ANOTHERSKY'S BLOG
Copper for a Kiss
Monday, April 28, 2008 6:18 PM
So,someone brought this line that (River says to Jayne in 'Ariel') up on the main threads a while ago, and I can't stop thinking about it.It *does* sound so authentic that I actually looked it up as a possible fragment on a Shakespeare search page. (http://www.rhymezone.com)
The only hits I got for copper seem to suggest something which is false, passing itself off, not "true" in quality, or loyalty, character, when it concerns people. Shakespeare was a great man (in the literary sense). Somebody should make a statue of the Bard out of English mud. And write a song.
Examples:
#1---LOVE’s LABOR LOST
FERDINAND: Away, away! no time shall be omitted
That will betime, and may by us be fitted.
BIRON: Allons! allons! Sow'd cockle reap'd no corn;
And justice always whirls in equal measure:
Light wenches may prove plagues to men forsworn;
If so, our copper buys no better treasure.
#2----KING HENRY IV
PRINCE HENRY: Sirrah, do I owe you a thousand pound?
FALSTAFF: A thousand pound, Ha! a million: thy love is worth
a million: thou owest me thy love.
Hostess: Nay, my lord, he called you Jack, and said he would
cudgel you.
FALSTAFF: Did I, Bardolph?
BARDOLPH: Indeed, Sir John, you said so.
FALSTAFF: Yea, if he said my ring was copper.
PRINCE HENRY: I say 'tis copper: darest thou be as good as thy word now?
#3----TROILUS AND CRESSIDA
CRESSIDA: My lord, will you be true?
TROILUS: Who, I? alas, it is my vice, my fault:
Whiles others fish with craft for great opinion,
I with great truth catch mere simplicity;
Whilst some with cunning gild their copper crowns,
With truth and plainness I do wear mine bare.
Fear not my truth: the moral of my wit
Is 'plain and true;' there's all the reach of it.
So, that's all for now. I think we've got the general meaning of this much-analyzed phrase, just wanted to see if the idea had any literary roots.
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4-30-08
Yeah, all. Thanks for commenting.
As I've said elsewhere, most notably the original thread--(go look it up,there are some cool theories)---the Jesus reference is probably intended, but somewhat modified by the copper part. I was just checking possible other inspirations since it sounded so literary.
For a more outright reference in this (ore) vein, check the Movie where Mr. Universe is "paid" by the Operative. I think he said something like "Where's my 30 coin?".
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