wel

Topics: grief, persuasion, manipulation