Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford?
How far hence is thy lord, mine honest fellow?
1 MESSENGER.
By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford? How far hence is your lord, mine honest fellow? 1 MESSENGER. By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
Where is the post that came from valiant Oxford? How far hence is your lord, mine honest fellow? 1 MESSENGER. By this at Dunsmore, marching hitherward.
how did that even happen
How far off is our brother Montague?
Where is the post that came from Montague?
2 MESSENGER.
By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.
How far off is our brother Montague? Where is the post that came from Montague? 2 MESSENGER. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.
How far off is our brother Montague? Where is the post that came from Montague? 2 MESSENGER. By this at Daintry, with a puissant troop.
how did that even happen
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son?
And, by thy guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? And, by your guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
Say, Somerville, what says my loving son? And, by your guess, how nigh is Clarence now?
how did that even happen
Somerville speaks in precise tactical reports — location, forces, timing — without embellishment. He is the play's most efficient bearer of information.
At Southam I did leave him with his forces
And do expect him here some two hours hence.
At Southam I did leave him with his forces And do expect him here some two hours hence.
At Southam I did leave him with his forces And do expect him here some two hours hence.
hm
Then Clarence is at hand; I hear his drum.
Then Clarence is at hand; I hear his drum.
Then Clarence is at hand; I hear his drum.
hm
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies.
The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies. The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.
It is not his, my lord; here Southam lies. The drum your honour hears marcheth from Warwick.
hm
Who should that be? Belike, unlooked-for friends.
Who should that be? Belike, unlooked-for friends.
Who should that be? Belike, unlooked-for friends.
hm
They are at hand, and you shall quickly know.
March. Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard (Duke of Gloucester) and
Soldiers.
They are at hand, and you shall quickly know. March. Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard (Duke of Gloucester) and Soldiers.
They are at hand, and you shall quickly know. March. Flourish. Enter King Edward, Richard (Duke of Gloucester) and Soldiers.
yeah brutal
Go, trumpet, to the walls and sound a parle.
Go, trumpet, to the walls and sound a parle.
Go, trumpet, to the walls and sound a parle.
hm
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.
See how the surly Warwick mans the wall.
how did that even happen
O, unbid spite! Is sportful Edward come?
Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced,
That we could hear no news of his repair?
O, unbid spite! Is sportful Edward come? Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced, That we could hear no news of his repair?
O, unbid spite! Is sportful Edward come? Where slept our scouts, or how are they seduced, That we could hear no news of his repair?
how did that even happen
Now, Warwick, wilt thou ope the city gates,
Speak gentle words and humbly bend thy knee?
Call Edward King and at his hands beg mercy,
And he shall pardon thee these outrages.
Now, Warwick, will you ope the city gates, Speak gentle words and humbly bend your knee? Call Edward King and at his hands beg mercy, And he shall pardon you these outrages.
Now, Warwick, will you ope the city gates, Speak gentle words and humbly bend your knee? Call Edward King and at his hands beg mercy, And he shall pardon you these outrages.
yeah brutal
Nay, rather, wilt thou draw thy forces hence,
Confess who set thee up and plucked thee down,
Call Warwick patron and be penitent,
And thou shalt still remain the Duke of York.
no, rather, will you draw your forces hence, Confess who set you up and plucked you down, Call Warwick patron and be penitent, And you shall still remain the Duke of York.
no, rather, will you draw your forces hence, Confess who set you up and plucked you down, Call Warwick patron and be penitent, And you shall still remain the Duke of York.
yeah brutal
I thought, at least, he would have said the King;
Or did he make the jest against his will?
I thought, at least, he would have said the King; Or did he make the jest against his will?
I thought, at least, he would have said the King; Or did he make the jest against his will?
hm
Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
Is not a dukedom, sir, a goodly gift?
hm
Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give;
I’ll do thee service for so good a gift.
Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give; I’ll do you service for so good a gift.
Ay, by my faith, for a poor earl to give; I’ll do you service for so good a gift.
hm
’Twas I that gave the kingdom to thy brother.
’Twas I that gave the kingdom to your brother.
’Twas I that gave the kingdom to your brother.
hm
Why, then, ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.
