"Above my fortunes, yet my state is well--I am a gentleman"
Okay, more Shakespeare nerdiness coming your way from Twelfth Night. This is, hands down, one of my favorite pieces of Shakespearean text EVER, and one of my favorite moments in Twelfth Night. Usually, Anne Hathaway nails this moment (though sometimes she gets a little too excited, lol). Viola, disguised as a boy, is sent by Orsino (her master, with whom she is in love) to court the woman HE is in love with, Olivia. After a lot of trying to convince Olivia to love Orsion, Viola gets down to business.
VIOLA
If I did love you in my master's flame
With such a suffering, such a deadly life
In your denial I would find no sense
I would not understand it.
OLIVIA
Why, what would you?
VIOLA
Make me a willow cabin at your gate
And call upon my soul within the house;
Write loyal cantons of contemnéd love
And sing them loud even in the dead of night;
Hallow your name to the reverberate hills
And make the babbling gossip of the air
Cry out "Olivia!" O, you should not rest
Between the elements of air and earth
But you should pity me.
I doubt I need to explain why I think this is so beautiful!
Come see Twelfth Night in the park if you haven't, yet!