Yer blues

While reading Much Ado About Nothing today for my upcoming Master's exam in March, I came across an awesome passage about those who try to cope us through our sorrows:

Give not me counsel,

Nor let no comforter delight mine ear

But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine....

For brother, men, can counsel and speak comfort to that grief

Which they themselves not feel, but tasting it,

Their counsel turns to passion, which before

Would give preceptial med'cine to rage,

Fetter strong madness in a silken thread,

Charm ache with air and agony with words. 

No, no, 'tis all men's office to speak patience

To those that wring under the load of sorrow,

But no man's virtue nor sufficiency

To be so moral when shall endure

The like himself.  Therefore give me no counsel. 

My griefs cry louder than advertisement. 

---Leonato (act 5, scene 1) 

Whoa there.  Even with the romance comedies, Shakespeare can serve the steak and potatoes. 

PS: That said, on Cyber Classical, many playlists ago, we played the nocturne from Berlioz's opera Beatrice and Benedict, which, I now see, is based on Much Ado About Nothing. 

He's everywhere. 

Comments

[loogey]

berlioz was a Shakespeare fanatic. I've never seen or heard his B&B opera.

if you haven't already done so, you should check out Kenneth Braunagh's (sp?) film version of Much Ado. Great movie.