Why, then, ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.
Why, then, ’tis mine, if but by Warwick’s gift.
hm
Thou art no Atlas for so great a weight;
And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again;
And Henry is my King, Warwick his subject.
you are no Atlas for so great a weight; And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And Henry is my King, Warwick his subject.
you are no Atlas for so great a weight; And, weakling, Warwick takes his gift again; And Henry is my King, Warwick his subject.
yeah brutal
But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner;
And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this:
What is the body when the head is off?
But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner; And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this: What is the body when the head is off?
But Warwick’s king is Edward’s prisoner; And, gallant Warwick, do but answer this: What is the body when the head is off?
yeah brutal
Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast,
But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten,
The king was slily fingered from the deck!
You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace,
And ten to one you’ll meet him in the Tower.
Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, The king was slily fingered from the deck! You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace, And ten to one you’ll meet him in the Tower.
Alas, that Warwick had no more forecast, But, whiles he thought to steal the single ten, The king was slily fingered from the deck! You left poor Henry at the Bishop’s palace, And ten to one you’ll meet him in the Tower.
war blood death everything is chaos
’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
’Tis even so; yet you are Warwick still.
hm
Clarence's removal of the red rose from his hat and throwing it at Warwick is the play's most theatrical gesture. The red rose is the symbol of Lancaster, the white rose of York — though in practice soldiers wore actual rose badges (or silk flowers on their hats) rather than anything as neat as the emblems suggest. The gesture is Shakespeare dramatizing what was purely political as physical and visceral. Clarence doesn't just announce he's switching sides; he makes the switch visible, tangible, public. He throws his allegiance at the man who gave it to him. The stage business allows the audience to see a political abstraction — dynastic loyalty — become a physical object that can be hurled in someone's face. This is Shakespeare at his most theatrically intelligent.
Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down.
Nay, when? Strike now, or else the iron cools.
Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down. no, when? Strike now, or else the iron cools.
Come, Warwick, take the time; kneel down, kneel down. no, when? Strike now, or else the iron cools.
hm
I had rather chop this hand off at a blow
And with the other fling it at thy face,
Than bear so low a sail to strike to thee.
I had rather chop this hand off at a blow And with the other fling it at your face, Than bear so low a sail to strike to you.
I had rather chop this hand off at a blow And with the other fling it at your face, Than bear so low a sail to strike to you.
yeah brutal
Sail how thou canst, have wind and tide thy friend,
This hand, fast wound about thy coal-black hair,
Shall, whiles thy head is warm and new cut off,
Write in the dust this sentence with thy blood:
“Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.”
Sail how you can, have wind and tide your friend, This hand, fast wound about your coal-black hair, Shall, whiles your head is warm and new cut off, Write in the dust this sentence with your blood: “Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.”
Sail how you can, have wind and tide your friend, This hand, fast wound about your coal-black hair, Shall, whiles your head is warm and new cut off, Write in the dust this sentence with your blood: “Wind-changing Warwick now can change no more.”
proof right here how did that even happen
O cheerful colours! See where Oxford comes!
O cheerful colours! See where Oxford comes!
O cheerful colours! See where Oxford comes!
hm
Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!
Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!
Oxford, Oxford, for Lancaster!
hm
The gates are open; let us enter too.
The gates are open; let us enter too.
The gates are open; let us enter too.
hm
So other foes may set upon our backs.
Stand we in good array, for they no doubt
Will issue out again and bid us battle;
If not, the city being but of small defence,
We’ll quietly rouse the traitors in the same.
So other foes may set upon our backs. Stand we in good array, for they no doubt Will issue out again and bid us battle; If not, the city being but of small defence, We’ll quietly rouse the traitors in the same.
So other foes may set upon our backs. Stand we in good array, for they no doubt Will issue out again and bid us battle; If not, the city being but of small defence, We’ll quietly rouse the traitors in the same.
war blood death everything is chaos
O, welcome, Oxford, for we want thy help.
O, welcome, Oxford, for we want your help.
O, welcome, Oxford, for we want your help.
hm
Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!
Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!
