The King speaks in elaborate, considered periods — he is a man who has been important for a long time and knows how to fill a room. His speeches tend toward elegiac comparison: the past was better, the present disappoints. Watch for the moments when his voice drops from formal address into something more private.
The Florentines and Senoys are by th’ ears;
Have fought with equal fortune, and continue
A braving war.
The Florentines and Senoys are by th’ ears; Have fought with equal fortune, and continue A braving war.
the florentines and senoys 're by th’ ears; 've fought with equal fortune, and continue a braving war.
The Florentines and Senoys are by th’ ears; Have fought with equal...
So ’tis reported, sir.
So ’is reported, sir.
so ’t's reported, sir.
So ’is reported, sir.
Nay, ’tis most credible, we here receive it,
A certainty, vouch’d from our cousin Austria,
With caution, that the Florentine will move us
For speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend
Prejudicates the business, and would seem
To have us make denial.
no, ’is most credible, we here receive it, A certainty, vouch’d from our cousin Austria, With caution, that the Florentine will move us For speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend Prejudicates the business, and would seem To have us make denial.
no, ’t's most credible, we here receive it, a certainty, vouch’d from our cousin austria, with caution, that the florentine will move us for speedy aid; wherein our dearest friend prejudicates the business, and would seem to 've us make denial.
no, ’is most credible, we here receive it, A certainty, vouch’d from...
The King of France is suffering from a fistula — most likely anal — which Renaissance medicine could not cure. This is not an accidental choice. The disease is undignified for a monarch, hidden, shameful, and physically incapacitating. It strips the King of the trappings of majesty without destroying his mind or character. Shakespeare uses the disease to create the play's central moral question: can a man of no social standing (Helena, as a physician's daughter) cure the most powerful man in France? And if she can, does that accomplishment earn her the right to a husband she chooses? The physical geography of the disease — located in the body's humblest region — mirrors the social geography of the plot: Helena, born at the bottom, reaching up to the top.
His love and wisdom,
Approv’d so to your majesty, may plead
For amplest credence.
His love and wisdom, Approv’d so to your majesty, may plead For amplest credence.
h's love and wisdom, approv’d so to your majesty, may plead for amplest credence.
His love and wisdom, Approv’d so to your majesty, may plead For...
He hath arm’d our answer,
And Florence is denied before he comes:
Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to see
The Tuscan service, freely have they leave
To stand on either part.
He has arm’d our answer, And Florence is denied before he comes: Yet, for our gentlemen that mean to see The Tuscan service, freely have they leave To stand on either part.
he has arm’d our answer, and florence 's denied before he comes: yet, for our gentlemen that mean to see the tuscan service, freely 've they leave to stand on either part.
He has arm’d our answer, And Florence is denied before he comes:...
It well may serve
A nursery to our gentry, who are sick
For breathing and exploit.
It well may serve A nursery to our gentry, who are sick For breathing and exploit.
it well may serve a nursery to our gentry, who 're sick for breathing and exploit.
It well may serve A nursery to our gentry, who are sick...
What’s he comes here?
What’s he comes here?
what’s he comes here?
What’s he comes here?
The King's speech about Bertram's father is an act of enormous pressure — even though it is entirely well-intentioned. He is telling Bertram exactly what kind of man his father was, which is to say exactly what kind of man Bertram ought to become. The father was measured, modest, wise, respected those below him, knew when to speak and when to be silent. The son, as we will see, will be impulsive, contemptuous, loud, and wrong in almost every judgment he makes. The King is essentially delivering the play's thesis: the son is not the father. Whether that gap can be closed — through shame, suffering, and the love of a good woman — is what the play debates. The speech is the most generous possible pressure, and the most devastating.
It is the Count Rossillon, my good lord,
Young Bertram.
It is the Count Rossillon, my good lord, Young Bertram.
it 's the count rossillon, my good lord, young bertram.
It is the Count Rossillon, my good lord, Young Bertram.
Youth, thou bear’st thy father’s face;
Frank nature, rather curious than in haste,
Hath well compos’d thee. Thy father’s moral parts
Mayst thou inherit too! Welcome to Paris.
