Conversation Piece - Monday, December 8, 2008
"Oh, come not near me, sir; I shall defile you.
I am that of your blood was taken from you
For your better health. Look no more upon't
But cast it to the ground regardlessly;
Let the common sewer take it from distinction.
Beneath the stars, upon yon meteor
Ever hung my fate, 'mongst things corruptible;
I ne'er could pluck it from him. My loathing
Was prophet to the rest, bu ne'er believed;
Mine honor fell with him, and now my life."
(The Changeling V.iii.158-67)
I am that of your blood was taken from you
For your better health. Look no more upon't
But cast it to the ground regardlessly;
Let the common sewer take it from distinction.
Beneath the stars, upon yon meteor
Ever hung my fate, 'mongst things corruptible;
I ne'er could pluck it from him. My loathing
Was prophet to the rest, bu ne'er believed;
Mine honor fell with him, and now my life."
(The Changeling V.iii.158-67)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
"Excuse me, I am not simply a servant!"
I agree with what Graham said about Baldock attempting to impress the King in this particular quote. When the King's niece first introduced Baldock and Spencer Jr, she did not specify a particular status for them; rather, she introduced them as "Two of [her] father's servants whilst he lived" (II.iii.239). Although the King asks Baldock what "his arms" were, the King's niece's use of the word servants immediately implies a lower class status. Why she would not bother to distinguish is something I am not sure about -- perhaps it made no difference to her? Regardless, Baldock was sure to not allow the King to ignore the fact that he was not a mere servant. As a result, the King was, in fact, impressed by Baldock's declaration and said that he (Baldock) would serve his purposes (be useful to him), suggested to be on a level beyond mere household service.
