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King Edward III

I might perceive his eye in her eye lost...

Overview

Character
Gender
Male
Playing Age
Adult
Style
Dramatic
Act/Scene
Act 2, Scene 1
Time & Place
A courtyard within Castle Roxburgh during the Scottish wars in the fourteenth century.
Length
Medium
Time Period
Classical
Show Type
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)

Context

Text

LODOWICK

I might perceive his eye in her eye lost,

His ear to drink her sweet tongue's utterance,

And changing passion, like inconstant clouds

That rack upon the carriage of the winds,

Increase and die in his disturbed cheeks.

Lo, when she blushed, even then did he look pale,

As if her cheeks by some enchanted power

Attracted had the cherry blood from his:

Anon, with reverent fear when she grew pale,

His cheeks put on their scarlet ornaments;

But no more like her oriental red,

Than Brick to Coral or live things to dead.

Why did he then thus counterfeit her looks?

If she did blush, twas tender modest shame,

Being in the sacred presence of a King;

If he did blush, twas red immodest shame,

To veil his eyes amiss, being a king;

If she looked pale, twas silly woman's fear,

To bear her self in presence of a king;

If he looked pale, it was with guilty fear,

To dote amiss, being a mighty king.

Then, Scottish wars, farewell; I fear twill prove

A lingering English siege of peevish love.

Here comes his highness, walking all alone.

Shakespeare, William, Edward III, Act 2, Sc. 1.

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