Youth, you bear’st your father’s face; Frank nature, rather curious than in haste, has well compos’d you. your father’s moral parts may you inherit too! Welcome to Paris.
youth, you bear’st your father’s face; frank nature, rather curious than in haste, has well compos’d you. your father’s moral parts may you inherit too! welcome to paris.
Youth, you bear’st your father’s face; Frank nature, rather curious than in...
My thanks and duty are your majesty’s.
My thanks and duty are your majesty’s.
my thanks and duty 're your majesty’s.
My thanks and duty are your majesty’s.
I would I had that corporal soundness now,
As when thy father and myself in friendship
First tried our soldiership. He did look far
Into the service of the time, and was
Discipled of the bravest. He lasted long,
But on us both did haggish age steal on,
And wore us out of act. It much repairs me
To talk of your good father; in his youth
He had the wit which I can well observe
Today in our young lords; but they may jest
Till their own scorn return to them unnoted
Ere they can hide their levity in honour
So like a courtier, contempt nor bitterness
Were in his pride or sharpness; if they were,
His equal had awak’d them, and his honour,
Clock to itself, knew the true minute when
Exception bid him speak, and at this time
His tongue obey’d his hand. Who were below him
He us’d as creatures of another place,
And bow’d his eminent top to their low ranks,
Making them proud of his humility,
In their poor praise he humbled. Such a man
Might be a copy to these younger times;
Which, followed well, would demonstrate them now
But goers backward.
I would I had that corporal soundness now, As when your father and myself in friendship First tried our soldiership. He did look far Into the service of the time, and was Discipled of the bravest. He lasted long, But on us both did haggish age steal on, And wore us out of act. It much repairs me To talk of your good father; in his youth He had the wit which I can well observe Today in our young lords; but they may jest Till their own scorn return to them unnoted before they can hide their levity in honour So like a courtier, contempt nor bitterness Were in his pride or sharpness; if they were, His equal had awak’d them, and his honour, Clock to itself, knew the true minute when Exception bid him speak, and at this time His tongue obey’d his hand. Who were below him He us’d as creatures of another place, And bow’d his eminent top to their low ranks, Making them proud of his humility, In their poor praise he humbled. Such a man Might be a copy to these younger times; Which, followed well, would demonstrate them now But goers backward.
i would i had that corporal soundness now, as when your father and myself in friendship first tried our soldiership. he did look far into the service of the time, and was discipled of the bravest. he lasted long, but on us both did haggish age steal on, and wore us out of act. it much repairs me to talk of your good father; in h's youth he had the wit which i can well observe today in our young lords; but they may jest till their own scorn return to them unnoted before they can hide their levity in honour so like a courtier, contempt nor bitterness were in h's pride or sharpness; if they were, h's equal had awak’d them, and h's honour, clock to itself, knew the true minute when exception bid him speak, and at th's time h's tongue obey’d h's hand. who were below him he us’d as creatures of another place, and bow’d h's eminent top to their low ranks, making them proud of h's humility, in their poor praise he humbled. such a man might be a copy to these younger times; which, followed well, would demonstrate them now but goers backward.
I would I had that corporal soundness now, As when your father...
His good remembrance, sir,
Lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb;
So in approof lives not his epitaph
As in your royal speech.
His good remembrance, sir, Lies richer in your thoughts than on his tomb; So in approof lives not his epitaph As in your royal speech.
h's good remembrance, sir, lies richer in your thoughts than on h's tomb; so in approof lives not h's epitaph as in your royal speech.
His good remembrance, sir, Lies richer in your thoughts than on his...
The Florentine-Sienese war functions as a pressure-release valve for the play's restless young men. France stays officially neutral, but individual French lords can serve on either side — a policy that reflects real sixteenth-century practice of mercenary service. Bertram, furious at being forced to marry and stay at court, will grab this option with both hands. The war gives him somewhere to run. It also, importantly, puts him in Florence — directly in the city where Helena has been told (by an obscure prophecy-like letter) to find him. The Italian war is not a subplot. It is the mechanism by which the play's two tracks — Helena's quest, Bertram's flight — eventually converge.
