"No doubt the murd'rous knife was dull and blunt / Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart."
— Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Work Title
Date
1597
Metaphor
"No doubt the murd'rous knife was dull and blunt / Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart."
Metaphor in Context
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Cousins indeed, and by their uncle cozened
Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life.
Whose hand soever lanced their tender hearts,
Thy head all indirectly gave direction.
No doubt the murd'rous knife was dull and blunt
Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart
To revel in the entrails of my lambs.
But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame,
My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys
Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes --
And I in such a desp'rate bay of death,
Like a poor barque of sails and tackling reft,
Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom.
(Additional Passage J, ll.1-14)
Cousins indeed, and by their uncle cozened
Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life.
Whose hand soever lanced their tender hearts,
Thy head all indirectly gave direction.
No doubt the murd'rous knife was dull and blunt
Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart
To revel in the entrails of my lambs.
But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame,
My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys
Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes --
And I in such a desp'rate bay of death,
Like a poor barque of sails and tackling reft,
Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom.
(Additional Passage J, ll.1-14)
Categories
Provenance
HDIS
Citation
Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works. Oxford Shakespeare. Electronic Edition for the IBM PC. Stanley Wells and Gary Taylor, Editor.
Date of Entry
08/07/2003
