shine out, fair something-or-other, till I have bought a glass

[angevin2]

Here is a fine and shining example of aspects of Shakespeare that are much more complicated on the page than they are in performance.

So I was making Richard III icons from the pics I didn't use in the last set, and I realized as I was making one that I couldn't remember which way the "sun/son of York" pun usually goes, in print, in the opening

Comments

[gileonnen]

I'm going with 'son' because, although 'sun' is a good pun (and the term that Oxford uses), 'son' works most nearly to clarify the reference to 'our house' in the next line. But that's actually a very weak rationale, and I certainly wouldn't mind seeing it either way.

[angevin2]

But! "Sun" also goes with the clouds in the next line!

Man, I love Shakespeare. :D

[gileonnen]

Which is why it's a weak rationale. ^_~

[gileonnen]

Although, as I'm looking at it again, 'our house' needs more clarification than 'clouds,' and therefore I would probably spell it so as to make absolutely certain that there was a person, of York, of our house, involved, rather than just generally awesome Yorkiness (isn't that really the question wrapped up in this debate--individual prowess versus a united and radiant house? Because if that's the question, then I think Richard would want to imply an individual rather than a group victory, because he is an individual- rather than group-minded man). I'm with kaimia9 on what I think the author intended, but now the gloves are off with regard to how to spell it in our modern editions.

[angevin2]

Of course, if we wish to make this unduly complicated we might recall the scene in 3 Henry VI where Edward acquires a heraldic device and there is much foreshadowing. Pun not intended, but not exactly avoided either. And the whole sun imagery = royalty thing.

I do think that it is meant to be sort of an aural rabbit/duck puzzle. I probably would spell it "son" if I were editing Richard III on the grounds that it's in the Folio, which is generally the copy text for editions of the play (more or less. It's a bit more complicated than that).

[gileonnen]

Yes, let's make this unduly complicated. It's academia, after all--if we couldn't split hairs, we'd all go mad inside a week. ^__^

[angevin2]

We are all a bunch of Hotspurs cavilling on the ninth part of a hair. ;)

[gileonnen]

^______________^ I love you. *goes to make that an icon*

[angevin2]

*giggle*

Of course, the real Shakespearean patron saint of academics is Fluellen:
I tell you, captain, if you look in the maps of the 'orld, I warrant you sall find, in the comparisons between Macedon and Monmouth, that the situations, look you, is both alike. There is a river in Macedon; and there is also moreover a river at Monmouth: it is called Wye at Monmouth; but it is out of my prains what is the name of the other river; but 'tis all one, 'tis alike as my fingers is to my fingers, and there is salmons in both. If you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is come after it indifferent well; for there is figures in all things.

[gileonnen]

*giggles* That sounds kind of like some answers to essay questions that our professors have read (in confidence) to the English majors. ^___^

[gileonnen]

Here, have a hair-splitting icon!

[angevin2]

Yay! *saves*