Would I were with him! He would always say,—
Methinks I hear him now; his plausive words
He scatter’d not in ears, but grafted them
To grow there and to bear,—“Let me not live,”
This his good melancholy oft began
On the catastrophe and heel of pastime,
When it was out,—“Let me not live” quoth he,
“After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff
Of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses
All but new things disdain; whose judgments are
Mere fathers of their garments; whose constancies
Expire before their fashions.” This he wish’d.
I, after him, do after him wish too,
Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home,
I quickly were dissolved from my hive
To give some labourers room.
Would I were with him! He would always say,— I think I hear him now; his plausive words He scatter’d not in ears, but grafted them To grow there and to bear,—“Let me not live,” This his good melancholy oft began On the catastrophe and heel of pastime, When it was out,—“Let me not live” quoth he, “After my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff Of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses All but new things disdain; whose judgments are Mere fathers of their garments; whose constancies Expire before their fashions.” This he wish’d. I, after him, do after him wish too, Since I nor wax nor honey can bring home, I quickly were dissolved from my hive To give some labourers room.
would i were with him! he would always say,— i think i hear him now; h's plausive words he scatter’d not in ears, but grafted them to grow there and to bear,—“let me not live,” th's h's good melancholy oft began on the catastrophe and heel of pastime, when it was out,—“let me not live” quoth he, “after my flame lacks oil, to be the snuff of younger spirits, whose apprehensive senses all but new things disdain; whose judgments 're mere fathers of their garments; whose constancies expire before their fashions.” th's he wish’d. i, after him, do after him wish too, since i nor wax nor honey can bring home, i quickly were dissolved from my hive to give some labourers room.
Would I were with him! He would always say,— I think I...
You’re lov’d, sir;
They that least lend it you shall lack you first.
You’re lov’d, sir; They that least lend it you shall lack you first.
you’re lov’d, sir; they that least lend it you shall lack you first.
You’re lov’d, sir; They that least lend it you shall lack you...
I fill a place, I know’t. How long is’t, Count,
Since the physician at your father’s died?
He was much fam’d.
I fill a place, I know’t. How long is’t, Count, Since the physician at your father’s died? He was much fam’d.
i fill a place, i know’t. how long is’t, count, since the physician at your father’s died? he was much fam’d.
I fill a place, I know’t. How long is’t, Count, Since the...
Some six months since, my lord.
Some six months since, my lord.
some six months since, my lord.
Some six months since, my lord.
If he were living, I would try him yet;—
Lend me an arm;—the rest have worn me out
With several applications; nature and sickness
Debate it at their leisure. Welcome, Count;
My son’s no dearer.
If he were living, I would try him yet;— Lend me an arm;—the rest have worn me out With several applications; nature and sickness Debate it at their leisure. Welcome, Count; My son’s no dearer.
if he were living, i would try him yet;— lend me an arm;—the rest 've worn me out with several applications; nature and sickness debate it at their leisure. welcome, count; my son’s no dearer.
If he were living, I would try him yet;— Lend me an...
Thank your majesty.
Thank your majesty.
thank your majesty.
Thank your majesty.
The Reckoning
This is a scene of arrivals and absences. Bertram arrives at a court that is already diminished — the King is sick, glory is in the past, the young men are heading to a foreign war he cannot join. The King's long speech about Bertram's father is one of the most melancholy tributes in Shakespeare: a eulogy for a man who kept his own counsel and bent his eminent top to those below him. The scene ends with the King leaning on Bertram's arm — a young man propping up an old one — and the audience is already thinking about Helena.
If this happened today…
The new CEO's son arrives at headquarters for his first day in a company the founder — his father — built. The dying chairman pulls him aside and delivers a twenty-minute speech about what his dad was like at his age. The board has already tried every consultant, every specialist; nothing has worked. The son is supposed to be excited. He's mostly just eager to get to the meeting where the real action is. The chairman offers his arm and says, 'Come, let's walk.' It's only the second scene and you already feel the weight of expectation settling on the wrong person.