Montague, Montague, for Lancaster!
hm
Thou and thy brother both shall buy this treason
Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.
you and your brother both shall buy this treason Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.
you and your brother both shall buy this treason Even with the dearest blood your bodies bear.
proof right here
The harder matched, the greater victory.
My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.
The harder matched, the greater victory. My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.
The harder matched, the greater victory. My mind presageth happy gain and conquest.
hm
Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!
Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!
Somerset, Somerset, for Lancaster!
hm
Two of thy name, both Dukes of Somerset,
Have sold their lives unto the House of York;
And thou shalt be the third if this sword hold.
Two of your name, both Dukes of Somerset, Have sold their lives unto the House of York; And you shall be the third if this sword hold.
Two of your name, both Dukes of Somerset, Have sold their lives unto the House of York; And you shall be the third if this sword hold.
yeah brutal
And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along,
Of force enough to bid his brother battle;
With whom an upright zeal to right prevails
More than the nature of a brother’s love.
And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along, Of force enough to bid his brother battle; With whom an upright zeal to right prevails More than the nature of a brother’s love.
And lo, where George of Clarence sweeps along, Of force enough to bid his brother battle; With whom an upright zeal to right prevails More than the nature of a brother’s love.
yeah brutal
Father of Warwick, know you what this means?
Father of Warwick, know you what this means?
Father of Warwick, know you what this means?
hm
Clarence's speech defending his second betrayal invokes Jephthah — the biblical judge who vowed that if God gave him victory, he would sacrifice the first thing he saw returning home. It was his daughter. He kept the vow. Clarence's point is that keeping some oaths is more impious than breaking them: his oath to Warwick (to fight against his own brother) falls into this category. It's a theologically sophisticated argument — and the fact that Clarence can make it shows that Shakespeare gives even the most morally compromised characters genuine intellectual resources. What the speech doesn't mention is that Clarence's real motive is entirely self-interested. The theology is a frame for opportunism — but that doesn't make the theology wrong.
Now, welcome more, and ten times more beloved,
Than if thou never hadst deserved our hate.
Now, welcome more, and ten times more beloved, Than if you never hadst deserved our hate.
Now, welcome more, and ten times more beloved, Than if you never hadst deserved our hate.
hm
Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like.
Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like.
Welcome, good Clarence; this is brother-like.
hm
O passing traitor, perjured and unjust!
O passing traitor, oath-breaking and unjust!
O passing traitor, oath-breaking and unjust!
hm
What, Warwick, wilt thou leave the town and fight?
Or shall we beat the stones about thine ears?
What, Warwick, will you leave the town and fight? Or shall we beat the stones about your ears?
What, Warwick, will you leave the town and fight? Or shall we beat the stones about your ears?
hm
Alas! I am not cooped here for defence!
I will away towards Barnet presently
And bid thee battle, Edward, if thou dar’st.
Alas! I am not cooped here for defence! I will away towards Barnet presently And bid you battle, Edward, if you dar’st.
Alas! I am not cooped here for defence! I will away towards Barnet presently And bid you battle, Edward, if you dar’st.
yeah brutal
Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way.
Lords, to the field! Saint George and victory!
Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way. Lords, to the field! Saint George and victory!
Yes, Warwick, Edward dares, and leads the way. Lords, to the field! Saint George and victory!
hm
The Reckoning
The play's great reversal scene. Oxford, Montague, Somerset all arrive declaring for Lancaster — and Warwick is counting on Clarence. Then Richard and Clarence whisper together, and Clarence tears the red rose from his hat and throws it at Warwick's feet. The theatrical gesture is perfect: a symbol of allegiance, publicly discarded. Warwick's furious 'O passing traitor' is answered by Clarence's speech about not ruining his father's house. The scene ends with Warwick backing down from the walls and retreating to fight another day — which will be his last.
If this happened today…
A boardroom siege: the activist investors are assembled on a conference call, listing their supporters one by one. Each time someone announces they're in, the ousted CEO nods on screen. Then they get to the moment that was supposed to seal it. The vote comes in. It goes the wrong way. A co-founder who was supposed to be the decisive vote just emailed the CEO a copy of his signed loyalty pledge — with a note saying 'I'm with you again.' The activist's face. The silence on the call.