Comedies. Two gentlemen of Verona |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 5
While counterfeit SUPPOS Es blear'd thine eyne " early works , ( in which no such
familiarity with Italy is This may be an ... Gremio has already adapted to the
English ear . cept one , are pure Italian , though most of them are Biondello , the ...
... which was bears an Italian character , and seems written as if the written when
he knew nothing whatever of the author ... possible he should not once fall into “
Lady Morgan , in her “ Italy , ' says , ( and my own error with no better instruction ...
... resemblance of poetical || Italy , and sanctify the sea . Besides those contained
in spirit and philosophical thought between the greater churches , they mark the
spots where heroes were born , minds of that wonderful age of English genius .
The gates of Milan " -This has been supposed to " — some noble CREATURE ”
— “ So the original ; but be a geographical blunder , or at least to intimate that the
author had no exact knowledge of Italian topography , Theobald reads creatures
...
let hiGAER Italy ( Those ' BATED , that inherit but the fall Of the last monarchy , ) "
etc. This passage is obscure , and probably corrupt . The meaning , according to
Johnson , is this : - “ Let [ ' pre Italy , where you are to exercise your valour , see ...
What people are saying - Write a review
"like a wood woman" might indeed have meant "frantic" or "wild" (with grief) which Launce mentions referring to the "shoe" which he adopts for the sake of illustration. However, Shakespeare, even at his earliest writings, was vastly entertained by double entendres and his love of puns is so well documented. In that time in Italy, women wore platform shoes which were raised to elevate the shoes from the mud and other unpleasant "stuff". These were called "chopines" and the platforms were constructed of wood. The higher the platform, the higher the pretentiousness of the lady. Her height could have put her above many others. Since Launce has his father and mother represented as shoes, this second meaning is certainly not outside of the possibility for Shakespeare's intention. Naturally, it would have had the effect of a rather "localized" and "temporary" idea, but the fact of its having been very popular in that day makes it a candidate for the Bard's delight.